Game of Thrones was a very popular show that still gets referenced today, even outside of TV circles. Business news outlets reference it when talking about corporate power moves, people buy Game of Thrones decals to stick on their cars, and YouTubers mention pivotal events from the series when discussing plans to group at the United States capitol for a motley gathering that turns into an attempt to overturn the results of a free and fair election.
If that last one threw you, here’s some context: at the moment, Congress is holding a number of hearings in an attempt to get to the bottom of what happened at the United States Capitol Building on January 6, 2021, when a mob of people there in support of President Trump stormed the place, an attack that resulted in seven deaths. It was the worst breach of the capitol since the British burned the building to a husk during the War of 1812, so it’s probably worth a couple of hearings.
The most recent hearings have been trying to lay out how the people who made up the mob were inspired to head to the capitol by the words of Donald Trump, who at the time (and to this day) was peddling a lie that he only lost the 2020 president election because it was rigged, and how could anyone possibly have not voted for him, and if he can’t be president then no one could, and if the other kids didn’t wanna play his way he was just gonna take his ball and go home, and so on.
Game of Thrones makes its congressional debut in the most upsetting way possible
In particular, the bipartisan committee zeroed in on comments from Trump that it was “impossible” that he lost the election and that protests on January 6 — the day Congress was due to certify the election results — would be “wild.” It played a montage of right-wing figures who took those words as a call to arms. “He is now calling on we the people to take action and show our numbers,” said guy-who-thinks-elementary-school-shootings-are-fake Alex Jones. “We’re going to only be saved by millions of Americans moving to Washington, occupying the entire area, if necessary storming right into the Capitol,” said right-wing commentator Matt Bracken. “This is going to be a Red Wedding going down on January 6,” said YouTuber Salty Cracker.
So there you go, the words “Red Wedding” got said on the floor of congress. I would have preferred it happen under better circumstances, but it does go to show that Game of Thrones touches everyone, from normal people to nutjobs who compare their upcoming trip to Washington D.C. to a famous mass murder.
Honestly, I’m looking for a silver lining here and coming up pretty empty. I’d have much preferred congress get exposed to Game of Thrones during Capitol Hill TV night or something.
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h/t Independent