February 27, 2009
So These Are the Follies...
Well, I've already spotted just about everybody in Rhode Island politics and related fields that I know that I know, and even a good portion of those whom I know that I'll recognize. Curiously, as I pass by legislators, I find myself compulsively checking on my wallet.
As tends to happen, every natural instinct makes me inept at these things. For anecdote, I was about to say hello to URI President Robert Carothers (curious, as I am about his opinion of my doings since the era in which he wrote me a graduate school recommendation) when a familiar unionist face stopped me to chat. When I turned back around, Mr. Carothers was walking away, and I found myself chasing him. I turned around so as not to appear, well, stalkerish.
Perhaps the single greatest thing about blogging is that it gives me an excuse to do what I'm inclined to do anyway: Avoid schmoozing by sitting down at my table and talking to myself, only now I can type.
Etiquette question: Is it rude to blog during dinner? I guess if the politicians never stop scoping out the room, the bloggers can get away with doing their own thing. The show has yet to start.
Apart from the local celebs, Rep. Langevin is at the table immediately diagonal from me. Senator Whitehouse has been wandering around . Non-Senator Chafee bobbled by.
A handful of women dudded up in tight leather clothes — clearly looking to impress people who like for folks to try to impress them — have reminded me to shake my head that these people in state politics take themselves so seriously. Do the rabble-rousers always think thus of the powerful?
9:23 p.m.
Bob Kerr is not in attendance this evening because of a somewhat serious health issue on Wednesday night. I offer well wishes.
On a related note, Matt Jerzyk let me know that Bob Walsh — gubernatorial candidacy notwithstanding — is still not fully recovered, although the prognosis is good, I take it.
9:27 p.m.
Beginning the show on a down note, the opening song is "Everything's Going to Hell Here in Rhode Island."
9:47 p.m.
Mocking John DePetro, whom I saw earlier, with a song called "Throw the Wife Under the Bus":
And making fun of the Cicilline Bros. with "Been Indicted":
10:20 p.m.
Still here. Some humorous stuff, some local stuff over my head. I must say — and I think this is an annual quality — there's something conspicuous about the heavy dose of scorn pointed toward WPRO. Conspicuity here indicative of jealousy, I'd suggest. On the other hand, with the particular attention paid to the governor, there is a bit of that "our side versus theirs" feel.
10:31 p.m.
Clearly, we in the East Bay aren't doing our job. I don't think we've earned one reference in this thing.
10:46 p.m.
What? Aren't they supposed to have some sort of surprise special guest? What does this failure of expectations portend?
10:51 p.m.
It's Congressman Barney Frank.
Boooo!
I was hoping that it was President Lincoln and Sarah Palin:
10:53 p.m.
It says something poignant about the state of Rhode Island that the super high-anticipation special guest at the big mucky-muck event of our state seems often to be a national politician from Massachusetts.
At the Venus? Have the soup. Make sure you get some of that soup. Well worth the $60 you had to shell out for your ticket.
Posted by: Patrick at February 27, 2009 10:51 PMBarney Frank? Ouch. Get your money back. Not even the soup is worth enduring that pain.
Posted by: Patrick at February 27, 2009 11:59 PMThe scummy Barney Frank an invited mystery guest at the Follies??
Absolutely perfect!!
Can you imagine a conversation between Frank, Whtehouse and Chafee at ths event?? lol
A girl scout meeting would be more manly.
Hoping the Gov is still ignoring the Follies.
"Barney Frank"
Through his vigorous staving off of the regulation of Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac, one of the principle architects of the fiscal collapse.
So it's appropriate that he would be the surprise guest of a show about a fiscal basket case of a state.
(Good job live-blogging, Justin.)
Posted by: Monique at February 28, 2009 7:01 AMDid you boooo out loud? I hope so.
Posted by: mikeinRI at February 28, 2009 7:31 AMMonique, problem was Barney and his frank weren't staving off his "spouse" Herb Moses, the Fannie Mae exec Barney was having sex with for years. No conflict there! Nope!
Isn't it amazing how someone like Sarah Palin and her family comes under unrelenting and microscopic media attention yet Barney Frank and his immensely destructive conflicts of interest skates right on by.
Bread and Circus!
It's quite sad to see what's become of this once great country.
It's embarrassing really!
"there's something conspicuous about the heavy dose of scorn pointed toward WPRO. Conspicuity here indicative of jealousy, I'd suggest"
Jealusy-ya think. LOL.
PRO gets higher ratings than every other English speaking AM station in the market COMBINED. Projo nemesis Buddy Cianci makes half a million per year at PRO and channel 6 while the projo has dumped 150 marxists in the last 4 months with MORE to come-as they well know. The Fountain St. building is for sale-make Belo an offer. Lastly, the paper is literally shrinking in size come April.
He who laughs last laughs best.
Couldn't happen to a nicer crew of commies.
David Cicilline was NOT happy, from what I heard. Not such a lefty show after all, is it? (And Jack Reed was NOT happy last year).
I understand the bellyaching over here, but you have to understand the cardinal rule: There's only one thing worse than being mentioned in the Follies - NOT being mentioned in the Follies.
And believe me, if DePetro didn't have such thin skin and self-importance, he wouldn't be worth picking on. He'll be whining Monday morning (and from what I understand, it may get personal).
Say what you want about Barney, but the Venus is located in his district (and you'd appreciate him a lot more if ou had sat through Kerry last year - even as an Obama fan, I was embarassed).
Dang, if I had known you were coming, I'd have stopped over and said hi.
One more point: the cast is probably less than half Guild members at this point. Hell, both hosts work for competitors of the ProJo (Scott MacKay at RNI and Frank O'Donnell at the AR-friendly Valley Breeze), and the cast includes lawyers, accountants, insurers, professors, legislative aides, and students. The Follies may still be around after the ProJo's gone.
Posted by: rhody at February 28, 2009 11:45 AMJustin...
Since I was sitting at the table behind you, I was wondering what all the lights were in front of you!! (I wasn't sure if it was you or Will)... You were blogging on the spot! Great job!
This was my first Follies, and I wasn't that impressed. I don't know what my expectations were, but they were not met!! And seeing all the lemmings stand up and give the Banking Queen a standing ovation was too much for me. I walked out, got into my Jeep plastered with Nobama stickers (the only one in a sea of Obama ones) and headed west to Cranston.
Posted by: DonnaC at March 1, 2009 11:37 AM