A Little of the Old In and Out



In: David Zucker. David Zucker's clustered sketches have organic American roots in the comedies of The Marx Brothers. The Airplane! helmer is back atop the Hollywood food chain with the monster opening of "Scary Movie 4," which set an Easter weekend record, providing comedy to a nation in sore need of some laughs. It seems sometimes that the worse the political landscape, the more America needs Zucker comedies (Airplane, curiously made it's debut during the apex of the last US-Iranian crisis). From Ron Dicker of the San Francisco Chronicle:

"There are no rules against flatulence in David Zucker's family. The louder, the better.

"'I'm the one who leads the charge,' the 58-year-old director says. 'I'm the one who says, 'Pull my finger.' Farting is fun.'

"Zucker, the creator of 'Airplane!' and 'The Naked Gun' series with brother Jerry and pal Jim Abrahams, mixes low-brow and high-concept like nobody's business. In more than a quarter-century of spoofing films and other pop culture targets, he is the undisputed pasha of parody, the sultan of send-up.

And, from the AP:

"With the success of Scary Movie 4, Bob Weinstein said he hopes to have a fifth film in the horror-spoof franchise in theatres over Easter weekend next year. Weinstein said director David Zucker and writer Jim Abrahams would team up again for the next sequel."



Sorry, John. As a black man, I can't relate. (image via browndailysqueal)

Out Secretary John Snow. The writing's on the walls if only Secretary of the Treasury John Snow would read it. Fatigue sets in after any President's first term. This President, particularly, suffered a rough one (9/11, Katrina, Iraq) Unfortunately, despite the momentous challenges, the inner circle of the Bush Administration, in it's second term, remained -- until the infusion of Bolten -- virtually unchanged.

The Vice President -- small "c" conservative in the worst sense -- eschews change, going so far as to satellite the Sunday Talking Head programs saying as much. (Averted Gaze) Finally cooler heads have prevailed, and the Administration finds itself in the process of advocating change. (Exaggerated cough suggesting feigned detachment) Joshua Bolten, the new Chief of Staff, is looking to oxygenate the embattled Administration with some fresh ideas and voices. From the AP:

"Signaling a possible shake-up among President Bush's senior advisers, the new White House chief of staff told top presidential aides Monday to expect changes that 'refresh and re-energize the team.' He invited anyone who is thinking of leaving before year's end to do so now.

"Joshua Bolten, who took over the top staff job late Friday, did not ask for anyone's resignation in his first Monday morning staff meeting with the president's senior aides, presidential spokesman Scott McClellan said. No one stepped forward to say they would leave, either, McClellan said.

"But Bolten has Bush's full authority to make changes to the president's staff, which has had a low turnover rate, with many aides serving him for years. Bolten already has had closed door meetings with some top advisers and plans more in the coming days, McClellan said.

"McClellan said Bolten told the aides to expect 'some changes and adjustments' after he's gone through the process of talking to the staff. At the same time, McClellan said that 'you have to balance change with continuity.'"

We're hearing former Senator Phil Gramm at Treasury and former Senator Dan Coats or as "Ambassador" -- liason -- to Congress (as countervailing force to 2006 lame duckiness). And for Defense, Lieberman, bipartisan a la William Cohen, is a perennial. Other names bandied about are Minnesota supply-sider Vin Weber, Law and Order's Fred Thompson, who was a North Carolina Senator, and former Secretary of State James Addison Baker.



(image via partypoofers)

In: Mediatakeout.com. The Corsair's brother Fred Mwangaguhunga of LaundrySpa is branching out to African-American pop culture news with Mediatakeout. A sample of the headlines, "Mike Tyson Checks Into Rehab For Cocaine Addiction...," then, just as quickly, "...Tyson Quits Rehab..."

And: "Creator of Good Times And Cooley High Living In Homeless Shelter.. "

More here.