Regards, Ivan
Posted on 09/13/2002 8:10:01 AM PDT by MadIvan
Argentina, a country in despair at the state of its own politicians, is turning to reality TV to chose a candidate to put up for the next election.
A Buenos Aires television channel is launching a show called The People's Candidate in which the winner will be nominated as a candidate for the 2003 congressional elections, representing a new party.
The "Starstruck" Party one presumes. - Ivan
About 800 people have already auditioned for the show, including pensioners, transvestites and the unemployed.
The search is already underway as judges whittle the hopefuls down to 16 who will appear on the show.
"Political disenchantment is the common denominator of all those who have come forward," said Sebastian Melendez, the show's producer and creator.
Viewers will vote for the candidate they want to represent the People's Party for a seat in the lower house of Congress with the winner being announced on 1 December.
Argentina has suffered one of its worst political and economic periods in history, leaving 20% of the workforce unemployed and many not being able to access their own money in banks.
The BBC's South America correspondent Peter Greste said: "Public disenchantment with their current stock of politicians is now so low that the most common chant at anti-government rallies is 'All of Them Out'."
The instability is evident in the fact that the country has seen five presidents and six economy ministers pass through in a year.
Change of attitude
University of Buenos Aires economist Marcelo Lascano, said the programme is yet another sign that the public simply does not believe its politicians have the capacity to lead the country out of the current crisis.
The would-be candidates hoping to be picked by the public have been airing their views on how they would attempt to get the country back on an even keel.
Ideas ranged from voting reforms to schemes to encourage laughter.
Ivana Aguero, a 42-year-old food co-operative worker, wants a tough line to be taken.
"There are lots of reforms to be done. Competition and bankruptcy laws need changing," he said.
But others are seeking a less traditional method of politics.
"We're drawing up a plan to help Argentines recover a time when they laughed, whistled and sang in the streets," said paramedic Ruben Delauro.
"We need an urgent change of attitude. Laughter is the answer."
Meet the next leader of the "Don't Worry, Be Happy" Party - Ivan
Action hero
Meanwhile, a US network is searching for the next Arnold Schwarzenegger and Vin Diesel in a reality TV reality show called The Next Action Star.
Following on from the success of American Idol, NBC has teamed up with Lethal Weapon producer Joel Silver to uncover a pair of unknowns, one male one female, to transform into overnight screen heroes.
Producers are planning to choose 12 finalists who will live together while they are given acting lessons.
Although they are expecting a deluge of aspiring actors they are hoping some of the contestants will be drawn from the ranks of the totally inexperienced.
"We want to find that guy and that girl who have whatever Bruce Willis had when he was bar-tending, whatever Harrison Ford had when he was building houses," said a spokesman.
Regards, Ivan
Monty Python's Flying Circus - Election Night Special SketchCleese: (talking very fast, as do all the commentators): Hello, good evening and welcome to Election Night Special. There's tremendous excitement here at the moment and we should be getting the first results through any moment now. We're not sure where it will be from, it might be Leicester or from West Byfleet, the polling's been quite heavy in both areas. Ah, I'm just getting... I'm just getting... a buzzing noise in my left ear. Urgh, argh! (removes insect and stamps on it). And now let's go straight over to Leicester.
Palin: And it's a straight fight here at Leicester and we're expecting the result any moment now. There with the Returning Officer is Arthur Smith the sensible candidate and next to him is Jethro Q. Walrustitty the silly candidate with his agent and his silly wife.
Idle: (clears throat) Here is the result for Leicester. Arthur J. Smith...
Cleese: Sensible Party
Idle: ...30,612. (applause) Jethro Q. Bunn Whackett Buzzard Stubble and Boot Walrustitty...
Cleese: Silly Party
Idle: ...32,108. (applause)
Cleese: Well there's the first result and the Silly Party has held Leicester. What do you make of that, Norman?
Palin: Well, this is largely as I predicted, except that the Silly Party won. Er, I think this is largely due to the number of votes cast. Gerald.
Chapman: Well there's a big swing here to the Silly Party, but how big a swing I'm not going to tell you.
Palin: I think one should point out that in this constituency since the last election a lot of very silly people have moved into new housing estates with the result that a lot of sensible voters have moved further down the road the other side of number er, 29.
Cleese: Well I can't add anything to that. Colin?
Idle: Can I just say that this is the first time I've been on television?
Cleese: No I'm sorry, there isn't time, we're just going straight over to Luton.
Chapman: Well here at Luton it's a three-cornered contest between, from left to right, Alan Jones (Sensible Party), Tarquin Fin-tim-lim-bim-lim-bin-bim-bin-bim bus stop F'tang F'tang Ole Biscuitbarrel (Silly Party), and Kevin Phillips Bong, who is running on the Slightly Silly ticket. And here's the result.
