Donald Trump and his MAGA supporters have been calling actor and filmmaker Rob Reiner a “meathead” following his praise for President Joe Biden’s administration. This label, however, carries a rich irony that seems to elude them. Reiner’s character, Michael Stivic, on the 1970s sitcom “All in the Family,” was famously dubbed “meathead” by Archie Bunker, the show’s blustery, bigoted patriarch.
On Friday, Reiner tweeted, “It’s long past time that we acknowledge the sure handed, effective, grace under fire, success of Joe Biden’s Presidency.” The tweet ignited a wave of ridicule from Trump loyalists, who revived the “meathead” moniker, originally hurled at Reiner’s liberal character, Michael Stivic, Bunker’s Polish, unemployed son-in-law.
However, Twitter users quickly pointed out the irony. “The right wing just can’t help clowning themselves every time,” one user noted. “By calling Rob Reiner ‘meathead,’ they’re taking the part of the old white racist bigot! Unlike Archie Bunker however, they refuse to learn & be better. That’s what made the show so important by teaching how to change.”
Another user commented, “Meathead is trending because MAGA is calling Rob Reiner that name from his old show. You know, the show in which the main character — whose ignorant, out-of-touch, and bigoted views were the butt of every joke — called him Meathead. Take all the time you need to puzzle that out.”
Created by Norman Lear, “All in the Family” is celebrated as a groundbreaking sitcom in American television history, boldly addressing sociopolitical and cultural issues. Premiering in 1971 and running for nine seasons, the satire’s genius lay in its portrayal of Archie Bunker, a working-class man steeped in stereotypes, surrounded by those he unjustly judged.
Despite the heated backlash, Reiner has yet to respond to the Twitter trend, leaving the irony to speak for itself. As social media buzzes with commentary, it’s clear that the legacy of “All in the Family” endures, continuing to underscore the absurdity of bigotry and the importance of evolving beyond it.
