Stopped to clean @realDonaldTrump Hollywood Star. Nothing but respect for MY President. #RaisedRight pic.twitter.com/jL4sqx4rlh
— Makenna (@makenna_mg) June 28, 2017
It doesn’t take much to send the internet into a meme-creating frenzy. Toss President Trump in the mix and most people can’t help making comments and taking part in one direction or the other to either support or denounce the president. That’s where Twitter user @Makenna_MG’s decision to kneel down and clean off Trump’s star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame enters into internet history — or infamy depending on how you look at it.
Now her decision on its own is admirable and definitely the least annoying thing you could run into on Hollywood Boulevard. If you’re not hassled by someone in a tattered Spider-Man costume, you clearly didn’t leave your car. Also it seems that it’s about time that somebody stuck up for Trump’s defenseless star from the looks at the photo from before it was cleaned. When someone isn’t completely removing the star from the ground to destroy it, they’re marking it up and covering it in junk as some sort of protest against the president.
Anyway, Makenna’s act made its way to social media and not long after people took notice, several decided to hit the sidewalk themselves in order to recreate her act for someone they would call “MY president.” From there, a slight meme was born and folks made the most of it:
Stopped to clean Godzilla's Hollywood star. Nothing but RESPECT for MY president! pic.twitter.com/T5RF3nvwCW
— Beel (@tomservo10) July 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/jake__stubbs/status/881217276539621376
https://twitter.com/suhnahlay/status/881342402216296449
Stopped to clean his star. Nothing but respect for MY president. #raisedright pic.twitter.com/WkglogscVT
— md. (@davis_morgan14) July 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/themuminati/status/881942224409423872
Just cleaned @NicolasCagest Hollywood star because that's who MY PRESIDENT and MY LEADER is #LongLiveNicolasCage #StealTheDeclaration pic.twitter.com/fJr0ADtbgE
— andrew wojo (@a_wojo96) July 2, 2017
https://twitter.com/Jon_Wienke/status/881592893814718464
Stopped to clean @jamesfranco Hollywood star. Nothing but respect for MY president pic.twitter.com/V7FoKk0nad
— Jocy (@ughjocy) July 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/lindxeyy/status/881982369304989696
https://twitter.com/MaddyBurke_/status/881988912561836032
Stopped to clean @TomCruise Hollywood Star. Nothing but respect for my President. #RaisedRight pic.twitter.com/8sNqVRl5rs
— gay mafia 🏳️🌈 (@dykemadden) July 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/grins_xcx/status/881919225287364608
https://twitter.com/dakneees/status/881385002901962752
https://twitter.com/darth/status/881987346798747652
https://twitter.com/KateySagaI/status/881728197938659328
Stopped to clean @officialgogos Hollywood star. Nothing but respect for my president. pic.twitter.com/LXVdX48qLD
— Cat Staggs 🏳️🌈 (@CatStaggs) July 3, 2017
https://twitter.com/penguinpenguout/status/881983308544061441
dropped off a big salad at Julia louis dreyfus hollywood star
Nothing but respect for MY president pic.twitter.com/iqGfn15OrK— Seinfeld Current Day (@Seinfeld2000) July 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/Racheleliz24/status/881981581493227520
https://twitter.com/ryderwatts/status/881970997917663232
Stopped to clean his Hollywood star. Nothing but respect for MY president! pic.twitter.com/tlKUc3woas
— pixelatedboat aka “mr tweets” (@pixelatedboat) July 4, 2017
Stopped to clean @Mariska Hollywood Star. Nothing but respect for MY President. #RaisedRight pic.twitter.com/sS7FSGfge3
— Taylor('s Version) Gates 🧅 (@Elphaba_Anne) July 3, 2017
Others couldn’t make the trip out to the Walk of Fame themselves, but didn’t want to be left out of the fun. So they just decided to pick someone they want to celebrate as “MY president” and shared a little love in their own way. I don’t know about about you, but the Popeye’s lady might make the perfect world leader if they gave her a chance.
Stopped to clean Steve Rogers' star. Nothing but respect for MY president.
Happy 4th of July, everyone. pic.twitter.com/2dGXxQC5Ov
— Beard 🇵🇸now whelk.bsky.social (@EvansBeard) July 4, 2017
happy fourth of july! nothing but respect for MY president. #RaisedRight pic.twitter.com/OJi8l9YKqZ
— frogge, a wee beaste with foure leggys, (@sproutcreature) July 4, 2017
https://twitter.com/ohmyliz_/status/882333724825858048
https://twitter.com/internetrico/status/882014970388590592
https://twitter.com/youngestdonut/status/882334359918972928
Stopped to clean my star on my kitchen floor. Nothing but respect for MY self. pic.twitter.com/y0V5k7W688
— Bobby Larsen (@_ASAPBobby) July 3, 2017
As most know, stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame are paid for by the nominating body that adds a person’s name to the yearly list of nominees. Also the nominee has to accept the nomination and appear in person at the ceremony. That’s why Rick Dees of “Disco Duck” fame has a star and George Clooney does not. It can also be paid for by a television network, as Starz did for Dennis Hopper ahead of the premiere of his series Crash. The LA Times noted that Trump received his for his role in the Miss Universe pageants he no longer is part of and during his promotion for The Apprentice for a season in LA.
Now it has taken on a more prestigious and divisive existence than the moment it was first placed in the sidewalk, which is strange when it shares space with Ryan Seacrest and Mickey Mouse.
(Via LA Times / Entertainment Weekly)