Woman: Alan Jones...
Cleese: Sensible
Woman: ...9,112. Kevin Phillips Bong...
Cleese: Slightly Silly
Woman: Nought. Tarquin Fin-tim-lin-bin-whin-bim-lim bus stop F'tang F'tang Ole Biscuitbarrel...
Cleese: Silly
Woman: 12,441. (applause)
Cleese: Well there you have it, the first result of the election as the Silly Party take Luton. Norman.
Palin: Well this is a highly significant result. Luton, normally a very sensible constituency with a high proportion of people who aren't a bit silly, has gone completely ga-ga.
Cleese: And we've just heard that James Gilbert has with him the winning Silly candidate at Luton.
Idle: Tarquin, are you pleased with this result?
Palin: Ho yus, me old beauty, I should say so. (Silly noises including a goat bleating).
Cleese: And do we have the swing at Luton?
Chapman: Er... no.
Cleese: (pause) Right, well I can't add anything to that. Colin?
Idle: Can I just say that this is the second time I've been on television?
Cleese: No, I'm sorry there isn't time, we're just about to get another result.
Palin: And this one is from Harpenden Southeast. A very interesting constituency this: in addition to the official Silly candidate there is an unofficial Very Silly candidate, in the slab of concrete, and he could well split the silly vote here at Harpenden Southeast.
Jones: Mrs Elsie Zzzzzzzzzzzzzzz...
Cleese: Silly
Jones: 26,317 (applause). Jeanette Walker...
Cleese: Sensible
Jones: 26,318...
Cleese: Very close!
Jones: Malcolm Peter Brian Telescope Adrian Blackpool Rock Stoatgobbler John Raw Vegetable Brrroooo Norman Michael (rings bell) (blows whistle) Edward (sounds car horn) (does train impersonation) (sounds buzzer) Thomas Moo... (sings) 'We'll keep a welcome in the...' (fires gun) William (makes silly noise) 'Raindrops keep falling on my' (weird noise) 'Don't sleep in the subway' (cuckoo cuckoo) Naaoooo... Smith.
Cleese: Very Silly
Jones: ...two.
Cleese: Well there you have it, a Sensible gain at Harpenden with the Silly vote being split.
Palin: And we've just heard from Luton that Tony Stratton-Smith has with him there the unsuccessful Slightly Silly candidate, Kevin Phillips Bong.
Idle: Kevin Phillips Bong. You polled no votes at all. Not a sausage. Bugger all. Are you at all disappointed with this performance?
Neil Innes: Not at all. As I always say:
Climb every mountain
Ford every stream,
Follow every by-way,
Till you find your dream.
(Sings) A dream that will last
All the love you can give
Every day of your life
For as long as you live.
All together now!
Climb every mountain
Ford every stream...
Cleese: A very brave Kevin Phillips Bong there. Norman.
Palin: And I've just heard from Luton that my aunt is ill. Possibly gastro-enteritis, possibly just catarrh. Gerald.
Cleese: Right. Er, Colin?
Idle: Can I just say that I'll never appear on television again?
Cleese: No I'm sorry, there isn't time, we have to pick up a few results you may have missed. A little pink pussy-cat has taken Barrow-in-Furness -- that's a gain from the Liberals there. Rastus Odinga Odinga has taken Wolverhampton Southwest, that's Enoch Powell's old constituency -- an important gain there for Darkie Power. Arthur Negus has held Bristols -- that's not a result, that's just a piece of gossip. Sir Alec Douglas Home has taken Oldham for the Stone Dead party. A small piece of putty about that big, a cheese mechanic from Dunbar and two frogs -- one called Kipper the other not -- have all gone 'Ni ni ni ni ni ni!' in Blackpool Central. And so it's beginning to look like a Silly landslide, and with the prospect of five more years' Silly government facing us we... Oh I don't want to do this any more, I'm bored!
Palin: He's right you know, it is a bloody waste of time.
Chapman: Absolute waste of time.
Regards, Ivan
I LOVE this line. *ROFLMAO*
Election Night Special was always one of my favourite sketches. Of course I can't help but think of Labour as being the Silly Party. ;)
In this case the Argentinians seem to want to invent a Very Silly Party. ;)
Best Regards, Ivan
... doesn't sound especially silly to me, considering the sad state to which their politicos have reduced them. ;^)
As in many elections, the results of these "reality shows" are often predetermined.
If they're following the same script as "Survivor", the queer will win.
Granted, they're probably not any worse...
Regards, Ivan
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