As Election Day approaches and the decision for who will occupy the White House Screening Room commences, I found myself pondering... Which candidate would be the cooler film goer and media junkie.... I mean, to be the leader of the United States, you must be a media sponge... setting down good examples for the film-going public of the United States.
Entertainment Weekly has just asked 3 candidates for their takes on these Entertainment questions. And... I believe by examining the answers... we can safely come to understand where they are coming from. I wish Nader had taken part in this, but then I'm also wishing Nader would pull out and throw his support behind Gore to help ensure a victory. (sorry, personal politics moment!)
Favorite Recent Movie: Al Gore - BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, George W. Bush - AUSTIN POWERS, Pat Buchanan - THE PATRIOT
Alright... so what does this tell us? Well, first of... George picking AUSTIN POWERS seems to exhibit that he doesn't get out to movies all that much, as that film came out in 1997. Of course, he might be meaning the sequel, THE SPY WHO SHAGGED ME, but just didn't know the difference. And if this is the case.... whew... I don't want him in charge of that screening room. Buchanan's choice of THE PATRIOT... well, that's a bit kneejerk isn't it. I mean, obviously he's picked it because of the 'right to bear arms, revolt against taxation issues, and so forth'. However, in a right wing sort of way, this would put John Wayne back on the center screen at the White House single screen... but bombs would be falling outside, so it wouldn't really be a good thing... Last, let us look at the egghead... Al Gore. Well, he chose BEING JOHN MALKOVICH, what I consider to be the most brilliant film of the last couple of years (though my fave in that same time period would be TOY STORY 2). A President that would put BEING JOHN MALKOVICH in the White House screening room... and all of it's issues... well, has my vote.
Favorite Book: Al Gore - THE RED AND THE BLACK, George W Bush - LONESOME DOVE and Pat Buchanan - 'SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS'
Alright, first off... Shakespeare's Works are often times concerned with evil people trying to cease power. Tons of blood and carnage. And the idea that there is no book in the last several hundred years that would come to mind for him... Now, this could also mean that Buchanan hasn't read a book since HIGH SCHOOL when he was forced to read JULIUS CAESAR and ROMEO AND JULIET. Not only is SHAKESPEARE'S WORKS not a book, but do we really believe that he's read them all and loves them all? Ok, George W Bush's choice of LONESOME DOVE is a good step. The book was written by Larry McMurtry, local Austinite I might add, and went on to become one of the best Mini-series ever. BUT... looking at this from a psychological point of view... a president that in his fantasy world associates with drunken belligerent horse theives... Hmmmm, too many questions. And Al Gore's choice of Stendhal's THE RED AND THE BLACK... well that brings to light some possibly dangerous behavior patterns... In the book, wonderful btw, our main character experiments and attempts murder, has visions of ruling the world... and anyone reading THE RED AND THE BLACK most likely is also quite a fan of Voltaire... Now this could mean one of two things. Either Gore is an insane power hungry man, or he studies text versions of out of control men of power to better understand the evils of the world. You be the judge.
Favorite Musician: Al Gore - THE BEATLES, George W Bush - THE EVERLY BROTHERS and Pat Buchanan - PATSY CLINE
Male Patsy Cline aficionado types often times have many deep seeded issues. Her songs and timbre of voice are often cradlers of depression and manic behavior. My mother was a huge PATSY CLINE fan and was pretty homicidally whacked... Another notch in the no Buchanan stick. George W Bush's choice of THE EVERLY BROTHERS is very interesting. While the music is fun... BYE BYE LOVE and WAKE UP LITTLE SUSIE are cute songs... The Everly Brothers were basically POP with no meaning. Entertainment with no message or true meaning. This in combination with AUSTIN POWERS shows a predilection to switching one's brain off. Gore chooses THE BEATLES. This is extremely helpful in getting a picture of who Gore is... or at least wants to be perceived as. The Beatles were revolutionary in harmonics, lyrics and acceptance.... They helped take the mainstream to a place of open-mindedness and thoughts of peace, while building tunes that would stand the tests of time. Good news here.
Favorite Actor: Al Gore - TOMMY LEE JONES, George W Bush - JACK NICHOLSON and Pat Buchanan - PAUL NEWMAN
Alright, I wish someone would have asked Gore, who is your favorite actor that wasn't your College Roommate. However, this does show that Gore does remember and honor his friends. This shows a penchant for loyalty. Which is good. Bush's love for Nicholson is admirable... I love Jack. Great choice, but again... illustrates Bush's tastes for wild out of control types... AUSTIN POWERS, rampant drug, alcohol and sex.... LONESOME DOVE, rabid alcoholics and now Jack... who... well, we all know. Pat Buchanan seems to have the best choice in Actors with PAUL NEWMAN. Newman is a good strong choice in an actor. Great career and great films. Though often times played smooth talking con-men and crooks... guys who could look you straight in the eye and lie to you. A little on the scary side.
Favorite Recent TV Show: Al Gore - FUTURAMA, George W Bush - BASEBALL TONIGHT and Pat Buchanan - THE WEST WING.
Bush's choice of BASEBALL TONIGHT is not surprising, as the once figurehead of the TEXAS RANGERS, we are well aware of his love for BASEBALL... but... again this shows a love for things without great meaning or thought. BASEBALL does not bring great meaning (to me at least). This isn't a game of heroes anymore. Pat Buchanan's choice of WEST WING is a bit desperate for my tastes. Anyone running for President that spends their time watching White House set soap opera styled television... does not need to be there. Lastly... AL GORE comes to the rescue with a choice of genius.... FUTURAMA!!! Yes, a President that would say... I CHOOSE THE CARTOON! I CHOOSE SATIRE! I CHOOSE DISEMBODIED HEADS IN CLEAR JARS! FLYING CARS AND ROBOTS! GEEEEEK! Now there is an issue here... Gore has been on FUTURAMA and if memory serves he has a daughter that writes for the show, Kristin Gore. Of course that shows he knew how to raise a kid to be a geek!!!
There is only one choice as a geek voting for a fellow geek. Through their picks... the choice is clear. CHOOSE THE GEEK!!!! The Geek Party Must Ascend!
