New in PJ Media:
The multitalented actor, dancer, comedian, and star of stage and screen Dick Van Dyke was born on Dec. 13, 1925, which means that on Saturday, he celebrated his one-hundredth birthday. “You know,” he said Friday, “I played old men a lot. And I always played ’em as angry, and cantankerous. It’s not really that way.” In his case, it really isn’t, which is as striking as his longevity: Dick Van Dyke, after all, is very likely the world’s oldest Bernie Bro, even older than Bernie himself, and so one would expect him to be as angry, self-righteous, and arrogant as leftists are today. And while he is to a degree, his good-natured personality can’t help but keep breaking through. That’s not to say, however, that he has any political wisdom remotely commensurate with his years.
Back in Feb. 2020, when he was a comparatively callow 94 years old, Van Dyke released a video in which he announced: “I’m Dick Van Dyke and I’m very enthusiastic supporter of Bernie Sanders.” This was sad to see, coming from a man whom so many of us had come to love for his work on The Dick Van Dyke Show, Mary Poppins, Bye Bye Birdie, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang and the rest.
After all, celebrity endorsements may not be as powerful or vote-getting as those who rely on them wish they were, but they wouldn’t be a recurring phenomenon of our political culture at all if they were completely ineffective. People naturally want to be on the same side as those whom they love and admire, and so celebrity endorsements will likely be with us for as long as there are celebrities.
In his endorsement of Bernie Sanders, the old man spent a great deal of time exhorting his generation to get out and vote for Bernie. He needn’t have wasted any time on that at all: most of the people of Dick Van Dyke’s generation are dead, which means that they already vote Democratic on a regular basis.
What was worst about Dick Van Dyke’s endorsement of Bernie was its uncritical repetition of hysterical leftist talking points. “This election,” he said, referring to 2020, “I think is probably the most important one since the end of World War II. Another four years of the current administration and we won’t have a democracy anymore.” Yeah, so vote for the guy who ended up stealing the election. That was good for “our democracy,” all right.
Van Dyke went on to warn that if Trump were reelected, we would get “four more years of no concern about the climate.” Yes, he said that as if it were a bad thing. He continued: “We must get him out of there. Democratic principles are flying out the window. He has assumed authority beyond what the president is allowed, and he’s going to get worse.” Uh huh. Now tell us, Dick, about Biden working with the social media giants to silence dissidents.
There is more. Read the rest here.
John Allan says
‘… most of the people of Dick Van Dyke’s generation are dead’
Depends what you consider to be HIS generation.
I well remember him, and watched a number of his films and shows.
And I’m a LOONNG way from departing this mortal coil.
Noah Andeark says
He was born in 1925, not 2025.
frank scarn says
The MENSA committee checks in.
Stive says
I know a very nice man who goes out of his way to personally help others. He is pleasant. He also has plenty of money.
He is a communist. He has mao TSE tung portraits all over. He has the little mao red book.
Just goes to show that nice people like dick van dyke can just be plain stupid.
cornelius says
I love watching re-runs of the old Dick Van Dyke show.
My favorite episodes are “All about Eavesdropping” (the charades game is as funny/clever as anything ever done on television before or after); “Where and When was Antonio Stradivarius”; “Coast to Coast Big Mouth”; “One Angry Man”…..among others.
There was a sensibility about that show that makes it timeless. As good as All in the Family was, when you watch it today, it’s clearly dated. Not so with the Dick Van Dyke Show.
Troybeam says
100 years of seeing the world change and learn nothing during that time. (politics)
࿗Infidel࿘ says
I enjoyed him in Mary Poppins. Didn’t see any of his other movies. Happy birthday to him
Also, just like I don’t go to my doctor for investment advice, I don’t go to celebrities to find out who I should support in politics
Huh?!? says
Nice comment. It seems that a number of highly successful media stars lean towards socialism and communism. I wonder if there is some guilt as a reason for this. Their economic culture is socialism/communism. They pick our pockets to make them money. After the show is over, you have a lighter purse and time that may have been spent better elsewhere.
Huh?!? says
Replying to my reply. Let’s do some math here. Media stars present themselves to 100% of the audience. This is reduced because not all of them will be interested in them. There is this statistic that the conservative 80% voted for Trump. This leaves the Lefty stars with the 20% to play up to. Not all of them are going to be interested in them. Their income will drop even more. The only reason stars have amassed such wealth is because they live in a capitalist republic. If socialism gets control stars will be employees of the state. Their wealth will be confiscated. This will be for the good of the people. When Sheryl Crow sold her Tesla, she made a comment about people needing to face the truth. Sheryl you can ignore the truth but not the consequences of ignoring it. I am a fan, but my fan-ism has cooled. Good luck to you.
࿗Infidel࿘ says
One of the things some people (like Mark Cuban) have been telling us is that as AI takes over, people can focus their energies on being more creative. Don’t know about that, since the best songs I’ve seen recently are all AI generated, and far more meaningful. So it’ll be funny when AI eliminate all jobs, and we’re left to wonder how to raise any money
Wellington says
I very much liked the Dick van Dyke show but it’s unfortunate that in real life van Dyke remained quite foolish about politics (and economics)..
somehistory says
His show named after him, was quite silly, in my opinion (which doesn’t really matter any more than his opinion of sanders)
He is immoral. He left his wife for his mistress.
The only time I found him funny, was in the movie about going “cold turkey” to win some money.
I enjoyed seeing him get caught for murder by Lt. Columbo.
James Lincoln says
somehistory says,
“I enjoyed seeing him get caught for murder by Lt. Columbo.”
Yes, that was “Negative Reaction” – an excellent episode.
somehistory says
Thank you, James.
gravenimage says
Happy 100th Birthday to the World’s Oldest Bernie Bro, Dick Van Dyke
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Sorry to hear this–I’ve always like Dick Van Dyke. Sadly, many actors are clueless about politics.