PresiDIDN'Ts

As I write this, the government has been shut down for 17 days, 6 hours, 49 minutes, and 11 seconds. So almost 15 days longer than Britney Spears marriage to Jason Alexander...

Not THAT Jason Alexander!

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On Friday January 4th, Donald Trump addressed the flowers in the Rose Garden. Luckily, some reporters were on hand to document his crazed ramblings, including the following in regards to his mythical wall:

This is national security we’re talking about. We’re not talking about games. We’re talking about national security. This should have been done by all of the Presidents that preceded me. And they all know it. Some of them have told me that we should have done it.

So a few quick things.

First of all, before you think I have misquoted him in anyway. THIS excerpt was taken directly from the White House's own website.

Second, let's not speak so confidentially about there NOT being a "National Security" game. After all, there are a few.

There's Homeland, the board game. For when you have absolutely nothing else in your life.

There's the Homeland Defense: National Security Patrol video games for teens who have yet to discover that there's porn to be found on the computer.

And finally there's the original National Security game, Risk. A game about global domination appropriate for ages 10-Despot.

Third and lastly, the reason I brought you all here, is to discuss the last line in the quote above, in which Mr, Trump says, "Some of them have told me that we should have done it." Referring to the fact that some of "the Presidents that preceded me," have told Trump that their administration should have built a wall.

Here's the issue: When you refer to abstract things IN the abstract, they are pretty hard to fact check "We need a wall, believe me!" But when you refer to concrete things (get it, walls are made of concrete) in the abstract, they are rather easily researchable.

Presidents Carter, W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama have all commented, through spokespeople, that they NEVER discussed the wall with the current President.

President HW Bush couldn't be reached for comment, because he's dead.
Though those close to him revealed that in his failing health during the Trump Presidency ("failing health" and "Trump Presidency" are synonyms.),  HW and Trump never had any substantive conversations.

A few of the former Presidents, including Carter, have also included their opinions regarding the wall in the exact opposite of Trump's claim.

Which leads me to the following...does this man, who cares very little of history or facts at all, think that most people were once the President?

Or, and this is where I'm leaning, did he in fact talk to a man who used to be president, and also a client, Sy Sperling?

I mean...we KNOW they've had at least ONE conversation before. Perhaps in that conversation more than one thing "came to a head."

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?