"HOPE" - Ain't Just A Poster

In 2008, Shepard Fairey's "Hope" poster became a symbol of change that, then presidential nominee, Barack Obama would bring to the White House.

It is still an image that brings about a lot of emotions regardless of political belief.
If you're PRO-bama (I AM!), it brings about a feeling of optimism, possibility, quite simply -HOPE.
If you're ANTI-bama (If you're reading this, you're likely not), it brings about feelings of anger, frustration, negativity.

What it never did, until last night, was brought about a feeling of prognostication.

Late yesterday, it was revealed Donald and Melania Trump have tested positive for COVID-19. A lot of people believe they may have contracted it on the campaign trail from Trump's adviser, Hope Hicks who tested positive a couple days before.

Donald Trump is 74 years old. This puts him in a much higher risk grouping than if he were say 51 years older, which is how old Barack Obama was when he was running for re-election in 2012.

Obesity is often cited as an extremely high risk factor in COVID-19 patients. And contrary to the "medical reports" that come from the White House, Trump doesn't seem to be the model of good health. We have all seen the photos of Donald Trump on the golf course. They don't appear to be of a svelte man who is concerned about his BMI.

It remains to be seen how serious this diagnosis will affect him, but personally, at this point, I'd prefer to see Trump removed from office at the polls. And definitively so! If however this virus proves to be the downfall of this President, Fairey's poster will take on a much more ominous meaning.

We always hear about weird *facts in politics such as Abraham Lincoln's secretary was named Kennedy and John F. Kennedy's secretary was named Lincoln.

But THIS would be more akin to General George B. McClellan running against Lincoln on the platform of changing the seating in local diners with the following poster:

Regardless, it would appear, "It is what it is."








*FACT: Lincoln’s secretaries were named John George Nicolay and John M. Hay, not Kennedy.

Happy Holidays!

As bloggers everywhere write their obligatory “I’m thankful for the following” lists, I decided I’d forgo the entry meant merely to tout your year’s accomplishments.  I mean, do I need to mention I co-write and produce a musical to critical acclaim? ( still got it in, YES!)

Instead I wanted to write about the expression, “Happy Holidays.”  Because NOBODY else is thinking of doing that.  

“Yeah Kev, why don’t people just say ‘Merry Christmas’?” 

Ummm…yeah.  That’s not really what I meant.  

In this ever growing ugly world, where we are all one misunderstood gesture away from being shot in the face, I get why people don’t want to “assume” by saying “Merry Christmas.”  Oh, also…it’s NOT FUCKING CHRISTMAS YET!

That said, I don’t mind someone saying “Happy Holidays” to me as opposed to assuming I celebrate Christmas.  I do.  But how would they know that?  

Likewise, I don’t mind someone saying “God Bless You” when I sneeze, as opposed to assuming I’m not into Religion.  I’m not.  I’d never spurned a person’s kind words or gesture, because it just might make this world grow uglier a little slower.

But NONE of this is the point for my writing of “Happy Holidays.”  Instead I am curious, which holidays are you wishing me happiness towards?  Obviously there are the BIG three:  

Christmas.  It’s still 28 days away  (that’s a rehab stint),

Chanukah or Hanukkah.  No one really knows how to spelling it, which means I probably should have been Jewish ( terrible speller)

Thanksgiving.  Or as it is sometimes aptly known, “The Day We Gave Indians Smallpox Blankets In Exchange For Teaching Us How To Live Off Their Land.” (Man, that’s a mouth full)

But there are OTHER Holidays that fall within the “Holiday” spectrum of November 9^th- December 30^th/31^st.  My guess is their inclusion is why MANY conservative types rail against saying “Happy Holidays” as opposed to Merry Christmas.

“I don’t mind wish my Jewish friends a Happy Hanukkah, but there are probably Muslim holidays in there too!”

I know.  We get it.  You’re a dick.

First, allow me tell you how I came up with my timeframe parameters:  I firmly believe, no Holiday should be celebrated until after Election Day.  

“Kevin, isn’t your birthday usually around Election Day?  And can’t this be interpreted as a selfish way for you to keep the focus on you a little longer?”

Ummm…yeah.  But if we do start the first week of November, why not back up to include Halloween under the “Happy Holidays” umbrella as well?

SIDE NOTE:  While trick or treating with my nephew, I wished a woman a “Happy Halloween.”  She returned the gratitude with candy and by saying, “Happy Holidays” to me.  I laughed at her.  And then threw the Good N’ Plentys at her face…cause those things are fucking gross!

“OK Kevin, I concede that Halloween should NOT be covered under the ‘Happy Holidays’ brand.  As no one has a problem saying ‘Happy Halloween’ except maybe Brits with a Cockney accent who say, ‘‘appy ‘alloween’.   But why only go until December 30th/31^st?  Shouldn’t this cover New Year’s?  And what’s the deal with it being 30^th/31^st anyway?”

OK.  Allow me to address this point by point.

