Former President Donald Trump recently sat down for an interview with Theo Von, a comedian who hosts the “This Past Weekend” podcast, among other ventures. Von is well known for his Louisiana charm, his deadpan, almost unintentional humor, and his meandering conversational style, which leads to a sometimes funny/sometimes deep dichotomy popular among younger listeners. But beneath the humor and zigzagging conversation is an earnestness that can’t be faked, making Trump a natural guest for such a show.
When Trump first rose to political prominence during the lead-up to the 2016 election, the prevailing narrative was that he was an outlandish firebrand, a performance artist playing a role on television who was only in the race for his own benefit. But with each new interview and debate, his authenticity proved those assumptions wrong and drew voters to him in droves. His victory over the narrative machine cemented him as a true American hero, a man who’d had enough of parasitic politics and was willing to risk everything he had to save his country.
Nearly a decade later, with our social fabric torn to shreds by the left’s perpetual cultural revolution, Trump has become a grandfatherly figure of stability and nostalgia for many, embodying the hope of millions who just wish we could go back to a simpler time when America made sense. Trump’s resolute demeanor in the wake of the assassination attempt at his rally in Butler, Pennsylvania, just over a month ago has only made this genuine appeal of his even stronger.
Von’s podcast isn’t
