Hey Upper East Siders, Gossip Girl here.
And I have the biggest news ever. One of my many sources, Melanie91, sends us this: “Spotted at Grand Central, bags in hand: Serena van der Woodsen.” Was it only a year ago our rich, white, privileged It Girl mysteriously disappeared for “boarding school” that her mother paid for with settlements of multiple divorces from other rich, white people?
As we’re all aware by now, Gossip Girl is returning and the OG narrator, Kristen Bell is signed on for the project. So after hearing about the reboot, I started binging the series again.
Upon a nostalgic trip through Gossip Girl‘s six drama-packed seasons, I found myself looking at it with a totally different filter. I couldn’t help but be so much more intrigued by the business operations and the volume of wealth that was displayed so casually throughout the series than I was when I first watched it when I was in high school.
It’s not until you really rewatch that you realise the countless references to right-wing political beliefs, high society deals that go down on the reg and specific naming of the Trump family, alluding to their friendship.
The Cambridge Dictionary defines the Republican Party as follows:
The Republican Party’s conservatism involves support for free market capitalism, free enterprise, business, a strong national defence, deregulation, restrictions on labor unions, social-conservative policies, and traditional values, usually with a Christian foundation.
Gossip Girl‘s Bass family is based off the real Bass family, who made their fortune as an oilman in Texas in the 1800s.
In the show, Bass Industries-owned hotels were referenced to be in direct competition with Trump hotels. The Trump family were named as a part of Manhattan’s elite, and often referenced in scenes.
Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner guest starred in an episode, solidifying the connection and general personal alignment.
Another obvious point is that Nate Archibald’s entire family are the elite of the elite when it comes to rich, white legacy. A Gossip Girl storyline follows Nate’s cousin, Tripp, as he runs for office as a Republican candidate.
His family was based on the actual Vanderbilt family who were America’s richest family in the 1800s, building mansions up and down Fifth Avenue until the heir to the Vanderbilt fortune basically went and spent it all and bankrupt the family.
Hot.
In more recent years, Kristen Bell – the voice of Gossip Girl – has been quite vocal about her distaste for Trump. She’s even appeared on Late Night With Seth Meyers to read Trump tweets in a hilarious, but obviously pointed segment.
I understand that Gossip Girl is a product of its time and environment, literally spoofing Manhattan’s elite but I thought maybe it was worth bringing up so you know what you’re watching. I wonder if the reboot will continue to reference the Trump’s in the same light, considering the current political climate. I don’t know, but I know who might…
XOXO. Gossip Girl.