Donald Trump inauguration: Scottish newspaper previews ceremony as episode of The Twilight Zone

'The story begins in a nightmarish version of 2017'

Jacob Stolworthy
Monday 16 January 2017 10:06 GMT
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Scottish newspaper Sunday Herald shot into the limelight yesterday when its TV preview of Donald Trump's presidential inauguration went viral.

The paper included the event in its weekly TV listings and readers soon noticed it had opted for a more unconventional preview than expected - it positioned the event as an episode of creepy science-fiction series The Twilight Zone.

In fact, writer Damien Love didn't hold back describing the event as "nightmarish" and "gaudy."

You can read the preview in full below:  

“After a long absence, The Twilight Zone returns with one of the most ambitious, expensive and controversial productions in broadcast history. Sci-fi writers have dabbled often with alternative history stories - among the most common is the ‘What If The Nazis Had Won The Second World War’ setting - but this huge interactive virtual reality project, which will unfold on TV, in the press, and on Twitter over the next four years, sets out to build an ongoing alternative present. The story begins in a nightmarish version of 2017 in which huge sections of the US electorate have somehow been duped into voting to make Donald Trump president. It sounds far-fetched, and it is is, but as it goes on it becomes more and more chillingly plausible. Today's feature-length opener concentrates on the gaudy inauguration of President Trump, and the stirrings of protest and despair surrounding the ceremony, while pundits speculate gravely on what lies ahead. It's a flawed piece, but a disturbing glimpse of the horrors we could stumble into, if we’re not careful.”

One person who particularly enjoyed the preview was Star Trek actor George Takei.

A tie-in celebration concert - "Make America Great Again!" - is going ahead the day before (19 January) hosting the likes of band 3 Doors Down, country singer Toby Keith and actor Jon Voight.

All the artists who have publically refused to play Trump's inauguration

Singers to have turned down the opportunity to perform include Charlotte Church and The X Factor UK contestant Rebecca Ferguson who wrote an open letter stating she'd only attend should she be able to perform the historically important song "Strange Fruit."

 

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