Whoever concocted the old saying, “No publicity is bad publicity” evidently didn’t have politics in mind — especially as it pertains to the campaign trail.
In an effort to topple Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton’s camp has launched a series of attacks, and a slew of Hollywood’s elite creatives have lined up to give Team HRC a helping hand. Apparently, Trump-motivated storylines and parodies are the new cure to TV writer’s block.
TV screens have been increasingly riddled with outlandish Trump depictions and parodies.
The GOP nominee is no stranger to the small screen, with more than 20 IMDb.com credits to his name. Pre-2011, Trump appeared as himself on “The Jeffersons,” “The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air,” and “Sex in the City,” among other notable series.
Despite the GOP candidate’s unprecedented success, many of TV’s most popular programs have used Trump’s political achievements to advance their story arcs — ABC’s “Scandal,” NBC’s “Law & Order: SVU,” Showtime’s “Shameless,” and “South Park,” to name a few.
Whether we — or the GOP — like it or not, TV screens have been increasingly riddled with outlandish Trump depictions and parodies.
ABC’s “Scandal” takes place in the White House, so it’s the perfect breeding ground for a Trump-inspired episode. Leave it to its creator, Shonda Rhimes, to target his integrity — blowing it out of proportion.
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On May 5, “Scandal” aired an episode called “Trump Card” that featured boorish billionaire and Texas Republican Hollis Doyle (Gregg Henry) campaigning with the motto that he was “giving America back to Americans.” A clear caricature of Trump, Hollis calls his rival Mellie “a classy piece of a**” and mentions “south of the border types with greedy little hands.” On the episode, he was shown to be a fraud and basically run out of town.
“South Park” creators Trey Parker and Matt Stone have been up to their usual antics this season with a Trump-ish Mr. Garrison and Hillary Clinton, blatantly called a “Turd Sandwich,” and have featured the two in debates and other scenarios. In the animated program’s final pre-election episode, Mr. Garrison persistently looks for ways to derail his own presidential bid. After realizing that his fits of anger aren’t working, he channels J.J. Abrams’ “Star Wars” to halt voters’ support.
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“Remember that every vote for Hillary Clinton is a vote that shows the world we agree that ‘The Force Awakens’ was more like a ‘Happy Days’ reunion special than a movie. The choice is yours, America. Please make the right one.”
While it certainly wasn’t as intentional as “Scandal” or “South Park,” Showtime’s “Shameless,” also took a subtle crack at Trump. The indirect dig came when Fiona’s (Emmy Rossum) naive Nazi-worshiping brother, Chuckie (Kellen Michael), took to his book report to dish on borders being crossed and his Adolf Hitler admiration. Although “Shameless” is known for its edgy demeanor, it significantly misrepresented Trump by associating him with in the “Mien Kampf” dictator.
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“Saturday Night Live,” of course, has benefited from the Trump-Hillary Race, having seen a 20-percent jump in its ratings this season, according to Fox News.
Following all three presidential debates with parodies of its own, the long-running sketch comedy show has used actor Alec Baldwin to spoof Trump. Although “SNL” didn’t exactly praise Clinton with comedian Kate McKinnon’s portrayal, it was less harsh compared to Trump’s. The program will likely continue with its mockery when it airs its Nov. 7 “SNL Election Special.”
Related: ‘SNL’ is Back and More Political Than Ever
Also slated for November, “Law & Order: SVU” will air a Trump-ish episode that was originally slated for Oct. 26. It will portray Trump as “handsome, charming millionaire” politician Gary Cole, who sees his Oval Office run going up in flames after several women accuse him of sexual misconduct. NBC’s new air date: Nov. 16.
Sadly, the anti-Trump bias goes well beyond the script for certain TV celebrities. Case in point: Various “Empire” cast members partook in a “What Will You Say” video, abhorring Trump’s credibility if he were elected. This — and the outlandish Trump TV characterizations — beg an even bigger query: What will America do if a corrupt Democrat is sworn into office?
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