Huck, Chuck, and what the...

I'll be the first to admit I don't follow the race for the Republican ticket in '08, since it seems like kind of a lost cause. Mike Huckabee, apparently a very popular former Governor from Arkansas has teamed up with that powerhouse of kung fu and unwitting comedy, Chuck Norris, to form an unstoppable duo that will make every 18-35 year old male in the country groan. I first saw it posted on YouTube (the world's dry-erase board), but have recently seen mention in more respectable media (though the latter is technically a blog.)

First, watch the video. If you don't get it, you haven't missed much. I'll catch you up in the next paragraph. If you DO get it, you're probably really embarrassed, like when your parents try to use slang they hear in top 40 songs without realizing the sexual implications. Anyway, why would they do this to America? Does Huckabee really want to gamble his credibility by presenting himself as outright silly? Sure, Chuck does put in a good word, but the overwhelming focus is on the fact that Chuck Norris is even complicit in the political ad, and that he's awesome (which is arguable.) It seems Huckabee's campaign strung themselves between the college-age non-voters who would even understand the aim of the ads, and those who look to Norris as a cultural symbol.

Let me just go ahead and say it: this is a stupid ad. This isn't like Mike Gravel's genius ad, where you're not sure if it was a blooper, some kind of mistake, or the most postmodern political ad you've ever seen, this is pointedly, clearly tongue-in-cheek, winking-at-the-camera stupid, not to mention it doesn't work. First of all, let me explain Chuck Norris jokes, the crux of the ad's “comedy.” Chuck Norris is (ironically) considered on par with every divine figure and tall tale rolled into one, and this fact is played to jokes that involve how awesome he is, by reversing causality, anthropomorphization etc. Think of them as Yakov Smirnoff jokes, but an iota more sophisticated. The problem with putting Chuck Norris center stage of the ad is that these were funny about two years ago. Youth culture moves fast, and if you're going to get their attention you have to be timely. Most everyone I know groans at the mention of a Chuck Norris joke these days, much less a political figure co-opting him for comedic ends.

So how would this have been done more correctly? Well, I'd like the Republicans at large to try to make a more concerted effort at being timely. There are plenty of young conservatives out there, but those who identify as conservatives are usually politically aware enough to vote. Capturing the swing, untapped youths can easily be done with clear presentation of the ideology: not reactionism (I.e. Illegal immigrants get out) or radicalism (I.e. abolition of the IRS,) but clear and concise exploration of the cause and effect of conservative philosophy (lower taxes allows greater control over your own fortune, obligation bills like Medicare and Social Security affect taxpayers for generations), dressed in the motion, color, simplicity, and most of all irony that appeals to kids our age. The problem with the ChuckHuckFacts ad is that it dresses the irony, color, and motion that appeals to 18-35 year olds with a thin, transparent ideological veneer.

Thanks for reading Party Hoppin'! Last call, and you bums are out on the street!