They meet discreetly once a month at a restaurantin the Valley. At first, there weren’t many–Jon Voight, KelseyGrammer, Dennis Hopper–but now…there still aren’t many. Nevertheless,they’re a resolute bunch: proud, loud, and a little lonely. They areHollywood’s conservatives. "You sort of feel like you have to hide it,"says director David Zucker. "When you meet, you give each other asecret look–’Are you a Republican too?’ It’s the new gay."
On Oct. 3, Zucker and his lunchmates will outthemselves when An American Carol, Hollywood’s first unabashedlyright-wing comedy, opens in 2,000 theaters. Think Dickens’ holidayclassic, spun by Pat Buchanan and infused with the gleeful absurdismZucker and his brother Jerry (a Democrat) used in ’80s comedytouchstones like Airplane! and Naked Gun. Voight plays the spirit ofGeorge Washington, Grammer stars as George Patton’s ghost, and Hopperportrays a conservative judge who picks off zombie ACLU lawyers with ashotgun. In the Scrooge role is Kevin Farley (younger brother of latecomedian Chris) as a slobby documentarian-named Michael Malone, forthose who need to be hit over the head–who bah-humbugs the Fourth ofJuly. Until, that is, Washington takes him to the World Trade Centerafter 9/11 and converts him into a patriot.
"Most political comedies say both sides are bad,"says Zucker. "We’re saying, F— it. We’re taking a side." Indeed,there is shtick in this flick that would offend even a pig in lipstick.There’s a jaw-dropping spoof of suicide-bomber training videos, and abit about "radical Christians" hijacking planes with weaponizedcrucifixes. Like Oliver Stone’s W., which opens two weeks later, Carolcould be an October surprise that ignites huge controversy just beforethe election–or it could be ignored by moviegoers of both parties.
Zucker’s politics are slightly more nuanced than hismovie’s. He’s pro-choice and a Sarah Palin fan; he drives a Prius yetsupports a party whose conventioneers chant "drill, baby, drill." Likea few of his lunch buddies–Hopper, for instance–he started on the otherside of the aisle. After 9/11, he switched parties due to what he sawas Democratic dithering. So he shot anti-John Kerry spots for the Bushcampaign, which is when he hit on the idea for Carol. Not that hebothered pitching it to the studios. "There’s no way they would havegone near it," he believes. "You go to meetings and everybody istalking about how Bush is an idiot. It’s part of the environment ofthis town."
Still, even in Hollywood, Republicans are pretty goodat raising money, and Zucker got $20 million from Mpower Pictures,which Passion of the Christ producer Stephen McEveety founded lastyear. Casting was a snap–Zucker’s lunch pals filled most major parts,along with tinier ones (look for Gary Coleman as a plantation slave).He wanted Dan Whitney (Larry the Cable Guy) or Wayne Knight (Newman onSeinfeld) to play Malone, but they weren’t available. Then Zucker sawFarley on an episode of Curb Your Enthusiasm and set up ameeting–despite knowing nothing about his leanings. "He asked about mypolitics," Farley recalls. "I said to myself, ‘Okay, this is where Ilose the job,’ and told him that I was a longtime conservative."
Not everybody in Carol is a Republican–"I’m prettysure David Alan Grier was appalled," says Zucker–but most were clearlyenergized by the esprit de Goldwater. "When George Washington takes himto the World Trade Center, it made me cry," says Grammer. "A lot ofpeople don’t want to admit that a threat to this country exists. We’rewilling to admit it." And to make outrageously over-the-top jokes aboutit, including a gag about how Hollywood is renamed "Bin Laden Land"after the terrorists "win." Just how willing moviegoers will be to payto go see Carol, especially in neighborhoods like Zucker’s andGrammer’s, remains to be seen. Whatever happens, though, there willalways be a place for conservatism in Hollywood–at a restaurant way outin the Valley. –Benjamin Svetkey
To watch the trailer for An American Carol, click here. And be sure to check out EW’s recent presidential pop-culture debate between John McCain and Barack Obama.
Comments (1-30) of 225 Add your comment
Well, I hope that both Carol and W are equally well-made and allow for a dynamic environment for political satire (although I fear that Carol will be a shoddy cheese-fest).
I don’t agree with such overt political commentary on such a permanent medium as film. I don’t know; I feel that cutting remarks about the state of our country need to be captured in a shorter, more temporal way (i.e., viral videos and SNL intros).
I’ll go in with an open mind, but it sounds pretty damn stupid regardless of political content
A lot of star power there. So let me get this straight. It’s considered liberal to listen to common sense and expect more explanation and straight talk from your government and caring about the way we ravage the earth for waning resources? Zucker being pro-choice and pro-Palin is right in the Republican playbook: COMPLETE AND UTTER HYPOCRACY! God I love this country!
Well, at least we went for two whole comments before this became a pop-cultureless and fully political discussion…
This is going to tank. People are sick of both sides. The last thing we need, imo, is more extremism, from both liberals and conservatives. Oh, and Dennis Hopper is a conservative? Really?
I am more Democrat than Republican, but I have to admit this sounds awesome!
Hey Dennis N., news flash, Hollywood has always been about political movies. They’ve been doing it since the dawn of film. What do you think Syriana, The China Syndrome and Dave were all about?
WTF?
