Episode 3: How to please a demigod

Two Australian political science majors pretended to be MAGA faithful in order to take part in a Donald Trump rally in North Carolina.

Oscar Keohan and Jacob Johns traveled from Australia to tour the U.S. in the weeks leading up to the 2024 presidential election. But an unexpectedly dark turn at a Trump rally in North Carolina overshadowed their de Tocqueville-like experience.

Supplemented by video recordings, they share with us why they felt sickened by the way the president-elect manipulated his fervent supporters, and the way the crowd responded.

Donald Trump’s journey from Wrestlemania to the White House and the truth-bending madness that has metastasized in politics, news infotainment, and online echo chambers is summarized midway through this episode, which means viewer/listeners can begin here and circle back to episodes 1 and 2.

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The music for Wrestling Darkness was composed by Michael Brook, who scored all four of my feature length films. The jazzy improv rendition of the song is performed by David Scott Binanay & Stephen Munoz, who also played at my wedding!

Wrestling Darkness is supported by the 501c3 non-profit ID Alliance, which means you can support this work by making a tax deductible donation.

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Eric Byler
Wrestling Darkness
Professional Wrestling has not only transformed media, it has transformed aspects of American life that depend on media, most importantly politics, democracy, and electioneering.
Wrestling Darkness (available with video via https://ericbyler.substack.com) traces a cultural shift in America that began with the runaway success of professional wrestling in the 1980s. Wrestling's engrossing approach to melodrama — reflecting current political conflicts with scripted scenes and violent choreography prescribing good guys, bad guys and avenues for fan participation — was emulated by cable news, reality TV, and TV talk shows in the 1990s. Social media platforms have since deployed addictive algorithms that do the same, turning thousands of "influencers" into wrestlers with more (or sometimes less) clothing.
Thus, every American, even those who have never seen professional wrestling, is living in the world that wrestling made possible. Cultural literacy in 2025 requires a basic understanding of wrestling, its parlance, and its history. It helps explain how we became the society we are, and provides insights and guidance for those who wish to change it.
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Eric Byler