Summary:
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Actor James Van Der Beek criticizes President Biden’s mental faculties and calls for DNC primary debate.
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Van Der Beek’s video sparks controversy due to inflated statistics and wife’s anti-vaccine beliefs.
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Fan reactions draw parallels between “Dawson’s Creek” plot points and Van Der Beek’s political statements.
Actor James Van Der Beek, who notably portrayed Dawson Leery in the ever popular teen drama “Dawson’s Creek,” offered strong criticism of President Joe Biden and the DNC at large. In a now viral video, Van Der Beek claimed that Biden “clearly” has “declining mental faculties,” and that the Democratic National Committee (DNC) should still hold a primary debate with other candidates.
The video was published to Van Der Beek’s official TikTok account, and the actor later disabled the comments.
@vanderjames Disabling comments on this one because the people who SHOULD be debating are the candidates 🙏 #NoDebateNoDemocracy #DNC #democraticprimaries
The actor continued to cite several statistics in the video, some of which were inflated. Many were quick to point to the fact that while all politicians deserve a healthy dose of constructive criticism, Van Der Beek’s wife has previously espoused anti-vaccine extremist views.
Many point to a Rolling Stone report that shed light on Kimberly Van Der Beek’s conspiracy theories about he COVID-19 pandemic.
For reference, this is the piece I wrote about the Van der Beeks last year (they're also among the celebs who relocated to Austin during the pandemic, which has become a major wellness grifter/anti-vaxer hub) https://t.co/u2BOTgK6Ld
— Ej Dickson (@ejdickson) May 31, 2023
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While both had previously advocated for reproductive rights and flu vaccinations, both appeared to oppose mask mandates and COVID-19 vaccinations at the height of the pandemic. President Biden notably began his presidency in 2021, while the CDC still declared that the COVID-19 pandemic was ongoing.
The DNC has confirmed that there will be no primary debates at this time, but Van Der Beek’s comments on Biden’s abilities are being criticized for ageism and association with conspiracies.
James Van Der Beek literally took his family from a state that would allow the ladies in his life to have rights & moved to state that makes it a crime to makes choices for themselves. He now has the nerve to complain about the DNC? He has No clue how government operates.
— ⚡️PJ⚡️ (@PJocky82) May 31, 2023
“Dawson’s Creek” Fan Reactions
Fans of the pivotal “Dawson’s Creek” are resurfacing plot points from the show in relation to the real life situation. Van Der Beek’s character notably saw a problematic story arc, with Joshua Jackson’s anti-hero character Pacey Witter emerging as the true fan favorite.
https://twitter.com/gradybridges/status/1663936851550298112?s=20
Some are posting an infamous image of the actor in character as Dawson crying. The image has been a popular online reaction meme since the 2000s.
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Fuck your feelings James Van Der Beek pic.twitter.com/Znrf2HgQGj
— itsallrealitv (@itsallrealitv) May 31, 2023
The actor’s video is leading some to draw comparisons to Jackson’s politics. The actor previously criticized former President Donald Trump during press for Netflix’s limited series “When They See Us.” In the show, Jackson portrays Mickey Joseph, the defense lawyer for one of the Central Park Five. The case served as a landmark in fighting racial profiling in policing.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Op9KOehwiZ8
Neither of the Van Der Beeks have commented further on the burgeoning controversy.
