Dick Van Dyke shot past the “national treasure” point on the cultural barometer multiple decades ago, and has now transcended into something like a genial pop culture prophet—occasionally coming down from the mountaintop for a brief voice role, or unexpected soap opera appearance, or, as he recently did, a brief political message in favor of his long-held Democratic values. Van Dyke, who’s 98, usually manages to put a pretty upbeat spin on things when he does appear, but a recent encounter with paparazzi showed him feeling a bit more dire, if not lacking in his legendary wit. I.e., when asked how he was feeling about the upcoming second presidential term of Donald Trump, Van Dyke was blunt: “Fortunately I won’t be around to experience the four years.”
Now, it’s possible Van Dyke was just referencing, like, moving to France or something, but it sure sounded like he was contemplating a trip to the Undiscovered Country, instead. Which we would rank as a pretty unvarnished anti-endorsement of the next four years of political life; not to editorialize, but we would never personally want to be something Dick Van Dyke would die rather than experience.
Admittedly, it wasn’t entirely doom and gloom, with Van Dyke tossing out a “I hope you’re right!” when asked if the future of America was bright. Still, even on a day where we had Eva Longoria telling press she’s counting her blessings she can move her family out of the “dystopian” United States for the next four years, this still might be the bleakest celebrity pronouncement we’ve seen; nothing like having your entire culture’s smiling, charming, tap-dancing sitcom grandpa note that he’d rather cash his chips than sit through Matt Gaetz’s tenure as attorney general.
[via Vanity Fair]
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