Who is Theo Von, and why is he interviewing Donald Trump?

Even amid Donald Trump’s long list of bizarre moments, this video is a bright spot: The former president ask The interviewer asked him a series of questions about his cocaine use. “It’s pretty despicable, isn’t it?” Trump asked Theo Von, who Accept an interview On August 20, he made a YouTube podcast Last weekend.

The video went viral almost immediately, not only because it’s rare to hear a presidential candidate discuss drug use so openly, but also because Trump seemed genuinely interested in a conversation that had nothing to do with him. It was also a weird “…who?” moment for those unfamiliar with Von, a ponytailed stand-up comedian-turned-podcaster whose style is Joe RoganDigital media responded by publishing a series of Theo Von explanations trying to explain why this relatively unremarkable cartoon caught Trump’s attention.

But in truth, there’s not really much to explain — at least not about Feng himself. The shift in internet culture that gave him his platform is more interesting, though.

Von — his full name is Theodore von Kurnatowski — was a versatile commentator whose personal political beliefs seemed moderate enough to be accepted by people across the political spectrum; he interviewed the senator. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) Just the other week. In his conversation with Trump, Von mostly touched on personal topics (mutual friends in the UFC world, Kid Rock’s golf swing, sobriety, the Trump brothers’ hunting skills) before touching on politics (they briefly discussed health care reform but mostly talked about how much they hate lobbyists). The hot topic about cocaine in the interview came when Von tried unsuccessfully to get Trump to talk about policy regarding the opioid epidemic. The ensuing conversation about drug use was a deflection by Trump, but it was more in line with Von’s typical podcast conversations, which typically steer clear of more inflammatory topics in favor of discussing things like Arguing with a drunk Santa Claus at the mall.

This early 21st century reality show industry veteran Fear Factor Host Rogan once shone on the show, while Von first came to prominence as a young contestant on the MTV reality travel competition show Rules of the RoadHe later received acclaim on comedy competition shows, such as The last comic and Reality strikes backcompeting against other comedians like Amy Schumer and Tiffany Haddish. In the early days of comedians transitioning to podcasting and vlogging, Von became popular as a guest on other talk shows, while his own show launched in 2016 and quickly grew to its current audience of nearly 3 million subscribers.

The two suggest that the interview was orchestrated by UFC CEO Dana White and is apparently part of a recent series of UFC-related podcasts that have included Von, Adin Ross and Logan PaulHowever, Trump’s motivations for attracting wrestling fans go far beyond this. Writer Max Reed coined the term “Idiot Outreach” to describe the kind of everyman tour that Trump and his running mate, Sen. JD Vance, have taken. Read’s argument is that Von and the other podcasts, video blogs and livestreams that Trump has appeared on attract a certain type of Trump enthusiast. These are, as he puts it, “people who enjoy an ‘edgy,’ spoof, hedonistic, attention-seeking personality.”

Von has deftly presented himself as approachable and down-to-earth, a boy from the South who is said to be from poor, rural Covington, Louisiana. He comes across as someone who is more interested in people than in their politics, so we can assume that Von more or less belongs in the troll zone. Compared to the others on Trump’s list, that may be true, but he has his moments.

Most notably, he appeared in 2015 Bert Custer Together with Bert Kreischer Extension Von repeatedly used the “n” word — with a hard “r.” Von used an anecdote to illustrate his usage, claiming that black kids in his neighborhood used the word ironically, and that he simply relayed that to the audience. He then spent several minutes with Kreischer to explain why his use of the “n” word in that context was okay. This wasn’t the only time he and Kreischer defended the indefensible; last year, he join in Kreischer’s performance Two Bears, One Cave The same performative defense is engaged—this time against white men wearing blackface.

As painful as it is to listen to, these conversations sum up where Von differs slightly from some of his peers in the comedy world – he believes that it is not that anyone can say the word “nigger” at will because of free speech; he believes that he personally has the right to say the word because he has somehow earned it. As for blackface, he believes that it should not “count” when a person is marginalized in a different way because that person has also somehow earned the word. In the United States, Von is a completely different person.

This is exactly the kind of content that Feng’s audience enjoys, and it’s the kind of anti-mainstreamism that Trump himself enjoys and leans toward. And while much of Feng’s recent content is innocuous, it’s not insignificant that his popularity is built on this vibe.

Von is older than Ross and Paul, and they appeal more to Generation Z. But Von’s own personality, while less brash and sarcastic, has its own unique charm; like a country music superstar Morgan Wallenhe is often modest and self-deprecating, both to project relatability and to preempt any moral objections to his tone. Like Warren, he has admitted to being an imperfect narrator and commentator, so how can you dislike him for that?

His stand-up comedy also exploits this strategy. a little In a 2012 Comedy Central special, he paused to admonish those who were laughing at the “wrong” part of a joke about black people. “That’s not the joke, those who are laughing, that’s racism,” he said in the middle of a series of jokes filled with racist assumptions. The admonition served as both a diversion and a defense.

Of course, many comedians believe that the business of comedy itself gives them an unquestionable vantage point that justifies performing outlandish and offensive material, and Lament the rise The legendary “woke critic” criticizes comedy that targets disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Unlike other similar comics – Sean Gillis Come to think of it – as their offensive content has doubled down in recent years, Von tends to avoid that kind of rhetoric, and seems to avoid that conversation altogether. He’s interested in pushing things forward, but he’s less willing to point out the possible consequences of pushing those things forward. Like Rogen, while he aligns with Trump in vibe and his jokes often make trolls and racists laugh for all the wrong reasons, his own political views seem more moderate. In terms of comedy, that actually makes him a moderate.

Trump’s appearance on Von’s show a week after Sanders’ departure speaks to the breadth and potential of these so-called idiots in Trump’s audience. Rules of the Road-er’s video podcasts are a stunning artifact of modern internet culture, turning comedians into influencers and podcasters into critics. Who will ultimately win their hearts and votes remains a question.