Tag: Political

The First Couple Goes Broadway

My friend Tom happened to be at Joe Turner’s Come and Gone last evening where coincidentally the President and First Lady were in attendance. Here’s what he said to me about the experience:

“So I kinda watched a Broadway show with Barack and Michele Obama tonight. Surreal? Yeah, a bit. I don’t quite know what to make of the fanaticism he draws, but I have to say I loved every darn minute of the spectacle it turned out to be (including being shoved aside by an NYPD officer while trying to get remotely close to the theatre!!)! And Joe Turner’s Come and Gone was a great show too! :)”

I responded. “I’m curious how their presence impacted the performance onstage… was it a distraction with them being there?”

Tom replied, “It was REALLY hard to focus on the show at first – it took me a good 20 minutes, at least, to have the faintest idea what was happening on stage. And then after intermission, the curtain was up already when they got back to their seats and people were flashing photos for a good 5 minutes, totally ignoring the actors….and the show started an hour late. haha. So, yes, it definitely impacted it but I do think they gave a great show and I ultimately was moved by it!”

"It’s a Great Day for America, Folks"

So says Craig Ferguson in the introduction to his monologue every evening on “The Late, Late Show.” Today I am doing my civic duty and voting in our presidential election and I do hope that all of you are doing the same. After my parents and I hit up the polls, we will be venturing down to Manhattan for dinner and this evening’s performance of South Pacific. What could be more patriotic than that?

Once again, I turn to a personal favorite for musical theatre support:

“To Make Us Proud” (Bernstein-Lerner)
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue (cut out of town)/A White House Cantata (finale)

To burn with pride
And not with shame
Each time I hear
My country’s name
Not hide my head
When the flag goes by,
But feel I’m soaring
Where eagles fly:
Not walk away.
But stand and say:
I love this land!
It will prevail.
If love be strong
We will not fail
Let rage be fearless and
Faith be loud.
This land needs love.
To make us proud.

Craig Ferguson: "If You Don’t Vote, You’re a Moron"

It has been fascinating to watch Craig Ferguson on The Late, Late Show this year (or well, any year, the man is brilliant). I’ve been a fan of his ever since I first saw him play Nigel Wick on The Drew Carey Show. He is also the author of one of my all-time favorite books, Between the Bridge and the River, which may very well be the most impressive debut novel I’ve read (which I highly recommend to all of you). This year, the native Scot took the US citizenship test and passed with a perfect score. He became an American citizen on February 4 and ever since has taken an active interest in the upcoming presidential election.

What sets Ferguson apart from the other late night hosts is that he foregoes a scripted monologue and just speaks off the cuff. He has been known to use the platform to excoriate the media’s coverage of Britney Spears, defend Rosie O’Donnell during her feud with Donald Trump and upon the death of his father, gave his dad a touching eulogy. His conversational style puts most of his interviewees at considerable ease and provides his audience with an amusing hour on TV.

Last Wednesday, Ferguson gave this open and honest monologue about the upcoming presidential election with equal opportunity observations about the candidates. It’s quite refreshing to see someone, especially a new citizen voting for the very first time, take such a vested interested in one of our elections – and be hilarious about it. Enjoy.

“100 million voters made a huge impact on the last election.

They didn’t vote.”

Kenneth Cole, 2004

It’s 2008. Leap year = presidential election. I’d say on the whole things are worse than before. We should all get out there and do our part. I don’t care who you’re voting for; it’s none of my business. Just do it! It doesn’t take much, and it actually makes you feel good, if only for a brief moment, about the democratic republic in which we live. (Yeah, franchisement!!) Just remember to register on time, if you aren’t already.