How Alice Cooper Entered Politics For A While

It was astonishing to learn that rock star icon Alice Cooper had intended to run for governor of his own Arizona state. But the story wasn’t actually true, and Cooper even explained how the story blew that fast in an instant.

When the rumors first started to circulate, it had been a while since Cooper had published the album Raise Your Fist and Yell (1987), and it wouldn’t be until 2 years before the publication of his next endeavor, Trash. After the record achieved success, the overall atmosphere allowed many to assume that he was actually entering the political sphere.

With that, his alleged race for governor, the rock star had expressed his opposition to the two-party system and followed his own route, saying, “I’m definitely a write-in candidate. Hey, I’m a native. I’m a registered voter. I represent the Wild Party and even have a campaign slogan: ‘Alice Cooper: A Troubled Man for Troubled Times.’”

Due to the widespread use of the headline, this statement he made in 1988 has been remembered by the general public. It turns out that Cooper was actually making a joke about it and that by calling it a “Wild Party,” everyone would understand his sarcasm. Nevertheless, it turned into a huge mess, particularly given how difficult Arizona’s state affairs were at the time (six consecutive governors were impeached during this period). At one point, he even went on live television to explain his sarcastic joke that blew out in no time.

“I went on TV and made a statement saying, ‘I cannot run for governor. I am not crooked enough to be the governor,’” Cooper addressed in an interview. He was then asked if there was any chance he would grab onto the world of politics. “I would hate it,” the “Poison” singer said. “I hate politics. I absolutely hate politics.”