When I posted on Facebook how excited I was that The Rock was named Sexiest Man Alive, one of my friends mentioned that she heard on the radio that he might run for President. This was news to me and everyone pretty much agreed that it would be a good thing. It turns out that Johnson told Vanity Fair on Sunday that he wouldn’t rule it out and that “this election shows anything can happen.” That’s sadly true.
“I wouldn’t rule it out,” the former pro wrestler told Vanity Fair while promoting his new animated movie Moana in Los Angeles on Sunday. “It would be a great opportunity to help people, so it’s possible. This past election shows that anything can happen,” he added.
Plus as US points out, Johnson told British GQ this summer that he was interested in politics and that “it would be an opportunity to make a real impact on people’s lives on a global scale.” So who else besides The Rock could be President after this hate-mongering reality star? Will Smith, Ben Affleck, Matt Damon? Pretty much any celebrity would be a better choice than the one who got voted in with the exception of Scott Baio, Ted Nugent, Tom Cruise and anyone whose name ends with Baldwin, although that might be overstating it we’ll see.
People has another story from Johnson in which he explains how he gets his motivation to work so hard. He remembers a time when he had just $7, or actually a little less than $7, in his wallet and thinks about how he could be back there struggling. In fact he named his production company Seven Bucks Productions in honor of that experience. You can see a video on People where he talks about this and he gets visibly choked up remembering it. This guy is the real deal. Here’s what he said.
“Failure is obviously something that we don’t want, we’re always averse to failure because it’s not the end goal,” Johnson says.
“I played football for 10 years with one goal, which was to play in the NFL, which meant we’d never be evicted again. It meant that I could buy my parents their first home, their cars, whatever they wanted. So that failure was tough; that was a tough pill.”
Johnson reevaluated his path in life and took stock. “I literally looked in my wallet and I had a five, a one and change. So I rounded it up to seven. It was a real rock bottom for me and I didn’t know how defining or how meaningful seven bucks would be only until years later in my life,” he says.
Following the footsteps of other men in his family, Johnson began wrestling in the WWE (both his father and grandfather were professional wrestlers). He won his first match in 1996…
After forging a successful career as a championship wrestler, Johnson co-founded a production company with his ex-wife and business partner, Dany Garcia, and named it Seven Bucks Productions – to serve as “a constant reminder of how things once were.”
There’s a real push in our country to believe that anyone can lift themselves up by their bootstraps and do well if they just work hard. That’s true in some cases, but we also need to create more opportunities for people to do that, and have more safety nets in place. In no way am I saying that Johnson has this individualistic mentality, he just knows what worked for him and he’s touting his story as inspirational. He framed his success in the right way and it goes a long way toward explaining how hardworking yet down to earth he is. I would vote for him if he shares my views on important issues. From what I can find he’s an independent and is largely non-partisan. The Rock 2020?
photo credit: WENN.com, Getty and Instagram/The Rock
I’ll take it.
Right?
If I could look at THAT for four years… let’s just say we’d all be too excited to fight about anything.
Hahah he’s not my type but yeah I’d rather look at him than Orangemort.
“Too excited to fight about anything” – I’m over here snorting into my coffee. Thanks for the morning laugh!
Same, Jade. Wouldn’t date him (too many muscles and not fond on the bald look personally), but he’d be an awesome buddy to have, I bet.
Besides when it comes to character, the Rock has it in spades, Orangemort (good one!) is as slimy as it gets.
@Shambles
I need a new keyboard because I just spit my tea on it!! LOL
Yep, it’d have seemed ridiculous before but if he won the next election I would even be happy…
seriously, there was a time when i would have said this is ridiculous
now i would welcome it, please save us from ourselves
Yes, because we need to keep electing people from the entertainment industry who have no clue as to how the process works. /s
Yes and we also need to continue to focus on marginalizing smart people in favor of charisma and showmanship.
I know right? This is ridiculous. They need to change the rules. You should have a minimum of 5 years experience in politics before running.
Thank you…to all of the sane comments here. He’s nice and fun. But he is a movie star and former wrestler. Nothing about that can transfer to the Oval Office. Want to make a difference globally? Hang with AJolie and do some humanitarian work on a large scale. The Presidency is not a playground to see if you can help folks.
Now I’m sitting here wondering if Angelina would have beat Trump.
This 100%. People, take a look at what you are saying and supporting. We just elected a conman and an entertainer. We need to stop electing people based purely on charisma and who can only run because they are wealthy beyond belief, and elect more people based on their social and economic stances. I like The Rock, but from the little I know of him, he has never really been political or stood up for any issues of importance concerning the average American. I swear, this is why America is to the point where it is now. So many people, both Democrats and Republicans, are taken in by showmanship and that is why we’ve elected a long line of presidents for the last four decades who have done very little other than destroy the middle class and start more wars. SMH.
