In conservative circles, Donald Trump's selection of J.D. Vance as his running mate on Monday has been met with mostly positive reviews. Though some factions of the right might have preferred another pick for Vice President, the majority of Republicans have been generally happy with the choice.
Over on the left, on the other hand ...
LOL.
We won't go through the litany, but Twitchy readers know already that Liz Cheney is apoplectic about it, Tea Pain is furious that Vance is a white man, and one New Hampshire Democrat even tried to claim that Vance's wife Usha (who is an American citizen) might even be deported under the boogeyman of Project 2025.
So, you know, a typical reaction from the left.
Another element of Vance's selection that is making them cry is that his 2016 memoir, Hillbilly Elegy, has rocketed to number one on the Amazon bestsellers list in less than two days. Similarly, as reported by The New York Post, Ron Howard's 2020 film adaptation of the book has seen a huge surge in views on Netflix of more than one thousand percent.
‘Hillbilly Elegy’ Netflix views up 1000% since JD Vance named as Trump’s VP pick — No. 1 on Amazon https://t.co/EIxhmt5Cgk pic.twitter.com/XLP3r2b6y5
— New York Post (@nypost) July 16, 2024
In the 24 hours since former President Donald Trump named Ohio Senator J.D. Vance, 39, as his running mate on the Republican ticket for the 2024 presidential election, views of the Netflix movie based on Vance’s memoir “Hillbilly Elegy” have shot up 1,179%.
Citing data from Luminate, Variety reported that the 2020 film, directed by Ron Howard and starring Glenn Close and Amy Adams, was viewed 19.2 million minutes on Monday — up from 1.5 million the day before.
On Tuesday, the paperback and hardcover editions of “Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis” respectively held the No. 1 and No. 2 bestseller slots on Amazon’s books list.
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Wow. It's not a surprise that the memoir and movie would increase in popularity, but those are pretty big numbers.
This was extremely upsetting to the people at Variety, who pulled out the long knives for Howard and producer Brian Grazer for elevating Vance with their film adaptation.
By treating "Hillbilly Elegy" the way they had "Cinderella Man" and "American Gangster," Ron Howard and Brian Grazer contributed to the mythmaking that got J.D. Vance elected to the U.S. Senate in 2022. https://t.co/rXxFDumaOI
— Variety (@Variety) July 16, 2024
Aww, they are BIG mad. Let's see how Variety's film critic Peter Debruge describes Hillbilly Elegy:
In both the book and its middling Netflix adaptation (forgettable but for a fiery turn from Glenn Close as “Mamaw,” the woman who raised young JD while his mother was dealing with drug addiction and deadbeat boyfriends), Vance portrayed himself as an Appalachian kid from poor stock who’d escaped the Rust Belt for an Ivy League education and a lucrative career.
It was that dimension of Vance’s narrative that clearly attracted director Ron Howard and producer Brian Grazer — both self-avowed liberals, who may have created a monster by legitimizing his origin story, much as “The Apprentice” producer Mark Burnett did by giving Trump a reality TV spotlight back in 2004.
"Legitimizing his origin story." Unbelievable. He actually wrote those words.
Obviously, in Hollywood, you are only allowed to tell inspiring stories that elevate leftists and leftist narratives, not -- GASP! -- a Republican.
Unfortunately for Variety, the internet is forever, and the publication had a different view of the movie when it first came out.
This you? pic.twitter.com/gl2NwDAzd5
— Will.i.aint (@Watchmakermaker) July 16, 2024
This you? https://t.co/u1fpt8LZG8 pic.twitter.com/3gIfUC4vO6
— Siraj Hashmi (@SirajAHashmi) July 17, 2024
Whoops.
The movie actually received a number of accolades even though critics didn't love it (because of course they didn't). Glenn Close was nominated for an Academy Award as well as Golden Globe and SAG awards for Best Supporting Actress. Amy Adams was also nominated for a SAG award for Best Actress.
But now that Vance is poised to become the Vice President of the United States, everyone associated with the movie -- but Ron Howard specifically -- is instantly a Hollywood Horrible PersonTM.
Yeah, drag his ass! This is on you Ron Howard. https://t.co/0ZXpHw61D4
— Fusilli Spock (@awstar11) July 16, 2024
Uh oh!
— Anyway! (@SomewhatHopeful) July 16, 2024
Richie Cunningham is in the dog house!
This is worse than the time Richie took a picture of Clarabell the Clown without makeup (yes, this writer is old).
Yes, notorious right-wing conservative filmmaker Ron Howard is responsible for all this. 🤣🤣 The meltdowns in November will be incredible. https://t.co/SxM8Qh9YIy
— Doug Powers (@ThePowersThatBe) July 17, 2024
Heads will explode. They practically are already.
OPIE DID IT! https://t.co/rndcTMIkzZ
— GayPatriot (@GayPatriot) July 16, 2024
He grew up with Sheriff Andy and Aunt Bea. He must have always been a secret conservative.
“Mythmaking”? Vance’s experience is not uncommon in many parts of our country, and you sound petty and snobby. https://t.co/PVPuwrC1eK
— Tinker (@TinkerTYJ) July 16, 2024
Variety doesn't care about those people, and they care even less about giving those people some humanity through a movie based on a best-selling memoir.
*Arrested Development narrator voice* Ron Howard was not, in fact, the reason JD Vance got elected to the Senate https://t.co/AsZGKvPagn
— Alex Muresianu (@ahardtospell) July 17, 2024
Of course, he wasn't. But Hollywood loves some juicy scapegoats.
Remember when Hollywood made a movie about Obama and Michelle’s first date?🤣🤣🤣 https://t.co/6PO61tXnj1
— George MF Washington (@GMFWashington) July 17, 2024
Say it with us: 'THAT'S (D)IFFERENT.'
Twitter had a lot of fun with the whining from Debruge though.
— Jacques (@glasskann0n) July 16, 2024
Absolutely fantastic, keep going. pic.twitter.com/0ifnxXTOoc
— Kristan Hawkins (@KristanHawkins) July 16, 2024
Thank you @AskDebruge
— Corporal Punishment 🌲 (@CplPunishment_) July 16, 2024
All the years you've wasted
All the money your parents burned
It's all culminated at this: https://t.co/CvG79y8R77
Pretty sad career highlight, if you ask us. But Debruge probably got a lot of virtue-signaling points for this article.
They’re so unhinged that they’re blaming a director and a producer for Vance’s political rise. Your act is so tired https://t.co/gBHVXrxUpY
— Logan Ratick (@Logan_Ratick) July 16, 2024
— Gus (@Gus_802) July 17, 2024
Now don't be too hard on Debruge. You know what they say. Those who can, do. Those who can't ... become film critics for Variety.
Cry harder!
— Rebecca Downs🇺🇸🟦🇮🇱 (@RebeccaRoseGold) July 17, 2024
We're not sure it's possible, but we're here to watch Debruge try.
Have you all thought about contacting some of your friends in the industry to do biopic as to how Kamala Harris got to where she is???? pic.twitter.com/XkrBW0CSQW
— Geary (@indiucky) July 17, 2024
OOF. LOL.
Hey, we didn't say it (but we kind of wish we had).
Full blown PANIC on the left.
— STL-Julio-Ocasio-Geordio (@HowayToon) July 16, 2024
You love to see it.
It's kind of beautiful, isn't it? Almost good enough to be a Hollywood movie.
Ron Howard can direct.
***
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