July 17, 2007
Marion Barry. You Can't Hold A Candle To Him...
Mayor-For-Life Marion Barry continues to amaze us. Not only is he utterly untouchable by the long hand of the law, but he is an amazing politician; he just keeps getting elected to practically anything for which he's run. Now, he's even won a race he wasn't actively campaigning for: Barry (or his likeness, rather) was selected to fill the last slot at the forthcoming Madame Tussaud's Wax Museum in Penn Quarter.
The museum, which will open on October 1 at 10th and F streets NW, took to the D.C. streets to ask passers-by who they'd like to see in the museum. In a news story on NBC4, the museum's manager said Barry won "by a landslide" over his nine competitors: Cal Ripken, Jr., Al Gore, Denzel Washington, Carl Bernstein, Halle Berry, Martin Sheen, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey, and Nancy Reagan. Well of course he won! Who would you rather see immortalized in wax: waifish ex-first lady, bouffanty newspaperman, or your own infamously coked up Mayor?
This confirms our faith in the citizenry of Washington, who we are convinced continue to elect Barry "just to see what will happen." It's clear that anyone with a kernel of humor would, if asked to pick, immediately answer Marion. What could be awesomer? The sheer hilarity is reward enough, just like supporting Ron Paul for President.
We wait excitedly for the scenes Tussaud's will choose for Hizzoner. Will it be in the courtroom defending himself from drunk driving charges? Will it be in the courtroom defending himself from tax evasion charges? Or will he be "set up" in a re-creation of a Vista Hotel suite? Whatever the situation, here's hoping they fill his wax statue with delicious sugary liquid.
Photo from dbking.
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With dashiki or without?
Up with hope, down with dope.
I doubt it is the citizens sense of humor which leads them to elect him.
Wait a minute ... does the fact that Carl Bernstein was on the ballot but not Bob Woodward mean that Woodward is already included? He's definitely the more famous member of the pair, so I can't imagine why Bernstein would make it on to the ballot ahead of him, but in what context would it make sense to include a figure of Woodward without one of Bernstein?
Their April 30 press release certainly implies that Mr. Woodward will be included:
This cements Wax Museums' place in the pantheon of third-rate freak shows- right along with Riply's Believe It Or Not branches.
Here's what's important: For all that he is, Marion Barry is a real Washingtonian figure--not a Federal City denizen.
Congress insulted us by posting a statue of Pierre L'Enfant to represent D.C. residents. WTF?!
At least with this wax statue, we got a li'l taste of Home Rule, baby.
"Here's what's important: For all that he is, Marion Barry is a real Washingtonian figure--not a Federal City denizen."
True, but can't we come up with better figures that fit that bill. Boss Sheppard? Walter Washington? John Philip Sousa?
BobbyD:
"For all that he is, Marion Barry is a real Washingtonian figure--not a Federal City denizen."
WTF???
Barry eventually failed as Mayor in large part because he couldn't play nice with the Feds. Admit it or not, we did and still do suck at their teat. That makes us Federal City Denizens. (commuter tax/tax reciprocity, anyone?) Worse still, Barry committed the sin of recognizing that fact, and still disrespecting it. Kinda like a kid who wants his allowance, but won't mow the lawn or take out the trash. Except, carrying the analogy a step further, Barry The Kid had a family to feed. What kind of short-sighted self serving ego-driven dick would stiff his family by fucking his income-stream?
Stepping off the soapbox, Robert of Robert's Rules or John Philips Souza would be more meaningful to more people. And they were both real DC residents, too.
Not surprising when you look at the competition.
Cal Ripken, Jr.: Played for Baltimore. What does he have to do with DC? For a sports star, how about some legendary Redskins? Those would get support.
Al Gore: A federal politician from Tennessee.
Nancy Reagan: Ronald Reagan is hated in this town. This is DC, where over 90% are liberal Democrats, and most of the rest are liberal independents and moderate Republicans. But at least the guy was a president; who the Hell cares about his wife? Oh, and they're from California, and left here almost 20 years ago.
Carl Bernstein: He, at least, is a Washington figure, but he was known for Watergate coverage -- a federal matter, not a local one, and something that happened over 30 years ago. Plus his name is famous, not so much his face. Is anyone besides his friends and colleagues going to look at his figure and say, "Ooo, it looks so much like him"?
Denzel Washington, Halle Berry, Martin Sheen, Marilyn Monroe, Oprah Winfrey:
No one's going to object to Hollywood stars and other celebs being included. That's a given; Madame Tussauds always has them. These particular ones may simply have split the vote between them. None of them are from DC, so it's not like there's a local favorite.
In any case, don't think of it as an "honor" to be included, even though some press accounts describe it that way. The M.T. in London has a figure of Hitler; is he being "honored"? How about Lenin and Genghis Khan?
The one in Vegas has Bugsy Siegel, the gangster who is said to be behind the building of that town. We get Marion, the colorful and less-than-lawful character who's been a fixture in local politics since the very beginning of home rule in the 70's. See any similarities?
(Sure, Boss Shepard is a closer analogy, but who outside of DC knows him? Likewise Walter Washington. Bottom line, M.T. wants to attract the visiting tourists, so they want someone outsiders would recognize.)
How does one vote for the selection of wax figures??
So, Madame Tussaud is going to set him up?
UNBELIEVEABLE - MARIONBERRY IS AN ARROGANT, RACIST, COMPULSIVELY LYING, PATHETIC ADDICT !!!!! DC TUSSAUDS DESERVES A BETTER REP OF RECENT DC HISTORY !!!!!!!!
If the good old US of A could muster even a smidgen of the vitriol so consistently inspired by Marion Barry ( and let us not forget Barry Bonds) when the wonderous deeds of Geoge Bush and friends are oh so calmly cited ( or semi cited) in the press, then we'd have something to talk about....