Eh, maybe? But English grammar is consensus based. This is arguably bad grammar because people not knowing the cliché of "there there" had trouble understanding

Eh, maybe? But English grammar is consensus based. This is arguably bad grammar because people not knowing the cliché of "there there" had trouble understanding the intent, not because it's "wrong" under some hard citeable rules. Moreover I think you could argue the author is using the phrase as an abstract noun. Consider: That there's a solidity to it. That there's a "there" there to it. The first turns naturally to my ear; the second is a bit forced but works IMO.