How politics shaped entertainment this year

By Bryanne Salazar 7:48am PDT, Oct 31, 2017

Politics are no longer limited to Capitol Hill and the nightly news. They've taken center stage and infiltrated nearly every aspect of our lives including our favorite TV shows, the songs we listen to on our playlists and, maybe most apparently, our social media feeds. Join Wonderwall.com as we take a look at how politics have shaped entertainment in 2017… beginning with Season 2 of "The Girlfriend Experience" on STARZ. Premiering Nov. 5, the anthology show features a new cast of characters with all-new motives. One storyline in particular brings a salacious sex scandal to Washington during the 2018 midterm elections. With stars including Louisa Krause and Anna Friel, the new season promises to deliver all the scheming and manipulation we've come to associate with real-life political players (especially in the wake of sexual assault and harassment allegations against major Democratic donor and Hollywood producer Harvey Weinstein). Keep reading to see more…

On the Season 7 finale of "Game of Thrones," Tyrion Lannister (Peter Dinklage) was upset that Jon Snow (Kit Harington) didn't lie to Queen Cersei about his allegiance to her throne. Jon's response took on a decidedly more political tone that seemed to be referencing the current White House administration. Liam Cunningham (who plays Ser Davos Seaworth) even commented on the matter off-screen, saying the entire cast understood the weight of Jon's reply during filming, which many believe to be a dig at Donald Trump. Jon said, "When enough people make false promises, words stop meaning anything. Then there are no more answers, only better and better lies. And lies won't help us in this fight." Tyrion's response? "That is indeed a problem. The more immediate problem is that we're f—ed." Touché, Tyrion.

Even award show ceremonies aren't safe from politics. At the Golden Globes in January, Meryl Streep was honored with the Cecil B. DeMille Award for outstanding contributions to the world of entertainment. While on stage, she talked about the various birthplaces of some of the biggest stars in Hollywood and how those differences were what made cinema so great, even if foreigners were being vilified by the current president. Then she scolded Donald Trump (without naming him) for mocking a disabled reporter and inviting disrespect, violence and bullying into the nation. She finished her speech with a request that the press continue to uphold journalistic integrity and "safeguard the truth." The president quickly responded via Twitter, writing, "Meryl Streep, one of the most over-rated actresses in Hollywood, doesn't know me but attacked last night at the Golden Globes. She is a Hillary flunky who lost big…"

Another show taking on the current administration is the recently revived "Will & Grace" starring Eric McCormack and Sean Hayes (seen here in a fictional West Wing). The debut episode featured numerous jabs including a hat that said "Make America Gay Again," Grace (Debra Messing) unenthusiastically agreeing to redecorate the Oval Office and finding a Russian-English dictionary and fidget spinner on Donald Trump's desk, Karen (Megan Mullally) holding a fabric swatch against an orange Cheeto so Grace can determine if the paint color will complement the president's skin tone, and Grace yelling "Melania" while playing a guessing game with Will (who gives the hint "a hostage"). The show earned critical praise for being brave enough to make it clear on which side of the political fence it stands.

One interesting aspect of the political influence in Hollywood is who's stepped forward as a voice of reason amid so much turmoil. One such person is comedian Sarah Silverman, who premiered her Hulu original series "I Love You, America" on Oct. 12, 2017. The show's funny, but it's also deeply insightful. During some episodes, Sarah travels to a new city to sit down with Trump supporters and share in discussions that, surprisingly, don't end in arguments. Her motive is to find the commonality between us all, even when our political beliefs differ. Another powerful aspect of her series is the interview portion where Sarah speaks one-on-one with someone who's experienced a life-changing perspective shift. The first episode featured Megan Phelps-Roper, the granddaughter of Fred Phelps (the founder of the notoriously hateful Westboro Baptist Church) who, through positive exchanges on social media, came to change her beliefs and work toward healing instead of hurting others. It's powerful stuff but most importantly, it's giving us all a much needed dose of hope for humanity.

Although Donald Trump didn't attend the annual White House Correspondents' Association Dinner this year, he didn't escape the insults coming from comedian Hasan Minhaj, who gave one of the tastiest roasts of 2017. Host Hasan poked fun at the president's frequent golf schedule, his inability to take a joke and allegations of collusion with Russia to win the election. After pointing out cabinet members and advisers who weren't in attendance (including attorney general Jeff Sessions and since-removed chief strategist Steve Bannon), Hasan said, "Betsy DeVos couldn't be here. She's busy curating her collection of children's tears. Frederick Douglass isn't here, and that's because he's dead. Someone please tell the president." The comedian followed his controversial (and widely viewed) roast with the special "Homecoming King" on Netflix, where he joked about modern day political issues like racism and growing up in America as the child of immigrants.

