Kate Laurensen is a veteran reporter. She started out covering entertainment news for the local city paper before moving up to the City desk. She studied journalism at San Francisco City College for the Arts.
May 11 , 2024
WILDWOOD, NJ - Thousands of ardent supporters of former President Donald Trump descended upon the Wildwoods Convention Center here Saturday night to watch the grand final of the Eurovision Song Contest.
The venue, which has hosted numerous Trump campaign events in years past, took on a surreal atmosphere as the convention hall's jumbotrons broadcast the kitschy musical competition live from Liverpool, England. Rather than the sea of red MAGA hats that has become customary at such gatherings, the crowd was a kaleidoscope of national colors, flags, and outrageous costumes representing the 26 participating countries.
"We're here to celebrate a true cultural phenomenon and the greatness of Western civilization," proclaimed Mike Lindell, the pro-Trump CEO of My Pillow, who served as the evening's host. "What better way to do that than by watching a beloved Continental tradition with the greatest patriots in the nation?"
The unlikely convergence of Trump supporters and Eurovision fandom began when the former president himself expressed his admiration for the singing contest during a rally in Wisconsin last month. "They don't make shows like that anymore, just high-quality talent and brilliant showmanship," Trump told the crowd. "We're going to bring that level of glitz and glamour back to America."
Word of Trump's affinity for the decades-old competition quickly spread through conservative media channels, sparking a grassroots movement to host nationwide viewing parties. The Wildwood event was organized by the pro-Trump student group Patriots United, who secured the massive convention center typically used for exhibitions, trade shows and meetings.
As the evening's broadcast unfolded, the atmosphere inside the Wildwoods Convention Center was one of unusual revelry. Audience members sang along boisterously to entries from allied nations like the United Kingdom and Poland while jeering those from perceived adversaries like Russia and Iran.
During the internationally-renowned annual exhibition of over-the-top camp and spectacle, the crowd roared with cheers typically reserved for campaign rhetoric, showering thunderous applause on performers' choreographed dance routines and pyrotechnic displays.
"I've never seen anything like this before, and I've been to hundreds of Trump rallies," said Brandon Noll, a retired construction worker from Allentown, PA who made the two-hour drive to attend. "The costumes, the singing, the whole show - it's really incredible. No wonder Europeans are leaving us in the dust on entertainment."
While such an unorthodox gathering of Trump supporters may have seemed improbable just months ago, the Wildwood viewing party reflected the former president's ability to champion unconventional causes and subcultures. From his unlikely embrace of the LGBTQ community to his recent overtures to QAnon followers, Trump has continued to expand his base by tapping into the cultural zeitgeist in unforeseen ways.
As the night came to a close with a show-stopping performance from the winner, Sweden's Loreen, the thousands of attendees roared with deafening cheers more typical of a campaign stop than a musical event. Whether this new-found enthusiasm for Eurovision among the MAGA faithful was a fleeting novelty or an emerging facet of Trump's enduring populist appeal remains to be seen.
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