3 ms·

FWIW, Bill Maher met him, and said his public persona is an act.

jillyboel 1y ago
This isn't even about how much of an asshole Trump is. It's about how he literally cannot string a sentence together.
SpicyLemonZest 1y ago
It's not worth anything. I don't know where people get this idea that someone's "real" persona consists only of the things they say in intimate private settings. A guy who runs around saying things he knows aren't true and calling people names is a liar and a bully, even if he understands himself to be playing some kind of role or acts politely in 1:1 conversations with Bill Maher.
mgkimsal 1y ago
It might be that his private persona is an act. Why is that not a possibility?
- echoangle 1y ago
  Depending on the personae (is that a word?), it would be pretty clear, no? If one is really stupid and one is brilliant, how would the brilliant one be an act? If you can act brilliant, you are brilliant.
  - mgkimsal 1y ago
    Trump seems to be a stupid person's ideal of what 'brilliance' is. So... his acting as brilliant is their version of brilliant, regardless of anything else. He is their alternative fact.
    - cratermoon 1y ago
      Also the weakling's idea of tough guy and the poor guy's ideal of a rich man.
  - overfeed 1y ago
    > If you can act brilliant, you are Reminds me of a story told by someone who was an intern or assistant for a politician (or consultant?) way back in the day before social media. They recount their first experience watching the politician at a town hall - they were late and apologetic, and gave a speech that was funny, compelling and authentic and the crowd ate it up. They attended the next town hall, and the principal was late again, and proceeded to give the same speech, beat for beat. The same routine was repeated dozens more times at dozens of locations with different audiences, save for the politicians staff. In truth, the politician was not as funny or as sincere as the practiced speech and routine made them seem. All this to say; acting funny or brilliant behind closed doors without cameras rolling doesn't mean you actually are those things. It's easy to recycle the same schtick after years of honing it and figuring out what works and what doesn't, Trump has impeccable showman instincts.
    - hectormalot 1y ago
      The story is from a co-host with Boris Johnson for some award ceremony. It’s a great read: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2449074521979085&id=100046682812730 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2449074521979085... With Johnson I at least had the impression that he understood the showmanship aspect of it really well. Less so with Trump, at least it seems less polished.
      - overfeed 1y ago
        It indeed was Boris - thank you! It's weird to compare my faulty recollection to the actual account; only 2 occasions narrated, not dozens - though it is implied, and the narrator wasn't an intern.
arrosenberg 1y ago
Bill Maher is a coward who is groveling because his personal sense of self-importance makes him believe he will end up in CECOT.
cyberax 1y ago
Groucho Marx quote comes to mind: "He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."

This isn't even about how much of an asshole Trump is. It's about how he literally cannot string a sentence together.

It's not worth anything. I don't know where people get this idea that someone's "real" persona consists only of the things they say in intimate private settings. A guy who runs around saying things he knows aren't true and calling people names is a liar and a bully, even if he understands himself to be playing some kind of role or acts politely in 1:1 conversations with Bill Maher.

mgkimsal 1y ago

It might be that his private persona is an act. Why is that not a possibility?

echoangle 1y ago
Depending on the personae (is that a word?), it would be pretty clear, no? If one is really stupid and one is brilliant, how would the brilliant one be an act? If you can act brilliant, you are brilliant.
- mgkimsal 1y ago
  Trump seems to be a stupid person's ideal of what 'brilliance' is. So... his acting as brilliant is their version of brilliant, regardless of anything else. He is their alternative fact.
  - cratermoon 1y ago
    Also the weakling's idea of tough guy and the poor guy's ideal of a rich man.
- overfeed 1y ago
  > If you can act brilliant, you are Reminds me of a story told by someone who was an intern or assistant for a politician (or consultant?) way back in the day before social media. They recount their first experience watching the politician at a town hall - they were late and apologetic, and gave a speech that was funny, compelling and authentic and the crowd ate it up. They attended the next town hall, and the principal was late again, and proceeded to give the same speech, beat for beat. The same routine was repeated dozens more times at dozens of locations with different audiences, save for the politicians staff. In truth, the politician was not as funny or as sincere as the practiced speech and routine made them seem. All this to say; acting funny or brilliant behind closed doors without cameras rolling doesn't mean you actually are those things. It's easy to recycle the same schtick after years of honing it and figuring out what works and what doesn't, Trump has impeccable showman instincts.
  - hectormalot 1y ago
    The story is from a co-host with Boris Johnson for some award ceremony. It’s a great read: https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2449074521979085&id=100046682812730 https://m.facebook.com/story.php?story_fbid=2449074521979085... With Johnson I at least had the impression that he understood the showmanship aspect of it really well. Less so with Trump, at least it seems less polished.
    - overfeed 1y ago
      It indeed was Boris - thank you! It's weird to compare my faulty recollection to the actual account; only 2 occasions narrated, not dozens - though it is implied, and the narrator wasn't an intern.

arrosenberg 1y ago

Bill Maher is a coward who is groveling because his personal sense of self-importance makes him believe he will end up in CECOT.

cyberax 1y ago

Groucho Marx quote comes to mind: "He may look like an idiot and talk like an idiot but don't let that fool you. He really is an idiot."