John Wayne, Donald Trump, and the American Man

Radio Atlantic

The Atlantic

Politics, News, Society & Culture

4.4 • 1.9K Ratings

🗓️ 24 November 2017

⏱️ 49 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

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Summary

For generations, Hollywood has defined what masculinity means in the U.S., with iconic screen figures such as John Wayne. But Wayne's stoic, taciturn image was the product of a complicated relationship with the director John Ford, one that offers different lessons about masculinity and its constraints. As scandals about men and their behavior fill the news, we discuss the legacy of John Wayne and other male screen icons. Our cohosts are joined by Atlantic staff writer Megan Garber and Stephen Metcalf, author of the story "How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon." Links: - "How John Wayne Became a Hollow Masculine Icon" (Stephen Metcalf, December 2017 Issue) - "Masculinity Done Well and Poorly" (James Hamblin, September 25, 2017) - "The End of Men" (Hanna Rosin, July/August 2010 Issue) - "Angry White Boys" (Kevin D. Williamson, National Review, August 16, 2017) - "Toxic Masculinity and Murder" (James Hamblin, June 16, 2016) - "Does Masculinity Need To Be 'Reimagined'?" (Erik Hayden, September 21, 2010) - "How Hollywood Whitewashed the Old West" (Leah Williams, October 5, 2016) - "Hollywood Has Ruined Method Acting" (Angelica Jade Bastién, August 11, 2016) Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0	For generations,
0:00.9	Hollywood has shaped America's ideas of masculinity.
0:03.7	Decades of boys have grown up wanting to emulate the likes of John Wayne.
0:08.1	But now, with examples of toxic masculinity filling the headlines,
0:11.6	have we learned all the wrong things from men on screen?
0:14.8	What have Hollywood's mail icons taught us?
0:18.0	And what lessons do we need to unlearn?
0:20.8	This is Radio Atlantic. I'm Matt Thompson, executive editor of The Atlantic. My co-hosts are Alex Wagner in New York contributing editor.
0:45.0	Hi Alex.
0:47.0	With me here in DC is Jeffrey Goldberg,
0:50.0	editor-in-chief of the Atlantic.
0:52.0	Hi Jeff. Hi, Matt.
0:53.7	And today we are talking again about men,
0:58.7	specifically how Hollywood has defined.
1:01.4	That made Alex laugh for some reason.
1:03.0	I don't even know why that made it.
1:05.0	Tis the season as they say.
1:06.0	You know what I mean?
1:08.0	Talking about men a lot these days.
1:09.0	Today we're talking about how Hollywood has defined masculinity on screen. We're starting with two men in particular.
1:18.0	John Wayne, who for generations has been synonymous with the phrase man's man and the movie director who made him
1:25.2	into a myth John Ford and today we are also joined by Stephen Metcalf who wrote a piece
	...

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