The "Rock," Sticks and Stones

Recently, Dwayne Johnson seems much less heroic.

Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson is known for playing heroic characters.

In real life, his courage appears to be based on brand perceptions than convictions.

In a recent interview on Fox News, Johnson expressed regret at endorsing President Joe Biden.

He said:

 "The endorsement that I made years ago with Biden was one I thought was the best decision for me at that time… And I thought back then, when we talk about, 'Hey, you know, I'm in this position where I have some influence and it's my job then … to exercise my influence and share… this is who I'm going to endorse.'"

He continued:

“Am I gonna do that again this year? That answer is no, I’m not gonna do that, because what I realized — what that caused back then — was something that tears me up in my guts, back then and now, which is division,” he said. “And that got me. The takeaway after that, months and months and months, I started to realize, like, ‘Oh man, that caused an incredible amount of division in our country.’”

“I realize now going into this election, I’m not gonna do that, and I wouldn’t do that because my goal is to bring our country together,” he said. “There’s gonna be no endorsement. Not that I’m afraid of it at all, but it’s just, I realize that this level of influence, I’m gonna keep my politics to myself. And I think it’s between me and the ballot box."

"But I will tell you this: While like a lot of us out there, I’m not trusting of all politicians, I do trust the American people, and I trust that whoever they vote for, that’s gonna be my president, and that’s who I’m gonna support, 100 percent.”

Then, Johnson railed against so-called “cancel culture”:

“Today’s easy cancel-culture world, and cancel culture, woke culture, this culture, that culture, division, et cetera, that really bugs me. In the spirit of that, you either succumb and be what you think other people want you to be, or you go, ‘Well, no, that’s not who I am. I’m gonna be myself, and I’m gonna be real.’ If you ask me something, a real answer is important, and the truthful answers important. And that may get people upset, it may piss people off, and that’s okay.”

Apparently, “The Rock” is concerned about his image with a certain segment.

Everything about this interview was carefully orchestrated.

He had the interview on Fox News, catering to the demographic he’s trying to shore up.

He even tells the interviewer at one point that “I’m a patriot, and I believe you are too, as well.”  (Courage and pandering to an interview and audience are mutually exclusive.)

No, he doesn’t say he’s voting for the former president, but he speaks at length about how “divisive” it was to endorse President Biden.

Which begs the questions, why was it so divisive, and who was so upset with his endorsement that their reaction is so concerning?

The answer to the first question is that it was “divisive” to the wrong people.

The answer to the second question and the first is that it upset a certain segment of White males.

He’s worried that this certain segment might watch his movies.

Might not watch the games of his football league.

Might not drink his Teremana tequila.

So, what does he do?

He goes on their news network, says he regrets endorsing Biden, and then rails against “cancel culture.”

Any decent, logical person would be put off by the actions and words of the former president, both in 2020 and certainly in 2024.

He did the correct, honorable thing and endorsed the person who was sane, logical, and wouldn’t make a mockery of the presidency.

Whatever it might have cost him then or now is worth it because the choice between the two candidates becomes clearer every day.

You have a decent, honorable man who has done his best to restore order in this country and abroad.

You have an unhinged, would-be autocrat who shuns our allies, embraces our enemies, and has absolutely no redeeming values, unless one derives joy and satisfaction from having a global laughingstock for president.

And then he goes after cancel culture, woke culture, anything and everything that sounds like it would appeal to other demographics.

There’s nothing wrong with “being yourself” and “being real.”

But when you act like a racist, misogynist, or nativist, there ought to be consequences.

Some people in that segment that Johnson fears he’s lost or losing are racists, misogynists, and nativists.

If he those kinds of people from his pictures, liquor, or his brand, he ought to wave an enthusiastic goodbye to each and every one of them.

Instead, he runs for cover.

To Fox News.

He cowers and tries to say the right things to the right (literal and figurative) people.

In the end, Dwayne Johnson might gain/regain an audience or patrons.

But he should be more concerned about who and what he will lose.

He may find that there a lot of decent people who won’t want to attach to his brand.

And perhaps not now, but later, he might find that his self-respect has also left the building.