Texas transplant James Van Der Beek took to social media this week to express his extreme disappointment in his stalled career the Democratic National Committee.
The actor, who launched a thousand homosexual awakenings in the late ’90s and early ’00s playing Dawson Leery on the CW’s teen soap opera Dawson’s Creek, posted a TikTok video on Memorial Day in which he complained about the DNC’s decision to forego primary debates between President Biden and any other 2024 presidential contenders.
“I mean, what the hell? How is this a democracy?” Van Der Beek lamented. “I cannot get over the fact that the Democratic National Committee is saying there will not be a debate to decide the nominee for president. Are you f*cking kidding me?”
He followed that up with cynical shot at Vice President Kamala Harris, adding, “There’s no debate over an 80-year-old man who, if he lives, will be the oldest sitting president in the history of the country? And, if he doesn’t live, has a vice president whose approval rating is worse than his?”
“This guy has obviously declining mental faculties,” the 46-year-old continued. “You’re putting him up in front of a podium with flashcards telling him who to call on and what the questions are going to be. And you’re telling us there’s no debate? What about the will of the people?”
Van Der Beek, who moved his family from California to Texas last year in search of “centering” and “grounding” and “a different kind of education” for his six children, is being celebrated by conservatives for his anti-DNC TikTok. Fox News ran a whole segment about it this morning.
Biden officially announced his reelection bid on April 25, with the DNC quickly endorsing him and saying it would not be hosting debates with any Democratic challengers, as is customary whenever an incumbent president is seeking re-election.
There are currently two other Democrats running in 2024: author Marianne Williamson and anti-vaxxer Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Twitter has been quick to drag Van Der Beek for his remarks. Here’s what folx are saying…
i don't see how Biden bounces back from this
— Aaron Rupar (@atrupar) May 31, 2023
(Fox has been hammering this "story" all morning) pic.twitter.com/E4g20d9EfI
The reason James Van Der Beek is trending is because we were all absolutely right to pick Pacey and it gets truer every year.
— Jessica Ellis (@baddestmamajama) May 31, 2023
Dawson's Eeekkk
— Atom America (@AtomAmerica) May 31, 2023
With James Van Der Beek trending on Twitter, it's really worth admiring how many people from Dawson's Creek- Michelle Williams, Joshua Jackson, Katie Holmes, Busy Philipps, even Chad Michael Murray- are still noteworthy in the industry over 25 years later.
— Amy may have miscalculated (@spooloflies) May 31, 2023
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
Fuck your feelings James Van Der Beek pic.twitter.com/Znrf2HgQGj
— itsallrealitv (@itsallrealitv) May 31, 2023
His Dawson's Creek costar Michelle Williams has five Oscar nominations. And he has this.
— michael musto (@mikeymusto) May 31, 2023
The James Van Der Beek rant really explains why Dawson was so convincing as a guy who was always pissed whenever a woman got to choose what she did.
— Skolney (@Skolney79) May 31, 2023
I don't think that he's an actor anymore.
— Suzanne McCain (@McCainSuzanne) May 31, 2023
James Van Der Beek proving once again why everyone loved Pacey more. pic.twitter.com/n8dSvIkbGx
— gradybridges (@gradybridges) May 31, 2023
cuteguy
He’s trying to join Dean Cain and Scott Baio as unemployed actors who are trying to become relevant again. Look how it turned out for those other two losers. Bye Dawson. Why did they kill off Michelle Williams character? They should’ve killed Dawson
jcool
don’t forget kirk cameron
Steve9999
Or Kevin “no career since Hercules” Sorbo.
DBMC
@Steve,
Even worse than no career–he makes Christian movies.
NateOcean
He doesn’t look too bad for a man in his 60’s.
Jack
Who’s going to tell him that the RNC unanimously withdrew from the Commission on Presidential debates in April 2022. And.girl……you should have moisturized.. Like REALLY moisturized.
ScottOnEarth
LOL. Good points all around.
FreddieW
He doesn’t sound unhinged at all. In fact, if you think Biden should be re-elected at his age, I think you’re unhinged. It has nothing to do with political parties and everything to do with being human. Humans age; they enter cognitive decline; and they die. The President of the United States should be a bright, energetic, and inspiring individual, not an elderly person.
abfab
This dude is young. Vote for him.
Diplomat
That’s not Biden, that’s AI.
dbmcvey
Biden should be elected over any of the Republican alternatives. There is no reason he should debate Marianne Williamson and Robert Kennedy Jr. because neither of them meet polling minimums.
The front runner of the Republican party is 4 years younger but completely insane and he is saying he’ll refuse to debate as well.
abfab
Dippy, intelligence is not a subject you should be speaking on. Artificial or otherwise.
inbama
@dbncvey
“Marianne Deborah Williamson is an American author and political candidate. Williamson attended Pomona College in California where she studied theatre and philosophy before dropping out in 1973. She started her professional career as “Spiritual Leader” for the Church of Today, a Unity Church in Warren, Michigan.”
Or the runt of the Kennedy litter. He was actually once a serious environmentalist,
No serious challenges, so far.
