Dylan Douglas, the 25-year-old son of Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, found himself on the receiving end of a rough debate on Monday night’s NewsNight, leaving him flustered and struggling to respond to his opponent.
A Heated Roundtable on Government Funding
The debate focused on the Senate passing a funding bill to reopen the government, which had been shut down for a record 42 days.
Dylan, a progressive political commentator and host of Young American with Dylan Douglas on SiriusXM, blamed Republicans for prolonging the shutdown.
“Scott, with all respect, you cannot put on the American people that Democrats were the ones hurting people, making this plight,” he said to CNN commentator Scott Jennings.
Jennings quickly fired back with a simple, pointed question: “Who was casting the votes against opening the government, Democrats or Republicans?”
The two talked over each other briefly before Dylan countered by asking about SNAP benefits cuts.
Jennings clarified that Republicans had voted to fund SNAP 15 times, while Democrats voted against it.
Struggling Amid Policy Details
As the discussion continued, Dylan struggled to articulate the Democratic argument about expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits, stuttering through his points as Jennings outlined the concessions Republicans made to secure enough votes to reopen the government.
Senate Majority Leader John Thune had announced a mid-December vote to extend those credits, which helped swing eight key senators to support the bill.
Dylan Douglas: Actor Turned Political Voice
Dylan has followed in his famous parents’ footsteps with work in acting and producing, while carving out a reputation as a politically active commentator.
His parents, Michael Douglas and Catherine Zeta-Jones, famously starred together in The Mask of Zorro and Traffic, while Michael is known for classics like Basic Instinct and Wall Street.
Dylan’s work extends beyond media appearances.
He co-founded the political action committee Make Room, which supports young progressive candidates, and has been involved in several campaigns.
Monday marked his second appearance on a network news program, following an earlier interview on MSNBC’s Morning Joe in September.
A Steep Learning Curve on Live TV
Despite his celebrity lineage and experience hosting political discussions, Monday’s NewsNight appearance underscored the challenges of debating policy under pressure.
Dylan’s performance highlights the fine line between celebrity influence and mastery of the nuanced details of political debate.