Nearly a decade after his first campaign, I believe Trump still retains the kind of shield that only celebrity can provide. It’s easy to forget that before Trump the politician, there was Trump the businessman, entertainer and tabloid darling. After all, even though he is now a former president and currently the front-runner to retake the White House, it wasn’t that long ago that Trump was considered an American success story, a businessman with a proven track record and charisma on the rise. Becoming a celebrity by starring in films such as “Home Alone 2.” The hit TV series “The Apprentice” and Macy’s ads, as well as Taylor Swift and Martha Stewart.
The allure of success is powerful. In our own lives, success comes in many forms. Financial benefits, professional accolades, a happy family, etc. But for many people, especially young Americans today, fame and influence are both aspirations and indicators of success. There’s a reason brands seek out celebrity spokespeople to endorse their products. We probably subconsciously assume that just because someone is famous, they must be worth listening to.
Ms. Winfrey, Ms. Swift, Ms. Stewart and, yes, even Mr. Trump have long cultivated the kind of aspiring celebrity that brings with it many benefits not available to traditional politicians. Considered by many to be wealthy, successful, influential and entertaining, their success in one area creates a halo effect that leads people to assume they must be talented in all areas.
Many of these celebrities have been through their own trials (in some cases, Their literal trials and victories play out in very public ways, cultivating a fan base that is invested in their success on a personal level. As people develop “parasocial relationships” with major celebrities and delude themselves into thinking they somehow feel personally aware of the highly famous figures they see on screen, the emotional connection between celebrities and the general public is fundamentally different from that between politicians and voters.
After Trump won the 2016 Republican primary and subsequently won the White House, there was much discussion about the role his celebrity status played in shielding him from criticism from rivals. Attempts to portray Mr. Trump as bad at business failed because they were so contrary to what he said on television.–The brand built him up as an exceptional big shot. Even worse, attempts to portray him as an aggressive bully A brand he had already launched.
