Trae Crowder

and then I got contacted by a literary agent, uh, because she knew that, you know, there was, uh, whatever, a publisher wanted to do a book deal or something. And, um, yeah. And it just, I mean, it was wild. And then I was on, you know, a couple months later I was on like real time with Bill Maher the Friday after the election in 2016, like three days after the election appearance.

Like the whole, that was so surreal, that whole thing. Because, I mean, you know. Of course. Everybody was pretty gobsmacked in that audience or in that production staff and everything. Like people were not expecting that to have happened. And the mood was just wild. And especially added to it is the fact that I'm fresh out of the holler and I'm, you know, I'm new to all this.

Like the whole, that was so surreal, that whole thing. Because, I mean, you know. Of course. Everybody was pretty gobsmacked in that audience or in that production staff and everything. Like people were not expecting that to have happened. And the mood was just wild. And especially added to it is the fact that I'm fresh out of the holler and I'm, you know, I'm new to all this.

Like the whole, that was so surreal, that whole thing. Because, I mean, you know. Of course. Everybody was pretty gobsmacked in that audience or in that production staff and everything. Like people were not expecting that to have happened. And the mood was just wild. And especially added to it is the fact that I'm fresh out of the holler and I'm, you know, I'm new to all this.

So just the experience of even being there was crazy to me. And then add on top of that, the larger societal context and the energy and everything. And it was like, I mean, it was nuts.

So just the experience of even being there was crazy to me. And then add on top of that, the larger societal context and the energy and everything. And it was like, I mean, it was nuts.

So just the experience of even being there was crazy to me. And then add on top of that, the larger societal context and the energy and everything. And it was like, I mean, it was nuts.

I mean, I don't know. I really do think like I know I just said a minute ago, like right before I went viral and I was doing that bit on stage in 2015 and it was fine. That is all true. But it still does feel to me like it. A happened pretty quickly and be like, you know, coincided with the rise of Donald Trump and MAGA specifically.

I mean, I don't know. I really do think like I know I just said a minute ago, like right before I went viral and I was doing that bit on stage in 2015 and it was fine. That is all true. But it still does feel to me like it. A happened pretty quickly and be like, you know, coincided with the rise of Donald Trump and MAGA specifically.

I mean, I don't know. I really do think like I know I just said a minute ago, like right before I went viral and I was doing that bit on stage in 2015 and it was fine. That is all true. But it still does feel to me like it. A happened pretty quickly and be like, you know, coincided with the rise of Donald Trump and MAGA specifically.

And I feel like the reason for that is all the people who are not on board with it were so just so powerfully like you guys are joking, right? Like that's you cannot be serious here.

And I feel like the reason for that is all the people who are not on board with it were so just so powerfully like you guys are joking, right? Like that's you cannot be serious here.

And I feel like the reason for that is all the people who are not on board with it were so just so powerfully like you guys are joking, right? Like that's you cannot be serious here.

And then the people who were on board with it were already so sensitive to feeling condescended to, or however you want to put it, by the same people, that that really struck a nerve with them, the general reaction to it. And also they liked it in a way that we were so put off by the whole thing. And it just like...

And then the people who were on board with it were already so sensitive to feeling condescended to, or however you want to put it, by the same people, that that really struck a nerve with them, the general reaction to it. And also they liked it in a way that we were so put off by the whole thing. And it just like...

And then the people who were on board with it were already so sensitive to feeling condescended to, or however you want to put it, by the same people, that that really struck a nerve with them, the general reaction to it. And also they liked it in a way that we were so put off by the whole thing. And it just like...

It was kind of woven into the whole MAGA experience from the very beginning, I feel like. And then so it, you know, as that got to be more and more of a thing leading up to the election and certainly after they won, it was like we were kind of in it at that point because I had been doing that bit in front of live shows and never had a single problem with it ever before.

It was kind of woven into the whole MAGA experience from the very beginning, I feel like. And then so it, you know, as that got to be more and more of a thing leading up to the election and certainly after they won, it was like we were kind of in it at that point because I had been doing that bit in front of live shows and never had a single problem with it ever before.

It was kind of woven into the whole MAGA experience from the very beginning, I feel like. And then so it, you know, as that got to be more and more of a thing leading up to the election and certainly after they won, it was like we were kind of in it at that point because I had been doing that bit in front of live shows and never had a single problem with it ever before.

But now that I have an internet presence, I mean, that whole time, you know, in 2016 and everything, like, I mean, I'm getting death threats and crazy stuff all the time, you know. So, yeah, I felt like it happened pretty early on in the process and it has only gotten worse over the intervening years, I feel like.