Iconification: How Reality TV Paved Donald Trump's Path to the White House
Thursday, September 19, 2024.
We all know America has a soft spot for train wrecks—the kind we can’t stop watching, even when we know we should.
Reality TV has become the perfect outlet for our collective need to rubberneck, and nothing captures that better than Donald Trump’s rise from reality TV star to president.
The connection between Trump’s role on The Apprentice and his political success isn’t just a wild theory; it’s now backed by research that highlights how The Apprentice helped shape Trump’s image and boost his political career. And the kicker? We let it happen.
A new study published in the American Political Science Review shines a light on how Trump’s portrayal as a tough-talking businessman on The Apprentice helped him gain traction during the 2016 Republican presidential primary.
The show didn’t just entertain—it laid the foundation for one of the most unprecedented political campaigns in U.S. history.
So, how did a reality TV show help make a reality TV star president? The answer lies in the way entertainment media shapes political perceptions, sometimes more than traditional news outlets.
The Rise of Reality TV in Shaping Political Icons
It’s no secret that TV plays a huge role in shaping public opinion.
Research has long explored how news media can influence political attitudes, but less attention has been paid to how entertainment media molds our perceptions of public figures.
According to Eunji Kim of Columbia University and Shawn Patterson Jr. of the University of Pennsylvania’s Annenberg Public Policy Center, more people consume entertainment than traditional news, and its impact on political attitudes can be even more profound.
Their study zeroes in on Trump’s carefully crafted persona on The Apprentice, where he was portrayed as a sharp, no-nonsense leader. This image, reinforced over 15 seasons, created what psychologists call “parasocial relationships”—one-sided emotional bonds between viewers and media personalities.
In Trump’s case, these bonds blurred the line between his fictional TV self and his real-life political ambitions.
This parasocial phenomenon isn’t new, but in Trump’s case, it helped build a devoted voter base that was already sold on his alleged business prowess.
The Apprentice: A Masterclass in Iconification
The Apprentice first hit TV screens in 2004, showcasing Trump as the ultimate business leader who could make or break careers with a single “You’re fired!” It was a brilliant stroke of branding.
Over the course of 15 seasons, the show wasn’t just about business challenges—it was about constructing Trump as a symbol of success, leadership, and authority.
According to the researchers, Trump’s portrayal as a savvy businessman on The Apprentice contributed heavily to his appeal in the 2016 Republican primary.
The show consistently depicted him as decisive and competent, qualities that are often linked to political leadership. And Americans were hooked. Millions tuned in to watch Trump preside over boardroom drama, unknowingly building the myth of “America’s Boss.”
Here’s where the story takes a darker turn.
Kim and Patterson's study draws on Nielsen ratings to show that regions with higher viewership of The Apprentice saw a noticeable increase in voter support for Trump in the 2016 Republican primary.
It wasn’t just a case of casual viewership translating to political interest—people who watched Trump on TV felt like they knew him, which made them more likely to trust him with the country.
As social psychologist Donald Horton once theorized, parasocial relationships foster a false sense of intimacy that can have real-world consequences.
The Power of Parasocial Relationships
Parasocial relationships aren’t limited to Trump; they’re a widespread psychological phenomenon in which people feel emotionally connected to media figures they’ve never met.
Research shows that these relationships can influence everything from consumer behavior to political decisions. Viewers of The Apprentice didn’t just see Trump as a TV character—they saw him as someone they could relate to, trust, and even defend.
The study explored how these parasocial connections helped Trump weather multiple scandals, including the infamous “Access Hollywood” tape.
Regular viewers of The Apprentice were more likely to brush off negative information about Trump, relying on the image of him as a strong, capable leader that had been drilled into their minds over more than a decade.
This phenomenon is backed by research in political psychology that shows how strong emotional bonds with public figures can override rational judgment, leading voters to support candidates even when they exhibit behavior that would otherwise be disqualifying.
Regional Patterns of Iconification
Geography played a big role in Trump’s rise, according to Kim and Patterson's research. In areas where The Apprenticehad higher viewership, Trump garnered more support in the 2016 Republican primary.
The show’s popularity wasn’t just a coincidence—it was a major factor in his political success. Interestingly, the effect wasn’t as strong during the general election, where party loyalty tends to be more influential.
But during the primaries, when voters are more open to considering non-traditional candidates, Trump’s reality TV persona gave him a unique edge.
The study’s findings reflect a broader trend in American politics, where entertainment and political messaging increasingly overlap. Research shows that when voters are less tethered to traditional party lines, they are more likely to be influenced by the emotional narratives spun by entertainment media.
In Trump’s case, his portrayal as a no-nonsense boss wasn’t just good TV—it became a central part of his political brand.
How Reality TV Shaped a Political Future
The idea that a reality TV show could shape a presidential election might seem absurd, but the research is clear: Trump’s stint on The Apprentice didn’t just entertain—it helped build a brand that resonated with millions of voters.
His portrayal as a decisive, savvy leader on TV translated into real-world political support, creating a phenomenon where entertainment bled into reality. In a world where people increasingly get their news from social media and entertainment outlets, the line between political figure and pop culture icon is becoming dangerously thin.
While the study stops short of proving that The Apprentice directly caused Trump’s electoral success, it highlights the significant role entertainment media plays in shaping public perceptions of political figures.
Future research may explore how other forms of entertainment—think Netflix, TikTok, and YouTube—continue to influence political outcomes, especially as younger generations increasingly tune out traditional news sources.
Final thoughts
At the end of the day, Kim and Patterson’s study offers a sobering look at how easily voters can be swayed by a manufactured TV persona. The Apprentice didn’t just give Donald Trump a platform—it gave him a carefully polished image that many Americans mistook for the real deal.
Parasocial relationships, reality TV myth-making, and the collapse of the boundary between entertainment and politics all played a role in the rise of America’s first reality TV president.
As we continue to grapple with the aftermath of Trump’s presidency, one thing is clear: entertainment media wields more power than ever before in shaping political outcomes. The lesson? Be careful who you idolize on screen—because one day, they might be running the freaking country.
Be Well, Stay Kind, and Godspeed.
References
Kim, E., & Patterson, S. J. (2024). The American Viewer: Political Consequences of Entertainment Media. American Political Science Review, August 2024.
Horton, D., & Wohl, R. R. (1956). Mass Communication and Para-social Interaction: Observations on Intimacy at a Distance. Psychiatry, 19(3), 215-229.