Regardless of how you feel about Donald Trump's politics, the fact that he got elected has proven one thing conclusively. Anybody can now run to be President of the United States of America, even if they have no previous political experience whatsoever. Not only can they run, they can win.
Trump wasn't the first celebrity to become President, of course. Ronald Reagan had him beaten on that front by over thirty years. Reagan was, famously, an actor long before he was a politician. Some might even say that his ability to act helped him win over voters during his campaign!
As the doors to the White House are now seemingly open to anyone who has a high enough profile to make a run for them, we've cast our eye over some potential candidates. We've also given some thought to what their campaign strategy could be. Would you vote for them?
Not everybody loves Jennifer Aniston's acting talents, but you'd be hard pressed to find anyone who has a bad word to say about her. That's a rare thing in Hollywood - a star who manages to keep the majority of her private life out of the newspapers, and goes through their whole career without courting any controversy whatsoever.
That clean-cut image would make Aniston an ideal candidate for a run for office. We don't think she has any skeletons in her closet - if she did, her 'Friends' would surely have spoken up by now! As for what she'd run for - better haircuts for everybody? Better representation of women over 40 in film and television? A dedicated channel that would air nothing but 'Friends' re-runs 24/7? Don't pretend you wouldn't watch that on a lazy, hungover Sunday!
If there's one thing that the voting public loves, it's a good comeback story. At one point, just over a decade ago, Mel Gibson looked like he was down and out. He was having a very public struggle with alcoholism, he'd been recorded making some deeply unsavory comments about Jewish people, and it seemed likely that his Hollywood career was over. It wasn't. Gibson got help, got sober, and came back as both a performer and a director.
Sometimes, it's better to have fallen and gotten back up than never to have fallen at all. It shows people that you're resilient, and you can deal with tough times. It also makes you relatable - very few of us have led blameless lives, and so we can all identify with those who have made mistakes and sought forgiveness for it. Gibson could campaign on that kind of platform - and he'd probably seek tighter controls over celebrity gossip in newspapers too.
It's very likely that if you'd have asked us to put this list together a couple of years ago, Kevin Spacey's name would have either been at the top or very close to it. Spacey was one of the most respected actors in his profession, and at the peak of his career as the star of 'House of Cards.' That was before some unpleasant accusations about his private life became public. It should be noted that Spacey is yet to be convicted of any offense, and so we shouldn't judge him as if he were guilty, but the accusations have had a heavily negative impact on his career.
If he's able to get out of this bleak moment, he could use the momentum to make a run for President. We've already sort-of seen Spacey as the President in his 'House of Cards' role, and he seems equipped for the part. Could he be as Machiavellian as Frank Underwood in real life?
Think about it for a second. Is there anything that Robert De Niro can't do? Granted, his recent movie career might now have involved the kind of 'respectable' acting work that he was involved in when he was younger, but that might be a sign that he's overdue to get out of the game. He's a wise and seasoned man now, and he has enough life experience to offer up his services as President of the USA.
We've seen De Niro take on all kinds of roles in his films. The temperament of Travis Bickle from 'Taxi Driver' would be useful in dealing with America's enemies. The shrewdness and cunning from his 'Godfather' role would make him an expert political tactician. Plus, he has A-List star quality. Other world leaders would be awed by his presence the moment he walked into a room.
Talk show host Jimmy Kimmel has made a career out of being able to talk. He seems to have an opinion on everything, and he always seems to have a joke about everyone. He's lampooned and criticized many politicians and leaders in the past, so maybe it's time for him to put his money where his mouth is and show us that he could do it better!
Being able to talk to people is at least half of a President's job. You have to be able to get around a table and negotiate, and get your message across clearly to the people you serve. We have no doubt that Kimmel is eminently qualified for that role. Who could seriously start a war with Kimmel's America if he was able to make them laugh during diplomatic relations? His motto would be 'More talk, fewer bombs,' and he'd serve with a smile.
Sometimes, an American President has to deliver bad news to the nation. We feel that no matter how bad the news might be, it would sound better coming out of the moth of James Earl Jones. He has a calming and soothing way of speaking that would be ideal for the role of a global diplomat. When Jones speaks, you automatically listen, and you're inclined to believe him.
