'An American Carol'

We present Bill O'Reilly presenting the trailer for the new movie An American Carol, which is ostensibly a right-wing version of A Christmas Carol, but with the Scrooge role played by Chris Farley's brother Kevin Farley, starring as a spoofed version of documentarian Michael Moore.

A few thoughts:

• Did Kelsey Grammer and Dennis Hopper realize they had been cast in this film, or did they think they were still doing re-shoots for Swing Vote?

• Is David Zucker (co-writer and co-director of Airplane!) making a self-aware spoof of a spoof, and not really making fun of Michael Moore or left-wing liberals at all? Or is he just making a crappy spoof movie like all those Scary Movie/Superhero Movie/Epic Movie/Movie Movie Movie types that have poisoned comedy lately?

• How can Bill O'Reilly still call himself "humble"?

• Chris Farley's brother might actually be pretty funny, anyway.

-- Daniel Lehman

Comments

[tim]

Er...

[Randy Shiner]

Given David and Jerry Zucker's ouevre, this film has to be what you first indicated: a very self-aware spoof of what a "Conservative" spoof of Michael Moore's own ouevre might look like. No-one could reasonably believe that this is anything other than that: Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer and Kevin Farley are, I don't think, not going to be involved with a beat-your-chest Conservative spoof that is a real, live Conservative spoof. The joke is on Bill O'Reilly and his ilk. Everyone loves America; the question is whether the public will see how much chest-beating has done for and to this country, that is if you like America being a broke, toothless, paper tiger without the moral or other authority to assert all that we love about our freedom elsewhere in the world.

[Randy Shiner]

Given David and Jerry Zucker's ouevre, this film has to be what you first indicated: a very self-aware spoof of what a "Conservative" spoof of Michael Moore's own ouevre might look like. No-one could reasonably believe that this is anything other than that: Dennis Hopper, Kelsey Grammer and Kevin Farley are, I don't think, not going to be involved with a beat-your-chest Conservative spoof that is a real, live Conservative spoof. The joke is on Bill O'Reilly and his ilk. Everyone loves America; the question is whether the public will see how much chest-beating has done for and to this country, that is if you like America being a broke, toothless, paper tiger without the moral or other authority to assert all that we love about our freedom elsewhere in the world.

[Enormous Respect for David Zucker]

"making a self-aware spoof of a spoof, and not really making fun of Michael Moore or left-wing liberals at all?"

I am sure you are perfectly aware of Zucker's intention about the film. I find it not in the least bit cute that you ask this rather disingenuous, snide question.

I respect David Zucker for sticking his neck out and risking his career on his principles (as he has stated in interviews).

I'm also a neoconservative and am not so open about it as Zucker. I too am a neocon in a left wing (I will not say liberal - that suggests tolerance and it's anything but) work environment and do not express my views for career reasons. Zucker is a braver person than myself.

[Steve]

"An American Carol" is a Conservative interpretation of Dicken's "A Christmas Carol." This movie is not a parody or satire of Michael Moore's movies, it uses his beliefs, exaggerates them, applies them to the holiday of Independence Day. By doing that, they use Michael Moore as their version of Ebeneezer Scrooge.

Also substitude Independence Day for Christmas Day, John F Kennedy for Marley, and George S. Patton, George Washington, and the Angel of Death for the three spirits.

This isn't just a simple spoof - it is also a comical interpretation of a classic in literature.

I haven't seen it, but I have found the liberal complaints on the web very interesting, as most have not figured out what the movie is about, despite the fact that the information is available.

For example, why is Gary Coleman pictured as Michael's slave? It is because, in that seen, Michael is being shown what the world would have been if some of his political views had been applied in the past.

My favorite line (so far) is where Michael's military nephew stops by Michael's rally office and is asked if he is there for the "Soldier's Against Guns" rally. His response is that the guns come in handy when they have to fight...

[Rick Gibson]

Could conservatives possibly mean what they say, or are they really subtly mocking themselves because "everyone" knows that no one could possibly take conservative ideas seriously?

Could liberals possibly be as arrogant as they seem to be, or are they subtly mocking themselves by pretending to believe that their point of view is the only one that anyone could hold?