November 13, 2005

Ahnuld, The Musical

If you liked "Nixon In China" ... well, even if you didn't...

How about a musical and/or light opera featuring Arnold Schwarzenegger's doomed, overreaching attempt to govern the state of California? I mean, it's got visuals -- his pectorals and humvees, Maria's freakish cheekbones, plus jostling choruses of obese polyestered groupies, conga-dancing nurses, and seriously pissed-off queer activists. It's got yer basic ancient Greek story arc of pride, hubris, comeuppance and catharsis. It's got romance, it's got drama, it's got the politics of spectacle slamming a la "Blazing Saddles" into a bunch of real live humans who know the difference between a state and a stage set. Not to mention Warren Beatty reprising his role as Jay Billington Bulworth. Dramatically speaking, at least, what's not to like?

Or, OK, it's really that J. came up with the line, "Brie for a fee in Californ-i-a" and now we need someplace to use it. Where's Stephen Sondheim when we need him?

...OK, if that doesn't fly, I hear Schwarzenegger's in China himself this week. Maybe Mr. Adams feels like writing a sequel?

Posted by Martha Bridegam at November 13, 2005 10:58 PM
Comments

Words like 'doomed' suggest that the game's all but up, which strikes me as a dangerously complacent attitude - a smaller scale version of the "nobody I know is going to vote for Bush" hubris that ended up looking so silly last November.

Posted by: Alan Allport at November 14, 2005 07:45 AM

You wouldn't even accept "doomed" in the Hunter Thompson sense of th word?

Posted by: Martha Bridegam at November 14, 2005 01:59 PM

I don't know. What is "doomed" in the Hunter Thompson sense of the word?

Posted by: Alan Allport at November 14, 2005 02:41 PM

Oh dear, I was afraid you'd ask that. Well, best I can do is to say there's sort of a sense of comic dread around the edges of it, as with other inscrutable Thompson phrases like "the pigs are in the tunnel." (WTF does that mean? Anyone know?)

Posted by: Martha Bridegam at November 14, 2005 02:50 PM

Stranger musicals have been attempted. (By the way: Luker pointed me over here, and I love the site. Keep up the fine work.)

Posted by: Scott Eric Kaufman at November 21, 2005 03:00 PM