Jon in Canada
So Pete Buttigieg then? Or is he a problem too? Careful dear, your not-so-subtle right leaning ideology is in danger of peeking through
FreddieW
I voted for Pete Buttigieg in 2020. I will vote for him again if he runs, but not in early voting. My vote last time was a complete waste because he dropped out before Super Tuesday in favor of the old man. I should have waited until Super Tuesday and voted for Warren, who was the only Democrat worth voting for then.
And spare me the “right wing” nonsense. Many of you are enslaved to the DNC. I voted Libertarian rather than voting for Biden. And I can do it again.
KyleMichelSullivan
You mean that “elderly person” who’s outsmarted the much younger leaders of the GOP at every turn? The one who got a budget deal passed without a default? The one who’s traveled around the world several times and who got most of the EU and NATO behind Ukraine, despite Russia’s best lies and efforts? That elderly person? I can only hope I’m half as sharp as he is should I reach his age. So should you.
FreddieW
You’re thinking Biden won, but it looks to me like McCarthy is the big winner.
And honestly, I’m hoping I don’t live to Biden’s age. No kids, so nobody to look after me when I start to decline.
And Russia vs Ukraine can still morph into WW3. I think Biden has been a fool for getting us involved with this.
dbmcvey
@inbama
Marianne Williamson is a kook who blamed people with AIDS (as well as crime victims and victims of tragedies for their own suffering, she will not win the election and does not have the poll numbers to do it. Kennedy is an anti-vaxxer. Biden doesn’t need to debate either of them.
Bosch
@FreddieW
Biden didn’t get you “involved” in the Russian conflict anymore then the rest of the first world. The last time this happened in Europe, it was complacency that lead to a world war. We gave up Poland, because it wasn’t “our” problem. This is the third time Putin invades a neighbour, but the first time he couples it with nuclear threats to Europe and America. It’s in America’s best interest to keep Europe stable.
If anyone is to blame for the situation, I remember Trump spent years suggesting we dismantle NATO in Europe, complaining about Ukraine for absolutely no reason other than “Hunter Biden’s Laptop”, and making out with Putin behind the bleachers. He did his best to clear the way for the Ukraine invasion.
PhillyProud
@ Bosch thank you for sharing sense and facts.
Democrats could put forward a trash can and I’d vote for him. Any vote against a democrat contender is a vote for republicans and further erosion of our rights. Honestly, many of you must be too young to remember Reagan and his response to AIDS. What about the threat of a constitutional amendment to declare marriage between a man and a woman? Does anyone remember that? Vote Libertarian. Waste the vote and contribute a republican candidate.
I guess until we actually lose our rights, nobody’s paying attention. Nobody thought Roe V Wade would be overturned.
Stefano
@PhillyProud : You’re absolutely right. A Libertarian vote is a vote for the Republicans…and a loss of your rights…and if you lose them, then it will be very difficult if not impossible to go back. The Republicans don’t want compromise, they just want to bend people to their will, they don’t give a damn about democracy…they want to rule like kings and create fear and discord.
ShiningSex
Anyone who votes republican is unhinged. If Biden is chosen, you’d be an idiot to not vote for vote third party. You’d just be giving it to a dumbass. I’d rather have a senior citizen than a nut job.
PhillyProud
@ Stefano, so true. What’s almost as repulsive as a gay republican is the anti-trans sentiment many express on here. Honestly, I’m cis-gendered and can’t relate. That doesn’t make trans people invalid or lessen their rights. Straight people call us mentally ill. They treated us like a sickness. Any time white, straight, cis-gendered people rail against any marginalized people, we should also see it as railing against us. We should recall how they rail against us. Y’know the saying, when they came for… Fill in the blank. Any of the white gays or even non-white gays who side with a republican or libertarian, are just showing their internalized homophobia. If anything happens to Clarence Thomas, watch how fast the republicans turn on him. He’ll no longer work as their token. Why would we be any different.
ZzBomb
Van Der Beek looks as old as Biden does at half the age. He also shouldn’t be talking about declining mental faculties when he’s also married to an anti-vaxxer.
m
Hate doesn’t age well.
Jon in Canada
No, it most certainly does not.
dbmcvey
He looks like he’s been sleeping under a truck.
abfab
Or living in Texas.
wikidBSTN
Sad-sack has-been says what??
dbmcvey
There might not be a Republican debate if Trump refuses.
I don’t see any reason Biden should debate Marianne Williamson and Robert Kennedy Jr.
abfab
Why should he toss his pearls before swine? She’s still out to lunch and Junior, sad to say is knitting with only one needle.
Mack
With as many running on the Republican side they’ll have a debate (unless both Tallahassee Mussolini and the Mango Mussolini says no). But if they do have the debates, Trump will stay on the side calling people names.
abfab
Trump will stay on the side grabbing p u s s y and telling the modereator that she is ”BLLEEDING FROM WHEREVER.”
