For those of you who are disappointed in the continued diminishing returns provided by the “Star Wars” series in cinemas, take heart: The Death Star has arrived in Chicago.
Oh, sure, it’s called the Obama Presidential Center, but they’re not fooling anyone. We’ve yet to see what its lasers can do, although rumor has it that unless Susan Collins fires a proton torpedo down its thermal exhaust port, it’ll vaporize all of Graham Platner’s old Reddit posts.
Anyhow, for us proles, the center opens on June 19 — Juneteenth, just in case you’d forgotten Barack was our first black president. If you were famous, however, there was a “dynamic ceremony” (the description provided by the center’s website) on Thursday, “livestreamed globally” for the proletariat.
There were plenty of famous faces, mind you, even ones that he made it clear he didn’t want there:
“Joe and Jill, you are also here.” https://t.co/CbvkLqpgtN
— Charles C. W. Cooke (@charlescwcooke) June 18, 2026
It was obvious that no one really wanted Scranton Joe there, but less obvious was the fact that Tom Hanks would make the left look bad at the “dynamic ceremony.”
I mean, what Democrat wouldn’t want Tom Hanks there? We’re all told, every time he appears on any program, that he’s a national treasure and we’re all supposed to love him, no matter what our political affiliation.
We’re also told “Forrest Gump” is a great film, and I’d rather watch “Waterworld” on repeat on a flight from Dallas to Singapore than watch Gump ever again, even once. So your mileage may vary
However, I began to understand the appeal when MS NOW — the lefty outlet formerly known as MSNBC — approached him for an interview at the event.
After host Jacob Soboroff jokingly mixed up Hanks with historian Doris Kearns Goodwin, Hanks had a jab of his own.
“What can I do for the 800 people watching MS NOW?” he asked Soboroff.
“We’re live on MS NOW!” Soboroff, taken off-guard by the remark about the network’s low ratings, replied.
“All right,” Hanks said, smiling. “Add a zero if need be.”
WATCH: Tom Hanks has gone viral for straight up insulting an MSNOW (formerly MSNBC) interviewer at the Obama Presidential Center opening.
The legendary actor mocked the network’s viewership, then offered to “add another zero” to make them feel better.pic.twitter.com/ZdNR7BKooQ
— The Western Journal (@WesternJournalX) June 19, 2026
Live interviews are apparently like both life and a box of chocolates: You never know what you’re gonna get. Also note the desperate attempt to make it look like they had 2,500 times the people watching on the interviewer’s part.
They’d be lucky if it were 2.5 times.
Part of the reason for the vitality of the moment is the truth behind it. According to TV Insider, the only show MS NOW has among the top 15 in the month of May was Rachel Maddow’s.
Feel for the hacks at CNN, however, who didn’t even have that. Fourteen of the top shows were on Fox News.
Maddow, however, is a relic who has one foot out the door. Once she departs for greener pastures or decides to hang it up, there’s not going to be 800 people left to watch MS NOW, even with Tom Hanks on.
And when Hanks sheds his liberal nice-guy persona to tell you the facts, that hurts.
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