Who knew? The summer’s best reality television show turns out to be about California’s gubernatorial recall election.
“You love stuff like this, because anything that comes along and adds color and liveliness to politics is helpful,” said Fox News Channel’s Brit Hume, host of the “Special Report” talk show.
“When a guy like [Hustler magazine publisher] Larry Flynt says people should be ready to have a smut peddler who cares, you rejoice, because it’s such a delicious quote and sound bite even if you’re convinced he’s going nowhere,” Hume said.
Politics as spectacle is “made to order for substance-free coverage,” said Martin Kaplan, associate dean of the Annenberg School at the University of Southern California.
For cable and network talk shows, covering the celebrity slugfest is irresistible.
Underscoring the theme of politics as entertainment, Arnold Schwarzenegger chose Jay Leno’s “Tonight Show” to announce Wednesday that he would run for governor.
“If anyone had doubts before, this week’s recall antics clearly put California in the circus tent,” one California TV anchor said.
But covering these stories calls for more than a smirk, cautioned TV news veterans.
First, you can’t lump celebrities together simply because they are unorthodox, contends CNN’s Jeff Greenfield. While Flynt may be “bogus,” Greenfield said, Schwarzenegger scored last year by backing an initiative to fund after-school programs.
“After the lesson of a guy like Ronald Reagan, people maybe think twice before automatically assuming that somebody coming to politics in an unusual way is necessarily just for fun,” he said.
The recall represents a real challenge to cover, said Greenfield: “Uncharted waters, hell; this is Gilligan’s three-hour tour. We’ve never seen anything like it.”
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Talk back
Do you think celebrities are qualified to run a government? E-mail ritaredeye@tribune.com
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Faceoff
Hundreds of people have taken out papers to join the race to be–perhaps–the next governor of California. A sampling of the best-known:
Candidate, party
Arnold Schwarzenegger, Republican
Claim to fame
Bodybuilder-turned-movie-star.
Fallback job
“Terminator 4.”
Political experience
Wife of Maria Shriver is niece of John F. Kennedy and Robert f. Kennedy.
Six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon
Schwarzenegger was in “Total Recall” (1990) with Sharon Stone; Stone was in “He said, She Said” (1991) with Bacon.
Candidate, party
Gary Coleman, Undetermined
Claim to fame
Played Arnold on sitcom “Diff’rent Strokes.”
Fallback job
B-list reality TV star.
Political experience
Once worked as a security guard.
Six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon
Coleman was in “On the Right Track” 91981) with Chelcie Ross; ross was in “Novocaine” (2001) with Bacon.
Candidate, party
Arianna Huffington, Independent
Claim to fame
Played key role in then-husband Michael’s 1992 California congress campaign.
Fallback job
Political pundit, columnist.
Political experience
Made 42 guest appearances on “Poltically Incorrect.”
Six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon
Huffington was in “edTV” (1999) with clint Howard; Howard was in “Apollo 13” (1995) and “My Dog Skip” (2000) with Bacon.
Candidate, party
Larry Flynt, Democrat
Claim to fame
Founded Hustler magazine in 1974.
Fallback job
Casino and/or strip club operator.
Political experience
Hustler once published paparazzi photos of Jacqueline Kennedy Onassis.
Six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon
Flynt was in “The People Vs. Larry Flynt” 91996) with Courney Love; Love was in “Trapped” with Bacon.
Candidate, party
Gallagher, Undetermined
Claim to fame
Melon-smashing comedy routine.
Fallback job
Melon-smashing comedy routine.
Political experience
Successfully sued brother for ripping off melon-smashing comedy routine.
Six degrees of separation from Kevin Bacon
Gallagher appeared on “Make Me Laugh” (1979) with comic Avery Schreiber; Schreiber appeared on the TV show “Avery Schreiber from the Second City” (1980) with George Wendt; Wendt played Norm on “Cheers” (1982-93), which led to the spin-off “Frasier” (1993-current), on which Bacon did the voice of Vic (1994).
JOE KNOWLES, JIMMY GREENFIELD, CHRIS MALCOLM/REDEYE NEWS SERVICES
