Fake Presidents

Ice Cube and his two adult-ish children are Earth's last line of defense in the latest incarnation of H.G. Wells seminal, sci-fi classic WAR OF THE WORLDS. Eva Longoria, Clark Gregg, and Andrea Savage are in it, too, as is voice artist hall-of-famer Jim Meskimon as the "POTUS." It's a "movie" that is: - 60% Reaction shots of Ice Cube, staring at a screen - 39% Reycled stock footage where the makers had to blur the faces of people who wouldn't want to be in this movie - 1% anything resembling an actual movie Find us on Instagram, BlueSky, Threads, etc. at Fake_Presidents to suggest a BETTER MOVIE FOR US TO COVER. OR ANY MOVIE REALLY. Thank you. Maybe something from the 80s? We haven't done an 80s flick in a while.

John Cena is an actor-turned-U.S. President and Idris Elba is a soldier-turned-U.K. Prime Minister in HEADS OF STATE, a brand new Amazon Prime action-buddy-comedy that at times feels straight from the 90s. But are the movie's politics straight from the 90s, too? And what connection might this movie have to Chris Rock's 2003 comedy HEAD OF STATE? Priyanka Chopra-Jonas, Jack Quaid, Carla Gugino, Paddy Considine, Sarah Niles, and Stephen Root round out the cast of ringers. Find us on all the socials (BlueSky, Instagram, Threads, etc.) at Fake_Presidents or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo -- and select our next fake potus to cover!

The world is on the brink of an AI-fueled global thermonuclear apocalpyse and only one superspy* can save it... and only one U.S. President can help him save it.  Angela Bassett is that President in MISSION: IMPOSSIBLE - THE FINAL RECKONING. How did she get elected? Will she get a second term? What's her approval ratings? That's our mission to figure out... (*Ethan Hunt is technically a spy, right? I mean that's why they do the whole mask thing?) Find us on Threads, BlueSky, and Instagram, or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com if you want to join the convo... and suggest more fake presidents for us to cover!

What happens when crypto-minded terrorists led by Antony Starr (THE BOYS) take over a summit of world leaders in South Africa?  It's up to Viola Davis as the U.S. President to take him down in Amazon Prime's G20. Clark Gregg (THE AVENGERS) is the homebound Vice President, Ramón Rodriquez (WILL TRENT) is the President's favorite secret service agent, Elizabeth Marvel (HOMELAND) is the brave-ish treasury secretery, Sabrina Impacciatore (WHITE LOTUS) is the head of the IMF (NOT the Impossible Missions Force), and did we mention that Anthony Anderson (KANGAROO JACK) is the first gentleman?   G20 is available to stream RIGHT NOW on Amazon Prime Video. Find us on all the social medias at Fake_President or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to send us your questions, comments, and requests!

It's Wes Anderson meets PADDINGTON meets CLUE, all set in the White House. Well, not the ENTIRE White House. Just... THE RESIDENCE! This hit Netflix series from Shondaland presents an offbeat murder mystery wrapped up in some truly excellent production design.  The series goes into details of how the White House works that have never been seen on screen before. But what about the Fake President? Did they give us enough detail there?  Let's put our detective caps on and find out... Note: We actually manage to talk spoiler-free about the series for the majority of this episode. Unless, of course, you consider it a spoiler to find out that this is the first [REDACTED] American president we've covered on this podcast. Find us on Instagram, Threads, or Bluesky at Fake_Presidents, or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the conversation!

In Netflix's 6-part series ZERO DAY, Robert De Niro plays a former U.S President with cognitive issues (who chose not to run for reelection), and Angela Bassett is a current U.S. President with a great wardrobe. Together they must figure out who perpetrated the greatest, deadliest hack in U.S. history! Well, actually, it's mostly just De Niro doing the figuring and the outing. Joan Allen, Jesse Plemons, and Connie Britton round out De Niro's inner circle, while Lizzy Caplan and Matthew Modine are members of congress "just asking questions" about De Niro's investigative operation. But the biggest, most pressing question of all... Why does Ben feel the need to do his Randy Newman impression in this episode?! Find us on BlueSky, Threads, or Instagram -- or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com -- to join the convo!

In Hulu's newest TV series PARADISE, James Marsden is a murdered U.S. president, and Sterling K. Brown is the Secret Service agent at the center of the investigation. Oh, and (SPOILER ALERT) the whole series takes place in [REDACTED] because [REDACTED] and the truth is that [REDACTED] also [REDACTED] and everyone is [REDACTED]. From Dan Fogelman, who also wrote THIS IS US and CARS. Find us at Fake_Presidents on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, or email us fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo!

