Kinky Friedman, noted author (“The Love Song Of J. Edgar Hoover,” “Elvis, Jesus, and Coca Cola,” and “Kill Two Birds And Get Stoned,” among others) and musician (“They Ain’t Makin’ Jews Like Jesus Any More,” “Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed,” and “Asshole From El Paso,” among others, with his band, the Texas Jewboys), today announced he’s running for Governor of Texas. Among his first two campaign promises were to appoint Willie Nelson head of the Texas Rangers (the cops, not the baseball team) and to cut the speed limit to 54.95 (apparently reflecting a wholesale discount).
I think I know one Texan who will probably vote for Kinky…
J.
As much as I find Kinky entertaining, I wish he’d stay the hell out of politics. I know I’m going to be criticized here for sounding like the rod up my ass has a rod up its ass, but I believe that democracy isn’t something that we should mock. Every time some freak who’s wildly unqualified throws his hat into the ring, it makes the whole process seem absurd … which it decidedly is not.
I like Kinky … in the sense that I don’t wish him any specific harm. But I wish he’d stick to books and music and satire and stay out of politics.
Hey Jeff, would you have said the same thing about hollywood actor Ronald Reagan? The whole point of democracy is rule by, of, and for the people. Pay close attention to the “by” part. To suppose that someone shouldn’t or can’t run for office is decidedly anti-democratic. Let the voters decide. By the way I like your definition of liking someone as not wishing him/her specific harm. Does that mean you wish harm to everyone you don’t like?
G-d willing, by the time that Kimky is on the ballot, I won’t be voting for him.
I’ll be voting Likud.
Willie Nelson heading up the Texas Rangers…Hmmmm. How about Dan Rather Regeister of Wills, Archivist and Historical documents.
Now that Texas has it’s own Pat Paulsen maybe morepeople will understand why I’m living in Mexico most of the time. It’s amazing the press coverage a nut can get, and who the press puts forward as our spokespeople, Kinky and Molly Ivins, both about as “Texas” as New York Salsa. Where’s that rope?
Reminds me of Jello Biafra running for office in California (can’t remember if it was Gov or Mayor of SF). He had some great tunes too as “singer” with the Dead Kennedys…. Kill the Poor, Holiday in Cambodia, etc.
I agree with Jeff Harrell and while mantis makes a great point, the larger issue is situations where certain people use the candidate process as entertainment, not with an intention for actually governing. Candidacy as staging to make a point rather than candidacy as effort to govern inorder to change government.
Maybe Friedman will surprise everyone but from similar situations in times past, say for instance when Hunter S. Thompson ran for County Sheriff (and lost, thank God), the point of the candidacy isn’t to deliver followthrough but to followthrough with some other point altogether.
But, anyone can and should run for office if they have a plan and desire to do so, just saying I agree that these faux candidates tend to demean the process more than improve it.
Mantis,
The “specific harm” is a Simpson’s reference…
Moe tells Homer (who is searching for his soulmate) that Moe considers himself “more of a well-wisher, in that I don’t wish you any ‘specific’ harm.”
Of all things to miss, a Simpsons reference! Excuse me while I wipe the egg from my face. Jeff, I hereby retract that criticism. Thanks for the heads up Brad.
Maybe he can encourage that other idiot, Teddy Jo, to move to Texas to be his running mate.
Mantis, from what I can see in Jays posting, the difference between Reagan and Friedman is that when Reagan ran he did so after A) running a very large politically active organization (The Screen Actors Guild) and B) ran a very serious campaign without gimmicks like the Nelson thing or speed limit change.
Everything points to Friedman being a Paulson type canidate, not serious, just doing it for the kicks/attention. And that is sad.
Yeah, and more importantly, Reagan ran to win. He intended to govern, had a plan in mind for what he wanted to accomplish and had so well communicated what he had in mind that he had a very committed organization of other individuals supporting him in that effort (to win and to implement plans afterward). Reagan wasn’t just a late arrival to politics, either, having devoted a great deal of his life while acting to political and ideological activities and relationships of the constructive kind toward improving democracy.
I can’t see any comparison, any at all, between Kinky Friedman’s declaration of candidacy and that by Ronald Reagan, just none at all. Friedman is making a point about politics, not pursuing politics to make a point.
yea, but what would we do without them to make fun of… many people that want to increase their credibilty in Politics run for big offices , it’s easier than actually having to acomplish something…
ps. my blog is now up, visit and comment if you like.
The portrayal of Reagan as merely an “actor” is nonsense and evidence of the utter ignorance of the accuser.
Reagan payed his dues as a union leader THEN was two-term governor of California THEN ran for President. He helped redefine the post-Goldwater GOP and is vastly underappreciated as a conservative thinker.
Go read the Wikipedia entry.