History Main / ThePerformerKing

* Two United States Presidents were in show business before holding elected office (UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan and UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump) and were household names before their career switch. In Reagan's case, most would agree he was a better statesman than an actor, even if they didn't agree with his policies. Some critics dismissed him as an actor playing the role of President, but he'd already been rather politically active during his acting career (including being president of the [[UsefulNotes/UnionsInHollywood Screen Actors Guild]] 1947-1952 and on its board for longer) and had already served 2 terms of governor of California before running for President, so this didn't hold a lot of water. Debates about Donald Trump's Hollywood vs. Washington career are less clear cut on the matter.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', it is revealed that the Sovereign, leader of [[Characters/TheVentureBrothersTheGuild the Guild of Calamitous Intent]], is none other than British pop-star Music/DavidBowie. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it is revealed that he actually wasn't David Bowie, but a shape-shifter that chose his likeness as his preferred form. Monstroso claims that the creature on the cover of Bowie's ''Diamond Dogs'' album is an unaltered photo of the Sovereign.]]

* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E7HorsePlay Horse Play]]", it's revealed that Equestria's ruler, Princess Celestia, loves theater and always dreamed of acting in a play, even though her royal duties have never allowed her to take the time to do this. On learning this, her former student Twilight decides to give her the starring role in a play she had been writing about Celestia's own early life and ascent to rulership. Celestia is overjoyed, and takes to the role with gusto... until it turns out that she's [[BadBadActing an incredibly bad actress]].
* In ''WesternAnimation/StarVsTheForcesOfEvil'', Eclipsa and Moon both know how to play the guitar. In "[[Recap/StarVsTheForcesOfEvilS4E24Cornonation Cornonation]]", it is revealed that a part of the official Queen coronation ceremony (or in Eclipsa's case, her "cornonation" due to a typo) is for the Queen to sing an official song with the royal bard.

* Being the closest thing to a king in the show, Asmodeus in ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'' is one of the SevenDeadlySins and [[DemonLordsAndArchdevils Ruler of the Lust Ring of Hell]], and clearly loves to get up on stage in his own nightclub to perform bombastic, sexually charged musical numbers. His GoodCounterpart, Beelzebub of Gluttony, is a NobleDemon who throws massive parties and performs in them as well while encouraging her guests to indulge in every vice available.

* Prince Wu from ''WesternAnimation/TheLegendOfKorra'' really loves demonstrating the dances and pomp he's planning for his coronation ceremony. Although he comes across as TheLoad at first, his skills as a performer come in handy when he gives a suitably compelling address by radio to help evacuate a city. [[spoiler: And even moreso when his singing helps command badgermoles to dig escape tunnels]].

* Roman Emperor UsefulNotes/{{Nero}} sang and acted on the stage, and also competed in gladiator races. Many old-school upper-crust Romans disapproved, believing that Nero was undermining the dignity of his office. (Pliny called him an "actor-emperor".) Actors were in the early Roman Empire considered a ''very'' lower-class profession, and this was in line with Nero's general preference for the lower classes over the aristocracy.

** The number of actors turned politician in non-presidential offices in America politics, plus the rise of career politicians behaving like celebrities has often led to jokingly calling Washington D.C. "Hollywood for Ugly People". The fact that the #Metoo movement caught a lot of politicians and celebrities in its accusations has led to some people pointing out that "Ugly" specifically means physically unattractive (or at least [[HollywoodHomely what passes for physically unattractive by Hollywood standards]]) and not metaphorical in any context. Both cities are filled with that kind of ugly.

* King Norodom Sihanouk of Cambodia [[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Norodom_Sihanouk#Artistic_works actually directed and performed]] in films. In addition, he was also a singer and composer.
* Sihanouk's neighbor in Thailand, King Bhumibol Adulyadej, was an accomplished jazz musician in his own right and even composed songs himself.

* Two United States Presidents were in show business before holding elected office (UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan and UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump) and were household names before their career switch. In Reagan's case, most would agree he was a better statesman than an actor, even if they didn't agree with his policies. Some critics dismissed him as an actor playing the role of President, but he'd already been rather politically active during his acting career and had already served 2 terms of governor of California before running for President, so this didn't hold a lot of water. Debates about Donald Trump's Hollywood vs. Washington career are less clear cut on the matter.

