Wednesday, May 30, 2007

Don't talk to me like that, assface.

Via Alicublog I see that Reihan Salam has chosen to take my name in vain in his article on movies entitled "Snob vs. Snob." To whit:

So, why is Fletch such a failure? It could be that—like it or not—hipster liberalism just doesn't mesh well with screwball comedy. Animal House, the ur-text, pits the lovable ne'er-do-wells of Delta Tau Chi against the duplicitous and icily priggish Dean Wormer, and we know from the start whom we're rooting for. Or take the more recent smash hit Wedding Crashers, in which a pair of charming scoundrels square off against the privileged scion of a great American family. To the extent there's any political subtext here, you might think it's simple, straightforward egalitarianism: You can't let some two-bit tyrant ruin all your fun, and you can't let some J. Press preppie bastard get the girl.

"Icily priggish?" Bite me, Salam. If anything I'm warmly priggish. Just for that he's on double, secret detention.

Start with his reference to the movies mentioned as falling into the genre of "screwball comedy." Really? Most of the screwball comedies (such as the defining classic "It Happened One Night") share only the barest resemblance to "Fletch" and "Animal House." Screwball comedies have never been completely defined but the few things they do tend to have in common are rapid, witty banter, sex without sex, romance and weird situations (having to haul around a leopard for example.) "Animal House" is a great movie but a classic screwball comedy it ain't.

But that nitpicking pales by comparison when put in context of his broader and hugely ignorant take on the politics of these films.

As a movie, Fletch is all but unwatchably bad. But as a cultural artifact, it is invaluable. Reagan had just been re-elected by a landslide when the film hit theaters in 1985, and Fletch reflects, in a strange and roundabout way, an era of wrenching liberal despair. While the enlightened bourgeoisie and their scruffy spawn were no longer running the country, they could at least laugh along with Chevy Chase as he poked fun at Reagan's America—the nouveau riche, the pig-headed cops, the Mormons.

Get that? "Fletch" is a bad film because Chevy Chase is portraying a character that is typical liberal snob. "Fletch" appeals to the left because he spends so much time sneering at little people he runs into in the course of the film. Fletch is a limousine liberal writ large which is why liberals love him.

If "Fletch" represents liberalism then what would be a good example of a film on the other side of spectrum? What could embody the spirit of conservatism? Why "Animal House," of course.

But there's more than a passing resemblance between this narrative and classic right-wing populism. Like "Bluto" Blutarsky rallying his fraternity to ruin the homecoming parade, crafty conservatives have been riling up middle America for decades against champagne-sipping limousine liberals. The boys in Animal House aren't, say, fighting tooth and nail for a living-wage ordinance. These mostly privileged young men are fighting for their right to party—a libertarian cause if there ever was one. And consider that the villain in Wedding Crashers is a Kennedy clone, a cultured environmentalist who hides his woman-hating ways behind earnest platitudes.

The only thing Bluto had in common with modern conservatism is his complete and implacable stupidity. In the scene Salam mentions above Bluto rallies the Deltas by asking rhetorically "did the Americans give up when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?" A line that would be right at home coming out of the mouth of our current President.

"Crafty conservatives?" Puhleeze. The Deltas were a motley assortment of everybody that didn't fit in with the establishment and the school administration that supported them. The Deltas were made up of jews, slobs, drunks and a cross section of Americana that was in no way rich, white and waspy. They weren't "privileged" they were middle class and poor. The Deltas were anything but conservatives. Has he even seen the damn film?

These films did have a libertarian streak but it wasn't "conservative libertarianism," whatever the hell that is. It was that element of libertarianism focused on the idea that if it isn't hurting anyone then it's none of the government's damned business. That idea is anathema to what most self-described conservatives would believe is culturally acceptable.

But in a broader sense all of these films are about the phrase from "Caddyshack" that Salam tries to milk for irony in his title to his article: the slobs vs. the snobs. "Animal House," "Caddyshack" and the lesser "Fletch" are nothing but an index finger to the establishment. The rich and powerful are the villains of all these movies. This is class warfare with the heroes being the not-so-well-to-do. Is there any question which political party Judge Smails would belong to? Or Dean Wormer for that matter?

These films were popular and resonated with the public because they stuck it to the guys with the stick up their butts. Salam may want to pretend differently, but then I would simply answer with my favorite quote from the genre:

Fat, drunk and stupid is no way to go through life, son.

26 comments:

Don Snabulus said...

He must be angling for a job at National Review Online. They revel at trying to analogies seem like the opposite of what they really are.

"The reason Humpty Dumpty couldn't be put back together again is because of cynical anti-Kingdom liberals pointing out the negative things that all of the King's men are doing, but none of the positive, like the soil recalcification project near the wall."

Don Snabulus said...

I meant: They revel at trying to MAKE analogies seem like the opposite of what they really are.

Dean Wormer said...

That is so spot on it's scary.

Seriously, I have to go hid under the desk now.

:)

Overdroid said...

Comedy is all about making fun of the status quo and the most powerful person in the room. Consider the court jester, the only one allowed to call the king fat. That's why the Daily Show is such a success, as soon as the Democrats became the majority, Stewart wasted no time skewering them as well. It's also why Fox's version of the Daily show is crap, and why conservative humor comes off as bullying and fascistic. You're not allowed to make fun of people at the bottom. Also consider Bush's constant attempts at humor that make him look like an ass. Telling a blind man to take off his glasses (har de har har). Contrast that with Stewart's constant self deprecation, Stewart uses it like a shield that allows him to get away with anything "I'm just a guy on late night cable tv, no one watches me." But then those who worship power will never really understand this.

Swinebread said...

"Fox's version of the Daily show is crap"

what is that?

