World Leaders Had A Drum Off Which Reminded Me Why Playing Instruments Is The Riskiest Move In Politics

When I thumb through my social media feeds, there's a lot I expect to see. 

Hockey highlights, Formula 1 news, people getting injured on trampolines.

One thing I didn't expect was a pair of world leaders hammering away on drum sets to a song from the hit animated film K-Pop Demon Hunters.

But — through the magic of the internet — that's what I got, courtesy of Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and South Korean President Lee Jae Myung.

The two had a summit in Nara, Japan, that involved edge-of-your-seat topics like industrial supply chains, AI, and denuclearization of the Korean peninsula, and once that was all done and dusted, each of them hopped behind a set of tubs and started wailing away.

Prime Minister Takaichi is known to be a metalhead and a drummer, while President Lee said that playing drums has been his "longtime dream."

It's still a strange sight. Imagine President Trump meeting with a world leader, and when they were done, someone announced, "Before the President heads to Air Force One, he and the Prime Minister of Azerbaijan are going to play 'Smoke on the Water' on these Fender Telecasters."

However, I think Prime Minister Takaichi and President Lee are going to get away scot-free here. However, the moment reminded me that playing music in public is one of the most high-risk, high-reward endeavors any politician can undertake.

Bill Clinton saw one of history's most famous instrument-assisted political boosts in 1992 (and yes, that is Dan Aykroyd).  (Photo By Todd Plitt/Imagedirect)

Playing An Instrument Can Make Or Break Your Political Career

Despite what you may read on the internet, politicians aren't reptilian monsters from another dimension wearing humanoid skinsuits to take over our world, their people… I think.

And like most people, they have hobbies outside of their day jobs. 

Except maybe Chuck Schumer. I think he sits around and sleeps with his eyes open until they need him to block a bill or grill up salmonella burgers.

And since many of us, myself included, like to play music in our free time, it makes sense that a bunch of politicians do too.

But making that public is a gamble.

I think the first key example of this is Bill "Slick Willy" Clinton playing a sax solo on The Arsenio Hall Show. 

Sure, maybe Millard Fillmore could melt faces on the clavichord, and perhaps LBJ could lay down a harmonica solo as well as John Popper, but let's call Clinton the first true modern example of what happens when politicians play instruments.

It did wonders for Clinton. Looking back, he probably could've won that election sans sax, but impressing the Dog Pound with a rendition of "Heartbreak Hotel" sealed the deal.

And from there, his political career only got hornier…

Another good example of musicianship going right is bass-playing US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee.

On more than one occasion, I've heard people talk negatively about Huckabee and his politics when he was running for president, and my rebuttal was, "Yeah, but he's a heck of a bass player," and the other person was like, "Yeah, that's true."

I mean, that's impressive. Even the bass selection is phenomenal. A Rickenbacker?! 

Is that '70s Geddy Lee up there!?

Amb. Huckabee slaps the bass. Amb. Huckabee slaps the bass good.

But while Clinton and Huckabee's musical abilities were helpful, Democratic Congressman Hank Johnson showed us how lousy musicianship can hurt you.

Early this year, Rep. Johnson grabbed his Steve Ray Vaughn signature Fender Stratocaster (which is an awesome instrument, but way more guitar than he can handle), popped open his collar to let constituents know he meant musical business, and proceeded to butcher the Jimi Hendrix classic "Hey Joe" but playing it terribly and changing the lyrics in an attempt to mock President Trump.

I mean, do you realize how bad you have to be at guitar for this to be the first thing people think of when they hear your name, even though one time you asked if Guam could capsize if we put too many people on it?

Well, at least he learned his lesson the first time and didn't do it again--

…What's that? He did?!?!

Why isn't his staff stepping in?! Do they not like having jobs?!

Every chord he plays incorrectly is hurting his political career at an exponential rate.

I mean, if he tries to play "Wonderwall" and changes the words to "Trump's Wall" (which I can't believe he hasn't done), he's going to flip his district red for the first time since the early '90s.

So, for politicians — on either side of the aisle — if you're going to grab an instrument, make sure you've taken lessons, run your scales, and maybe even studied a bit of theory.

It's important not just for your career, but for the good of the nation that you don't embarrass us by playing poorly.