Imagine a debate during campaign season between Jones and any other candidate. Even if the other candidate had better political points, there's no way they'd be able to make them sound as good as whatever Jones had to say! He may be a little old now, but Jones has seen the world turn and is showing no sign of losing his edge with the passing of the years. He's one of the greatest actors in American history - and what are politicians if they're not actors?
They say that laughter is the best medicine. It sometimes feels like we live in a sick world, and so if the medicine of laughter is required, Will Ferrell has more of it to give out than almost anybody else. The comic has been making us laugh for well over two decades, and almost never makes a film that isn't laugh-out-loud hilarious.
There are so many ways that a Ferrell presidency would be amazing. Imagine him giving the State of the Union address. Imagine the Tweets! Try to picture Vladimir Putin sat around a table with Will Ferrell, talking about the military or oil supplies. Even he'd have to laugh at some point. If you can make someone laugh, you can usually persuade them to do the thing you want them to do. Ferrell's campaign would be all about putting smiles on people's faces.
On the flip side of the Will Ferrell coin is Keanu Reeves. Laughing your way into diplomatic friendships is one approach, but maintaining a poker face and never letting people in on what you're really thinking is another. Based on his work in 'The Matrix' and 'John Wick' among other films, it's clear to see Reeves definitely has that kind of poker face.
The added bonus with this suggestion is that Reeves is effortlessly cool. He looks great, and he has great presence. Some people feel that President Obama carried off the whole 'cool' thing very well, but Reeves has him outmatched there. He's in fantastic shape again; he looks like he could quite literally fight for our freedom! On top of all that, as any 'Matrix' fan will tell you, he is The One. Who better to lead a nation?
The super-talented Natalie Portman is a natural born leader. She's not only a great actress - even managing to stand out and look good in the terrible 'Star Wars' prequels - she's also been known to take a firm stance on social and political issues. Portman has been a loud and constant campaigner for women's rights, equality, and LGBT issues. She's one of the people most closely associated with the #MeToo campaign.
She has a softer side too, and she's not afraid to laugh at herself. We imagine that's a useful attribute to have when you're in a role that's constantly in the public eye. Anyone who's seen her two appearances on 'Saturday Night Live' as a rapper knows that she's very self-aware and she's fine to play on her public persona. She's not a bad rapper either!
Veteran actor Tim Allen is now 65 years old. Based on the average age of the most prominent recent candidates for the Presidency, he's at the perfect age to run for office. Ronald Reagan showed that actors with a talent for comedy could make a good natural fit for a President, and Allen strikes us as someone who's in something of the same mold.
Most of us know Allen best from his decade-long stint on 'Home Improvement,' although he's also famously the voice of Buzz Lightyear from 'Toy Story.' In more recent years, he's become an amateur radio operator, and spoken out on political issues. That means he's used to broadcasting, and he has an awareness of what's going on in the world. Perhaps he's already preparing himself to make a surprise run at it in 2024? He won't run in 2020 as Donald Trump is standing again, and Allen is a known Trump supporter.
We said earlier than America loves a good comeback story, and Kevin Hart is a man capable of fitting that description. Just one short year ago he was everybody's favorite comedian, and a man that could do no wrong. He was the toast of Hollywood - so much so that he was chosen to host the Oscars! That all changed when some old Tweets came to light, in which he'd used language deemed disrespectful to the LGBT community.
Hart could run under the motto that everybody deserves a second chance. America is a forgiving country, and one that understands that people have flaws. Who would you rather see in office - someone who pretends they've never put a foot wrong in their whole life, or someone who's open about their mistakes? We think the majority of people would prefer the latter.
Why Tim Tebow? Well, we frequently heard it said that the United States of America is one nation, indivisible, under God. It even says so in the Pledge of Allegiance. The United States is a Christian country, and outside of religious leaders, very few people take their Christianity as seriously as Tim Tebow. He became famous for wearing religious messages on his eye-black during his football days, and also for his distinctive pose when kneeling to pray. That was frequently referred to as 'Tebowing' and was briefly a viral internet sensation.
Tebow is also a man of considerable achievement. Like Michael Jordan, he's played two completely different sports professionally - football and baseball. Multi-talented, committed to whatever task he's given and possessing conviction in his faith, Tebow seems to have all the qualities needed of a leader. He's a little young at 31, though.
