Celebrities That Became Politicians

The businessman and former reality TV star, Donald Trump, became the 45th president of the United States, beating out his opponent Hilary Clinton, shocking the entire world. The Trump family is very well known for their work in New York real estate, and the hit reality television show, "The Apprentice." Some believed that his television career with "The Apprentice" paved the way for his political career.

In a chat with Vox, James Poniewozik, a TV critic for the New York Times, shared, "Trump is fundamentally a creature of TV. His whole public persona was shaped by TV and he cleverly used the medium, with shows like 'The Apprentice,' to propel his political career. He also knew exactly what TV media craves — spectacle, drama, and outrage — and capitalized on it throughout his presidential campaign."

Today, former President Trump is staying busy endorsing additional GOP candidates and battling some ongoing legal issues; while many are speculating if he will make a bid for the next election cycle (via Forbes).

In 2021, after expressing his frustration with the current administration, Dr. Mehmet Oz decided to run for the open US Senate seat in Pennsylvania. Speaking with The New York Times, Dr. Oz has described his disappointment with the "arrogant, closed-minded people in charge" who shut down schools and businesses during the pandemic as the reason he wanted to run. 

Dr. Oz is best known for being America's favorite daytime television doctor with the hit series, "The Dr. Oz Show." He featured celebrity guests and discussed all angles of health from sleep to neurological disorders. Sony canceled the show once Oz made his bid for US Senate in Pennsylvania (via CNBC).

"Covid has shown us that our system is broken," Oz declared in his campaign ad. "We lost too many lives, too many jobs and too many opportunities because Washington got it wrong. They took away our freedom without making us safer, and tried to kill our spirit and our dignity."

Cynthia Nixon, our beloved Miranda Hobbes from "Sex and the City," tried her hardest to become the Governor of New York State and has zero regrets. Nixon went up against political titan Andrew Cuomo, knowing her odds of winning would be slim. "I ran to win. I hoped to win. I did everything I could to make that a possibility," Nixon explained to Time. "But at the end of the day, I knew the most important thing about my running was to shed light on these issues."

These days, Andrew Cuomo is known as the disgraced ex-Governor of New York, who stepped down after multiple sexual harassment allegations were made against him, per AP. As for Nixon? Her career is flourishing. According to Vogue, she's starring in two hit shows on HBO, "And Just Like That" and "The Gilded Age," after taking a small break from acting after running for office. "I mean, a political campaign does take a lot out of you," she told Vogue in 2022. "And so I took some time to recover. That was very needed and very welcome."

We're over here anxiously waiting for the next season of "And Just Like That!"

If you or anyone you know has been a victim of sexual assault, help is available. Visit the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network website or contact RAINN's National Helpline at 1-800-656-HOPE (4673).

Jesse "The Body" Ventura has quite the professional resume: he went from Navy Seal to pro-wrestler to actor, to broadcaster to mayor — eventually becoming the Governor of Minnesota. That is certainly a mouthful, but it's downright impressive!  As detailed by the National Governors Association, Ventura put a focus on education funding to decrease school class sizes, while also increasing more affordable living opportunities in Minnesota.

According to Britannica, Ventura rose to fame as a professional wrestler and stayed in the ring with a solid 11-year career, donning crazy leopard leotards and feathers. He then hit the big screen, starring in the 1987 hit film 'Predator.' After his departure as Governor, Jesse Ventura worked as a political commentator, wrote multiple books, and even hosted television shows — all while challenging mainstream media and getting slightly controversial on current events as a member of the Minnesota Independence Party. 

These days, Ventura is on the popular app Cameo, and took to his Twitter to encourage his fans to "ask me anything about my career, politics, and beliefs... or if you need me to get you hyped to start your day. " We may do just that, Jesse!

Former Olympic medalist and reality star Caitlyn Jenner launched a bid earlier this year to try and replace California Governor Gavin Newsome in a recall election; sadly only achieving 1% of the vote. "I'm running because I know the only thing Gavin Newsom will disrupt is our economy and the livelihoods of innocent Californians," Jenner said in a statement reported by People. "There is no other candidate in this race with the experience, leadership, and ability to take on the status quo in order to bring us out of the long, dark shadow of Gavin Newsom's California." Jenner has also been very vocal about her stance on trans athletes competing in women's sports, causing some controversy.

Jenner didn't equate this to a loss, but an opportunity; she was offered a regular contributor position with FOX News as she is truly one of the largest transgender influencers in the world (and she is a Republican). FOX News CEO Suzanne Scott stated, "Caitlyn's story is an inspiration to us all. She is a trailblazer in the LGBTQ+ community and her illustrious career spans a variety of fields that will be a tremendous asset for our audience." 

After taking a break from the spotlight when his popular television show "The Sonny and Cher Show" was canceled in the late 1970's, singer and pop-star Sonny Bono decided to try his hand in the restaurant business, per History. Bono became more and more frustrated with the ridiculous bureaucratic problems that halted and stalled one of his restaurant construction projects by the local administration in California; he then decided that maybe he needed to get involved with politics. When Bono decided to run for mayor of Palm Springs, many constituents didn't take him seriously. When asked by a reporter for The Desert Sun about the reaction to Bono's candidacy, he said, "They thought it was a joke."

2,000 signatures later, he was elected mayor of Palm Springs in 1988 — although, according to History, he only registered to vote the year before. Bono went on to serve as a US Congressman, first taking office in 1994 when Republicans gained control of Congress, with Newt Gingrich at the helm. Sadly, in 1998, Sonny Bono passed away after a skiing accident, and as former President Bill Clinton declared (via History), "His joyful entertainment of millions earned him celebrity, but in Washington he earned respect by being a witty and wise participant in policymaking processes that often seem ponderous to the American people."

The 40th President of the United States, Ronald Reagan, wasn't always a fearless leader — he actually began his career as an actor. As detailed by the Miller Center, after college, Reagan took a job as a radio broadcaster with a focus on sports, before moving to Hollywood and securing an agent. After a few successful years in the industry, Reagan got married and divorced, and then married again as his acting career began to fizzle. Always having an interest in politics and even serving in WWII, Reagan gave a famous televised speech in 1964, "A Time for Choosing," on behalf of Republican Presidential Candidate, Barry Goldwater (via History). The people loved Reagan's speech, and thus his political popularity began!

A few years later, in his first race for public office, Reagan won against Democratic candidate Edmund "Pat" Brown Sr. by a significant number of votes to become the next Governor of California. Ronald Reagan finally got his shot at the presidency when he beat out Jimmy Carter; and at age 69, he was the oldest person elected to be the President of the United States (clearly, he doesn't still hold that title). Thank you for your service, Ronald Reagan!