The West Wing come to life

The last season of "The West Wing" was all about the presidential election, where a darkhorse candidate prevailed in a extremely close primary against the party insiders and then in the general election against a moderate Republican. Sounds pretty familiar, huh? It did to me. I had remarked on this to some people, but the connection hadn't made the press. Until now. This video really highlights and explains the similarities between the TV show and the current campaign. It's worth noting, however, that originally, Jimmy Smits' character was supposed to lose the general election. It was only after John Spencer's (he played Leo) death that the producers decided that it would be too depressing to have Santos lose his running mate and the election in two weeks. Hopefully that's one thing real life can skip over.

Pragmatism At Last

There's an article in the New Republic yesterday that I thought was among the most informative and hopeful reads I've had in a while. It describes the policy-making wing of Obama's campaign. People who aren't ideologues or partisans, who are more interested in purity of thought or (worse), winning in a struggle against the other party; but people who are complete pragmatists. Thinkers who are most interested in what solutions work, what steps that would make the most benefit for the most people. It's not the most exciting thing a candidate ever had, but it so perfectly meshes with Obama's soaring rhetoric. He talks in speeches about bringing people together, well, I think that most people don't care about who's winning, they care about making their lives easier, and pragmatism is the ultimate way to go about that. I'm an Obama person, but I can see how some people would have trouble with him. They think there might be no there there. This article, however, gives me a lot of, yes, Hope (TM) for what a President Obama would be able to propose and get accomplished.

Wii Much?

I can't believe I haven't blogged about the Wii yet! It's probably among the best electronic inventions of the 21st Century. Take that, iPhone! And it'll probably be the best invention until jetpacks are perfected. It's a little silly to love playing it so much, but the idea that you don't have to push a bunch of buttons, but can wave a remote and the figure moves... it's just amazing to me everytime I turn it on and it responds to where I'm waving the remote.

Really, though, the big key to this thing is going to be later this year when LucasArts come out with the Star Wars game. A lightsaber handle is included with the game. It's ridiculous, but every 30-something gamer is going to buy it and instantly become the Star Wars Kid... and love every minute of it.

It turns out that Andrew McCarthy is NOT dead...

He's in a show on NBC with Brooke Shields, Lipstick Jungle. Now I'm not going to be watching this show (it's a semi-knockoff of Sex and the City), but he was just mentioned to me this week as a former leading man who. He's now second fiddle to Brooke Shields and two other, random women, while his co-star James Spader has awards and a starring role on that Boston Legal show. Poor Andrew... at least his career isn't Molly Ringwald-ized yet. Anyway, he's posting a blog at Slate.com about getting the show off the ground and it's a pretty interesting backstage look at how a TV show is produced and the intricacies in putting a new show on TV. Check it out!

Also, today's voting day, so if you're in a state that's holding a primary today, get out and vote!

Strike over?

Really?

I see that some media outlets (TV Week, Deadline Hollywood Daily) are reporting that the Writer's Strike is over. I hope it's true, the idea of a season of retreads of fantastic movies like "The Eye" and "Fool's Gold" is truly horrifying. And that's just the movies, TV has it much worse. Since pilot season is over, there won't be any new shows unless the strike is settled. I dearly hope that this strike has broken the pattern of upfronts (where the networks present their new fall seasons to advertisers and reporters in May). The upfronts were hugely expensive and wasteful and in the internet age, you don't need to gather people in a big hall to make a presentation, it can all be done online. With more money available, there'll be more money for better writers and thus, better shows. Ideally. I'm sure that we'll still get a full crop of schlock reality shows and hidden camera exposes. Ugh. Give me a good scripted drama every time.

Anyway, if it's true and it's not certain, but if it is, it's time for some restrained rejoicing. I'm not talking V-E Day or anything, but maybe something on the order of your niece's high school graduation: a long, boring experience followed by a pretty good party, but don't get too crazy, there's kids here.