Politicians who haven't seen Hamilton deemed 'uncool' by colleagues

(Image credit: Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images)

published 7 March 2016

Some among the political elite are keeping a deep, dark secret from their colleagues — they haven't seen Hamilton.

The phenomenally popular Broadway musical boasts fans such as Vice President Joe Biden, Treasury Secretary Jacob Lew, New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio, and even President Barack Obama. Hamilton has become so popular among politicians, in fact, that it is now "an essential barometer of professional coolness," The Wall Street Journal reports.

But as many fans are already aware, tickets to Hamilton are sold out through January 2017, which leaves some in politics scrambling to pull strings to get into the show. "It's like the grown-up equivalent of sitting alone in the cafeteria," New York Gov. Andrew Cuomo's chief of staff Melissa DeRosa said of being the one among her friends who hasn't seen the show. DeRosa described a party where she pretended to check her phone in order to avoid admitting she hadn't seen Hamilton. And she isn't alone:

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All the fuss has created a sort of stage fright among some political aides, advisers, and elected officials. Many admit to bouts of acute professional and social anxiety about being a Hamilton no-show.Jonathan Rosen, one of Mr. de Blasio's closest outside advisers, is so self-conscious about his deficiency that he tries to fake his way through the inescapable Hamilton chitchat."When someone brings it up I have no choice but to pretend I know what they're talking about," Mr. Rosen said. [The Wall Street Journal]

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Jeva Lange was the executive editor at TheWeek.com. She formerly served as The Week's deputy editor and culture critic. She is also a contributor to Screen Slate, and her writing has appeared in The New York Daily News, The Awl, Vice, and Gothamist, among other publications. Jeva lives in New York City. Follow her on Twitter.

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