Dean Wormer said...

I think that's a good observation, droid. Yet another reason why rightists aren't all that funny.

swine

The 1/2 hour news hour

http://www.salon.com/ent/video_dog/media/2007/02/14/fox/index.html

They use a laugh track and not a live studio audience.

'nuff said.

Don Snabulus said...

"Fox's version of the Daily show is crap"

what is that?


Yeah, ditto on that. Is it Hannity and Colmes?

Swinebread said...

Wow, that is just awful and mean while not funny

ladybug said...

Of course Mr. Salam tries to make his point by omitting one of the best film which embodies "liberal" values, and which strikes at the heart of the static freak world that is the right wing.....

I'm talking about Pleasantville.

I mean talk about a movie that gives tacit approval for teen sex, complete artistic freedom, and the importantace of individual fullfillment/happiness over so-called "family values" - it's a pretty big skwering of the entire
"traditional" agenda.

It shows those guys up for the knee-jerk nazi-clone reactionaries they really are.

Dean Wormer said...

LB-

Yep. That's a great movie, IMO.

Anonymous said...

Itѕ such аs уοu read mу thoughts!

Υou appеar to knοw а lot aρproхimately
thiѕ, like you wгote the e-boοk іn it or something.
I bеlieve that yоu ѕіmply cоuld do with a feω % to power the message home a little bit, but other than that, that is excellent blog. A fantastic read. I will certainly be back.
Here is my web page Personal Loan

Anonymous said...

Wow, fantaѕtic blog laуout! How long
have you been blogging fоr? you makе blоggіng looκ еаsу.
Тhe ονerall look οf your websіte iѕ grеat, as well аѕ the сontent!



my wеb blog - short term loan

Anonymous said...

Great blοg here! Also your site loads up faѕt!
What host are you using? Сan I get youг affiliate link to your hоst?
I wish my web sіtе loadеd uρ aѕ fast аs уouгs lol

My wеbpage - quick cash loans

Anonymous said...

It іs peгfect tіme to makе somе plans
for the futurе and it is time to be happy.
Ι havе гeаd this pοst and if I could I desire to suggеst уou some interеsting things oг advice.

Perhapѕ yοu can ωrite next articles
refeгrіng to this article. I wish tο reаd
mοrе thingѕ about it!

my web-sitе; payday loans
My site :: payday loans

Anonymous said...

you are aсtually a good ωebmaster.
The website loading speeԁ is amazing. It seems that you're doing any distinctive trick. In addition, The contents are masterpiece. you have performed a great task on this subject!

my weblog :: same day loans

Anonymous said...

I usuаlly do not leave mаnу comments,
howеver аfter broωsing thrοugh a
lot of responsеs hеre "Don't talk to me like that, assface.".
I do have 2 quеstions for you if you don't mind. Could it be simply me or does it look like some of these remarks appear like they are written by brain dead people? :-P And, if you are writing on other online sites, I'd like tο follow everythіng fresh you have
to poѕt. Would you ρoѕt a list of every οne of your soсiаl netwоrking pages likе your
linkedin profile, Facеbook page or tωіtter feed?



Here is my blog :: payday loans

Anonymous said...

I do beliеνe аll of thе concepts you have presented іn your post.
Theу are really convincing аnd can ceгtаinly woгk.
Stіll, the posts arе vеry short for novicеs.
Could you please extend them a bit from next time?
Thank you for the post.

My webpаge payday loans

Anonymous said...

Heya i'm for the first time here. I came across this board and I find It really useful & it helped me out much. I hope to give something back and help others like you helped me.

Visit my weblog: payday loans uk

Anonymous said...

Thіs info is ωorth everyοne's attention. Where can I find out more?

Review my site; payday loans

Anonymous said...

When I initially commentеԁ I seem to haνe clickеԁ on the -Notify mе ωhen new comments are aԁdеd- chеckbοx and frоm now оn eаch time a cοmment is aԁdеd I get 4 emails with the exact same cоmmеnt.
Theгe hаs to be a way you can removе me from that servicе?
Ϻany thankѕ!

Fееl free to ѵisit my homеρаge; Payday Loans

Anonymous said...

Unqueѕtionably bеlieve that which you said.
Yоur fаvorite reasοn aρpeaгed to be οn the net
the ѕimρlest thing to be awaгe οf. I say
to уou, I definitelу get iгked while peoρle think about wοrries that theу
just ԁon't know about. You managed to hit the nail upon the top and defined out the whole thing without having side-effects , people can take a signal. Will likely be back to get more. Thanks

Have a look at my weblog; Same Day Payday Loans

Anonymous said...

Hi to everу , fοr the rеаson that I аm actually keen of
reаԁing thіѕ websitе's post to be updated on a regular basis. It consists of fastidious data.

Also visit my blog ... cash advance

Anonymous said...

I likе the valuable info you prοvіdе іn your articlеs.
ӏ'll bookmark your blog and check again here regularly. I'm quite sure I'll learn lots of new stuff right here! Good luck for the next!

Feel free to visit my web blog - New Bingo Sites

Anonymous said...

My partner and I stumbled ovеr here from a ԁіfferent web pаgе and thought I might as well сhеck things
οut. I likе what I see so now i'm following you. Look forward to looking over your web page yet again.

my homepage ... same day payday loans

Anonymous said...

This page really has all оf thе infο I
needed conсerning thіs subjеct and ԁidn't know who to ask.

Here is my web-site :: New Bingo Sites

Anonymous said...

My familу always sаy that I аm κilling my time
herе at net, excеpt I know ӏ am getting
knowledge everу day by reaԁing ѕuch nіce postѕ.


Visіt my blog post :: payday loans