
Only HIS reality show, unlike the pablum on TV, is lethal, and not harmless escapism. We cannot escape his phony press conferences where he calls the reporters and writers confronting him “enemies of the people,” and, at his rallies,“lying, terrible, nasty people.” Or, when these media people seek an answer to some crucial question, he smugly, condescendingly and dismissively says, “We'll see,” and walks off, keeping us all off balance, like puppets on a string, awaiting his next twisted deed.
Reality shows on TV almost always involve drama, conflict and confrontation, hurt feelings and personal treachery, arguments and feuds, crying and screaming, and ultimate hysterics we all identify with and hate in ourselves.
Take the so-called “Real House Wives” of places like Beverly Hills, Orange County, New York, Dallas, etc. They are all rich and socially elite and dabble in philanthropy and the arts while diving headlong into fashion. They are supposedly best friends, though so narcissistic they cannot help but be consumed with jealousy, and thus plant mean little rumors about each other (a manner of programmers pitting them against one another) that are eventually passed around, igniting anger and victimization of cruelty, and the inevitable hysteria which is often so wrenching that their rich, often hen-pecked husbands must attempt to mediate some measure of civility as they go at each other like feral tomcats. Ha ha.
Meanwhile, from scene to scene, we are supposed to be involved with and care about people so worthless and selfish and superficial and downright hateful (despite their plastic induced beauty) we feel almost tainted to be watching them in action as they scream at each other in the highest end restaurants while drunk on $100 bottles of wine (sometimes their own brands) and even throw things at each other before storming off, only to be acquiesced by a supposedly neutral member of the wives, whom manages to drag back the aggrieved wife for a formal if grudging apology, after which there is more sobbing and hugging and vows to love one another...
Somehow we are pulled into these demented fracases, and those who produce this garbage know exactly what they're doing, because what they are producing is exactly what we want, in our boredom and laziness and stupidity, to be fed.
Thus Trump. Oh how his tribe of grimacing hate mongers revel in the glory of his instigation of drama and conflict, congealed with seething bile and menace. This is THEIR show, THEIR reality show, HE is THEIR witch doctor, and they take insurmountable glee in watching the enemy tribe grind their teeth and rage and suffer at the hands of his expert puppet show, and, most gratifying, lose!
“We are winning!” crows the Donald, strutting around his stage at rallies, as he boasts about preposterous, impossible accomplishments. “We are winners! America is winning! YOU are the winners.” And they go apeshit, cheering the strutting peacock, and, at his cue, jeering the libs and screaming about jailing Hillary.
The Cagey Donald, always a showman, and the intimidating star “The Apprentice,” is well grounded in submerging his reality show in nonstop propaganda and demagoguery. And he has the greatest, most expansive venue in which to spew it out to the world—the United States Presidency. He is in his glory, chortling giddily at 5 in the morning as he sends out ridiculous tweets aimed strictly at the moral righteousness of his fretting enemy, the democrats. Who flail helplessly at his controlling tactics, his gigantic podium, and his chief attack army, Fox News, led by general Hannity and major Carlson and the brain dead morning crew of fawning acolytes.
And, if these bullhorn mouth pieces do not suffice, the entire republican party, in on the reality show, join hands and cheer the master, knowing that the ugliness he spews sells.
Just as television stoops to the lowest common denominator to create moronic programs that sell ads, the Donald has cocked up a repulsively asinine ongoing reality show to pit opposing tribes against one another and literally slice the American populace in half and render it steeped in conflict, drama and a vicious growing feud that could lead to another civil war.
But this time the Gestapo has the guns, folks, and we know who is in charge of those guns, and his tribe, and his political party.