So, The Simpsons is still on! The eminently quotable show is in its 20th year and Fox aired a 90-minute special directed by documentarian Morgan Spurlock to celebrate the momentous occasion. Various celebrities discussed their favorite characters. Our fair mayor, Gavin Newsom, joined Jerry Springer in singing the praises of the corrupt and reprehensible Mayor "Diamond" Joe Quimby of Springfield. (Check out the video here.)
Of the Kennedy-esque cartoon politician Newsom says, "The corruption, the graft, the sexual escapades! It's just a typical day on the job!" Gawker is
quick to point out that the interview is engineered for maximum cynical self-referential humor: "Springer, during his unsuccessful 1982 campaign for Ohio governor improbably turned the fact that he slept with a hooker into a campaign ad; and Newsom slept with his campaign manager's wife. You could totally see Quimby doing these things." Okay, we're just going to say it: D'oh!
Wired magazine
got an early look at the special, and of Newsom's appearance they quipped, "Newsom's mention of Diamond Joe's "sexual escapades and heavy drinking" especially shines, considering the real-life politician's real-world experiences on similar terrain. There's got to be a joke in there somewhere." Yes...
somewhere.
The Chron's City Insider blog called the mayor's spokesperson,
Joe Arellano, for comment about the appearance and received this rather
short response, " "We're not focused on that. It's a cartoon, and the
mayor is focused on much more important issues right now such as the
city budget." Hey Joe -- here's an idea: If Gavin Newsom doesn't want questions about bizarre and inane things he says on TV, he should avoid saying bizarre and inane things on TV. And do you really want to talk about the city budget?
Local Twitter pundits had their say as well. Responses ranged from anger:
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to
stoked:
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to, um,
very complimentary:
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So there you have it. The takeaway message: Gav is easy on the eyes.