Eminem has never been shy about expressing his opinions, but on Oct. 10, 2017, he let loose in a totally unexpected way with a freestyle rap segment during the BET Hip Hop Awards. During the performance, Eminem accused Donald Trump of causing "a nuclear holocaust" and distracting voters with talk of the NFL's stance in the take-a-knee movement rather than shining a light on the post-hurricane devastation in Puerto Rico or discussing solutions for gun violence after the horrific mass shooting in Las Vegas. Em ended the politically charged set with a clear message to fans who might support the president, saying: "Any fan of mine who's a supporter of his / I'm drawing in the sand a line / you're either for or against / And if you can't decide / who you like more in your split / on who you should stand beside / I'll do it for you with this / f— you."

The Emmy Award-winning series "This Is Us" starring Mandy Moore and Milo Ventimiglia premiered its second season on Sept. 26, 2017 and wasted no time acknowledging the contentious election, Hillary Clinton's loss and, more powerfully, racism. On the fourth episode of the season, Mandy's character, Rebecca Pearson, is forced to stand up to her mother for being racist toward her and her husband's adopted son, Randall. With racial tensions high in our country, the message for equality couldn't come at a better time.

Another comedian who's using his platform for political discussion is late night talk show host Jimmy Kimmel. On his show "Jimmy Kimmel Live," the host has made it his personal mission to serve searing critique about GOP health care bills that remove coverages and allow denial of coverage based on prior health conditions (among other issues). In one particularly stinging episode on Sept. 21, 2017, Jimmy took Sen. Bill Cassidy to task for, he alleges, lying about his opposition to these health care bills. (The senator later claimed Jimmy was "not understanding" the issue.) Jimmy has been relentless in speaking up on his show in support of the Affordable Care Act and his belief that all Americans should have comprehensive health coverage after his son Billy was born with a heart issue that required emergency life-saving surgery.

Even Mindy Kaling is incorporating political issues into the sixth (and final) season of "The Mindy Project," which premiered on Sept. 12, 2017, on Hulu. On the first episode of the season, Mindy casually name-dropped the Affordable Care Act, calling it Obamacare, while complaining to her marriage therapist about how long treatment was taking. In a later episode, her nurse, Tamara, compared Mindy to the American taxpayer who pays for everything while her soon-to-be ex-husband Ben was "like Melania Trump" (referencing the costly burden on taxpayers when Melania chose to live in New York City even though her husband was in Washington). Mindy also added some gun-rights humor to the show when her character joked about her wedding happening faster than how long it took to get a handgun permit.

George Clooney co-wrote and directed the movie "Suburbicon" starring Matt Damon and Julianne Moore (pictured). The movie debuted in theaters on Oct. 27, 2017, and, according to critics, it's a timely look at how racism and white supremacy can damage the lives of everyone it touches (including those who perpetuate it). Prior to the film's release, George and his wife, international human rights attorney Amal Clooney, donated $1 million to the Southern Poverty Law Center in the wake of a neo-Nazi rally that took place in Charlottesville, Virginia, and left one woman, Heather Heyers, dead.

In March 2017, Snoop Dogg released his remixed song "Lavender" along with a music video, which created immediate controversy due to images of Snoop shooting a toy gun at a clown version of Donald Trump (who he called "Ronald Klump"). While the song was meant to address issues the rapper sees as prevalent (like police brutality against African Americans), critics claimed the video was a direct threat against the president. Even Donald weighed in on Twitter, writing, "Can you imagine what the outcry would be if Snoop Dogg, failing career and all, had aimed and fired the gun at President Obama? Jail time!"

Entertainment award ceremonies often push the envelope and the 69th Annual Primetime Emmy Awards with host Stephen Colbert were no exception. During Stephen's opening monologue, there were several pointed political jabs that had the audience (and viewers) in stitches. From Julia Louis-Dreyfus singing, "Imagine if your president was not beloved by Nazis," to Stephen performing with a troupe of dancers dressed like women from "The Handmaid's Tale" (if you haven't watched, it's a dystopian look at our country after women have been demoted to breeders and servants). Other notable moments included Chance the Rapper lyrically questioning police violence and the ban on transgender service members as well as Stephen's not-so-subtle dig at Donald Trump when he said, "Unlike the presidency, Emmys go to the winner of the popular vote." Ouch.

Another wild 2017 Emmys moment? When Sean Spicer, the former White House press secretary who resigned in June, made an appearance on stage after Stephen Colbert asked if there was anyone who could accurately state the size of the show's audience (referencing the debate over the size of Donald Trump's inauguration audience). Sean pushed his podium on stage and declared the 69th Annual Primetime Emmys would be "the largest audience to witness an Emmys, period!" Stephen then replied, "Wow, that really soothes my fragile ego. I can understand why you'd want one of these guys around."

"Saturday Night Live" has a long and storied history of spot-on impersonations, but none have been so perfectly executed as Alec Baldwin's portrayal of Donald Trump. At the 2017 Primetime Emmys, Alec was awarded a statue for best supporting actor in a comedy for his caricaturization of the president on "SNL." During his acceptance speech, Alec told Donald (who once claimed the Emmys were "rigged" because he didn't win during his time on "The Apprentice"), "At long last, Mr. President, here is your Emmy."

