Most conservatives are aware that Hollywood is dominated by liberals. It wasn’t surprising, then, that the conservative-leaning sitcom “Last Man Standing,” which depicted a father trying to retain his masculinity in his all-female household, was canceled in May 2017 after a six-year run on ABC. This led to large public support for a revival and a petition garnering over 300,000 signatures. Eventually, the show’s popularity couldn’t be denied and it was picked up by Fox for a seventh season.
Thanks to the unspecified nature of the cancellation, many assumed the show was canceled due to star Tim Allen’s outspoken conservative views. Allen even went on the record revealing that he has felt hostility for going to events supporting the Trump administration and for refusing to conform to standard Hollywood politics.
As Americans, everyone — even left-wing celebrities — are entitled to advocate their beliefs. But the typical complaint is that most popular art has a clear liberal slant. Conservatives often argue that right-of-center thought is shut out of the entertainment space, but the right should admit a simple truth: Most art coming from the conservative world is terrible.
That doesn’t mean conservatives can’t make good art, just that they rarely do. There are a few notable exceptions. Actor and director Clint Eastwood is one of the most respected artists in Hollywood, known for delivering powerful, empathetic performances. Animation titan Walt Disney, comedian Bob Hope, playwright David Mamet, writer Tom Clancy, and punk musician Johnny Ramone are, or were, all self-professed Republicans. Clearly, being right-of-center doesn’t stop someone from becoming an artistic icon. Why, then, do conservatives feel so defensive about modern representation in the arts?
To begin with, a vast majority of conservatives choose to have a career outside of the arts, essentially forfeiting the platform to the Left. Research from Southern Illinois University shows us that people who have conservative mindsets, placing value on concepts like security and adherence to tradition, are less likely to engage in creative behavior such as writing or painting. So maybe Hollywood isn’t institutionally biased against conservatives, so much as conservatives are self-selecting into different industries.
Conservatives would do well to take a cue from liberals who are climbing to the top of the entertainment industry with fresh ways of looking at history and cultural issues. “Hamilton”, the biggest musical of the decade, used rap influences, multicultural casting, and the progressive worldview of writer and composer Lin-Manuel Miranda as a lens to scrutinize the American founding and present it in a new fashion. Ryan Coogler used the cultural aesthetic and philosophy of Afrofuturism, which combines technology with the African experience, to direct the blockbuster “Black Panther,” which was the biggest box office hit of the year domestically. Through their art, Miranda and Coogler presented their cultural upbringing and progressive views in ways that brought these ideas to the public square, earning cheers from many liberal outlets and drawing ire from many conservative outlets.
Conservative audiences, too, are willfully blind to positive, conservative themes in movies if they are presented alongside liberal values. In all the controversy surrounding the anti-colonialism message in “Black Panther” as coding anti-white sentiment into the film, conservatives forgot to celebrate the parts that emphasized the importance of family, taking responsibility for one’s actions, and using economic resources to invest in local communities. Of course, the central point of the movie was Wakanda’s policy of isolationism being a weakness rather than a strength. This is fundamentally a right-of-center theme, as conservatives have traditionally championed free trade and the exchange of cultural ideas.
There are films that conservatives celebrate — many with religious values. Films like “I Can Only Imagine,” “God’s Not Dead,” and “Paul the Apostle” are just a few recent examples. Yet most of these movies are mediocre —despite being loved and celebrated by conservatives for their unashamed messages, even if they’re poorly acted and narratively subpar. More importantly, these movies don’t resonate with audiences outside of this core demographic. Thus, we are failing to engage the public at large. And isn’t that the point?
Not all hope is lost. Conservatives can fix this issue.
First, we must realize we have skin in the game. We have to buy into the importance of making art, because the cultural discussion needs the voice we provide. We have the chance to diversify the kinds of movies made and provide a real platform for exposing liberals to compelling cases for conservative ideology through film.
Secondly, conservatives should study the artistic movements that are resonating with the public, especially those with liberal values. If an artistic movement is growing, it’s because that movement is speaking to a specific problem the masses are encountering. Conservatives must present alternative solutions and viewpoints, and we need to be clued into the conversation to fully understand the underlying issues.
In the end, conservatives just need to make art. Any artist worth his salt knows there’s no substitute for putting in the work, getting their art in front of an audience and receiving the feedback that makes it better. It’s astounding to think of the potential conservatives have in redefining the entertainment landscape. All we have to do is stop complaining and join the artistic conversation.
Christian Thrailkill is a musician, graduate of Southern Methodist University, and a Young Voices contributor. He lives in Dallas.