Whadja Expect?

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Taking time out from his promotion tour for his latest book, "The Woman Who Wouldn't," (St. Martin's), author Gene Wilder offers consolation to Barack Obama about the voters of western Pennsylvania.

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Posted by Jeffrey Wells on April 21, 2008 at 7:00 PM

comment #1

Josh Massey says ...

I'm setting the over/under for "States Jeff Has Actually Been To" at seven. Place your bets!

Posted by Josh Massey at April 21, 2008 8:26 PM

comment #2

corey3rd says ...

I thought Gene Wilder died five years ago. I wonder if he got my flowers.

Posted by corey3rd at April 21, 2008 8:32 PM

comment #3

gruver1 says ...

Wells to Massey: I've been to Pittsburgh twice, daddy-o -- once to write about George Romero's and Stephen King's "Creepshow," another time just to hang there & drink beer with the locals. I've been all around this country; I know what makes things run. I know first-hand what them old boys is like.

Posted by gruver1 at April 21, 2008 9:52 PM

comment #4

Terry McCarty says ...

corey3rd wrote:
I thought Gene Wilder died five years ago. I wonder if he got my flowers.

Finally watched the Gene Wilder/Alec Baldwin discussion I TiVoed off TCM last week. Interesting overall, with a little of the "I-gotta-be-me" showbiz egotism creeping in on both their parts.

Too bad Wilder seems to despise going back to movies; it would be interesting to see him and Jonah Hill find some kind of PG-13ish grandfather/grandson comedy that could accomodate their respective comic skills.

Posted by Terry McCarty at April 21, 2008 10:47 PM

comment #5

Mgmax, le Corbeau says ...

Why the hell should they vote for Obama when he and all those on his side have done nothing but scold and harangue and insult them for the last few weeks? It takes a lot to make yourself the candidate of sticking it to the ordinary joe and blaming the world on him when your opponent is Hillary Clinton, but that's what Obama's crowd have succeeded at doing-- letting Joe know that he'll spend four long years in the crosshairs being yelled at about everything he's done wrong if Obama wins. If Obama could have found a way to make common cause with those guys, he could have won them, at least in the primary, but too many people on Obama's side have too much invested in cultural snobbery toward them, and nobody votes against their own interests when the case is put that plainly against you.

Posted by Mgmax, le Corbeau at April 22, 2008 6:46 AM

comment #6

Major Calloway says ...

It's pretty funny how these salt-of-the-earth morons are being turned on by their own party. I guess these people have been convinced all this time by listening to people like Bruce Springsteen and Bill Moyers that they're democrats, because they're stupid but want to feel like good people.

It's not about voting for Obama. What they want is to get them out of the party. They're too messy and are making the place smell like Republicans.

Posted by Major Calloway at April 22, 2008 7:45 AM

comment #7

PerfectTommy says ...

Off the subject (might have fit better under "Dullness, Dullness" since it refers to that boring WWII) but it is quite cool that Charles Durning is being honored in France for his service on D-Day and beyond.

http://www.laobserved.com/archive/2008/04/france_honors_charles_dur.php

Posted by PerfectTommy at April 22, 2008 7:51 AM

comment #8

dixiedugan says ...

Wow PerfectTommy, thanks for the link. Wonderful for Durning!

I'm not even gonna comment on the other...yeah, it's funny and I love Blazing Saddles, but I'm really sick to death of the Middle America and common folk bashing. Old old old.

Posted by dixiedugan at April 22, 2008 8:27 AM

comment #9

Major Calloway says ...

Not dull at all, PerfectTommy, thanks for sharing that link. It's very cool indeed. What an amazing -- and brutal -- year for anyone to go through, let alone one so young. (Though he was 21 on D-Day, not 17.) Ironic that one of our greatest character actors led a life more fascinating than most lead roles.

Anyone not familiar with Malmedy is urged to read about it:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Malmedy_massacre

I think this honor is probably worth giving the man his own thread....

Posted by Major Calloway at April 22, 2008 8:37 AM

comment #10

dixiedugan says ...

Hear hear Major Calloway - considering how many of our WW2 vets die in a day it's great to see Durning receive this honor.

Posted by dixiedugan at April 22, 2008 8:45 AM

comment #11

D.Z. says ...

Mgmax: "letting Joe know that he'll spend four long years in the crosshairs being yelled at about everything he's done wrong if Obama wins."

Actually, we'd be yelling at said person if Obama lost.

"If Obama could have found a way to make common cause with those guys, he could have won them, at least in the primary, but too many people on Obama's side have too much invested in cultural snobbery toward them, and nobody votes against their own interests when the case is put that plainly against you."

They voted for Bush, in spite of their own interests...

Posted by D.Z. at April 22, 2008 3:09 PM

comment #12