In the topsy-turvy world of politics and pop culture, some brands seem to drink a strange brew all on their own. Everyone knows about Bud Light’s infamous plunge into “woke territory” when they decided to feature internet personality Dylan Mulvaney. The seemingly harmless attempt to diversify their advertisement strategy turned out to be the biggest faux pas this side of a cola fiasco. Instead of tapping into a new audience, they cracked open a can of boycotts. Dylan Mulvaney became as iconic to Bud Light’s demise as New Coke was to soda history. As a result, sales left the building faster than you can say “fraternity party.”

Now, Bud Light is desperately trying to scoop itself out of this hot mess, if you can picture that! The new ads are brimming with your average Joe — the dad bods, lawnmowers, and jean shorts guys making a splash. The attempt to reclaim past gory glory from the wreckage of questionable marketing decisions? It’s a little like trying to repackage the ultimate “dad beer” after it was unleashed on “woke wars.” The damage, though, is done and appears irreversible. Even an ex-executive admits the brand lost its pizzazz, leaving Modelo to seize the crown. It’s somewhat fitting that beer is leading the way in a reality where the cultural bubbles are shifting.

Then there’s the intrigue of the Democrat Party’s own escapade with Mr. Mulvaney. In a twist straight out of a political soap opera, a picture of Chuck Schumer grinning alongside Mulvaney became the talk of the town. This implausible duo has critics saying Chuck’s newfound friendship could hoist the Democrats’ unpopularity to uncharted heights. The Democrats, already reeling, might’ve pilfered a play from the Bud Light handbook, apparently thinking a shot of Dylan could do for them what it did for sales over at Anheuser-Busch. Spoiler alert: this move is probably as uplifting as a wet blanket in a rainstorm.

But wait, Dylan Mulvaney did not stop there. In an unexpected plot twist, Dylan managed to “cameo” his way into a political gag. Mulvaney ended up unwittingly boosting a Republican nominee in a primary against another. Talk about a backfire! The prank turned the Democrat-leaned influencer into an accidental GOP pitchman, leaving the audience chuckling more than when they heard the zoo reference about working with “rhinos.”

In the grand theater of American politics, this saga shows the Democrat Party and Bud Light walking hand in hand down irony lane, desperately trying to correct past blunders as they wander sideways. Both have learned the hard way that chasing trends can often send you to places stranger than the land of Oz.

Here’s hoping that future collaborations look a tad more into what the core audience wants rather than assuming an “ultra-woke” changeup. With so many brands and political figures entangled in these peculiar misadventures, one wonders: who’ll be the next character to join this farcical cast? Let’s just pray they don’t face a similar fate — or worse, end up in the Photoshop hall of fame beside Mulvaney.