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|  | | | | We Begin Launching Critics In Five Minutes — Reagan Mini-Series Under Advance Fire | | | | | found on The Guardian
written by timnet, edited by John (Plastic) [ read unedited ]
posted Wed 22 Oct 8:01am | | | | |
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If this film can help create a bit more questioning in the public about the direction America has been going in since the 1970's, I guess then I think it will be doing a service.
"When Judy Davis, who plays Nancy Reagan in the upcoming two-part CBS mini-series The Reagans, tells the media something like this, conservatives immediately jump on the project as a liberal, Hollywood hatchet job. Throw in the fact the Right's beloved Saint Ronnie is played by James Brolin — the husband of none other than Barbra Streisand — and you can expect controversy to boil over in a hurry," timnet writes. "Peter Robinson, author of How Ronald Reagan Changed My Life, is already pleading this case to a sympathetic bunch at Fox News. 'It sounds to me as though this script takes this idea that the man is tremendously appealing personally, that he's gifted with words, but that there's nothing in his head and he just somehow lucks into all the accomplishments of his presidency,' said Robinson, who nonetheless admitted he had yet to see the finished product or even a script. 'That's a preposterous notion.'
"Critics are already jumping on reported portrayals of Reagan's forgetfulness and insensitivity toward gays in the early days of the AIDS crisis. When a figure as revered by conservatives as Reagan is involved, the idea that the scriptwriter puts words Reagan never said in his mouth strikes some partisan press outlets as high heresy. Others, such as former Reagan spokesman Marlin Fitzwater, thinks positive aspects of Reagan's legacy receive short shrift. 'Does it show he had the longest and strongest recovery in postwar history?' Fitzwater asked. 'That the economy, stimulated by the tax cuts, was creating something like 200,000 jobs a month, for years?'
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| | | "While the movie is still almost a month away, it makes one wonder if Reagan partisans would be happy with any series that wasn't overwhelmingly laudatory toward the Gipper, even as the former president himself has acknowledged he had his share of faults. But can we expect completely complimentary biographies of anyone any more -- especially a polarizing figure like Reagan -- in these days when we know everything about everybody? Should we expect a conservative group to take advantage of that free-market system to produce a competing, lionizing biography?"
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| | | | | | 63. Obscure Reagan reference from 1955 | | | | by Anonymous SidVicious |  | | | at Wed 22 Oct 2:28pm | score of 2.5 brilliant | | | | | | |
(Found here)
Dr. Emmet Brown: "Then tell me, future boy, who is president in the United States in 1985?"
Marty McFly: "Ronald Reagan."
Dr. Emmet Brown: "Ronald Reagan? The actor?! Who's Vice President? Jerry Lewis?"
Marty McFly: "What?"
Dr. Emmet Brown: "I suppose Jane Wyman is the first lady! And Jack Benny is secretary of the treasury! I've had enough practical jokes for one evening! Good day, future boy!"
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| | | | | | | 72. Re: Obscure Reagan reference from 1955 | | | | by swalve |  | | | at Wed 22 Oct 8:41pm | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 63 | | | | | |
There was a real Reagan-as-president joke from the real past, on Laugh-In (1986-1973). They had a regular bit where they did "News of the Future," and they did a news item about Ronald Reagan as president. Drew HUGE laughs. Hilarious.
"If silence is golden, you couldn't raise a dime!"
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| | | | | | 75. Re: Obscure Reagan reference from 1955 | | | | by Rev. DOG. | | | | at Wed 22 Oct 11:52pm | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 72 | | | | | |
Also, if I recall, in John T. Sladek's "Muller-Fokker Effect", Reagan's referred to as President; the book was written in the late sixties/early 70s (don't have my copy here), back when he was either still Governor of CA, or was still running for same — in either way, a long-shot candidiate for President.
There's also a Mad Magazine ad-parody from the 1970s, based around a Rum (? — again, don't have it with me) campaign, which basically put forth the same idea of "What? Reagan as President?! That's the funniest thing ever!" If I recall, it had a sort of amused/clueless looking Reagan waving and beaming, with party/family members looking embarrassed for him.
I just find these things amusing in retrospect.
Kittysneezes.com: All Things To All People
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| | | | | 79. Re: Obscure Reagan reference from 1955 | | | | by SacredGroundChuck | | | | at Thu 23 Oct 6:26am | score of 1 | | in reply to comment 75 | | | | | |
Can't find it on the web, but a more-than-usually politically charged episode of All In The Family had an argument between Archie and Mike Stivic around the time of the 1972 election; at one point, Mike tells Archie, "We all know Ronald Reagan's gonna be elected president in 1980!"
Well, it was funny then.
"Did you know that the human brain is the only computer in the universe made of meat?"
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