ARE POLITICAL “BULLIES” LOVED FOR WHAT THEY DO?

… Arnold Schwarzenegger, the new Host of  "Celebrity Apprentice". 

Why are those who are such obvious bullies, so popular….?

OK, here’s the big question:

Since “The Donald” became a real issue within the group of GOP nominees for president, has anyone ever wondered why a privileged white male, born to wealth, why has this narcissistic, self-promoting blow-hard become such a favorite of a select slice of the Republican party?

Well, to figure this out, you would probably have to ask why the people that idolize Mr. Trump, also hold positive attitudes for other well-known individuals that also act like those classic playground bullies.  These out-and-out miss-fits include the likes of Rush Limbaugh, Glenn beck, Sean Hannity, Bill O’Reilly and Ann Coulter.

The classic phrase: “With friends like these, who needs enemies?” does come to mind.

But again I ask, what is so appealing by these types that makes a particular low-information slice of conservatives almost worship these individuals?

It must seem very weird for the average American to see someone who is such an obvious bully, be so admired….?

But there is a commonality between these individuals, especially all the men in these groups.

These individuals tend to be wealthy, male, loud-mouthed bullies who revel in their privileged positions and they enjoy stomping on those with less social power.  And an uninformed slice of the Republican base just loves these narcissistic blow-hards.

The rise of Donald Trump in the polls has prompted a rise in all kinds of articles that ponder Trump's success. One internet publication even wrote, “Why is Trump, who seems too unpleasant to even share an elevator with, killing it in the Republican primary polls? Is it the goofiness of his insults? Some have suggested it might be that the voters agree with his bigoted opinions. That’s a possible reason, but then again, the rest of the Republican candidates are no less bigoted. So what explains Trump's success?”

If we look back to those that became those popular villain-type movie and TV celebrities in the 1970’s & 80’s, they might as well have been modeled on someone like Donald Trump.  Looking back at American pop culture, you’d think no one was more hated than a bully, especially one like Trump, whose overblown sense of self is due entirely to an accident of birth.

Yet here we are in 2015, with a wise-ass who is straight out of central casting, complete with his private plane, and a penchant for multiple trophy wives.  All the while football stadiums of fans are cheering him on. Why is that? Apparently, Americans have learned nothing from our own past pop culture?

But let’s look closer at this pop-culture phenomenon.

For the most part, the select group of individuals that are actual Trump supporters are mostly the Republican primary voters.  Isn’t this just another sign of how much right-wing America is completely out of step with the rest of America?  Today, the Average American has moved on to an anti-bullying mentality.  But the militant side of the right-wing media has been teaching their base the opposite lesson.  For those in the far right, to be a bully is to be “manly and powerful”.  (Just listen to when the cheering occurs at any Trump event.)

However, those of us on the other side of the equation, we see the Limbaugh’s, O’Reilly’s, Beck’s and Coulter’s as belligerent bullies. 

But if we are being realistic, we must agree that even as the rest of us might dislike rich, entitled bullies, we do still thrill in watching them do their thing. Liberals in particular might hate Trump, but they enjoy hissing and booing at him. They just can’t look away.

The entertainment industry knows how much we are entertained by bullies.  That’s why Donald Trump was the successful host of "The Apprentice" and "Celebrity Apprentice" for so many years. It wasn’t, as he tries to convince us, "because of his business acumen".  It was his treatment of the contestants, especially treating the women around him like dirt.

If there was any doubt that the point of his show is for watching some sexist bully push people around, why was it that Arnold Schwarzenegger was chosen to replace Trump on "Celebrity Apprentice"?  While Schwarzenegger is also a businessman, there is one major item that Schwarzenegger and Trump have in common: They are both sexist bullies.

One must remember that Schwarzenegger had been accused by 16 women of sexual harassment and assault.  Just as Trump likes to fling insults around, Schwarzenegger is a big fan of insulting and verbally abusing women.

In reality, some in the audience will jeer and some will applaud, but we will all be entertained….sorta.  And that, more than anything else, is what the Trump campaign is about: America’s continuing fascination with pompous bullies.

The only question is whether Trump, like Schwarzenegger did in California, will he ride that fascination to political victory.

Let’s all pray for that failure.

Copyright G.Ater  2105