Honestly, it would be weird if "South Park" didn't make any political commentary. Over the last 20 years, the show has routinely incorporated current events so it's not surprising that Season 21, which debuted on Sept. 13, 2017, went straight for the carotid with episodes tackling Donald Trump's incessant tweeting (one called "Put It Down") and the public's growing concern that the president will lead us into nuclear war with North Korea. Interestingly, the creators of the show — Trey Parker and Matt Stone — have commented to say they won't be satirizing Donald as much this season because it's "boring."

In October 2017, comedian and host Chelsea Handler announced via Twitter that she wouldn't be returning to Netflix for a third season of her series "Chelsea" because of politics. After expressing how the election and "countless events that have unfolded since" have "galvanized" her, she claimed her time would be better spent "becoming a more knowledgeable and engaged citizen." Like Sarah Silverman, Chelsea plans to travel the country to speak with people "with different ethnicities, religions and political philosophies" and will be sharing her experiences in an upcoming Netflix-produced documentary.

Playwright Lin-Manuel Miranda (who created the major Broadway musical success "Hamilton") is often called "the nicest guy in Hollywood." That changed in September 2017 when Donald Trump attacked Mayor Carmen Yulin Cruz of San Juan, Puerto Rico, in a series of retaliatory tweets after she asked the U.S. to do a better job with aid to the U.S. territory after it was devastated by Hurricane Maria. Writing to the president directly, Lin-Manuel said, "You're going straight to hell, @realDonaldTrump. No long lines for you. Someone will say, 'Right this way, sir.' They'll clear a path." He also added "[The mayor] has been working 24/7. You have been GOLFING. You're going straight to hell. Fastest golf cart you ever took."

On the Season 43 premiere of "Saturday Night Live," rapper JAY-Z was the show's musical guest. During his performance of his newest song, "Bam," JAY-Z wore a custom-made jersey featuring former San Francisco 49ers quarterback Colin Kaepernick's number. While he made no direct references in his song to the controversial football star, who launched the take-a-knee movement during performances of the national anthem to protest police brutality against minorities, JAY-Z did turn around at the end of his performance to let the audience see the back of his shirt which simply said "Colin K." with No. 7 underneath.

Although former "Star Trek" star George Takei has been a vocal supporter of the resistance movement, especially as it pertains to the rights of those in the LGBTQ community, he took the opportunity to play a little prank on his fans on April Fool's Day in 2017. On his Twitter and Facebook accounts, George announced he would be running for a California congressional seat in 2018. His supporters cheered his announcement, whipping themselves into a social media frenzy, before George shared that his supposed run for office was nothing more than a well-timed joke.

The anthology series "American Horror Story: Cult" starring Adina Porter (seen here) debuted on Sept. 5, 2017, with a first episode aptly titled "Election Night." The season opener featured two very different receptions to the news that Donald Trump had won the presidency: Some were horrified and others were so thrilled, they actually got physical with the TV screen. While their town is being overrun with killer clowns, they're also trying to figure out how to co-exist in a world where an orange lampoon is the leader of the nation. Scary stuff, indeed.

Numerous celebrities have made their feelings about Donald Trump's presidency known to the public (Madonna even said she dreams of blowing up the White House) but Adam Pally (from "The Mindy Project" and the time-traveling comedy "Making History") took it one step further. When the funny actor was asked by a reporter who he'd "have to spend an hour with" if time travel was real, his answer was surprising: "Oh, I'd have to kill Trump or Hitler, right? Or maybe I'd go back and love them more."

At the 2017 MTV Video Music Awards, a non-celebrity named Susan Bro spoke to the audience and for a minute united them all. Susan's daughter, Heather Heyer, had been brutally slain in Charlottesville just two weeks prior to the award show. The brave, grieving mother stood on stage to present the newest award — for best fight against the system — saying, "Only 15 days ago, my daughter, Heather, was killed as she protested racism… I miss her, but I know she's here tonight." Susan went on to announce that all six nominees for the award, including Logic's "Black SpiderMan" and "The Hamilton Mixtape" track "Immigrants (We get the job done)" would take home a statue in honor of their work to defeat racism.

Comedian and self-described D-list celebrity Kathy Griffin found that politics and entertainment don't always mix. In May 2017, TMZ leaked an image from a photo shoot Kathy had done with controversial artist Tyler Shields that showed her holding a blood-covered head that looked like Donald Trump. The reaction from fans, politicians and the media was swift and severe, calling out the star for going too far. Even Chelsea Clinton weighed in, branding it "vile and wrong." Kathy apologized, but CNN quickly fired her from her long-running gig as the co-host of the network's New Year's Eve celebration coverage alongside Anderson Cooper.