15 Celebrities That Americans Would Elect as President

While we're all caught up in election season frenzy wondering whether the United States will soon have a new president or a second term with Donald Trump, perhaps it's time for a little escapist fun, in the form of daydreaming about more entertaining options for president — our favorite musicians, athletes, and celebrities, people who make us laugh, entertain us, and bring us joy. In other words, the opposite of politicians. "The Daily Show" and YouGov recently conducted a handful of polls to determine which athletes, celebrities or musicians Americans would most like to see as president. Here's who won the (virtual) vote.

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Though she's never portrayed a president in film or television, Dolly Parton is certainly known for being ambitious, successful, and a savvy businesswoman. Let's just take a quick gander at her bio. Born into a poor farming family (one of 12 children), Parton wasted no time heading to Nashville right after high school, and before long, her career skyrocketed. In short order, she had racked up more than a dozen hit songs and became one of the most popular singers in the industry. 

During a career that has spanned decades, she managed to cross over into pop music, made several movies, was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame, was named a Living Legend by the Library of Congress, and even opened the Dollywood theme park. If all that isn't awe-inspiring enough, Parton also created the Dollywood Foundation, an organization that provides inspiration and educational resources to children. Let's all say it together: Dolly for president.   

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Another beloved country singer whose career has spanned decades, Nelson may not have much in the way of political experience, but that doesn't seem to faze Americans much … because well, he did write the legendary tune "On the Road Again," which is nearly as good a qualification, right? In addition to that Academy Award nominated song, Nelson has acting chops, having appeared in a string of films with such Hollywood luminaries as Jane Fonda and Robert Redford. And well, our current president was a reality TV star. So, if Trump can do it, (not to mention Ronald Reagan), why not Nelson? 

Need more proof Nelson is fit to serve? He spent nine months in the Air Force. Okay, maybe nine months isn't so convincing. But he did spearhead the first Farm Aid concert in 1985 along with a handful of other musicians, an event that raised nearly $10 million to help farmers hang onto their land. Let's just not mention Nelson's legal troubles with the IRS for unpaid taxes, shall we?   

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Let's be honest, Legend needs no other qualification for public office than being married to outspoken Chrissy Teigen, who's a powerful woman known for not mincing words on Twitter about a vast range of issues from the political to the personal. She's an inspiring role model for many. 

Legend himself is of course uber-talented and is no shrinking violet either on Twitter when it comes to politics and social justice, regularly commenting on such matters as incarceration rates among minorities and decriminalizing drug possession. Does that qualify Legend to be president? Or perhaps a Legend-Teigen power-duo ticket? 

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Does this particular contender seem a little puzzling? You're not the only one scratching your head. Sure, Levine is the Grammy Award-winning frontman for Maroon 5, so there's that. And he did also serve as a longtime judge and coach on "The Voice," but outside of that, it's hard to say what Americans are thinking here. 

To be fair, Levine has devoted himself to certain causes over the years beyond fattening his bank account in the entertainment industry, including raising awareness for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder, testicular cancer, and gay rights. But then there's that 2011 nude cover he did for Cosmopolitan magazine, which probably rules out any potential political future. Though in today's political environment (read: circus), anything is possible right?   

Who doesn't love Bruce Springsteen? I mean, he's as American as apple pie and the Fourth of July with his working-class, New Jersey roots. He became known early on as "The Boss." There's good reason for that title. Not only has Springsteen amassed 20 Grammys during his powerful career, he also sold at least 65 million albums. Iconic rocker is just one of his skills. 

Springsteen's political resume is not too shabby either. Highlights include being involved in a variety of progressive causes, receiving the Presidential Medal of Freedom from Barack Obama in 2009, and campaigning for Obama's reelection in 2012. So, Bruce for president! And heck, he can use his own, inspiring music at campaign rallies, beginning with "Born in the USA."   

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Does being one of the most prolific passers in NFL history count as a qualification to be the leader of the free world? How about winning an NFL-record five MVP awards, as well as two Super Bowl championships? Well, it's inspiring if nothing else. And hey, Manning may very well be able to find the time to run for office given that he retired from the NFL in 2016. Though he has been filling his time with work for his Peyback Foundation and continued appearing on TV as a pitchman. 

Retired Los Angeles Lakers star Magic Johnson dominated the basketball court for more than decade. Then, in 1991, Johnson announced he had tested positive for HIV, the virus that causes AIDS, and his life took a different turn. Since his retirement from sports, Johnson has created a massive and incredibly successful business empire that includes real estate holdings, Starbucks franchises, movie theaters, and shares of professional sports teams. And that's not all. He's also the author of several books. So why couldn't he run the country?