Let's be honest - becoming President is just about the only thing that Sylvester Stallone hasn't done. He was the de facto action movie star of the 1980s and has enjoyed a career renaissance in the past decade by bringing both Rocky and Rambo back to the big screen. All this from a guy who initially had his 'Rocky' script turned down dozens of time by producers, and was once so poor that he had to sell his dog.
Stallone epitomizes the American Dream - he's a self-made man who came from nothing, and achieved everything he has through hard work and determination. His speech in 'Rocky Balboa' about how life is more about how well you can take a punch than how hard you can hit is the stuff that political commercials are made of, too. Stallone could be an inspirational President.
A good President would need to show courage in the face of adversity, and the ability to deal with problems in a strong and resolute manner. Jennifer Lawrence knows all about that. She had to deal with the leaking of a number of personal and intimate photographs, but rather than allowing it to humiliate her she battled back and used it as the start of a fightback against the way women are treated in the media.
Lawrence has become an advocate for women's rights, a powerful voice in the #MeToo movement and a passionate public speaker. In short, she has all the qualities needed to handle the theatre of politics on the global stage. She's graceful, calm, elegant and commands authority when she talks. The only question would be whether she's willing to give up her stellar acting career to run for office instead. J-Law for President? Stranger things have happened!
Actor, director, and musician Gary Sinise has his own star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame, which is something he has in common with current President Donald Trump. Could the two develop another thing in common if Sinise put his name into the hat to become President? He certainly has the look of someone who's capable of handling the job with his steely eyes and his firm jaw.
We're used to seeing Sinise handle a certain type of role on screen. His characters are almost always stern and severe. In a way, we're pre-conditioned to believe the things that he tells us and accept him as an authority on whatever matter he's discussing. Sinise has the aura of a strict teacher - someone who we might not necessarily feel warm about, but respect them all the same for their knowledge and their abilities.
This might seem like something of a left-field suggestion, but then so was Donald Trump. Would having the host of 'Family Feud' as President really be any stranger than the host of 'The Apprentice?' Harvey has an easy charm, a quick wit, and seemingly deeply sincere convictions about family life and faith. You rarely encounter people who dislike him, and when it comes to politics, being liked is half the battle.
We have no idea if Harvey has any diplomatic skill, or how firm his grasp on world events is. We do think, though, that he could diffuse a difficult meeting by cracking a joke. Making somebody laugh is one of the easiest ways to get people on your side. Meetings of the G8 or the United Nations would certainly seem less dull or stuffy if Harvey were sitting in on them and making sure everyone had a good time. How about trying to find peace in the Middle East by having two sets of representatives line up and play 'Family Feud?'
Here's another man who we're used to seeing play powerful figures on the big screen. Kurt Vogel Russell, aside from having one of the most unusual middle names in show business, is a man who's seen and done it all within the acting profession. There's nothing left for him to achieve as a performer, so perhaps it's time for him to think about other ways he could make a contribution to the world?
Russell has the expressive, lined face of somebody who's seen a few things, and knows a few secrets. He's also got a touch of 'action hero' about him - the same quality which helped Arnold Schwarzenegger become Governor of California. He's also very heavily in favor of retaining the right to bear arms, which would ensure the powerful NRA lobby would be on his side.
Let's face it; there aren't many things that Taylor Swift could do which would garner her more attention that she already has. Becoming President would perhaps be the only thing she could do which could give her a higher profile. Swift's rise to fame has been stratospheric, and she's arguably been the world's most prominent musician for the past five years.
Not only that, Swift has an army of 'Swifties' who would likely vote for her no matter what her policies were, or who was running against her. She's absolutely adored by her fans, and she's been known to have influence over them in the past. When she requested that more Americans registered to vote before the last election, numbers suddenly shot up. Could she translate that kind of influence into a Presidency of her own?
As we saw from the criticism Hillary Clinton received during her own run for President, it's tough being a woman in the public eye when it comes to politics. There are criticisms which will be thrown at you that nobody would ever dream of throwing at a man. It's going to take a strong woman to stand up to that kind of abuse and overcome it. Sandra Bullock has been seen as a strong woman for her entire professional life.