I don’t know, with powerhouses like Cary Coleman, the director of Baseketball & High School High PLUS actors like Kelsey Grammar, Jon Voight, and Dennis Hopper who are SO at the top of their game, this flick has enormous potential. I always find it amusing when celebrities claim to have”switch sides” after 9/11. I guess the fact that they had also accrued extremely large bank accounts by this time had nothing to do with it.
Republican is the new gay huh? So that means that the bunch can’t get married?
While I think the Liberals (especially MikeMoore) are ripe for satire or spoof or whatever they call it. The problem is that conservatives are not funny. They are the party of “we have stuff we don’t want others to have” like marriage, money, and Religion. IT is not funny to laugh at those who don’t have much or whose rights are trampled on. Lets face it, they want to believe in s strtict constitution where voters are only white land holding men.
Actually Dennis THEY made it political with the article if you read it. It’s a political movie!
“He’s pro-choice and a Sarah Palin fan”?? That’s not “nuanced,” just really, really dumb.
I think it’s great that a few conservatives are willing to buck the judgmental Hollywood establishment (which is, IMO, just as judgmental as they always claim conservatives to be… it’s just “cool” to be on the liberal side). That said, this movie looks like it’s going to suck, but at least someone is having the cojones to do it.
You guys, I know. I was just saying to tie in the topic of film and pop culture in general instead of using this as a soapbox. I wasn’t denying that politics aren’t IN film, and you’re totally right about there being political allegories in cinema. I should clarify my PERSONAL belief that I don’t think satire specifically should be utilized as a PRIMARY component in film. Children of Men, Syriana, etc., I believe, have an arresting plot with political undertones, but don’t try to bank their success on 90 minutes of partisan cheese. I don’t think satires like this will stand the test of time, like I’m sure the formerly mentioned movies will.
I’ve never heard of this movie. Have there been any ads for it?
Well I won’t watch it, but did you notice all the people mentioned the article were white, middle-aged, very wealthy men? And they’re Republicans?? I’m really shocked! [sarcasm]
This movie looks painfully unfunny.
Wow. Generalize much? I am a conservative (I do not hold hands with the Republican party) and do not laugh at those “who do not have much or whose rights or trampled upon.” I believe that the federal government, in accordance with the Constituton, should be a limited government (hello state and local governments). The federal government should not be big brother and that we should not be dependent upon the federal government for anything other than those responsibilities specifically defined in the Constitution. That does not equate to desiring that others not have money, marriage or otherwise. I am all for anyone having money that works for it (and I am against the feds taxing the hell out of it, no matter what you make) The federal government should not be involved in marriage issues, as that goes outside the realm of its authority. And religion..come on. There are extremists on both ends of the political spectrum. Lets not turn pop watch into generalized rants. It is beneath us!!
And no, I am not going to see An American Carol. I agree with Joel, this looks “painfully unfunny.”
Republicans may be the new gay, but I doubt anyone in La-la land lost a job for being a conservative. That being said this movie sounds like it could be hysterically funny or monumentally bad.
This isn’t the first right-wing comedy. Didn’t you see “Team America: World Police”? That movie killed the entire left-wing political movement in Hollywood. And I guarantee it’ll be approximately sixteen million times funny than this nonsense, because Trey Parker knows how to take an issue and dissect it. The Zucker Bros. forgot how to be funny two decades ago.
Minutiae – Perhaps parodies on 9/11, Christian suicide bombers, and slavery is gutsy but I would hope for film makers with less cojones and more brains.
Wow, this sounds horrendous.
Indeed, Anne. Indeed.
I’m a liberal, but hey, if it’s funny, it’s funny. I hope it is. I’ve liked some of Zucker’s stuff in the past. If my side of the fence can make good-hearted fun of the other, I say fair’s fair. I, for one, will wait until after I’ve seen it to cast judgement. As Voltaire said, “I do not agree with what you have to say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.” Leave it to a Frenchman to define America so succinctly.
LMAO….. No one packs em in like Kelsey Grammer! If he’s half as funny in this as he was in McHale’s Navy then this movie is sure to be a hit!
PS
Aren’t republicans the ones always complaing about biased filmmakers putting political messages into their movies? Guess it’s only bad when you don’t agree with the specific message. F’n hypocrites.
For those of you who havent yet seen clips from this film (lucky), you arent watching FOX news (even luckier), they have been promoting this turd for months. Theres actually a hilarious youtube clip where Hannity derails liberals for not having a sense of humor. LIBERALS NOT HAVING A SENSE OF HUMOR.
Let me get this straight: in the last eight years, we’ve had a mostly Republican-controlled government, a presidential administration that outed a CIA agent, appointed a know-nothing AG, and “lost” millions of inter-office e-mails, we’ve launched a poorly executed “War on Terror” and an unjust war in Iraq, our economy is doing horribly, the world hates us, and yet these Hollywood know-nothings are STILL banging the drum of 9/11 and claiming to be victims??? Taking a Moore stand-in to the World Trade Center after 9/11 and converting him into a patriot and shooting ACLU zombies? At the very least, didn’t these guys learn from Dennis Miller: that conservative comedy (particularly of the Limbaugh-Coulter-O’Rielly variety) just doesn’t work, that it’s more shrill and self-important than smart and funny? Besides, if these whiners have a problem with Hollywood distributing their film, why don’t they just give it to Rupert Murdoch to run on Fox News for an entire weekend?
Why do Liberals have to make fun of Conservatives so much? It’s so high school…the “cool” kids making fun of the “nerds.” And just like high school, the nerds always turn out better than the cool crowd.
Heather – You’re IN High School aren’t you?