admin
Jeff Goldblum stood, bemused and delighted, as Madame Tussauds pulled back the curtain on a wax double so lifelike it had people doing double takes and the actor himself joking that he thought it moved. The reveal in New York was a reminder that real showmanship still draws a crowd in an era when Hollywood too often trades on scandal instead of skill.
The figure, decked out in Goldblum’s signature dark-framed glasses, leather jacket and even a replica Cartier tank watch, was the product of a yearlong effort by more than 20 Tussauds artists who took hundreds of measurements and reference photos to get it right. Madame Tussauds says the New York unveiling was a preview before the figure ships to its permanent home in Orlando, a carefully staged piece of entertainment commerce.
Timing was no accident: the wax unveiling dovetails with Goldblum’s press tour for Wicked: For Good, the blockbuster continuation of the Broadway phenomenon, which has kept the actor in the public eye and Hollywood’s marketing machines humming. Whether you think the film is high art or just another big-studio spectacle, there’s no denying the synergy between celebrity promotion and museum theater.
As conservatives, we should call out both the good and the excessive. There’s nothing wrong with honoring a consummate professional like Goldblum, but we ought to be skeptical of an entire industry that spends fortunes on pageantry while pretending that glitter equals substance. Real respect for craft means rewarding talent and hard work, not endless hype cycles designed to distract from mediocrity or the cultural rot peddled from Hollywood backlots.
All the same, there is something to admire here: the old-fashioned craftsmanship, the careful attention to detail, and a moment of genuine amusement that isn’t manufactured outrage. Social media buzzed with people saying the wax twin looked spookier than the real thing, which speaks to the uncanny skill of artisans who still take pride in making something beautiful. If Americans want culture that lasts, we should celebrate hands-on skill and storytelling that actually uplifts, not another disposable trend.
