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Hope for America: Performers, Politics and Pop Culture

Ongoing exhibition, opened June 11, 2010.

Bob Hope, who entertainment historian and critic Leonard Maltin declared “may be the most popular entertainer in the history of Western civilization,” was arguably the nation’s best-loved topical humorist during the twentieth century. Hope for America draws from the personal papers, joke files, films, radio and television broadcasts, and other materials donated to the Library of Congress by Bob Hope and his family. To put the history of the involvement of entertainers in politics into perspective, the exhibition also profiles the politically oriented activities of other prominent figures represented in the Library’s vast collections.

The exhibition invites visitors to examine artifacts that represent an array of viewpoints and draw their own conclusions regarding the interplay of politics and entertainment in American public life and its consequences for the nation’s political culture.

This exhibition has been made possible through the generous contributions of Bob and Dolores Hope and their family.

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Political Humor

Political Humor

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  • From My House to the White House
  • The Fine Art of Ridicule
  • Breaking with Tradition
  • The New Wave Hits the Mainstream
  • The Dangers of Satire
  • Hope and Satire
  • Cartoons and Satire
  • Satire Enters Television

Causes and Controversies

Causes and Controversies

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  • Entertaining the Troops
  • Political Songs
  • Satire in Song and Dance
  • A Climate of Fear
  • Government Support for the Arts
  • The Embrace of Arts and Politics
  • Polarization in the 1960s

Blurring of the Lines

Blurring of the Lines

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  • Controversy and Confusion
  • Entertainment and the News
  • Television and Politics
  • Politics and Camp
  • Political Speech
  • Hope and the Presidents
  • Entertainers in Politics
  • Hope for the World
  • Cultural Diplomacy

Political Humor

American comedians have had a long-standing tradition of commenting on the political scene of the time. Their satirical commentaries have been both gentle and vicious and have entertained and rattled the political establishment in equal measure. Read more about Political Humor »


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Causes and Controversies

Entertainers in the twentieth century have been involved in a wide range of causes that on occasion have led to clashes and controversies. Popular performers such as Bob Hope have taken the lead in raising money to support the war effort and risked their lives entertaining troops at the front lines. There has been a long-standing tradition of political expression in music, theater, and dance. During the 1960s, entertainers on opposite ends of the political spectrum stepped beyond the traditional performing stage to enter more directly into the political fray, often at the risk of alienating their fans. Read more about Causes and Controversies »


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Blurring of the Lines

In contemporary times there has been a blurring of lines between the two worlds of entertainment and politics. After the end of World War II, performers represented the U.S. government abroad in cultural diplomacy initiatives. In ensuing decades, entertainers have run for high public office, barriers between the once separate domains of news and entertainment programs have fallen, and the electoral process increasingly has become infused with entertainment values. Read more about Blurring of the Lines »


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