The Beck Comedy Week That Was, Vol II, Special ACORN Edition
Reported by Guest Blogger - September 12, 2009 -
Guest blogged by Aunty Em
The "Crossover” is one of the oldest gimmicks on tee vee, especially in the world of sitcoms. Danny Thomas appears on the Andy Griffith Show, Maude shows up to give Archie a hard time, and Jack Bauer of 24, and The Simpsons team up to solve a horrible terrorist plot. But, no network does crossovers like Faux Noise. Each show is always reinforcing the plotlines of another.
In a shortened week, because of the Socialist/Liberal/Unionizing National Holiday™ a/k/a Labor Day, Glenn Beck, pulled off a rare sitcom crossover stunt. Glenn “Clampett” Beck pulled his Crazy Train into more than one stop on Tuesday alone, starting in Petticoat Junction, where he talked to the citizens of Hooterville.
One of the comedy routines Faux & Fiends performed along with Beck is as old as “Who’s on First,” but nevertheless a good time was had by all. The set-up involves The Patriot Act. The Beckster first says he’s been warning the public against the Patriot Act and government intrusion into our personal lives since long before 9/11. (Huh?)
“You put fear and hunger into the American people and they will listen to anybody who will solve that problem. And, that’s what we’re doing now.”
I’m not sure if he’s describing his network’s tactics, or not, because it sounds so self-referential, but it’s still Comedy Gold.
Tangentially, one of the reasons Ben Gleck™ is my favourite tee vee comedian is because of the extreme generosity he displays to up and coming funnymen. Think Johnny Carson, who loved to just lean back and showcase other up and coming comedians. Or Bob Newhart, who always gave the best laugh lines to the other characters. So that’s why I wasn’t surprised when the Dark-Haired Guy Who’s Not Doocy got off the funniest lines of the exchange.
“But the intent of George Bush -- many people thought, ‘Hey listen. We’re under attack. 9/11. This is what we need to do. We got to find out. We got to listen.’ I still don’t have any problem with The Patriot Act. You still have a problem with the Patriot Act.”
Beck interjects, “Absolutely.”
“But you think that has gone to the nth degree with this Administration?”
And then proving his comedy chops, Beck reverts to his incredible mimicry, rivaling Rich Little and Frank Gorshin.
“You cannot give these people any more power. It’s like Gandalf. Somebody needs to stand at that bridge and say, ’You shall not pass.’ There needs to be a line drawn.”
Asked to preview what was coming up this week on his show, Beck turned coy, but still got off the cropper of the skit, which was that “people will go to jail.”
[EMBED CLIP: ]
Of course Beck appeared on his own show that day. No one went to jail, a big disappointment for me and Pops because there’s nothing we like better than a perp walk. No matter, since there were still laugh lines a-plenty on Tuesday.
“America, I‘ve never treated you as an imbecile.”
“Van Jones leaving? He’s more dangerous now.”
“I fired a guy who brought me the wrong pen once.”
It’s really hard to eat dinner laughing so hard. I may have to start cooking it later.
He also played a 2 or 3 minute piece of inspirational tape (think: Triumph of the Will) that was really a call-to-legs for people to show up Saturday for his 9/12 Rally.
That night, The Becketeer stopped Crazy Train in Stankwell Falls long enough to appear on The O'Green Acres Factor with Oliver Wendell Falafel, on his prime time show. A three-fer crossover for Beck in a single day! I don’t know of any tee vee comedian with the stamina for 3 shows in a day, and it was the first day of the week.
How can he top himself? Just wait!
Wednesday’s Beck Show began a careful 3-day hit piece analysis of Cass Sunstein. I don’t know if The Beckster is losing his superpowers, but despite his disapproval, by the end of the week Sunstein was confirmed by the Senate as the head of the Office of Information and Regulatory Affairs within the Office of Management and Budget.
It being the night of President Obama’s Health Care speech to the combined House, Glenn had a little boast of his own. He promised to deliver a story on Thursday’s show that would be so explosive it will knock Health Care right off the “media radar.”
But Beck was to be disappointed. He played the gotcha ACORN video on Thursday. The world didn’t end and the news the next day was that some doofus yelled “You Lie!” at the POTUS. What’s a Beck to do?
So, he spent most of Friday whining that the MSM ignored his ACORN story, despite the fact that the MSM had no way to vet the story properly and journalistically. That’s when he shared a new “Smile, You’re On Candid ACORN Tape.”
The rest of the show he promoted his big Million Dittohead March.
Then, to bookend a week of crossovers, Blech pulled the train back into Falafelville Friday night. He and Loofah Lad used the Extravaganza Hour™ to wrap up the Conspiracy Memes O’the Week: Van Jones, ACORN, NEA, Democracy at Risk, Constitution Ignored, trying to silence The Reich.
It all culminated in yet another orgiastic, final, last-minute promo of his 9/12 Project.
To hear Beck talk of it, it’s going to be a combination Teabagger Folk Art Festival, Free Dumb Concert, and the biggest gathering of Wing Nut Wonkery this side of the Pecos.
And, isn’t it great that Beck will pull his train into Bugtussle, DC, on Saturday and host LIVE the event he’s been promoting as a SPONTANEOUS GRASSROOTS event for the past 6 months? At this point tee vee comedy should retire the “crossover.” Not even Bob Newhart could come up with such a closed loop system.