Happy Presidents Day! To mark the occasion, we rushed out opening weekend to check out the return of Harrison Ford to the White House. Well, technically, in AIR FORCE ONE, Ford never made it to the White House, but this time, in Marvel's CAPTAIN AMERICA: BRAVE NEW WORLD, Indy gets scenes in the Oval, in the Rose Garden, in the Residence, in a battleship, and he even gets some more action aboard Air Force One (well, some Peloton action, that is). Oh yeah, and Anthony Mackie is the Captain America with wings trying to keep President Thaddeus “Thunderbolt” Ross from losing his cool.  Spoilers don’t get heavy until deep into the episode, and we give a warning before they come on strong. Find us on Bluesky, Instagram, and Threads, or email us at fake presidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo! We're always open to suggestions for fake potuses to cover...

We cover 2000's THE CONTENDER starring Jeff Bridges as a U. S. president sometime between 2007 and 2010. Joan Allen is a senator nominated to fill an open VP slot who refuses to address any allegations of sexual impropriety in her past. Gary Oldman is a congressman trying to destroy her during the confirmation hearings.  Does anyone actually read these show notes? Do we need to mention that Christian Slater, Sam Elliott, William Peterson, Mike Binder, and Saul Rubinek are all in it, too, in order to game some search engines? You know, for all the Rubinek-heads out there? The episode title is a BIG LEBOWSKI reference, since Bridges and Elliott were in that movie. We also considered: The Big Lewinski, Bone Allen, Capitol Gang Bang, and Hearing Impaired.  Did we pick the right one?  LET US KNOW.  Email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com.  We're also at Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky.

Let's close out the year by digging into some messages from listeners, and then look ahead at the year to come in fake White Houses! Topics covered: Who do we think should play a president that hasn't? A listener suggests our next movie to cover... should we do it?! Our preview of upcoming movies and shows on our radar, including Shondaland's THE RESIDENCE and Dan Fogelman's PARADISE. Is RED ONE secretly a Fake President movie? Did Eric include a fake potus in the new Audible audio series THE SIGNAL he created? And more! Got a question or comment you want to get to us directly? Email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com You can also find us on Threads, Instagram, and Bluesky.

What? You don't remember there being a POTUS in 2012's Christopher Nolan-directed, Christian Bale-starring THE DARK KNIGHT RISES? Neither did we!  But there is one, and he's got a whole monologue and everything!   Find us on Instagram, Threads, and Bluesky, or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo!

This Halloween, let's take a spookily ironic look at every president ever portrayed in any episode of any version of THE TWILIGHT ZONE! (It's not that many) Believe it or not, it wasn't until Jordan Peele's 2019 reboot of The Twilight Zone that we got the series' first truly fake president. In "The Wunderkind," John Cho stars as a hotshot campaign manager, Jacob Tremblay as the 11-year-old candidate for American president Cho takes under his wing, John Larroquette as "a" fake POTUS (but not "the" fake POTUS of the episode), Allison Tolman as the episode's sole voice of reason, and Jordan Peele as the narrator. We'll also be taking a look at some real American presidents portrayed fictiously in "classic" episodes of The Twilight Zone from the 60s and 80s, like an undead JFK and a very dead Lincoln. Find us on Threads and Instagram at Fake_President. Or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the conversation! 00:00 - Intro 02:22 - "The Passersby" (1961) 06:12 - "Profile In Silver" (1986) 10:41 - "The Wunderkind" (2019) 48:55 - Closing 49:58 - Post-Credits Bit

Did you know there's a fake president in Jason Statham's pulpy, hit actioner THE BEEKEEPER? We didn't! Not until a listener gave us the heads up.  British thespian Jemma Redgrave plays the American president. Josh Hutcherson is her not-quite-failson. Jeremy Irons is back in Alfred-mode. And Minnie Driver inexplicably gets a couple scenes for no real apparent reason. We know what this movie says about scamming the elderly (it's bad!)... but what does it say about American politics in the year 2024? Find us on Instagram and Threads at Fake_Presidents or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the conversation... or just to give us a heads up about other fake potuses secretly lurking in unexpected movies!

It's the last cinematic voyage of the original Enterprise crew, but the first (and only) for the new Federation President, played by The 70s Show's Kurtwood Smith.  Kurtwood joins William Shatner, Leonard Nimoy, DeForest Kelley, James Doohan, Walter Koenig, Nichelle Nichols, George Takei, as well as Star Trek newcomers Kim Cattrall, Christopher Plummer, David Warner, and... Christian Slater? What kind photos did Kim Cattrall get in trouble for taking on the set after hours? How much Shakespheare in space is too much? If the Klingons in this cold war-inspired story are supposed to be Russians, and the Federation supposed to be Americans, does that mean Kurtwood Smith's alien president is supposed to be... Ronald Reagan?  Let's find out! Find us on Threads and Instagram at Fake_Presidents or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com, to join the conversation!

