In one of my many alternative realities, I’ve played the role of a television industry journalist, which is where I first got to see how much and how easily Donald Trump lied and distorted reality, which was kind of ironic given that most of what he was talking about back then was the programming genre of “reality TV.”

Back then, he mostly lied about Nielsen TV ratings, proclaiming that his “The Apprentice” and “Celebrity Apprentice” shows were the best and most-watched. And while they certainly drew lots of viewers, so do car accidents and train wrecks.

So when he decided to run for office, I didn’t discount his ability to draw lots of viewers, and turn them into voters. Like successful reality TV shows, election outcomes often depend on name recognition, even if the central character is someone viewers don’t necessarily like, but feel entertained by.

For the past decade, Trump has blurred the lines between reality TV and the real-world of American and global politics, and during his obviously staged “train wreck” meeting with Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelensky he literally broke the fourth wall by turning to the cameras and acknowledging, “I’ll tell you one thing, this is going to be great television.”

There are two problems with that statement. One is that America is now being run by a reality TV performer. The other is that he is actually a great reality TV performer.

I’ve been surprised that more people haven’t picked up on Trump’s statement, and that the press in particular haven’t been all over it.

But a few have, including this great piece by Megan Garber in The Atlantic. I recommend reading it.

I hope more media cover Trump’s reality TV presidency angle, because it is a dangerous way to run the real-world. And at the very least, viewers — er, I mean voters — should understand how the performative antics of a reality TV star influence how they feel, think and behave.

Or as George Washington University Professor of politics and journalism Steven Roberts opines here, great television inside the Oval Office can be dangerous policy, and even the highest Nielsen ratings cannot change that.

Republished from B/log.