John Mayer says Trump would have a lovely speaking voice if 'he weren’t saying the things he was saying'
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA: Comedian Conan O’Brien and musician John Mayer recently bonded over former president Donald Trump’s signature speaking style on O’Brien’s podcast. In a lighthearted exchange, they suggested Trump has an otherwise appealing voice undercut by the substance of his messaging, as per The Messenger.
Mayer even riffed in character as Trump, earning big laughs for his exaggerated imitation of Trump’s distinct rhetoric and cadence. But beneath the jokes, they touched on serious questions about the power of presentation in shaping perceptions, especially in the high-stakes realm of politics.
Conan O'Brien and John Mayer reflect on confidence being an important aspect of performance
In a candid discussion around the 49:22 mark of the 'Conan O'Brien Needs A Friend' podcast, O'Brien and Mayer reflected that confidence is an important aspect of performance for musicians, comedians, or even politicians.
"It's authority," O'Brien noted, before adding, "Sadly, I think it works in politics too where someone you think is a complete idiot, if they say things with great authority, and I'm not naming names..."
Mayer interjected that he believed if Trump "weren't saying the things he was saying, and was saying things that are benign, he’d have a lovely speaking voice." He even suggested Trump "could have narrated Royal Tenenbaums and it would be great."
O’Brien claimed Trump’s forceful style wrongly lent him an air of leadership. "If he says it loudly, everyone goes 'That's a leader!' And I think to myself, he just said aardvarks should mate with another species."
John Mayer's Trump mimicry left Conan O'Brien in stitches
Amused by the scenario, Mayer proceeded to enthusiastically impersonate Trump in his distinctive rhetorical cadence. "I like when he reads from the teleprompter, then reacts to the teleprompter as he's speaking," Mayer remarked, before adopting Trump’s animated tone. "And aardvarks should be mating with zebras. They should be mating, they should be mating," he stated.
As O’Brien erupted into laughter, Mayer lingered in character, pointing out how Trump often appears surprised by what he sees on the prompter. "He's sort of reading for the first time. And you can always feel the binary when he goes, oh yeah they should be," he said.
O’Brien then concluded there was a serious point to be made about the power of presentation over substance in the political realm. "Presentation is so much of it. And intent," he said.
Not the first time that John Mayer has made headlines for his views on Trump
This casual riffing on Trump’s manner of speaking follows Mayer criticizing the former president's actual messaging in more solemn moments, including his response to the violent 2017 Charlottesville protests, according to Billboard.
After Trump drew widespread condemnation for blaming "both sides" and suggesting the white supremacists and anti-racist protesters shared equal responsibility for the clashes, Mayer took to social media to denounce his words.
It's as if his head is made of glass. And you can see through it all of the flashes of horrible, corrupt thinking. You're sure now.
— John Mayer (@JohnMayer) August 15, 2017
In a post on X, Mayer expressed his disdain for Trump's response, "You're listening to your president speak. It's as if his head is made of glass. And you can see through it all of the flashes of horrible, corrupt thinking."