Yep, my thoughts exactly. While the Rock amuses me, I get tired of hearing celebrities talk about running for president like it’s some easy-breezy gig that they might grace with their presence. I feel as if people today view the role of the president as a world-wide reality show, and frankly that is partially why we’re in the mess we’re in.
Absolutely. I love him, and if he wants to help, he can use his platform to do humanitarian work like all other celebs. But I think at the end of the day this was the most damaging thing of this election – the world has learned that anyone can win a presidency.
Even if you ARE an extremely conservative and bigoted douchebag, you shouldn’t vote for Trump based on the fact he has no experience and has none of the qualities a politician should have. Some groups will lose much more than others, but the whole country goes down when a leader is unfit for their job (and we learned this from monarchies. Monarchies!). The inevitable economic crisis will hit everyone, even his voters.
Yeah, first Kanye, now the ROCK. Isn’t it bad enough DUMP is in office now?? We’ve hit a new low when someone like him can win an election. OMG!
Presidents I would prefer over the one we just elected:*
1. Hillary Clinton
2. The Rock
3. An actual rock.
*Not an exhaustive list
Thanks for the laugh this morning! I needed it!
Ditto!
Ah well. I know some of you are upset about not having a female president in America, but France might have one next year.
If youre talking about Le Pen, let’s all hope that wont happen.
Le Pen is hugely dangerous. I hope to hell she doesn’t get in.
Wrong site for the obvious trolling attempt.
There’s nothing to laugh Kyrgios given that LePen is a declared fascist (not even a hidden one)
We’re much more bothered about the fact that Trump won than the fact that another woman lost.
I’m not upset about not having a female president. I’m upset that an a-hole like DUMP is in the office.
Lmao
I love this list!!! Thanks for the laugh. I needed it.
I’d add the Rock’s fanny pack to the list. Or just any fanny pack, really. Can’t be worse than Trump.
Real laughing out loud:)
I wonder what a presidential debate between Dwayne and Kanye West would be like?
He seems like a nice guy..
but Sexiest Man.. NOPE.. I don’t find him sexy at all. He’s too big for my taste and once again People Mag got it WRONG.. but at this point I don’t think the SMA issue the deal it used to be. They picked a safe generic choice. Someone they thought would not generate any real hate or backlash.
MEH, He just does Nothing for me at all
I’m with you, Nemera77. I’m sure he’s very nice, but he does nothing for me at all.
To me his sexiness comes his inner beauty and not necessarily his outer. He has a good heart and is very humble. He cares about others.
+1 @SWAK. He comes across as very humble, friendly guy. I follow him on instagram,and he always goes that extra mile to make his fans happy. I think that is his sex appeal. But running for the president?? Umm no, I guess?
It’s in his smile. To coin a phrase.
I agree. Not my type at all but he radiates kindness, which is it’s own form of beauty.
Yes – he’s not my physical type, but his generosity of spirit, his enthusiasm for life, his kindness – THAT is sexy.
IMO Sexiest Man has never really been about the sex appeal. If you look at all the winners, maybe some will be to your taste, but it’s really just a list of reasonably attractive and mainstream actors (and inexplicably, Adam Levine), who were popular and likeable at the time they won the ‘honor’. There’s no risky choices, there’s no one a bit dangerous and no one who just oozes sex. It’s all about the safe choices, because that’s what People is about.
Relax, their “sexist man alive” is never about actual beauty and sexiness, it’s more about hot career at the moment.
Sexiest Man Alive is not to be taken seriously. It’s PR hype for People and whoever they choose. It’s never gonna please everybody. Most years I’m extremely meh. I appreciate seeing a person of color this year.
@nemera77: And that would be YOUR opinion. Everyone is entitled to theirs, including People Magazine.
Why are you getting your panties in a bunch.. I DON’T find him sexy. I said it. you can have your opinion and disagree. FINE. And so can PEOPLE. I don’t agree. And that is my “entitled opinion”
This is something really irritating about him. I just can’t put my finger on it.
Perhaps it’s because you said People is WRONG (capitalization yours).
Nah. Lisa Simpson 2020!
Maybe a self aware hologram? Sh*t, I’d take Koko the Gorilla at this point.
Bernie Sanders 2020.