Traditionally, the kind of roles that Bullock has become known for were always the preserve of men, with action-heavy films like 'Speed' and gritty parts like the role she played in 'Gravity.' She's always been something of a trailblazer, and a performer who defies convention. Would anyone really mess with President Bullock? We don't think so, and now we've written 'President Bullock' down we think it has something of a ring to it.
It would be tough to imagine activist and movie producer Michael Moore getting enough votes to become President. There's no doubting that he has a significant number of supporters across the country, but he also has a huge number of detractors. To call Moore a polarizing figure would be to make a significant understatement.
We think it would be good to let Moore have a chance though, if only to see him put his money where his mouth is. He's made his name and his fortune by criticizing seemingly every President in recent memory, with special disdain being reserved for George W. Bush and Donald Trump. He evidently thinks he could do better, so why doesn't he give it a try? Maybe someone will then step forward to make movies about him, and we'll see how much he likes it!
Back in the old days of show business, Neil Patrick Harris would have been known as a 'song and dance man.' He's almost like a one-person variety show. He can act, he can sing, he can produce, he can direct - he can do it all! But he also has one more potentially transferable skill which would be useful to the office of President - he's a qualified magician.
A dose of magic when you're involved in politics would certainly be helpful. It sometimes feels like you need a magic touch to strike a deal which nobody else can, or achieve a result that other people don't think is possible. To be cynical, the skill all magicians have - misdirection - is also a great one for a politician. Nobody notices the less pleasant things you do when you've made all of them look the other way. The star of 'How I Met Your Mother' could one day be appearing in a show called 'How I Became President'.
As the years have gone by, James Woods has become more and more overtly political. He was once seen as a charming and esteemed actor, who was happy to make fun of himself in shows like 'The Simpsons' and 'Family Guy.' Because of the demeanor of such shows, people jumped to the incorrect assumption that he was a liberal, or at least his views would mostly align with the Democratic Party. They were wrong.
With his strong and outspoken support of Donald Trump - and right wing causes in general - Woods has surprised and alienated some of his audience. In the process, he's found a completely new one. Woods has said that he's lost out on work because of his political beliefs, but if Trump's supporters stay with him, he might just be the man who follows him into the White House. We're fairly sure Trump himself would endorse him.
It's a very long time since Hollywood bad boy Mark Wahlberg was model and rapper Marky Mark. Wahlberg has undergone a significant change in image over the past couple of decades, not all of which has been for the good. He's accepted by almost everybody as a gifted actor, but some aspects of his personal life have seen him end up on the wrong side of public opinion - and occasionally the law, too.
Despite all that, the public love a bad boy. We sometimes cheer for the villains in both movies and sport, and they always seem to have more charisma. Looking at Wahlberg, you just know that if one of America's enemies did or said something that angered him, he would tell them where to go in no uncertain terms. He might not be the politest President we ever had, but he'd be one of the most forthright.
Here's an opinion which seems to have gone out of fashion. Maybe - just maybe - the leader of the nation should be someone who is clearly very intelligent and capable. Someone who has a lot of knowledge about the world, and a track record of being able to communicate that knowledge in a way that can be easily understood. Does anybody fit that bill better than Neil deGrasse Tyson?
Look at the positions and roles that Tyson has held over the years, and the qualifications he's achieved. He's a cosmologist and astrophysicist. He's a gifted writer and public speaker. Many Americans have learned more about science from Tyson than they ever did when they were at school. Tyson could campaign on the promise of better education for everybody and the furthering of our understanding of the universe. He could lead a new golden age of science.
Why do we think Clooney would make a great President? Well, we've seen him play Presidents or politicians in movies more than once, and he's always very convincing in the parts. So much so, we think he'd probably be a natural fit. Politics is a lot like acting in many ways, as you're required to try to be all things to all people. Clooney has been doing that all his life, with the exception of his stint as 'Batman.' We never want to see that again, George. Sorry!
Clooney's acting career is, by his own admission, beginning to wind down. He once denied he'd ever been interested in running for President in 2011, but has seemed to soften that stance in recent years, admitting in 2017 that it 'sounded like fun.' Clooney is known to despise Donald Trump and all that he stands for, and so would probably run on the premise of being Trump's complete opposite.