* Being the closest thing to a king in is the show, Asmodeus in ''WebAnimation/HelluvaBoss'' is one of the Seven Embodiments of Sin and Ruler of the Lust Ring of Hell, and clearly loves to get up on stage in his own nightclub to perform bombastic, sexually charged musical numbers.

* UsefulNotes/{{Prussia}}n king Frederick II The Great composed {{Baroque}} music.

* Ukrainian president Volodymyr Zelenskyy was an actor and comedian before entering politics. [[HilariousInHindsight Funnily enough]], one of his most famous roles was as a teacher who unexpectedly finds himself becoming president.

* Two United States Presidents were in show business before holding elected office (UsefulNotes/RonaldReagan and UsefulNotes/DonaldTrump) and were household names before their career switch. In Reagan's case, most would agree he was a better statesman than an actor, even if they didn't agree with his policies. Some critics dismissed him as an actor playing the role of President, but he'd already been rather politically active during his acting career and had already served 2 terms of governor of California before running for President, so this didn't hold a lot of water. [[Administrivia/RuleOfCautiousEditingJudgement Debates about Donald Trump's Hollywood vs. Washington career are less clear cut on the matter, and that's all we'll say about that, thank you.]]

* The Troll Tribes in ''WesternAnimation/TrollsWorldTour'' each have a culture based around music, following this each of their tribal leaders also lead their villagers in group songs. Poppy is depicted as just the lead vocalist, while the other tribe leaders also actually play lead instruments, with Trollzart being the conductor of his symphony and Trollex [=DJing=] raves.

* At one point in ''Literature/HeroicsForBeginners'', Prince Kevin thinks back to when he took his then girlfriend to a small jazz club, only for his father King Eric the Totally Cool to show up in his trademark CoolShades and a saxophone to jam with the band.
-->'''Kevin:''' Parents should not be cooler than their children.
* A singing picture from ''Literature/TheDivineComedy'' shows [[Literature/BooksOfKings King David]] dancing and singing in front of his subjects with no shame whatsoever. Such forward and honest expression is used as an example of humility to the calculating and glory-driven who are in Purgatory for sins of {{Pride}}.

* The Creator/MontyPython German special ''Monty Python's Fliegender Zirkus'', King Otto of Happy Valley spends all day in his castle jamming on his electric piano and {{Scatting}}. He would have his subjects sing with him at random gatherings and eventually played the pipe organ at his daughter's wedding.

* ''Series/{{Galavant}}'' has a straight example and a subversion. The old rulers of Valencia used to hold events where they led their people in hours-long sessions of improvisational theater. The new conqueror Richard makes a few attempts to do something similar to help his popularity in the kingdom, but both his standup (where he mostly made jokes about how easy to conquer they were) and the ball he throws (with music provided by his executioners) fall completely flat.

* PlayedForLaughs in ''Theatre/{{Amadeus}}'' where, while Emperor Joseph II is enthusiastic about music, he himself is a DreadfulMusician. This leads to [[ActuallyThatsMyAssistant confusion]] when he meets Mozart, who accidentally bows to Baron Von Sweiten, and has to be pointed to the piano where the Emperor is playing a piece that Salieri wrote. Badly.

* In ''WesternAnimation/TheVentureBrothers'', it is revealed that the Sovereign, leader of [[Characters/TheVentureBrothersTheGuild the Guild of Calamitous Intent]], is none other than British pop-star Music/DavidBowie. [[spoiler:Subverted, as it is revealed that he actually wasn't David Bowie, but a shape-shifter that chose his likeness as his preferred form. Monstroso claims that the creature on the cover of Bowie's ''Diamond Dogs'' album is an unaltered photo of the Sovereign.]]
* In the ''WesternAnimation/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagic'' episode "[[Recap/MyLittlePonyFriendshipIsMagicS8E7HorsePlay Horse Play]]", it's revealed that Equestria's ruler, Princess Celestia, loves theater and always dreamed of acting in a play, even though her royal duties have never allowed her to take the time to do this. On learning this, her former student Twilight decides to give her the starring role in a play she had been writing about Celestia's own early life and ascent to rulership. Celestia is overjoyed, and takes to the role with gusto... until it turns out that she's [[BadBadActing an incredibly bad actress]].