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Talking Television

PP talks turkey with Harry Shearer, convention correspondent for Slate, Spinal Tap bassist, and the voice of The Simpsons' Mr. Burns.

August 13, 1996

Paula: Harry, I know nothing about politics. I look to people like you for guidance.

Harry: I know too much about politics, unfortunately, and there's none of it here. This is a TV show taping.

Paula: That's been my exact take on it. I've had this feeling that if each party would do a production of a specific show.

Harry: Like Coriolanus?

Paula: Eh, West Side Story, maybe.

Harry: Oh.

Paula: I don't know, maybe pick a Leave It to Beaver episode. Something. You know, produce it, do it, and then compare the two.

Harry: My criticism is too much lighting, not enough makeup. The men could use just a little more powder next time.

Paula: Ford may have been over powdered. You know what I think happened. He powdered at home, and then powdered again when he came here.

Harry: When you get what Ford gets for a personal appearance, they better lay on the powder. Get your money's worth.

Paula: The thing is, I'm not here as a political expert.

Harry: You're here as an Amway salesman.

Paula: I am here as an Amway salesman. Earlier I got to run up the aisle because I sold the most cleaner this week.

Harry: All right! Yeah! (claps)

Paula:Actually, I'm totally masquerading. It was only a second ago, but I pulled off my bright green top and bright plaid pants, and then everyone realized I was NOT one of the Republicans.

Harry: No, you have to be wearing red, white and blue. Here's my question: When did it become okay to wear the flag?

Paula: It's not okay.

Harry: It is okay. Everybody here is wearing pieces of the flag, and they used to put you in jail for that.

Paula: It was different when Abbie Hoffman did it. And look what became of him, by the way.

Harry: It was a youthful mistake.

Paula: Here's what I can't figure out. Everybody said it was such a surprise that Dole chose Kemp. How did the posters get printed up that quickly?

Harry: One word: Kinko's. And by the way, doesn't it make you wonder that there's a place that's open all night called Kinko's? Doesn't it make you wonder if maybe printing is just a sideline?

Paula: I hadn't thought about it, until you pointed it out that way. Now I'm not going to sleep comfortably.

Are you feeling a little bit bad for the people who are waiting to go on knowing that somebody just said the line, "Bob Dole can win in November?"

Harry: After the number of people who said last night, "We can restore the American Dream," I don't think any line can be said too often.

Paula: I'm laying my money on a million uses of, "Bob Dole hit a home run."

Harry: "Bob Dole went for the long ball." You've got to go football because of Jack Kemp. Baseball analogies need not apply.

Paula: "Mr. Chairman I'm from the state that Jack Kemp's cousin's nephew, who also plays football, is from."

Harry: "I'm from the state that Jack Kemp flew over on his way to a game, one Saturday afternoon."

MoJo's GOP Convention Central
 
Convention Dispatches:

The Final Night
August 16th:
Dancing the Dole.

- - -

Watching the watchers
Will ABC's convention coverage include a scoop about their own behind-the-scenes lobbying?

- - -

The Third Night
August 15th:
Hygiene, roller coasters, and fiddle-faddle

- - -

This is the cheesiest
Paula tangles with "Cheesasaurus Rex" and his Kraft Corp. buddies at their party.

- - -

The Second Night
August 14th:
Volleyball, catapults, and high-haired Republicans.

- - -

The First Night
August 12th:
Colin, "convictions," and crocodile tears.

- - -

MoJo interviews Paula
August 9th:
Paula on Pat, Newt, and balloon drops.

- - -

San Diego Dreamin'
Paula's 15 prognostications about the GOP convention.

- - -

Un-Conventional San Diego:
The demonstrations, the parties, the protests: the unauthorized scoop on the GOP convention.
















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