1. Thank You
2. Please don’t make fun of the Brits.  They are our allies in most of the world’s problems and more importantly, they gave us Doctor Who
3. Because, similar to how you point out “no one has a problem saying ‘Happy Halloween’,” they don’t have a problem saying “Happy New Years” either as it appears on our Roman/Greco calendar .
4. Good question.

Right or wrong, we have stretched the Christmas season to last from the second you get up from the Thanksgiving table to New Years Eve.  Personally, I view Christmas like a rollercoaster.  The buildup lasts FAR longer than the actual event.  That said, I think Christmas ends the first time you forget to turn on your Christmas lights, which is either 12/30 or 12/31.  It just happens, folks.

So what are all of the holidays that are supported by the catch all, “Happy Holidays”?  Here is a list of Holidays celebrated in the US during that timeframe:  

11/28 Thanksgiving – National Holiday

11/28 Hanukkah (begins) – Jewish Holiday

11/29 American Indian Heritage Day – State Holiday in Maryland

11/29 Robert E. Lee’s Birthday – State Holiday in Georgia

11/29 President’s Day – State Holiday in New Mexico

11/29 Black Friday – State Holiday in 17 states

11/29 Lincoln’s Birthday* – State Holiday in West Virginia & Indiana

*This is bizarre as Lincoln’s birthday is 2/12.  However this was done to give state worker’s a day off for the day after Thanksgiving.

12/1 First Day of Advent – Christina Holiday

12/2 Cyber Monday – Observance

12/5 Last Day of Hanukkah – Jewish Holiday

12/6 St. Nicholas Day – Observance

12/7 Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day – Observance

12/8 Feast of the Immaculate Conception – Christian Holiday

12/12 Feast of Our Lady of Guadalupe – Observation

12/17 Pan American Aviation Day – Observance

12/17 Wright Brothers Day – Observance

12/21 December Solstice – Season

12/24 Washington’s Birthday* – State Holiday in Indiana

*It’s actually 2/22…again, weird.

12/24 Christmas Eve – Observance, Christian Holiday.  Also, state holiday in:  Kansas, Kentucky, Michigan, North Carolina, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Texas and Wisconsin

12/25 Christmas Day – National Holiday/Christian

12/26 Day After Christmas – State Holiday in Kansas, North Carolina, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Texas  (Clever name guys!  It’s also Boxing Day in Canada, but the US barely recognizes Canada as a nation, surely they won’t recognize their dumb holidays)

12/26 Kwanzaa – Observance

So next time you wish someone a Happy Holiday, just remember, what you’re really saying. 

“Have a ‘PANTASTIC’ Pan American Aviation Day!”  

Which sounds stupid, even with a Cockney accent.

Lincoln was English?

“A British actor shouldn't be playing the part of an American President.”

This is a gem I overheard at work this morning during a discussion I was having, with a totally different person, about Daniel Day-Lewis winning his 3rd Best Actor Award for his role in Lincoln. 

Really?

Let’s explore this a bit deeper:

2011 – Jean Dujardin, a Frenchman won for his role in the Artist.  In the role, he presumably plays an American…though, (spoiler) as it turns out he was in fact French all along.  So a Non American won the award.

2010 – Colin Firth, a Brit won for his British portrayal of British King George in The King’s Speech.  It should be noted that Firth is married to an Italian woman who didn’t speak English when they met.  In fact he learned to speak Italian to be able to communicate with her…talk about the “King” of speech.  So a Non American won the award.

2009 – Jeff Bridges, an American won for his ‘MERICAN performance as a country singer in Crazy Heart.  The dude abides.

This means it’s been 3 years since an American won the Best Actor Award…meaning sometimes, there are better actors than those born and raised on the continental U.S.A. 

So what’s with the Xenophobia?  Which is the 2013 P.C. way of saying “racism.”

Jean Dujardin, isn’t best friend with a dog, Colin Firth, isn’t a King and Jeff Bridges, isn’t a washed up country star (though he probably could be).  It’s acting.  Pretend.  Make believe.  Why should it make who plays the part?

Let go EVEN deeper:

2008 – Sean Penn won the Oscar for playing a gay man.  He’s been married to Madonna and Robin Wright.  My understanding is he’s straight.  Acting.

2007 – Daniel Day-Lewis (the cause of all of this drama) won for There Will Be Blood.  Lewis has never discovered oil, nor was he alive in 1902 when the film took place.  Acting.

2006 – Forest Whitaker won for playing Ugandan dictator Idi Amin in The Last King of Scotland.  The man was in Good Morning Vietnam…he’s hardly a dictator.  Acting.

How about an American playing another Nationality? Like, Meryl Streep in 2011 as Margaret Thatcher in The Iron Lady.  This is a VERY powerful woman in British political history, Streep would go on to win the Best Actress award for the role.  AMAZING Acting.

In the end, I could careless what nationality a person is, as long as they are the best person for the role.  Don’t agree?  Ask South African Charlize Theron if actors should ONLY be allowed to play characters of their same nationality.  

She might agree with you if you bring up Reindeer Games. Acting?