Move Over Pence Fly, It’s Trump’s ‘Nodding Lady’s’ Turn In The Spotlight
During a Miami town hall on Thursday night, a woman seated behind Trump captured as much if not more attention than the president himself.
While Trump answered questions from NBC’s Savannah Guthrie, a woman could be seen emphatically nodding in agreement with the president and giving a thumbs-up throughout the event and, of course, the internet took notice.
Following the Town Hall, the Miami Herald’s Alex Daughtery told the world what they needed to know: Who is this person whom social media had by then labeled “Nodding Lady?”
Move Over Pence Fly, It’s Trump’s "Nodding Lady’s" Turn In The Spotlight https://t.co/RjxSDZzXXU pic.twitter.com/3550YtTWP5
— Peter Wade (@brooklynmutt) October 16, 2020
She is Mayra Joli, an immigration attorney and pro-Trump activist. Joli, an obvious Trump sycophant, ran for congress in 2018. And, according to Daughtery during her campaign, she declared herself Miami’s “master of selfies.”
Following the Town Hall, she posted a video on Facebook of an exchange she had with the president at the event where she told Trump, “We have your back! You see, you see you are the best.”
Social media had a field day with her constant nodding, causing the hashtag #noddinglady to trend on Twitter.
For some, the incident brought to mind the stubborn fly, which also caused a ruckus on social media when it set up shop seemingly forever on Mike Pence’s head during the VP debate with Kamala Harris earlier this month.
#noddinglady is tonight’s fly #TrumpTownHall
— Jeff Schlossberg (@jeffschlossberg) October 16, 2020
Some found some humor in the background noise she provided:
Everybody needs a sassy nodding lady in the background.#TrumpTownHall
— JJWhitehead (@JJWhitesnake) October 16, 2020
#NoddingLady is really NOD-BOT from The Simpsons https://t.co/9HxPg9nqt0 via @imgur
— Suzy_CFL (@CflSuzy) October 16, 2020
Nodding lady is going to be the Ken Bone of 2020.
— Adot Crawley (@AdotCrawley) October 16, 2020
Others were annoyed and pointed out that the event, where some audience members asked questions, was supposed to be attended by undecided voters:
Journalists, if you don’t find out who that woman is nodding behind Trump at an “undecided” voter town hall, then I don’t know what you’re getting paid for
— Tom Nichols (@RadioFreeTom) October 16, 2020
Former NBC News journalist Katie Couric was not amused and internet sensation and comedian Sarah Cooper agreed:
I’m channel surfing. The woman to @realDonaldTrump ‘s right keeps nodding her head which I find very distracting. #NBCTrumptownhall
— Katie Couric (@katiecouric) October 16, 2020
Same. This woman is nodding at things before he’s even finished his thought. It’s a psychological trick and I cannot believe no producer, no camera person, NO ONE is stopping it
— Sarah Cooper (@sarahcpr) October 16, 2020
Nodding lady seems to be a perfect fit in the bizarre age of Trump. Attention seeking cultish followers and yes men and women are everywhere. They are so omnipresent one doesn’t need to visit Trump’s propaganda network, Fox News, or attend his rallies to be subjected to them. And sadly, because of his success, even if he is defeated in the election, there will still be no conceivable end in sight. Yep, nodding lady and her ilk are here to stay, like some non-stop bobblehead doll that will forever haunt our dreams.