Clifton Duncan on Hollywood's Decline, Thomas Sowell, and the State of the Arts

Clifton Duncan's Journey and 2020 Shift

• 🎭 Clifton Duncan, with an elite acting background including Broadway, shares his experience of following a girl into drama class and pursuing theater.
• 🎓 He earned an MFA from NYU, initially feeling it was a "useless degree," but his career took off around 2017, leading to work on Broadway and in TV.
• ⚠️ In early 2020, Duncan was initially on board with pandemic measures but began questioning the narrative around March, noting inconsistencies in reported death tolls and the rationale behind restrictions.
• 🗣️ He became disturbed by the lack of dissent and the increasingly partisan nature of the pandemic response, particularly the vaccine mandates, which he felt were nonsensical given prior infection.

The Entertainment Industry's Hysteria and Decline

• 🚫 Duncan coined the term "Eyes" for those who didn't take the vaccine, observing a disconnect between the industry's previous social justice stances and its treatment of the unvaccinated.
• 📉 He notes that live performance arts like theater and opera, which fully embraced pandemic hysteria, are still struggling, while other live entertainment sectors are thriving, suggesting a form of "karmic retribution."
• 🌟 Duncan discusses how modern stars, unlike those of the past who were "of the people," have become "agents of deliberate division and social disintegration," often disdainful of their audience.
• 🎭 He believes acting is a lottery and that many stars feel their talent isn't enough, leading them to use their platforms for activism, a role he feels is often misplaced.

Bringing Thomas Sowell to the Stage

• 💡 Duncan is developing a one-man show about Thomas Sowell, inspired by Sowell's intellectual journey from Marxism to his prolific, contrarian economic and social commentary.
• 🧠 Sowell's ability to intellectually spar with figures like Milton Friedman and George Stigler, even as a Marxist, and his consistent, independent thinking are key aspects Duncan wants to portray.
• ✊ Sowell's complex relationship with race, his critiques of the Civil Rights establishment, and his honesty about internal community issues are central to his compelling narrative.
• 📖 Duncan finds Sowell's "A Man of Letters" collection of private correspondences invaluable for humanizing the intellectual figure and revealing his personal struggles and passions.

Carving a New Path and the Future of Arts

• 🚫 Duncan has found it difficult to re-enter the industry after his public stance, facing pressure to appease those he respects little, and he dislikes the idea of self-censorship.
• 🚀 Despite the challenges, his public speaking and advocacy, particularly for the Thomas Sowell project, have led to a significant increase in his following and connections with influential figures.
• 💡 He believes the current cultural landscape is "up for grabs," with institutions imploding and a growing demand for authentic, aspirational art and culture outside the "woke" mainstream.
• 🎨 Duncan sees a "Maverick Spirit" emerging, with artists seeking to build something new, and he emphasizes the value of supporting great art and culture that enriches and enlightens, citing the success of his Sowell crowdfunding campaign as evidence of pent-up demand for a cultural renaissance.