A brief swerve into political mode (Unbridled Cynicism Dep't)

Hey, look: it's the congressional version of a Hugo Losers' Party.

A closed-door panel of defeated and retiring members [of the U.S. Congress], including Katherine Harris, R-Fla.; Clay Shaw, R-Fla.; Mike Bilirakis, R-Fla.; Anne Northup, R-Ky.; J.D. Hayworth, R-Ariz.; and Ed Case, D-Hawaii, turned up in the Longworth Building on Tuesday for a career advice panel called “Life After Congress.”

“The main idea is you’re making the transition between being the grovelee versus the groveler,” said former Appropriations Chairman Bob Livingston, who now helms his own lobbying shop. “Before you were a Democrat or Republican. Now you are bipartisan beyond belief.”

He suggested they talk to some of the 37,000 lobbyists in the city and find out what they do, according to our spy in the room.

Oh yeah, just what we all need:  more lobbyists. (headclutch)

 

More Cynicism: Reality (yeah, sure) Television (theoretically) Dep't

Guns? They're giving them guns now??

Erik Estrada and other lesser celebrities have been sworn in as reserve officers of the city police department here, allowing them to carry badges and guns as part of a reality television series.

About 200 people packed into a Muncie City Hall auditorium for the Tuesday ceremony to swear in the former "CHiPs" star, along with La Toya Jackson, Jack Osbourne, Wee Man and Trish Stratus.

"Allowing them to carry badges and guns?"  Carry them where? (shudder) 

Not Ireland, I'd guess. We're probably safe from them here. But if I lived in Muncie, I'd start worrying.

More Hogfather stuff

Just for those of you who might be interested: Sky has a good-sized Hogfather page.

OK, is this an alternate-universe version of Variety?

Sometimes you do wonder.

Taking their inspiration from "Team America," an enterprising group of British filmmakers has started work on "Jackboots on Whitehall," a WW2 comedy spoof using action figures as the characters, voiced by a stellar cast of British actors.

Directed by debut helmer Edward McHenry, the pic imagines what would have happened if the Germans had won the Battle of Britain but were ultimately defeated by the Scots.

It stars Timothy Spall as Churchill, Alan Cumming as Hitler, Tom Wilkinson as Goebbels and Richard O'Brien as Himmler, along with Rosamund Pike, Richard E. Grant and Sanjeev Bhaskar. One American role remains to be cast.

"It's 'Team America' in style and tone but without the strings," says producer Frank Mannion of Swipe Films. "We are using specially made 'Action Man' type action figures, and purpose built models of Hadrian's Wall, Downing Street, etc. It's live action as opposed to animation or stop motion."

So. ODD.