Trump’s Failing Fair Reduced to Showing Livestreams to Nobody
The Great American State Fair has been a flop from the get-go.
Meghan McCain/X
President Donald Trump’s failing state fair has been reduced to airing a livestream to nobody.
The Great American State Fair has been beset by issues since it started on June 25, and it appears to be stumbling to its finish on Friday, July 10.
In the latest desperate bid to attract visitors, organizers have started livestreaming a bizarre new game show hosted by Meghan McCain, the outspoken daughter of the late Arizona Sen. John McCain.
McCain posted this image on X. Note the severe lack of people.
Meghan McCain/X
She shared a depressing photo of the setup on X, claiming it was “cool” to stream to an audience of seemingly zero.
Her picture showed a stage at the Washington, D.C., fair just after 9 a.m. ET with the quiz show Race 2 Win on three screens. On the two side screens, the aspect ratio is off, so it doesn’t fit on the monitors.
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Nine empty chairs are dotted around a seemingly empty field, with bleak gray skies providing an apt backdrop.
“So cool to host @2waytvapp new game show ‘Race 2 Win’ at The Great American State Fair today!” she wrote on X.
A woman stands in a pile of ice to cool off. Now, you can’t blame Trump and the organizers on the weather, but visitors complained of limited shade and long lines for cooling areas. Temperatures topping 100 degrees led to at least 11 hospitalizations, dozens of medical calls, and a temporary early closure of the fair on the July 4 weekend. This happened on Thursday, too.
Cheney Orr/Reuters
... In addition, the only food stalls open at the beginning of the festivities were turkey legs for $23, a smash cheeseburger for $20, and a giant western sausage for $20. A drink of lemonade, additionally, cost $9.
Cheney Orr/Reuters
Thin crowds on The Mall.
Daniel Heuer/REUTERS
The show is a quiz based on American history trivia questions. The question on the screen asks what material the U.S. Capitol’s dome is made of.
The new ploy is the latest in a long list of flops when it comes to Trump’s fair, supposed to be a celebration of all things American.
Multiple headline performers—including Martina McBride, Bret Michaels, the Commodores, Morris Day and the Time, Young MC, and Fab Morvan of Milli Vanilli—backed out or distanced themselves after saying they believed the event would be nonpartisan. The fair also faced reports of thin crowds, power outages, a sponsor pulling out over a Confederate flag display, and video showing stage equipment falling near young dancers during a rehearsal or performance.
Then came the weather. Temperatures topping 100 degrees forced organizers to delay programming, while D.C. Fire and EMS reported 44 patient contacts and transported 11 people to hospitals before severe storms prompted thousands of attendees to evacuate the National Mall. Reports also emerged of pallets of bottled water sitting in the sun, limited shaded seating, and airport-style security restrictions that barred visitors from bringing items such as coolers and aerosol sunscreen, before Trump’s keynote address and fireworks were pushed back until later in the night.
It has hardly been “the most unforgettable birthday party any country has ever seen,” as Trump promised.
The Daily Beast has contacted Freedom 250 for comment.
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