Inaugural speech, entertainment sets tone for a new president

WEST LAFAYETTE, Ind. — What a new president says and even the entertainment at his inauguration can shape Americans’ opinions about a new administration, a Purdue University historian says.

“That is the challenge of an inaugural address and even the inaugural ceremonies and galas,” explains history professor Kathryn Brownell. “What is the message going to be behind this particular administration? What are the guiding principles the new president will use in crafting policy?”

Brownell specializes in U.S. politics, media, and the presidency. She has researched and studied celebrity political culture and the emergence of entertainment as a central feature of American politics. Her most recent book Showbiz Politics: Hollywood in American Political Life, explores Hollywood’s influence on American politics and the rise of the celebrity presidency.

 “I think the entertainment is an important part,” Brownell said. “The inaugural affairs are about setting the stage, quite literally, for the incoming administration. It’s about crafting a message, both verbal and visual.”

That wooing of the cultural leaders to help incoming presidents goes back decades, Brownell explains.  “The roots of our modern celebrity presidency began with Franklin Roosevelt, expanded with John Kennedy and even Richard Nixon, then really flourished under Ronald Reagan, Bill Clinton, and Barack Obama. They all followed a particular trajectory in terms of how they used media and entertainment and turned themselves into a celebrity to connect to audiences to gain political power.” 

Inaugural ceremonies and galas have contributed to the rise of a celebrity political culture that Donald Trump has used to his advantage, she says.  But, the fact that Trump has not mobilized the entertainment industry demonstrates he has used his celebrity in alternative ways, notably to advance his existing brand.  

Writer: Howard Hewitt, 765-494-9541, hhewitt@purdue.edu 

Source: Kathryn Brownell, 765-496-1755, brownell@purdue.edu

Note to Journalists: Brownell is available for telephone, email, and on-campus TV interviews.