"Weiss's ascent reveals the extent to which Hollywood, once a Democratic stronghold, has defected for a politics that puts the concerns and egos of wealthy people first. It felt wonderful back when it seemed like the Democratic Party had conquered Hollywood. I mean, it basically had, a while back. After the blacklist, of course. When I was leading Salon.com in the early years of this century, I went to parties at Arianna Huffington's house"
"A chilling New York magazine story explains how the ultra-mediocrity Bari Weiss, now in charge of CBS News, had the good timing to brand herself a martyr to "wokeness," just as wealthy white men and some women were getting sick of it. She went to Hollywood and won over celebrities and industry insiders who were just so tired of having to pretend to respect the talent of anyone who isn't white."
Bari Weiss's rise signals a political realignment in Hollywood toward priorities that foreground wealthy people’s concerns and egos. Hollywood once leaned strongly Democratic, with many celebrities and industry figures on the left and social gatherings that reflected progressive alliances. Personal encounters with figures like Ed Asner, Norman Lear, and Rob Reiner reflected an earlier era of left-leaning celebrity engagement. A newer cohort of wealthy, successful insiders grew tired of performative wokeness, embraced Weiss’s martyr framing, and welcomed her influence as she gained institutional power, a shift that accelerated around summer 2021 amid broader social upheaval.
Read at The Nation
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