Instagram/@jamieleecurtis
Jamie Lee Curtis has urged the continuity of political participation following the protests that recently occurred. She stressed that it is very crucial for the public to keep on attending and to be prepared for the next electoral cycle. The actress uploaded a photo of a street sign that was altered in the most interesting way so as to read “NO TRUMPING KING” while she was encouraging her supporters to convert the strength of the protest into that of the vote. Her message initiated conversations all across the political spectrum about the use of protest and the strength of politics in the US.
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The Halloween star always expressed her political views in a straightforward manner. “In this world of plenty and BIG, BIGGER, BIGGEST,” Curtis commented, “the fact that this is the largest turnout of protests ever is of no importance, it is only the fact that we SHOWED UP, STOOD UP, gave voice to our opinions and expressed our feelings that matters.” Quickly, she was talking about the next practical actions to be taken and declaring that “now the HARD work” begins because there is only one year left for the Americans to “send a real MESSAGE at the BALLOT BOX which is our AMERICAN VOICE.” The final part of her appeal—”let’s get &$@KING BUSY!”—encapsulated the sense of urgency that has been ruling the political conversations around the current administration.
The altered street sign stating “NO TRUMPING KING” almost instantly became the most discussed topic in the comments section. A user expressed “This is awesome. The sign is very creative!” while some others inquired about its origin. The sign, despite not being the only one, drew attention to the same point that Curtis was making, which was about resistance to oppression and tyranny, however, the critics were very quick to point out that the metaphor was not only weak but also somewhat irrelevant. “We haven’t had kings ruling over us since 1776,” a user commented in reference to the American War of Independence, while another one jested, “You are the only ones who keep calling your President a king… He is still your president or shall I say, your king. You have created it lol.”
Although at first the discussion mainly focused on the street sign and the comment it made, it wasn’t long before the debate had shifted to the whole topic of the effectiveness of protests and political strategies and such. Someone, viewing the situation rather cynically, commented “People are getting too personal over a question of what someone else did on their Saturday.” A more constructive and specific suggestion for alternative actions was given as “You can hold cardboard or take action against billionaires (1. Delete social media 2. Stop buying gas n oil 3. Unsubscribe from streaming services 4. Stop buying processed food at high prices.” The different views on the coexistence of symbolic protest and direct economic action, or one being more effective than the other, led to further exchanges among the users.
The question of the protests’ nature and whether or not they are needed at this point since the regime is still not completely dictatorial came up as a key dispute. A comment asked “If he is a king then y are u allowed to protest,” and different users attempted to come up with reasonable arguments. One of them explained “Because if he does succeed in shifting the balance of power to the full Executive Branch (the supposed king), then we won’t be able to protest. Do you wait until the patient is dead to operate on them?” Another one paraphrased Martin Niemöller’s famous poem about the consequences of not being able to speak up early against tyrants suggesting, The protests are preventive action rather than reaction to an already established reality.
Those who backed Trump’s policies took Curtis’s way of putting things quite defensively. “Oh my God, Jamie Lee, this is very pathetic,” one critic replied. “Maybe you should take a look at the history of past presidents. Trump is completely within his rights.” Another person said “And the list of good things he has already done in less than a year is more than all the good things done by Biden during his whole presidency!” The contrast in the replies was a clear reflection of the significant political division that the American public still undergoes, with some of the commenters expressing their discontent with Curtis’ political activism while others praising her for being courageous.
At some points in the debate, the discussions went to bizarre places; one of which was a comment from a person who claimed he was an expert in the field: “As someone who makes road signs I don’t appreciate this, thanks a lot assholes.” The concern about the negative image of the road signs was a very practical one that stood in stark contrast to the high-stakes political arguments that occupied most of the discussion. One more international viewpoint was from a British observer who simply stated “As a Brit, I can only hope,” although it was not clear if this was expressing hope for American democracy or for the success of the protest.
Curtis’s plan of action is characteristic of an increasing number of celebrities who are willing to risk their platforms in support of political outcomes that do not simply lead to awareness raising. Her telling of the protest as part of a long-term strategy rather than a goal in itself was akin to the closure of the ballot box for the protests as the ultimate place of “our AMERICAN VOICE.” The message she imparted was that even though mass protests have symbolic significance, the desired change in the political landscape can only be realized through substantial and consistent involvement with the electoral processes. This pragmatic stance not only sets her activist community apart from the more performative forms of celebrity political engagement but also indicates that even the carefully framed political messages have to grapple with significant headwinds within today’s polarized environment, as evidenced by the mixed reaction to her post.
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Curtis’s post received strong reactions, among which were comments with a wide spectrum from very supportive to very opposing and bitter, indicating that political expression by celebrities still has the potential to cause discussions inciting public interest intensely. The turning of her protest call into voting power holds a strategic aspect that sets it to acknowledge both the symbolic power of public demonstration and the practical necessity of winning at the ballot box. The combination of street-level activism and electoral approach may well be the paths along which the mobilization for the coming year will proceed as the election cycle heats up. The talk surrounding her post exemplifies the intricate dynamics of contemporary political engagement where creative expression, practical strategy, and moral philosophy conflicts are all intermixed in the public arena. This reminds many of America Ferrera‘s recent work. Matthew McConaughey has also collaborated with Curtis on projects. Curtis recently shared an amusing story about an unexpected autograph request.
