There’s a moment in the trailer for This Places Rules where one of Andrew Callaghan’s sources explains what Chipotle’s logo secretly means (boy-loving), reminding viewers just how dumb most of us are.
No judgement. We’ve all found ourselves in a whirlwind of bullshittery from time to time.
But what sets the cast of This Place Rules apart from everyone else is the extent most of Donald Trump’s most ardent supporters were prepared to go under the guise of freedom and democracy.
This Places Rules by Andrew Callaghan
Some of the dumbest things people believed because of Trump
Donald Trump shaped his political career touting ridiculous conspiracy theories, perpetuating misinformation for clicks, and creating an entire generation of activists set to undermine the government at any cost. But what’s impressive about Trump is how easily he was able to convince his supporters to take his claims seriously.
There are too many conspiracies to list here, but a few take the tin foil cake.
Obama isn’t American
Trump’s feud with Obama goes back years. However, things spiraled out of control between the two when Trump began appearing on Fox News every day, claiming he had proof that the president was not an American citizen. While initially staying above the fray, Obama eventually responded by publishing his birth record, but Trump remained adamant that the president was a Kenyan citizen.
The spat was so personal Obama eventually took a swipe at Trump at the White House Correspondents Dinner in 2011 as Trump looked on from the crowd, even going as far as predicting Trump would never be president (oof).
Obama roasts Trump at White House Correspondents Dinner
Ted Cruz’s father was connected to Kennedy’s assassination
This one never stuck because even Trump’s most loyal followers recognized the accusation as an obvious lie against a political opponent.
Of course, Cruz told some whoppers of his own. Does anyone remember the Mexico trip?
Kamala Harris’ citizenship
During a press event before the 2020 election, Trump was asked what he thought about recently breaking news claiming Harris was ineligible to run for office because her parents were not born in America. Trump, never letting research get in his way, jumped on the news, saying:
“I just heard it today that she doesn’t meet the requirements, and by the way, the lawyer that wrote that piece is a very highly qualified, very talented lawyer. I have no idea if that’s right. I would have assumed the Democrats would have checked that out before she gets chosen to run for vice president. But that’s a very serious, you’re saying that, they’re saying that she doesn’t qualify because she wasn’t born in this country.”
What Trump didn’t say is that he had just heard, from her. Lol.
The reporter clarified that she did not say Kamala wasn’t born in the US.
Stop the Steal
Whatever successes Trump may have had in life, his most famous and outrageous claim, Stop the Steal, will probably be the sad and forgotten legacy of the 45th president. The Don has been under countless investigations since losing the 2020 election and organizing a mob to attempt to overthrow the US government. His Stop the Steal social media blitz drew thousands to the capital and resulted in several deaths and hundreds of arrests, though Trump has thus far avoided criminal prosecution.
Which leads us back to This Place Rules.
This Places Rules looks to tell both sides
It’s easy to pile on the Q-Anons and hardcore Magas. But the truth is, they’re everyday Americans with problems, bills, families, and responsibilities. And most of Trump’s voters saw through the BS.
Trump’s supporters have their perspective, and the rest of the country needs to reconcile with the fact that we don’t all agree on everything. Labeling them “crazy” adds no value to the dialogue.
The trailer for Callaghan’s This Place Rules sees Andrew interviewing folks from both sides of the aisle in all their frothy American glory, seemingly telling us that we’ll get a non-partisan perspective (for something that Trump elevated beyond politics).
And while many of us already know where we stand politically, in general, an open dialogue with others that we’re so quick to dismiss as radical may lead to improved discourse. At the end of the day, that’s a good thing, is it not?
This Place Rules hits HBO Max on December 30, 2022. Streaming This Weekend has set its projected score for This Place Rules at a solid 85.