Sun Sentinel Palm Beach Edition
Politics is a hairy business
No doubt sexism and ageism play an unfortunate role in politics. But what about lookism and baldism?
The last time we elected a bald man as president of the United States was Dwight D. Eisenhower in 1956. With more than 50% of American men bald or balding, how can this be? What about Gerald Ford, you say? Sorry, he wasn’t elected.
What happened in the 1950s to cause this phenomenon? Hint: Only 9% of American households had a television set in 1950; by 1960, that number jumped to 90%. And who won the 1960 election? The beautifully coiffed John F. Kennedy. The people who listened to the 1960 presidential debate on radio thought Richard Nixon won. Those who watched on TV thought it was Kennedy.
Since then, American voters seem to say “Give me a head with hair!” And Bill Clinton, Ronald Reagan and all other presidents since 1960 have come through with flying follicles. Has TV made us that shallow? Is having a full head of hair now more important than having a full head of brains?
This phenomenon came to mind watching Thursday’s Fox News “Red State,
Blue State” debate, featuring Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis and California Gov. Gavin Newsom. What, you may ask, makes these two hyper-ambitious governors worthy of such TV exposure? While each may indeed be lacking in certain areas, hair is not one of them.
DeSantis has good hair. Newsom has great hair. What more do you need to know? When Newsom said “DeSantis is completely unqualified to be president,” the Florida governor replied “I think his hair gel is interfering with his brain function.” Hair jokes! Bring ‘em on!
Why are these two men debating anyway? Joe Biden and Donald Trump are the clear favorites to be the nominees of their respective parties. If hair is the determining factor in the 2024 election, get ready for a Trump second term — his majestic mane is legendary. When did Biden’s hair last come up in conversation?
Politicians have long been aware of the link between their hair and their electability. In 2004, Democratic presidential contender John Edwards made national headlines when he paid $400 each for two haircuts from a Beverly Hills stylist. A video of Edwards primping in the mirror before a TV appearance became a YouTube sensation, with the song “I Feel Pretty” playing in the background.
Meanwhile, Trump and Biden have one thing in common: They are both virtually bald. Or at least they were, until Biden got hair plugs and Trump got whatever that thing is on his head, which he carefully maintains. They know the TV truism: No hair today, gone tomorrow!
But is a Biden-Trump presidential showdown really inevitable? Lately, Biden has been steadily slipping in the polls, while Trump has a real chance of being in jail by 2024 election day. Perhaps the hair apparents are DeSantis and Newsom?
Delray Beach playwright Mike Vogel’s comedy “Second Chance” will be produced at Fort Lauderdale’s Empire Stage Theater (EmpireStage.com) Jan. 5 through Jan. 14.