Jon in Canada
Not sure if he knows this, but political parties make their own rules and are not subject to the whims of non-members. Like the GQP deciding not to participate in debates either (guess he missed that one), the DNC is not required to do so if the membership/leadership chooses not to. Political parties are, ostensibly, private organizations and thus can form their own standards/practices/rules so long as they don’t conflict with established laws on financing (hello GQP), fundraising, disbursal of funds regulations etc. Beyond that, they don’t owe the public a debate if they choose not to have one.
I’m Canadian and I know this, so how is it so many Americans don’t?
Kangol2
Many Americans are clueless, especially ones on the right.
Now remind me again, who ran in the RNC primary against utter disaster Don the Con in 2020??? Oh wait–NO ONE!
MrMichaelJ
All it’s going to take is less than 1 out of 10 people who voted for Biden last time to not vote again and we have Trump for another 4 years. It’s mind boggling more people aren’t alarmed at the possibility. Hell, even Hillary had wider margins against Trump then Biden has this time and we all know how that turned out. AND… the GOP has made sure to have their election deniers in local counties ensuring them to be able to steal when necessary.
Bosch
To me it looks like he’s complaining that he wants a different democratic candidate to vote for. Why are the conservatives celebrating this? It doesn’t sound at all like he wants to vote for Trump or DeSantis or whatever other psycho the GOP is going to push forward.
firebolt87
Holy shit THAT’S HIM?! I saw a screen shot from the video but would’ve never recognized him.
Now I understand the joke in that tweet that went like, “Looks like this is who has been aging instead of Paul Rudd all of this time.”
Kangol2
Even when he was young he looked like Eric Stoltz in Mask, so….
abfab
We won’t tell Cher. xo
Terrycloth
So I’m tired of the famous or ONCE famous actors or singers telling me how to think ..whether it be James , Scott Biao , Ted Nugent , kid Rock they always come off as sounding desperate and pathetic.
Although it’s their right to voice their opinions I could care less..if you feel that passionately. YOU.RUN
Jim
Poor James. HIs mental decline is becoming obvious
Magnus1999
Who?
Kangol2
Van der Bozo is aging like milk–fast and already producing a stench because he’s rotten.
Remind me again, who ran in the 2020 RNC primary against utterly incompetent psychopath and traitor Don the Con? That’s right: NO ONE.
What about “democracy” yadda yadda?
Did Van der Bozo speak up then? Did the GQP? Even after Don the Con left this country in a complete and total disaster by November 2020–national economic and financial freefall, millions of Americans out of work, Covid-19 raging and killing nearly a million people, destroyed relations with US allies and NATO, massive miscalculations with China, failed air war in Africa, a debacle of pull-out plans with Afghanistan, repeated capitulations to Putin, an impeachment (for trying to bully Zelenskyy into smearing Biden), etc.–did the GQP call for a primary???
JTinToronto
Enjoy doing dinner theatre in redneck Texas James. Maybe you can get them to do “Arsenic And Old Lace.”
GrizzleyMichael
Another has been
BLAKENOW
Call the overreacted trolls that are ready to drag this very smart man if you listen to what he is saying actually listen to what he is saying without already thinking of your answer before he said the word BOO. He sounds very levelheaded very educated very informed and he sounds like a Democrats pissed off at his party because Joe Biden should actually debate whoever is the opponent, what James is saying I agree with, it looks like the party is saying you shouldn’t debate him because they’re scared he might fall far apart during the debate, as a registered Democrat I think Joe Biden has been a good president but I also think he’s very frail and yes I think he’s old, this isn’t ageism it’s a fact.
abfab
Blake, not now.
FreddieW
I agree. He sounds more like a Democrat who believes everybody who thinks age doesn’t matter should be afforded the opportunity of seeing an 80-something candidate in a presidential debate.
Kangol2
I’ll ask again, did he call for the RNC to require Don the Con to participate in a debate or primary in 2020, after Don the Con’s absolute disaster of a term? Did any other major Republicans? If not, why not? Let’s have him answer those questions first.
Capawok
Why do straight actors age so badly, like Cameron and this guy?
Damn he looks like hell.
wiggie
Fist off, he’s aging BADLY. Second, why isnt he crying about Trump not doing debates and the RNC being ok with that?
abfab
Most of us are ENSLAVED to the DNC? Really? ENSLAVED? Which Libertarian Troll had the nerve to say that somewhere above in this thread?
FreddieW
More progress!!! You stopped calling me a GOP troll! Thanks. Some degree of accuracy is appreciated. But really, “Libertarian” is a party, and I’m libertarian philosophically. A protest vote every now and then doesn’t qualify as party affiliation.
FreddieW
Actually, I declared myself a Democrat in the last primary, and in most primaries since 2000. I declared myself Republican one year so I could vote against Rick Santorum.
Toofie
There’s a mistaken idea that when an incumbent runs for reflection that there are primary debates. That hasn’t happened since the 70’s. So when a president from either party runs for reelection, they don’t bother with primary debates. Republicans are having them this time around because Trump isn’t an incumbent.
dbmcvey
I wonder how much of this is hard feelings from not being picked up for the second season of “Pose.”
Invader7
Another white ,straight a-hole telling us what we can /can’t do, say, think. NO more… Vote against the NEO NAZI FASCIST gop everytime. 99.9% of ’em are traitors..