Shevik T. Anderson is completely non-partisan. That being said, he would, however, be interested in lending his unique perspective to world-wide current events. As we all know, Donald J. Trump won a historic victory over his Democratic rival Hillary Clinton on Tuesday night, surprising nearly every pundit and pollster around the globe... except for yours truly. Just as it took an outsider to upset the entire American political establishment, and it takes a village to raise your child, it sometimes takes a boyish looking old man (a complete stranger to politics, mind you) to make those important connections between pop-culture and statecraft that make the heart sing. Yes, Shevik T. Anderson foresaw a Trump victory even while the Donald's campaign was still in its infancy. How did he predict this most unexpected election result? By looking into the great crystal ball of early 90's comedy films. More specifically, he dusted off the old projector, broke out the Jiffy Pop, and settled in for an evening's screening of Universal's comedy masterpiece, "Happy Gilmore."
For those of you who haven't seen the film, I suggest that you look for it at your Blockbuster or local library or, if those are out of business, just write a letter to Universal Pictures yourself (payment enclosed) and request a tape. Or if you can't afford the postage, just stay tuned. "Happy Gilmore" tells the story of a would-be hockey player who takes up golf in order to raise money to save his grandma's foreclosed upon house. At the urging of a local pro, Happy joins the professional golf tour, armed with the exceptional ability to drive the long ball. On the tour, Gilmore overcomes pro golf's snobbery and hierarchal sophistication, becoming the first walk-on ever to win the tour championship, much to the chagrin of the presumed front runner, Happy's arch-rival, "Shooter" McGavin.
Though Donald Trump never swung a golf-club or campaigned in a Bruin's Jersey, the parallels between the two stories confound. Just as Trump was considered a side-show during the early days of his campaign, Happy was laughed at for much of his golf career. Just as Trump made a few ill-advised statements throughout the course of his candidacy, Happy had similar slip-ups. And just as Trump overcame towering egos and "sure-thing" opposition, Happy stumped everyone by squashing a golf legend on what was considered "Shooter's Tour."
In his first-ever golf tournament, the reluctant Happy Gilmore makes more than a few mistakes. He has no idea what golf entails, but he soon becomes very popular for his long-drives and never-before-seen antics.
Though Donald Trump never swung a golf-club or campaigned in a Bruin's Jersey, the parallels between the two stories confound. Just as Trump was considered a side-show during the early days of his campaign, Happy was laughed at for much of his golf career. Just as Trump made a few ill-advised statements throughout the course of his candidacy, Happy had similar slip-ups. And just as Trump overcame towering egos and "sure-thing" opposition, Happy stumped everyone by squashing a golf legend on what was considered "Shooter's Tour."
In his first-ever golf tournament, the reluctant Happy Gilmore makes more than a few mistakes. He has no idea what golf entails, but he soon becomes very popular for his long-drives and never-before-seen antics.
Hmmm... reminds me of a certain presidential candidate who's run was covered more as an entertainment piece than a political story...
After finally making the cut to play on the tour, Happy meets with serious opposition. Insulted that Happy should be taken seriously, a group of elite golfers ostracize him.
They all tell him he is wasting his time and that the tour already had a destined winner .
Trump's candidacy was met with similar scorn and indignation in the mind of those "in the know." It was Jeb vs. Hillary, and Hillary was supposed to win.
Unabashed, Happy continued the tour and gathered a following of very enthusiastic patrons who had never been interested in golf before.
These followers of his were openly mocked and criticized by the media.
However, the worst insults came from his rival...
"Go back to your shanties!" -- Shooter McGavin
Trump parallels are obvious. The media was shameless in their mockery, but none were more blatant than Trump's rival... Suffice to say, at least the American people handled it good-naturedly.
After finally being deemed a force to be reckoned with, Happy faced even more under-handed opposition from his opponent who hired a mental-case to disrupt Happy's game... twice.
Trump's rival did the same...
However, they both overcame all odds, and each got a very special house back in the end.
There you have it, folks. Yours truly, Shevik T. Anderson has gone boldly where no man has gone before to bring you the most accurate analysis of Trump's victory to date. While the experts are still scratching their heads, you now know how Trump could pull it off. He took his cues from none other than Hollywood's most fantastic underdog, Happy Gilmore.