They'd certainly make a photogenic first family — Tom Brady and his Brazilian supermodel wife Gisele Bündchen. But it hasn't been all awards and glory for the six-time Super Bowl winning quarterback; Brady has weathered his fair share of scandal. For those who may have forgotten, in 2015 Brady was temporarily suspended from playing in the NFL thanks to his role in a ball deflation scandal during the AFC championship games. 

Brady also took heat for not fully cooperating with the NFL's investigation into the matter. The suspension was later overturned by a U.S. federal judge only to be reinstated by the U.S. Court of Appeals. Would the scandal hold him back from political office? If the YouGov poll is any indication, it seems the answer is firmly no. Americans are clearly willing to let plenty of things slide.

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Williams is the only other woman to appear on this list besides Dolly Parton. Being the former world No. 1 in women's singles tennis is certainly no small accomplishment. Williams is a force to be reckoned with and is credited with revolutionizing women's tennis with her powerful style of play. She also won more Grand Slam singles titles (23) than any other woman — or man — during the open era. Let's all raise a glass for powerful women who deserve their chance to lead the nation. 

Another former professional basketball player, Charles Barkley certainly has his admirers. And there's good reason for that. Over the course of his 16-year NBA career, Barkley became the fourth player to amass 20,000 points, 10,000 rebounds, and 4,000 assists. Not bad right? Before retiring in 2000, he was named one of the 50 greatest players in NBA history. 

Since he quit playing basketball professionally, Barkley, by some accounts, has developed a larger-than-life persona, appearing in television commercials, as a commentator and regular talk show host guest. During it all, he never holds back on offering his opinion, which is perhaps why Americans think he'd be a great Oval Office occupant. 

Perhaps it's his trustworthy persona or his genuine likeability, or the voice that just wraps itself around you like a warm, cozy blanket making everything suddenly feel alright — or some mixture of all of the above. Whatever it is, Morgan Freeman earns the top spot among actors that Americans would like to elect as president. It's not a bad choice. 

While he might not have formal political experience, Freeman once played beloved South African leader Nelson Mandela on the silver screen. He has also voiced advertisements for Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton during their respective runs for president, so he's not exactly unfamiliar with the political arena.    

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Let's just be up front about this shall we? Denzel Washington as president would be incredibly easy on the eyes. Like, every single day. Countless women — and some men — far and wide would swoon when he gave press conferences. We'd have to force ourselves to focus on the policy particulars in his speeches. Alright, back to reality (sigh). 

Washington doesn't appear to have any formal political experience, but he has played important leaders on film including Malcom X (for which he was nominated for an Oscar). But does he really even need the film creds, because we've already covered his even more important qualifications. 

Tom Hanks may not have portrayed a president in his long-running and varied Hollywood career, but he has certainly shown such vast talent that Americans may very well feel confident Hanks can accomplish anything he sets his sights on. Plus, he's got that cheerful, everyman persona going for him, which makes him so endearing and relatable. Hanks was also honored a few years ago by the National Archives Foundation with the "Records of Achievement Award," which is given to those whose work has fostered a broader national awareness of the history and identity of the United States. (So, he clearly understands our country's history more than … some people in public office). 

Recently, Hanks has become an outspoken critic of the current inhabitant of the Oval Office and has donated money to Vice President Joe Biden's presidential bid. But it seems it would take Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson getting into politics to convince Hanks to run himself. During a 2017 appearance on "Saturday Night Live," Hanks jokingly said if Johnson ran for president, he would join the ticket as Johnson's running mate. Run, Forrest, run!   

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With his reputation for being one of the hardest working actors in Hollywood, Samuel L. Jackson has at least one thing going for him when it comes to earning our vote for president. Though he has had a long running and very successful movie career, Jackson's political experience appears to only recently have begun ramping up. He has been very public about working to get out the vote for the current presidential election, serving as a voter registration campaigner in partnership with Global Citizen. He also knows how to swear in 15 languages. Next stop, Oval Office?    

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One final famous face to mentally imagine sitting at the president's desk — Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson.  What earned him a spot on this list? The rippling muscles of course. Oops, did we really write that? Let's start over, banishing the superficial objectifying of the 6'5" hunk. Clearly, The Rock has a powerful presence and drive. 

Born into a professional wrestling family, The Rock used his wrestling fame to launch what has become a wildly successful movie career, but he is also incredibly well known for being a genuinely nice guy. In fact, by some accounts. he's one of the most beloved actors in Tinseltown. So, if nice points are all that matter, (and the Oval Office could certainly do with a bit of kindness right now) The Rock gets our vote.