From a Ken Doll in fatigues to "action figures" with kung fu grip to an afterschool cartoon and finally to... a live action theatrical release! It's 2009's G.I. JOE: RISE OF CORBA. The fictional President is nameless, but is he also faceless? (Well...technically, yes, in a way, but we'll get to that...) THE MUMMY'S Stephen Sommers directs a cast of literally thousands (of names).  Every character (except for The President) has at least two names, some have three.  It's needlessly complicated. But is the nefarious plan of Joseph Gordon-Levitt's The Doctor aka Cobra Commander aka Rexford "Rex" Lewis also needlessly complicated? (Yes, yes it is. Very much so.)  Channing Tatum, Marlon Wayans, Rachel Nichols, Sienna Miller, Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Dennis Quaid, Lee Byung-hun, Arnold Vosloo, Ray Park, Adewale Akinnuoye-Agbaje, and an uncredited Brendan Fraser star alongside Sir Jonathan Pryce as the faux potus.  Find us on most social media sites at "Fake_Presidents." Or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com if you want to be in the next mail bag. (And you do!) 00:00 Intro 2:32 - Background 10:47 - The Channing Tatum Game 16:45 - The Plot 33:18 - What is the movie trying to tell us? 40:35 - What do we know about this POTUS? 43:36 - Approval Ratings 49:54 - Closing 51:39 - Post-Credits Bit  

It's a house divided in this episode as our hosts have very differing takes on just how successfully this new film from writer/director Alex Garland (ANNILHILATION, EX MACHINA) infuses its narrative with grounded politics... and whether it needs to at all? Nick Offerman gets an upgrade from municpal parks and rec employee to POTUS.  Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura, Cailee Spaeny, and Stephen McKinley Henderson are journalists caught in various crossfires. And Jesse Plemons gets to recreate the moment he and Kirsten Dunst first fell in love in real life. Join us on Threads and Instagram at Fake_Presidents or email us at fakpresidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo! 

In the spring of 2022, a new play opened on Broadway called "POTUS," with the lengthy subtitle: "OR, BEHIND EVERY GREAT DUMBASS ARE SEVEN WOMEN TRYING TO KEEP HIM ALIVE."  From the director of "THE PRODUCERS" (the Broadway musical), this comedy starred Vanessa Williams, Julianne Hough, Rachel Dratch, Suzy Nakamura, Lilli Cooper, Lea DeLaria, and Julie White. Neither of us were able to catch it.  But this past winter, the show came to Los Angeles... And one of us was there! Now you can be there too. Via us! Or, rather, via Ben. Find us on Instagram and Threads at Fake_Presidents to join the conversation... 00:00 - Intro 01:06 - Some MANHUNT and Garfield assassination talk 04:38 - Background on POTUS, the play 10:33 - Portrait Corner! 16:49 - The Plot 26:20 - Party and Politics 32:58 - Legacy and Approval Ratings 34:48 - Closing 36:07 - Post-Credits Bit

Eric couldn't sleep and happened upon a late night rerun of a classic TV show from the 80s that suprisingly had a fake president. Which got us wondering... what other TV classics have one-off, nearly disposable fake presidents?! Oh, and we talk about Gareth Edwards' THE CREATOR. Well, we talk about whether or not we should talk about it. 00:00 - INTRO 03:01 - THE CREATOR 07:48 - HIGHWAY TO HEAVEN 23:06 - SEAQUEST DSV 41:02 - LOST IN SPACE 49:19 - SABRINA THE TEENAGE WITCH 57:28 - CLOSING 58:56 - Post-Credits Bit Find us on Threads and Instragram to join the convo...

We finally get to do something we don't usually get to do...speculate about the future! Ben and Eric take a look at two new trailers with heaps of potential for (prestige) fake POTUSes to see what 2024 may have in store for fictional politics.  Nick Offerman is a fake president while America is torn asunder in Alex Garland's CIVIL WAR? Kate Winslet is the head-of-state of a fascistic European nation in HBO's THE REGIME? SAY NO MORE. (Actually, do say more, because these trailers are scant on details...) Oh, and we also follow-up on a couple projects with some interesting new developments.  Which presidential loser gets to finally be POTUS in FOR ALL MANKIND season 4? (hint: they got the popular vote!) And which "incendiary" holiday movie we covered is now getting a sequel!?! (Seriously, of all the movies we've covered, it's truly the LAST one we'd ever thought would get a sequel.) Find us on Threads or Instagram to join the convo. 

A "Hallmark-style" holiday rom-com featuring a fake president? Of course we had to watch it! (So you don't have to!) CHRISTMAS AT THE HOLLY HOTEL is a fictional movie about a real hotel that once played a role in George H.W. Bush's ill-fated reelection campaign. It stars no one you'll recognize, directed by no one you've heard of, but it's made lovingly by people who seem to care very much about getting every detail of this hotel right.  But what about the details of the phony potus?  Did they get those right? Let's find out... Find us on Threads or Instagram or email us at fakepresidents [at] gmail.com to join the convo!