The cast and crew of 'Saturday Night Live' have been satirizing and mocking politicians and leaders for years. Tina Fey has always been right in the thick of that action. Like Michael Moore, perhaps it's time for her to stop sniping from the sidelines and throw her own hat into the ring!
She doesn't have any great history of political stances or attachments, but she's known to do a lot for anti-poverty charities around the world, which suggests she does have an awareness of what's happening beyond the confines of her own home. Her famed deadpan delivery would come in useful when she's required to deliver bad news as well. The only downside might be that while Fey's warning us about the latest dire global economic crisis, we'll all be waiting for a punchline that will never come.
Harrison Ford is, by anyone's measure, one of the greatest movie stars of all time. He's also a little bit old at 76. That doesn't seem to matter anymore though; in the last election campaign, we went from the comparatively youthful President Obama to Donald Trump and Hillary Clinton both standing despite being over 70. Bernie Sanders, the other name most closely associated with the last election, is even older. Sanders recently announced he intends to stand again, so what's to stop Ford?
We can definitely see the upside as having the man who brought us Indiana Jones and Han Solo as the President. Any other politician dealing with him would be starstruck. If he were asked to go to a global political summit, he'd probably be signing as many autographs as he would be signing bills.
We might have to re-write a few laws about whether convicted felons can run for office before we can consider a bid from Snoop Dogg. Strangely, though, we think Snoop would probably be interested in the position. He's mellowed as he's aged - probably thanks to the industrial amount or marijuana he smokes - and has renamed himself 'Snoop Lion.' That suggests he sees himself on a journey of accession, so why stop before you reach the very top?
Snoop's campaign message would likely be one-dimensional - the complete legalization of marijuana across all states and for all people. He'd be able to point to the huge increase in tax revenue in states that have already legalized it to support his case. Would Snoop's Presidency mean that America became the most calm, chilled-out nation on the face of the Earth? Or would it lead us open to the risk of invasion because we'd all be too spaced-out to stop it?
If we can clear hurdles and enable Snoop Dogg to stand for President, we should also be able to do the same for Marshall Mathers II, better known to the world as Eminem. For twenty years, Eminem was the world's best-known rapper, seemingly untouchable in terms of lyrical composition and his production when working in collaboration with Dr. Dre. He's slowed down as he's reached his mid-40s, and no longer delivers his lines with the same youthful vitriol that he once did.
When he was spitting that vitriol, though, the worst of it was often reserved for serving Presidents of the United States of America. The song 'Mosh' took Bush to task for sending American troops into Iraq. His freestyle rap against Trump shortly after his election made headlines across the world. More recently he said - in less polite terms - that anyone would make a better President than Trump. Does 'anyone' include Eminem? And if so, will he try to prove it?
Meryl Streep is undoubtedly one of the finest actors of all time. She's had a career that's spanned five decades, won every award there is to win, and delighted multiple generations of cinema-goers. We've seen Streep tackle every kind of role imaginable. Could she be about to tackle her greatest challenge of all? Based on some of the statements she's made to the press in recent years, it wouldn't surprise us.
Streep's political leanings are a matter of public record. She campaigned passionately on behalf of Hillary Clinton during the last election. She attended fundraisers both with and for the Obamas and the Democratic Party as a whole. She's also gone head to head with Donald Trump on Twitter on more than one occasion, repeatedly referring to the President as 'a bully.' Trump has more-or-less challenged her to stand against him. Will she respond?
The theme of law and order is never far from the forefront of any political campaign - especially when it comes to the most senior political position of them all. It would be helpful if our elected leader knew a thing or two about how the law of the lands works - so who better than Judge Judy Sheindlin, who's been working with the law for her entire life?
Sheindlin is a familiar face to the American public from her many years as 'Judge Judy,' in which she adjudicates on smaller matters of civil law. That doesn't mean to say she doesn't understand the bigger picture though - she does. She's also refreshingly open minded when it comes to her politics; she's said in the past that she voted for both Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton, but didn't vote for anybody in 2012 as she wasn't pleased with either option. The country could use someone who would abandon party lines and just do what they thought was right for the country.
