Lynda Carter has played Wonder Woman and she portrayed the President of the United States over most of Supergirl’s six-season run, but now the Hollywood Walk of Fame recipient is making Amazonian efforts to see Kamala Harris elected to the White House.
Tonight, the long-time Washington DC resident is hosting Geeks & Nerds for Harris. Starting at 5 pm PT/8 pm ET, the three-hour fundraising event (watch here) will feature a mixture of genre legends like Carter, Mark Hamill, Jon Cryer, Matthew Modine, and big screen Wonder Woman director Patty Jenkins. Cast members from Star Trek, The Boys and Supernatural will be there too, as well as Senators Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) , as well as Stacey Abrams and more than a few surprises.
A mix of the light-hearted and the very serious, the astute Carter, who is no newcomer to presidential politics, having performed the National Anthem at the 1988 DNC, sees in the Vice President’s close race with Donald Trump a true chance for real change in America.
Stark change and stark realities
“When Kamala Harris wins the White House, for the first time in history, we have someone in the White House that does not have equal rights, the same right, as all the men before her,” Carter notes, with an emphasis on embedding true gender equality in the Constitution. “Think about that. Just think about that.”
To that, the Emmy nominee chatted with me about tonight’s Geeks & Nerds for Harris, her expectations, some special guests,and the “surge of joy” she is feeling going into this election.
DEADLINE: Like the Vice President’s role at the top of the ticket in this whirlwind election, Geeks and Nerds came together so fast, escalated with superstar participants. Did you expect that?
LYNDA CARTER: It happened so quickly, didn’t it?
The way I feel about it is that we are bringing in people whose voices have not been heard in this at least it feels like anyway, they haven’t been heard in this way. So that in bringing everyone together in a fun way. Then there’s the competing fandoms, and making it a healthy time to see how much money we can raise. There’s this comedic kind of thing, but we’re also talking about very serious things. You know Dominic, I get a little bit of blow back from the comedians in the group, he people with the funny bone and me, who takes things a little more seriously. A bit of me getting on my high horse, but I think I’m very funny, although most people don’t think I’m very funny, but I think I’m very funny (LAUGHS).
DEADLINE: In a way, and no disrespect, it’s a bit of a Trojan Horse or Invisible Jet, because you are very serious about this, you have been putting a spotlight on the core issues in this election …
CARTER: When you look at the history of us, It must include the wonderful Stacey Abrams of our generation and of past generations. It must include all the sweat and tears that the women of this nation have given and all that they have sacrificed.
DEADLINE: How do you mean?
CARTER: It isn’t a division between men and women, we’ve done this with you. We’ve done everything with you, for you, beside you. We have championed you and we need you. We need your power. We need your enthusiasm. The truth is we have a common goal.
It is the commonality.
It’s not populism. It isn’t just gathering people and all agreeing. It is about something much deeper and much more important than that. It is about believing in what we know to be self-evident, that all men and women are created equal in this unique nation of the United States of America. It is that we have people of all shapes sizes, interests, those large and small, and beefy and nerdy and black and white and all colors and shapes and sizes. That is who we are. We are not full of hate.
We are also not one size fits all, and that is what I think that Kamala Harris and Tim Walz bring to the table, It is an acceptance of all of us. That is why I do what I do. That is why I have fought the way I fought all of my life.
DEADLINE: You are ending tonight’s Geeks & Nerds event with a discussion about the ERA. Some see the ERA as a throwback to the Seventies, but you see it as a living thing, don’t you ?
CARTER: Let me say this: I have heard a word recently that I have not been familiar with before, and it’s “coverture.”
Coverture is really tied to equal rights. It really was the rules that apply to women only that existed forever and still does in many, many, many countries, and certainly in our country. That is that a woman went from their father’s house to her husband’s house, and if her husband died, then she was the ward of her son without any without any rights, or without anything. Without even her own body, but that everyone made decisions, even about reproductive health for her. She had no say and no legal standing. She could not sue anyone, she could not complain. Really, she had no right whatsoever.
I had never heard the word “coverture” before and so I’ve been familiarizing myself with that. In terms of the Equal Rights Amendment is that we will have when Kamala Harris wins the White House, for the first time in history, we have someone in the White House that does not have equal rights, the same right, as all the men before her. Think about that. Just think about that.
DEADLINE: To that, while Geeks & Nerds for Haris has Mark Hamill, Bill Nye, Star Trek cast members and more, there are two particular guests I wanted to ask you about …
CARTER: Yes…
DEADLINE: Star Trek alum and Georgia Democrat …
CARTER: Stacey Abrams. If I could choose a new friend that I really want to get to know, it would be Stacey Abrams, I think.
I think she is a force it can be reckoned with and a woman of substance. I take my hat off, or I take my bracelets off, or I take my cape off, or I take the Lynda Carter whatever off and I say, thank you. Thank you. Thank you for what you have done to this country.
(L-R) Stacey Abrams, Patty Jenkins
Getty Images; Michael Buckner/Deadline
DEADLINE: You also have Patty Jenkins, the director of the two most recent Wonder Woman films joining you tonight. There is, as I’m sure you know, that Gal Gadot may be dropping in.
CARTER: (LAUGHS) You know what? I’m gonna let rumors be. I’m gonna let rumors fly.
I’m gonna let them fly. You never know what’s gonna happen.
DEADLINE: All these gatherings, starting with Win With Black Women on the day that Joe Biden dropped out, to the Swifties For Harris, the Oprah event last week, do you see this as a movement independent of the campaign?
CARTER: It is an online people movement, yes! It’s a new season, that’s what I think. It’s a new season. It’s a new time, and everybody is ready to move forward from all this old crap I’m tired of rehashing. I’ve marched and I’ve marched and I’ve marched, and here we are again, and I’m tired of it. You know, I am fighting the fight, fighting the same things over and over again, something’s got to give,
DEADLINE: Like?
CARTER: Like time for the 28th amendment, I’m working on getting the 28th amendment put in place (In 2020, Virginia ratified this equal rights amendment, meeting the legal threshold of 38 states). I’m working on getting a women’s museum. With all those other museums on the National Mall, there is not one that recognizes or contribution to the country. All we get is honorable mentions, you know, and we built this country right along with all the men. That is part of what I want to see next.
DEADLINE: So, I have to ask, with trailblazers like Shirley Chisholm, Geraldine Ferrero, Hillary Clinton, did you think you would see this day when a woman, a woman of color, the sitting Vice President had the Presidency within her grasp?
CARTER: Honestly Dominic, I did not.
I did think that after the 2016 election of a man that I had known for 35-years or something, that we were in a very, very scary situation, and I got depressed. I just think there was a depression that sort of settled across the nation. So, when Kamala arose, the relief I felt personally, I can only speak for myself, but I felt the sun come out. I felt a surge of joy.
DEADLINE: So, with that, what would you say to people who are curious about tonight’s Geeks & Nerds foe Harris event?
CARTER: Come and dance with me. Let’s dance this dance together. Let’s release the joy. That’s what it’s all about.