With Donald Trump being a former reality star and now running for his second term as U.S. President, politics seems to be more of an entertainment show nowadays than something that everyone takes seriously.
At least, this is what actor Matthew McConaughey thinks. He has referred to the state of American politics as like the “Real Housewives” TV series and hinted that he might run for office one day.
Media Consumption Causes Political Divides
A survey has found that the media people consume can completely change their political opinions, causing divides across the nation. Those who use traditional news were typically Biden supporters, and those who use social media as a news source tended to prefer Trump.
The poll also found that people who don’t keep up with politics preferred Trump over Biden. The issue is causing political divides in households, families and friendship groups all over the U.S.
Billionaires Want to Change Politics
The wealthy have the money to change politics, and if they want to do it, they will. Billionaires want to change politics to reap bigger benefits than anyone else.
Most of this is happening in San Francisco, with billionaires investing millions for tougher stances on crime and homelessness and policies that are business-friendly and good for housing construction.
Celebrities Involved in Politics
Just like anyone else, celebrities can get involved in politics. This is regardless of whether they are just speaking their mind on some political policies or going on to become a politician themselves.
Some people even believe some celebrities are secretly involved in politics. A survey found that one in three Republicans believed that Taylor Swift was involved in an operation to ensure Joe Biden’s second term as U.S. President in 2024. However, there is no confirmation of whether that was true or not.
Matthew McConaughey Might Run for Office
One celebrity who is more likely than Taylor Swift to get involved in politics is Matthew McConaughey. He has gone as far as to hint that he might run for office one day.
When speaking at the National Governors Association 2024 meeting in Salt Lake City, Utah, he said that he nearly quit Hollywood for a political career.
Learning About Politics
McConaughey has confirmed that he has spent the last six years learning about what being directly involved in politics would mean for him and how that might look.
He also referred to needing the instinct and intellect to be involved in politics. He wants to be 100% sure that he has this before even considering running for office, especially as it might mean leaving his acting career behind.
Encouraged to Run for Office
When he spoke about his desire to run for office on the panel, Hawaii Governor Josh Green encouraged him, saying he shouldn’t feel pressured to align with either the Republicans or Democrats.
This is especially true as McConaughey hasn’t publicly said his political standing. However, as Green said, he is “warm and likable,” which could get him votes if he chooses to get involved.
Not Invalidating Anyone
According to McConaughey, one of the issues with the entertainment industry is that some people are very critical of anyone who is a Republican or considers themselves right-wing.
The worry is that continuing to do this will result in invalidating some people if they don’t align with left-leaning politicians, which could affect their careers going forward.
Politicians Need to Gain Attention
With many people starting to lose faith in politics and their leaders, it’s important for politicians to gain attention online and get lots of clicks, as this is how they can grab people’s attention. This is especially true for social media users.
McConaughey says this is driving things to the extreme and can polarize people. This is why some would argue that politics needs to be rethought as to how it works in the traditional and online media.
McConaughey Has Spoken About Gun Control
Even though McConaughey seems to be keeping his political cards to his chest, he has spoken out about gun control. This is an ever-increasing prevalent problem in the U.S., with there being extreme divides as to whether guns should or shouldn’t be allowed.
In 2022, he spoke about the school shooting that happened in Uvalde, Texas, which is McConaughey’s hometown. He urged Congress to pass legislation that would make it a legal requirement for background checks on people purchasing guns and that the minimum age for purchasing AR-15s be raised to 21 from 18.
Politics Is Like an Episode of ‘Real Housewives’
As he has a keen interest in politics but has also spent many years in the entertainment industry, McConaughey has warned that the political landscape doesn’t need to look like an episode of the “Real Housewives.”
He also made it clear that while he is in the entertainment business, he doesn’t believe that those involved in politics should be in the entertainment business and should take things seriously.
Not Playing a Character
One of the most important things to distinguish is that it is the role of an actor to play a character. Politicians are real people and they shouldn’t be playing a character and should just be themselves.
In some cases, politicians will act up to the character the media has portrayed them to be to get more clicks and views on what they are saying. However, according to McConaughey, politicians must stay in their lane and not turn America into a car wreck or “Real Housewives” drama.