Samuel L. Jackson is the ultimate king of cool. His eminently quotable performance in 'Pulp Fiction' propelled him to the top of the 'cool' stakes, but the man possesses so much pizzazz that he even managed to make 'Snakes on a Plane' look and sound like a reasonable film. Not anybody can carry that off. He's very closely associated with the use of one curse word which can't be repeated here or within polite political discourse, so he'd have to drop that from his vocabulary, but we're sure he'd still manage to get his points across without it.
Jackson is no stranger to becoming involved in political debate either; he was an advocate for President Barack Obama, and has been an outspoken critic of conservative judge Clarence Thomas, feeling that he acts against the interests of people of color. If Jackson was in charge, he might be able to get rid of him.
It's been quite a while since Tom Selleck did anything professionally that caught the public eye, so it's a measure of how well known he was to begin with that he's still such a familiar name and face with the voting public. If you do see a lot of Selleck on your television, chances are you're a viewer of 'Blue Bloods.' Politically speaking, Selleck has a lot in common with the character he portrays in that show.
Selleck describes himself as a libertarian more than someone with strong attachments to any particular party. He's a big believer in the right to bear arms - so much so that he served for a time as a spokesman for the NRA - and once campaigned for John McCain when he stood for office. Interestingly, he felt unable to vote for Clinton or Trump at the last election, feeling neither had views that represented him. Perhaps he'd prefer to stand and represent himself?
The word 'legend' is thrown around a lot in celebrity circles, and we've tried not to use it too much on this list, but Bill Murray is a legend. The comic actor has made us laugh, made us cry and stolen our hearts over the years, with roles as diverse and varied as 'Ghostbusters' and 'Lost in Translation.'
Murray is a famously unconventional man. He doesn't have an agent, and insists that anyone who wants him for working purposes phones him and leaves a message on an answerphone, which he checks once every few weeks. That kind of unreliability might not be ideal for the office of President, but it would definitely keep everybody on their toes. More to the point, we think it's impossible for anyone to dislike Murray; there's just something about his face that endears him to an audience. Would it have the same effect on voters?
As the law currently stands, the office of President of the United States of America is open only to those who are American by birth. Those of you who remember the Barack Obama birth certificate furor will already know that! We're not sure where that leaves Christopher Walken. The veteran actor has otherworldly qualities, and we've never been 100% sure he's even from this planet.
If Walken did run, it might be the ending of a story that started over a decade ago. Back in 2006, as people began to turn their minds towards the 2008 Presidential elections, there were persistent rumors that Walken was considering standing. The rumor went viral and was reported as a fact by several 'serious' news agencies until Walken issued a statement to deny it emphatically. Conan O'Brien later asked him about the rumors and asked him for a campaign slogan. Walken came up with 'no more zoos.'
Will Smith is a man who can do it all and has had no issue with proving it. He started out as a rapper, before demonstrating that he could also act in 'The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air.' When his acting career took off, he took the risk of putting it on hold to move back into rap and music, but 'Big Willie Style' went multi-platinum. Could the Fresh Prince one day sit in the White House, or would he insist the office moved to Bel-Air? We wonder what Uncle Phil would think?
Politically, Smith describes himself as a Democrat. He's donated funds to the Democratic Party and made appearances to their benefit, although he seemed to be more closely affiliated with Barack Obama than the party itself. He's still broadly thought to believe in liberal causes, having spoken out in support of same-sex marriage in the past.
Perhaps the finest actor of his generation, Leonardo DiCaprio has come a long way in the public's eye since he was initially dismissed as just another 'pretty boy' actor. His early roles, such as 'Romeo + Juliet' and 'Titanic' didn't help with his image, but as he got older and moved into grittier work like 'The Departed' and 'Wolf of Wall Street' people finally began to appreciate what a superbly talented performer he was.
As well as having a legion of fans and a wealth of life experience, DiCaprio has enough political insight to stage a campaign. He's been involved in campaigning for the Democrats all his life, supporting John Kerry before doing the same for Barack Obama, although it's not known if he donated to Hillary Clinton. He's also known as a keen campaigner for environmental causes, which would likely form the basis for his campaign. DiCaprio wants to save the world. Maybe we should let him try!
We can't decide who we'd like to be President more - the charming and talented Robert Downey Jr, or his most famous alter-ego Tony Stark. Having 'Iron Man' as President would have some obvious advantages; nobody's going to argue with a superhero at the negotiating table. On the other hand, politics might get in the way of Stark's superhero duties. Who's going to save the world while Stark's busy trying to pass a healthcare bill?
