Politics as entertainment

[mook]

Three big surprises for me.

I've been surprised at the marketing campaign for W. I can't turn the TV on without another commercial for it. Also surprised by the pretty good reviews it's had so far at Rotten Tomatoes:
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/10009470-bush/
I think it'll be a financial dud. If this election has everyone agreeing on one thing, it's that we're all tired of Bush. I guess the real point isn't to raise money, but to sway voters though. And every commercial for the movie is another reminder whose party McCain represents. Still, somebody needs to tell Oliver Stone to go ask Michael Moore how that works.

Next surprise: American Carol.
http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/an_american_carol/?critic=creamcrop
Man, I don't think that stinker even made it into the theaters here in Boise. There's a huge market for a funny, conservative lampoon on the left. Team America sort of did it (although they did some funny stuff on the right too.) Rush Limbaugh can be absolutely hilarious, even while I can't stand him. I'm surprised nobody has ever asked him to put a film together.
But this thing looks like a real steamer.

Third surprise: American Wife
http://www.amazon.com/American-Wife...bs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1223922040&sr=8-1
This is a fictionalized version of the life of Laura Bush. The plot closely parallels her life, including the incident where she accidentally killed somebody while driving. Interesting gimmick for a book. Seems to be selling on Amazon pretty well, so I expect similar stories about Obama, Obama's wife, McCain and Palin to be coming out shortly.
Hell, I might write one myself. "Sarah Pallion: Soccer Mom and President." Seems like an easy sell.
Hmm. Somebody beat me:
<object width="425" height="344">

<embed src="" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></object>
Oh well.

Anyway, with all these stories, plus the now-famous Tina Fey skits, does it seem to anyone else like politics and entertainment have merged liked no time before?

 

[BLAZER PROPHET]

With You Tube... and other venues for creative people it should come as now surprise that lampooning politicians has become great sport.

Of course, one has to start with idiots as politicians first.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

I think its all stupid. from The Daily Show to the Colbert Report to SNL to anything else. Bunch of lameasses simplifying issues for en masse.

 

[AgentDrazenPetrovic]

might get really stoned though and watch "W". should be a rip-roarin' time.

 

[The_Lillard_King]

I find little entertainment with politics these days given that the outcome looks like a foregone conclusion . . . but I see where you are coming from and agree that politics is a good topic for the entertainment industry.

 

[Denny Crane]

Anyone hear about the stunt Howard Stern pulled recently?


[video=youtube;NyvqhdllXgU]

 

[barfo]

I find little entertainment with politics these days given that the outcome looks like a foregone conclusion . . . but I see where you are coming from and agree that politics is a good topic for the entertainment industry.

I agree it's a lot less fun now that it is looking like a landslide - but there are other races. Merkley vs. Smith, for example, looks like it will be very close.

barfo

 

[rocketeer]

I agree it's a lot less fun now that it is looking like a landslide - but there are other races. Merkley vs. Smith, for example, looks like it will be very close.

barfo

did anyone actually think this election was going to be close? i always kind of thought that was just a media creation to bring in better ratings. people care a lot more(and will be watching a lot more) if the race is hyped up as being close.

 

[barfo]

did anyone actually think this election was going to be close? i always kind of thought that was just a media creation to bring in better ratings. people care a lot more(and will be watching a lot more) if the race is hyped up as being close.

I think if somehow McCain2000 could have gotten the nomination, then it could have been close. A lot of democrats thought of McCain as an acceptable republican up until recently.

I think it was a combination of having a closer look at McCain (which was inevitable) and McCain's flip-flopping to accept Bush/Republican dogma (which wasn't inevitable but was perhaps necessary to get the nomination) that turned off the independents and soft democrats.

My soft democrat friends were saying in springtime that they were voting McCain.
My soft republican friends are saying now that they are voting Obama.

barfo

 

[huevonkiller]

Anyone hear about the stunt Howard Stern pulled recently?

That's funny but there are ignorant people on both sides so it doesn't make any point for me.