Okay, I've missed something

[justalurkr]

What's the deal with Clint Eastwood talking to an empty chair? The political cartoons at gocomics.com are all over it, and my curiosity is piqued.

edited to add: Accidentally came across this item on a Chicago Sun-Times blog, linked from a tv post at afterelton.com. Am now more interested in Thomas's new love interest on Downton Abbey and Sherlock as manga? Really? Still, I agree it takes hanging, clanking balls of brass to ad lib for 12 MINUTES on live TV in front of tens of millions of viewers. I haven't seen the vid, and will likely take umbrage at a great deal that is said at the RNC, but my hat's off to Mr. Eastwood for going big.

Comments

[nialla]

He was a surprise speaker at the RNC. Such speeches are normally less than five minutes and he went about 3 times that, with an empty chair beside him representing Obama. He would talk to the chair as if he were talking to the President, then pass on Obama's responses.

This is why actors have scripts and directors.

http://youtu.be/3DGl-4gByV4

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

That it took place at the Republican National Convention explains why I didn't see it live. That I've been ditching news from pretty much all input channels except for editorial cartoons at gocomics explains why it took me awhile to notice. Vid is cuing up now. On one hand, Mr. Eastwood has aged. On the other hand, he's still got it in the rugged good looks department as far as I'm concerned. However, this situation not only illustrates the benefits of scripts and directors, but why public figures who depend on broad consumption of their material for their commercial success should probably stay out of politics.

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

Also, thank you for the link. :D

I was think of you this weekend at con when I purchased a T-shirt that says "Read Recklessly."

[nialla]

That's the only way to read!

[justalurkr.livejournal.com]

I must now engage in a moment of icon adoration. :D

Yeah, I never understood the idea behind "read responsibly," unless it was that they were riffing on the standard lottery ad's admonition to "play responsibly," as if reading were as daring as playing the lottery.

[nialla]

I think it's a riff on "drink responsibly" which translates to "don't get drunk on information". ;)