“It is never a good sign when the most exciting thing on television is a dancing Republican.”—Joe Queenan, “The Summer of Our Discontent,” The Wall Street Journal, September 5, 2009
Many of my readers are likely to regard as high comedy the news that ex-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) will appear as a contestant this fall on “Dancing With the Stars.” Others will perceive it as a horror show.
I, on the other hand, think of it as both—sort of like Peter Boyle, as the monster, donning top hat and tails and clunking around the stage to the tune of “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.
Not that DeLay is a stranger to fancy footwork, or entertainment. That, after all, is what he did for years on Capitol Hill, facing the Democrats, the media, and those bad ol’ grand juries looking into corruption.
Many will also remember how he gave rise to one of the most memorable Saturday Night Live parodies: “Kickback Mountain,” with actor-surrogates for him and lobbyist Jack Abramoff in the Heath Ledger and Jake Gylenhaal roles.
Tom, I wish you knew how to quit us.
Many of my readers are likely to regard as high comedy the news that ex-House Majority Leader Tom DeLay (R-Tex.) will appear as a contestant this fall on “Dancing With the Stars.” Others will perceive it as a horror show.
I, on the other hand, think of it as both—sort of like Peter Boyle, as the monster, donning top hat and tails and clunking around the stage to the tune of “Puttin’ on the Ritz,” in Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein.
Not that DeLay is a stranger to fancy footwork, or entertainment. That, after all, is what he did for years on Capitol Hill, facing the Democrats, the media, and those bad ol’ grand juries looking into corruption.
Many will also remember how he gave rise to one of the most memorable Saturday Night Live parodies: “Kickback Mountain,” with actor-surrogates for him and lobbyist Jack Abramoff in the Heath Ledger and Jake Gylenhaal roles.
Tom, I wish you knew how to quit us.
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