It looks like Downey Jr would be the better choice after all. He's spoken in the past about how his political views have partially been informed by a period of time he spent in jail, and that he's neither Republican nor Democratic. His unique insight into matters of law and order and his honest perspective could be the very things that make him an ideal candidate.
For everything we know about Microsoft founder Bill Gates - which is a lot of information - we've never found out a single thing about his political opinions. He was honored by Barack Obama with the Presidential Medal of Freedom in 2016 but has never indicated that he voted for Obama or anyone else. Gates has the right to keep his cards close to his chest of course, but could he be doing so because he one day intends to run for office himself?
Gates, best known for co-founding Microsoft, is a multi-billionaire and a self-made man. He would be the richest person ever to become President, which isn't usually the sign of someone who can relate to the average person, but Gates isn't like most billionaires. He donates at least half of everything he makes to charitable and humanitarian causes. He seems to have a genuine interest in leaving the world a better place than he found it. He could do so much more if he had political power.
There are plenty of people who think satirist and surrealist Stephen Colbert would make a great President, but Colbert himself might just believe it more passionately than anybody else does. Running for the highest office in the land wouldn't be intimidating to Colbert at all; in fact, he's done it once before. Colbert stood - with his tongue firmly planted into his cheek - during the 2008 Presidential election. Sadly for all of us, he didn't win, and so far, we've not found out what Colbert's America might look like.
We've had some hints down the years. We know how passionate he is about ice cream, for a start. Free ice cream for every American? That might be a vote winner! Since his failed Presidential bid, he's formed a Super Pac and also discussed the possibility of standing for office in South Carolina. We don't think he's done with his political ambitions just yet.
It's impossible to say Bill Nye's name without tacking 'Science Guy!' onto the end of it. There are far worse things to be known for than an association with science though; at least people know you're a learned and intelligent person. Most people would agree that we could use a few more smart people in Washington, and Nye is eminently qualified in that respect.
Nye may even have some useful connections in and around the White House and the political world to get him started. He was an unofficial adviser to the Barack Obama White House on scientific issues and threw his weight behind Obama in both of the former President's election campaigns. He's been active again recently, challenging Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez about her own views on environmental issues like climate change. Nye would stand for scientific solutions to political and social problems.
If you have doubts about the positives of a Chuck Norris Presidency, then we have one suggestion for you to consider. Just imagine the memes. Chuck Norris was an internet meme before internet memes were even a thing. He practically invented the formula, with memes like 'When Chuck Norris does swimming, he doesn't get wet. Water gets Chuck Norris'. The iconic movie hardman and martial arts expert may be a little long in the tooth at 78, but we still wouldn't argue with him.
Norris' own political views are reasonably well known - he's staunchly conservative, and has been a life-long supporter of the Republican Party. He campaigned for Donald Trump, and has remained supportive of the President during his tenure. If the American public is looking for more of the same after Trump's gone, Norris would likely give it to them.
Well, he's got 'Washington' as a last name, so we guess that's a good starting point for a prospective President. 'Put Washington into Washington' would make a great campaign motto. Obviously, a political campaign has to be about more than a snappy slogan, but 'Yes We Can' and 'Make America Great Again' became powerful catchphrases for Barack Obama and Donald Trump. Washington has them both comfortably beaten.
In the past, Washington has said that he has beliefs about society which could one day see him walk away from acting - but not political beliefs. Washington is a devout and dedicated Christian, and has considered leaving his profession to become a pastor. We have no doubt he'd be a very popular preacher, but wouldn't he be able to carry his message to a wider audience if he was relaying it from the Oval Office?
Very few people will need any kind of introduction to Jon Stewart and his political beliefs. For years, he was the host of the left-leaning 'Daily Show,' pouring scorn on Republican politicians and Republican ideas. As is the case with many a political commentator who's never held office, Stewart has been challenged more than once to back his own opinions and put them to the test by entering politics himself. So far, he's refused to do so.
Some of the criticism leveled at Stewart has been inaccurate, though. He even voted Republican once - even if it was just once - in the 1988 Presidential election. He also rejects the suggestion that he's a Democrat, preferring to view himself as a socialist or an independent. He might find positive media coverage of his campaign hard to come by - he's made an enemy of Fox News many times over.
