Ryan Gosling Coloring Book: Time for Paul Ryan to Get His Too

Culture

Hey girl, did you know there’s a Ryan Gosling coloring book out there?

I LOVE MEL, the British graphic designing firm, released a Ryan Gosling-inspired coloring book that depicts uncolored drawings of some the actors’ signature images for fans to bring to life with the coloring of their choosing. The popular item sells for $12 through I LOVE Mel’s website.

How long until someone comes up with the Paul Ryan version? Lately, the public personas of the actor from The Notebook and the newly minted Republican vice presidential nominee have been compared thanks to a series of internet memes that link Ryan and Gosling based on the congressman youth and good looks. 

“Paul Ryan Gosling” and “Hey Girl, It’s Ryan Gosling” are just a couple of the Tumblr blogs which are becoming wildly popular since the Wisconsin congressman was tapped by presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney to be on the 2012 GOP presidential ticket.

Inspired by the “F*ck Yeah Ryan Gosling” meme, which posts pictures of Gosling with taglines such as “Hey girl, Paris is just not the same without you,” the Paul Ryan-inspired memes depict a chauvinistic Republican vice presidential candidate -- who romances women while trying to enact his conservative policies.

Ryan’s popularity stems from his youth and relative good looks, when compared to the average member of congress. The term “Paul Ryan Shirtless” has become one of the most searched for keywords in Google and other search engines, with the congressman’s supposed fiscal fitness as responsible for the speculation.

It is an increasingly pervasive trend that blurs the line between politics and pop culture and subjects politicians -- both male and female -- to the relentless scrutiny of the voters/audiences (just like singers, movie stars and other entertainers).

However, coloring books and other memorabilia about presidential candidates have been common in American culture for a long time -- ever since JFK became an attractive and telegenic presence back in the famous presidential debate against sweaty Richard Nixon.  

And in 2008, both then Democratic presidential nominee Barack Obama and Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin were immortalized in coloring books and other memorabilia. However, as social media becomes more pervasive and the lines between politics and entertainment blur even further, expect more products like these to compete with "the real issues of the day" for the attention of voters.