The nominees for the 60th annual Grammys were announced on Tuesday morning, with Jay-Z, Kendrick Lamar and Bruno Mars leading the pack. There were a few unusual names on the list — in one category it’s Bernie Sanders vs. Carrie Fisher vs. Neil deGrasse Tyson. For real.
Ah, Best Spoken Word Album. You bring us such joy and diversity and bizarre showdowns.
For his chance at a trophy, Sanders paired with Mark Ruffalo on “Our Revolution: A Future to Believe In (Bernie Sanders).” Fisher’s posthumous opportunity comes courtesy of “The Princess Diarist,” while NdT’s “Astrophysics for People in a Hurry” could get him a Grammy.
Of course, there’s a 40 percent chance none of them take home the hardware. Bruce Springsteen’s another formidable foe in the grouping for his reading of his memoir “Born to Run.”
And good luck to Shelly Peiken on “Confessions of a Serial Songwriter.”
Last year, Carol Burnett beat out Amy Schumer, Patti Smith, Elvis Costello and a variety of performers for “Under the Big Black Sun: A Personal History of L.A. Punk” in the category.
If Sanders does win the trophy, he would not be the first politician with a Grammy on his mantel. Previous winners include Jimmy Carter (twice), Barack Obama (also twice), Bill Clinton, Jesse Jackson and Hillary Clinton.
Read more 2018 nominees here.