We're probably being a little fanciful here. Clint Eastwood is 88 and will be closer to 90 by the time 2020 rolls around. We've missed the boat on the possibility of Clint Eastwood ever becoming President. That feels like something of a shame - he's very much cut from the same cloth as Ronald Reagan, and would likely have governed in a similar manner.
Politically, Eastwood has registered himself as Libertarian. He's got some experience of holding office, too - he was once the mayor of the small town of Carmel-by-the-Sea in California. His most recent foray into politics was a confusing one; he backed Mitt Romney in the 2012 Presidential election and gave a live television address to an empty chair, which was intended to represent Barack Obama. It was confusing and eccentric, but it was captivating viewing.
"You get a car. You get a car. Everybody gets a car!" Oprah Winfrey's car giveaway is one of the most iconic moments in the history of televised talk shows. It would also make for a great campaign if she chose to stand for President. Sadly, you can get most people to agree with you if you bribe them. A new vehicle would do the job very nicely for the majority of voters. We don't think Winfrey would support such a move though; she'd be more likely to appeal directly to people's hearts.
Of all the names we've listed so far, Winfrey may be the most likely to give it a try. She's expressed interest in being a senator before, and her vocal opposition to Donald Trump has led to persistent rumors that she'll stand against him for most of the past few years. Will she bite the bullet and try her hand? It's likely to be now or never.
The idea of a professional wrestler holding political office isn't as absurd as it appears on first glance. Jesse Ventura was Governor of Minnesota for many years. Glenn Jacobs, better known to wrestling fans as 'Kane,' is the current mayor of Knox County. Wrestlers usually have over-the-top, larger-than-life personalities; exactly the kind of characters which inspire and excite others. Johnson has more than most, and has already translated his charisma in the ring to a hugely successful movie career.
Johnson has been asked about standing for President before and usually dismisses the suggestion with a smile and a joke. He's spoken at both the Democratic and Republican conventions before, though, and considers himself to be an independent. In short, he knows how to play to both sides of the gallery. The idea of the Rock as President does amuse us - imagine him telling Congress to know its role and shut its mouth!
This is all about the voice. Morgan Freeman has quite literally been cast as the voice of God more than once in his acting career, and it's easy to see (or should that be hear?) why. Freeman has the kind of voice that puts anyone at ease. He could be reading a menu or a telephone directory, and we'd still be quite content to close our eyes and listen to him until he was done.
Freeman is in his early 80s now, and so the prospect of a White House run has probably dwindled away to virtually zero, but we can still dream. No matter how bad things might get, and what Freeman might be required to tell the nation as its President, it would always sound like everything was going to be OK if he told us so. He'd be a Democratic President, having supported both Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton, but even a hardline Republican would struggle to avoid being won over by Freeman's dulcet tones.
We know that roughly half of the people reading this list will have rolled their eyes at seeing this name. Ellen DeGeneres is one of those people who can split a crowd right down the middle. The public tends to either love or hate her, with very little space in between. What nobody can deny, though, is that DeGeneres has been a passionate and committed campaigner for both women's rights and gay rights for her entire time in the public eye.
DeGeneres is now in her early 60s - about the right time to consider a run for office if she's ever going to do it. She's already demonstrated that she knows how to run a campaign and persuade people to see things from her point of view; she was a major driving force behind the legalization of same-sex marriage. She's still an activist for many humanitarian and animal rights causes; how better to support those causes than by legislating from the top?
And so, here he is. Here's our choice of the best candidate to become President of the United States of America from the world of celebrities - and it's Tom Hanks. Of course it is. Who else was it ever likely to be? Hanks has carried himself almost like a politician for years; with dignity, poise, and charm. He's also been one of the world's most famous men for most of the past thirty years, and yet has never endured one public scandal in all that time.
Staying in the public eye for that long without anyone dishing the dirt on you is no mean feat - it suggests that Hanks is a genuinely nice man with no skeletons in his closet. He's a Democrat - so apologies to all our Republican readers - but we hope you can agree that Hanks is at least a good and decent human being who would treat the office with respect. Where would we ever find a better ambassador for the United States on the global stage?