Co-sign! I’ve been very impressed with Sanders’ interviews and messaging since the election. He’s been standing up for Standing Rock and giving interviews on the importance of building a grassroots movement that will represent the working class.
@kibbles
His book just came out and I want to purchase it. Honestly, I’ve no hope to vote for him, I don’t live in USA. But if I can pour some money into your cause I will do it.
You deserve a decent person ‘up’ there, not a disgusting, sleazy, angry buffoon that will turf your economy and make you embarrassed in front of the world.
Stay strong x
Why is it these celebs don’t start at a lower level in politics? Run for mayor of a town, city councilman, even governor to get their feet wet and learn the ropes of what it takes. Maybe then they will have at least an idea of what it takes. We have a president that has NO idea what the job entails. Ronald Reagan was at least governor of California before he became president.
But those things are hard and require work. So shortcut it is.
You’re right, Swak. Start out small and see if you’re cut out for politics and management. Even Ronald Reagan started out as president of the Screen Actors Guild before he ran for governor of CA.
Right? What kind of EGO thinks, gee, I’m popular, I’m going to run for President … I agree, I think there has to be SOME form of political experience required.
Agreed! But, unfortunately, that wasn’t the case for this election!
I think that that idea of “with hard work everything is possible” is actually quite dangerous because it implies that people who didn’t make it didn’t make it just because they didn’t work hard enough and not because of real obstacles. And there are obstacles no amount of hard work can overcome. And that way of thinking is often an excuse for people in charge for not providing opportunities.
And if were going with celebrities for presidents, how about Al Franken?
Yeah, but making the public believe that they could make it too is what keeps capitalism going.
Exactly.
@Locke Lamora – I agree with you.
“With hard work everything is possible” also feels like a total lie right now. Our country just elected its first president with no experience, a man who flaunted his lack of preparedness throughout the campaign outright mocking those who worked hard.
The amazing thing about the “pull yourself up by your bootstraps” tagline of Republicans is that Trump just won on the exact opposite, meaning “you’re a victim and the system is rigged against you”.
I believe in the exact opposite. I see everyday people who have worked very hard in life and who get nowhere. Most young people today have gone to college and graduate school only to end up with debt and few employment opportunities. Those who succeed almost always come from well-off families who have helped them in some way through connections or seed money to start their businesses and inventions. There are always a few lucky individuals, like The Rock, who come from working class backgrounds and end up wealthy because they manage to find success in professional sports or the entertainment industry. This is like a one in a million chance. There are thousands of talented and good looking people who will never get their break. Sad but true.
When celebrities say they’re going to run for President, I doubt they mean it literally. I think if they actually do plan to go into politics they would try smaller offices first. Then again Arnold Schwarzenegger became California Governor with no experience.
Please rule it out !
+1
He seems to be a very nice guy, but heck to the no. President is not a breeze in, breeze out job. It should be done by smart, capable, hardworking people. I agree with the poster above who said that if you want to do something, run for something small first. Make that work.
I don’t think that People cover does him any favors.
Things could be worse.
Oh wait, they are.
Yup:/
I just realised The Rock looks like a buffed up Obama.
It’s the latte skin tone. In a way, they’re lucky, takes a lot of ill health to make their skin look unhealthy. I am white and look ghastly when ill. Lines everywhere, veiny, can’t wear tank tops, have these massive blue veins running on my shoulders and over armpits.
Wasn’t the president in Idiocracy a former wrestler?
Yes, his name was Dwayne, too. Dwayne Elizondo Mountain Dew Herbert Camacho. 🙂
I would vote for him. I bet he has started reading up on the political process and in four years would be more than qualified.
I love him, but I would like him to stay in his lane.
No offense to The Rock. He seems lovely. But him potentially running for President makes me think of President Camacho in Idiocracy. LOL Meh, we’re pretty much there right now. The Rock couldn’t do any worse as he doesn’t seem to have the Orange Apocalypse’s myriad of untreated mental disorders. That’s something.
THIS all day! I’ve seen that movie too and its SCARES the hell outta me! We ARE already there.
NO! Being a celebrity should not be the prerequisite for being president. I want an intellectual, someone who is smarter than me, someone who understands foreign policy, strategy, the Constitution not the newest star of the Fast and Furious. He seems like a great guy but this shouldn’t be a popularity contest, it should be about who the most qualified person is.
Good God. No wonder America is in the state it currently is.
Why do you set such a low bar for a role that demands such a high one?
He’s biracial, half Black, half white, and he’s a republican. Makes you wonder if Donald Chump and the rest of the GOP give a rat’s ass about him…..no, they don’t. Then again, Donald says that he really “loves the Blacks”.