Is Elon Musk the new Benjamin Franklin? Michael Douglas, who plays the latter in the new AppleTV+ series Franklin, seems to believe the two have more in common than one would think.
The actor stopped by this morning’s episode of The View, where he explained to the panel why he gets “Elon Musk vibes” from the Founding Father.
“The unpredictability and the brilliance. Frankly, he was brilliant. There’s no getting around that — what he accomplished,” Douglas said. “But [Franklin] still had his peccadillos. He liked the ladies. Elon was known for that. He was tight — he was a little tight.”
Douglas continued, “But Franklin represented — he was the beginning of the middle class. His father was a candle maker and his whole style with that fur hat was all an act. So it was a phenomenal decision. It has a lot of parallels to what’s going on today — most of which, really, is how fragile our democracy is.”
The star first made the comparison between Franklin and Musk at a Television Critics Association (TCA) news conference back in February.
“[Franklin] was a little bit of a philanderer; he liked to imbibe. He was a big flirt. His idea of negotiating was a little bit of a seduction … I felt Elon Musk comparisons,” he said, per Fox News. “A guy who is slightly out there, but also you were aware he was so bright and so knowledgeable on so many things. He was charming. He was taking prisoners.”
Elsewhere in his appearance on The View, Douglas revealed what he believed Franklin would think of the current political climate — and the Republican nominee facing numerous indictments, in particular.
“I think he would have a hard time believing it,” he said. “There was a time back then when being a politician was almost like the priesthood — it was something to look forward to. You were a public servant.”
Douglas concluded, “Now, in politics, a large part — at least in Washington — it’s usually a stepping stone to your own lobbying job. It’s a very, very frustrating time. And I think we are all looking forward to getting through this year.”
The View airs on weekdays at 11/10c on ABC.
