Karl Puschmann: Trump's ruined everything and I'm sick of it

Donald Trump has ruined everything and I'm sick of it.

I'm sick of seeing his stupid face everywhere. I'm sick of hearing the stupid shiz he says. Mostly I'm sick of the way I can't help but get caught up in it all. I find myself talking and writing about him a lot. Call it an occupational hazard.

Before you say, 'just ignore it' you should know that I can't. I've tried. Believe me. It's impossible.

Sure, I can try to ignore the many disgraceful and morally reprehensible policies that he's peddling over in the States because, you know, I don't live in the States. Why should I care if he bans Muslims, deports 'dreamers' and kicks tens of millions of people off their health insurance? None of that's my problem.

Yet still...

Yes, we're half a world away. And it's not like we haven't got plenty of our own problems to worry about and solve here. Because we've got a bunch.

But the thing is, a lot of my job is talking to people who create art. And today, sadly, a lot of art - music, film, TV, comedy, whatever - is being informed by the actions of America's president. Therefore the conversation keeps returning to him.

So when the bugger comes up, as he inevitably does, it's good for me to have some knowledge of his latest catastrophe so as to not appear an ignorant dumbass in front of someone world famous.

While the States' domestic policies are ignorable, it's not so easy to ignore his anti-science stance on climate change and the fact that for the second time in as many weeks we find ourselves teetering on the edge of nuclear doom. I always thought the end of the world would have some semblance of gravitas attached to it, but lordy was I mistaken.

Instead, we've got two villainous cartoon characters both with ridiculous cartoon hair-do's, huffing and puffing at each other and threatening to blow all our houses up. It's a bit of a worry.

If you don't want to worry about any of it I don't blame you. I would very much like to not worry about it as well. Only I can't because people keep bringing the bastard up.

It first started on the campaign trail. I asked outspoken comedian Jim Jefferies what was on his mind and he answered, "the election".

Of course back then, near enough a year ago today (and doesn't it feel longer...), Trump was being given only the slimmest odds of winning. But Jefferies had noticed the growing confidence of racists and was beginning to call them out.

"There's a solution to Trump," he told me. "You don't vote for Trump."

But the people, and most likely Russia's cyber squads, did vote for Trump. And now here I am regularly discussing this cruel and unusual American president with people whose work I generally tend to admire. I'm sick of Trump ruining these conversations.

It's not like I'm talking to overtly political artists like Rage Against the Machine or Bono either.

I recently spoke to the Foo Fighters' Dave Grohl, one of the least political musos out there, and even he, cool dude that he is, brought Trump up when discussing the darker vibes of their upcoming album.

I spoke to the actor and comedian Joel McHale and he said, "I talk about politics because that's what the world is talking about right now."

I spoke to Matt Berninger from The National and he just flat out said, "Donald Trump is a white supremacist."

Heck, I even had to stop halfway through writing this column to interview the acclaimed comedian Kevin Bridges and the first thing he said was, "there's so much going on in the world right now, it could be game over any minute".

But it's not just interviews Trump's ruined. Twitter, once home to wordy nonsense and fun memes has been totally derailed by the Trump train. Between the news sites, artists, randos and pals I follow it's near enough a 24/7 Trumpalooza. Twitter kinda sucks now.

At least I only have to talk about it. A lot of the people I speak to have to live with it. Live with that dunderhead in charge. Live with white supremacists at the highest level of their government. Live with a wilfully ignorant president who consistently attacks the credibility of the press and the civil rights of his people.

If I was American I'd be talking about it too. Speaking up against him to anyone who would listen. While I still could. Because under Trump's regime that freedom is by no means guaranteed.