Many of Hollywood’s effete actors might be all for socialist, billionaire-busting 2020 candidates like Bernie Sanders or Liz Warren, but the guys who call the shots and foot the bill in the entertainment industry might be into a racist billionaire for president this year.
Oh, the irony.
Deadline reported on Tuesday Feb. 18 that “over the past few weeks, many of the traditional donors who make up Hollywood’s center left are intrigued and maybe even enthralled by the former New York mayor,” Michael Bloomberg. Well, that’s certainly a far cry from the message being sent by Bernie Bros like John Cusack or Mark Ruffalo.
The outlet explained that Bloomberg has been “wooing them with the prospect of beating Donald Trump with his own personal fortune.” Bloomberg’s been spending so much money on TV advertisements for his presidential campaign, it has even been “enough to help drive up the stock price of some TV station groups.” That’s got to be tantalizing for business executives. Yep, even in the land of America’s most virtuous and socially-conscious denizens, turns out money still does most of the talking.
Though he hasn’t endorsed anyone quite yet, Tennis Channel president and Democrat activist Ken Solomon told the showbiz outlet, “We do have a guy with a very big wallet, and a huge track record of public and private success, who may be the great equalizer against Trump.”
Some of the Hollywood excitement around Bloomberg is that he can pay his own way. Deadline wrote, “There actually is a bit of relief to some of a candidate who’s not coming courting for his own campaign cash.”
“They are not asking for really anything. There is such an advantage in that. They understand that if you have an ability to share his message and share your network, that is how you win,” a “Democrat insider” told the outlet.
Bloomberg’s pay-for-it-himself mantra is not just intriguing to business guys like Los Angeles Times owner Patrick Soon-Shiong, he’s also got some media talent endorsing him as well. In addition to an endorsement from Judge Judy, he’s also got very enthusiastic support from Hollywood legend Michael Douglas and rock ‘n’ roll legend John “Cougar” Mellencamp.
Mr. Douglas has gone on the campaign trail for Bloomberg, speaking in Madison, Wisconsin, to supporters and telling them his family supports Mike so hard that some of his recently deceased father Kirk Douglas’s last words were, “Mike can get it done.” Some things are better left unsaid.
John Mellencamp marveled, “A politician who cannot be bought. That’s worth everything.”
Many others in Hollywood are skeptical of Bloomberg’s bid considering his past controversial comments on race. Director Ava DuVernay questioned Bloomberg over not having apologized for calling the Central Park Five guilty. She tweeted, “Sir. This will not work in 2020. The non-answers. The evasion. No, sir. Take the next opportunity to be clear about what you knew, what you did and what you did not do in this case.”
Either way, it sure is funny that many people in such a woke and moral place (just kidding) like Hollywood will choose a “racist” billionaire over a “racist” billionaire just because he has a D next to his name.
