Saddam Deathwatch
Jeez. So I love Queen Elizabeth I, or at least the idea of her. I loved Glenda Jackson in 'Elizabeth R,' and I loved Cate Blanchett in 'Elizabeth.' I loved Bette Davis in "The Private Lives of Elizabeth and Essex.' I loved Bette Davis in 'The Virgin Queen.' I loved Judi Dench as Elizabeth in 'Shakespeare in Love.'
And I just finished up Helen Mirren's run up the Actress' Everest. Her Elizabeth I was a bit more soap-opera-y than I'd like, but the palace intrigue was there, and sound judgment came through.
Alan was in town this week, and I saw him yesterday. Here's a pic:
He asked me who Helen Mirren was, because of 'The Queen,' and I was surprised he didn't know. I've been in love with her since The Mosquito Coast, and absolutely orgasmic about her since The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. I have yet to watch 'Prime Suspect.'
And, on CNN, Larry King just said that he's sure Saddam Hussein will be executed within minutes, made a mention of Gerald Ford lamentations, and then handed off his show to Anderson Cooper. "The execution is right around the corner, Anderson. Looks like you get it," Larry said, clearly pissed that the CNN upstart was gonna get to control the coverage of Saddam Hussein, rather than he. Larry King seemed annoyed that the damn Iraqis hadn't killed the bastard during his own show.
And, having just watched yet another representation of Elizabeth I, I can't help but think that we need more politicians like her. Brutal? Yes, she was. But she knew her duty, and she actually saw her rule AS a duty rather than as a right. She knew when to patronize the Arts, and she knew when to...
Aw, poor Larry King. The execution actually DID take place during his show. But It seems Saddam has been killed, 10 minutes ago. I expect Larry King will soon express a severe distaste for youtube, since the execution was video taped and youtube will have it before Larry King.
Anyway, Elizabeth I knew how to rule. She was lucky, and she was determined. And she could show most of our current world leaders a thing or two about what it means to govern people.
And I wonder what it would be like to let the people govern themselves?
Saddam Hussein is dead. So, like, we can call the Iraq War a victory and bring the troops home now, right? We won, didn't we? Mary, Queen of Scots, you have any thoughts?... wait, who succeeded Elizabeth I? And do I dare flip over to Fox News? And why is this execution happening on a Friday, which is news-dump day, just before a president has a funeral...? Could it be that the Bush administration no longer views Hussein as a jewel in the crown?
Edit: The above is rhetorical. Mary, Queen of Scots, is a weak allusion to Saddam Hussein. George Bush is an even weaker allusion to Elizabeth I, and James I, who succeeded Liz, was the son of the previously-mentioned Mary, who was killed by order of Elizabeth. And Elizabeth tried to distance herself from that death order.
And I just finished up Helen Mirren's run up the Actress' Everest. Her Elizabeth I was a bit more soap-opera-y than I'd like, but the palace intrigue was there, and sound judgment came through.
Alan was in town this week, and I saw him yesterday. Here's a pic:
He asked me who Helen Mirren was, because of 'The Queen,' and I was surprised he didn't know. I've been in love with her since The Mosquito Coast, and absolutely orgasmic about her since The Cook, the Thief, His Wife, and Her Lover. I have yet to watch 'Prime Suspect.'
And, on CNN, Larry King just said that he's sure Saddam Hussein will be executed within minutes, made a mention of Gerald Ford lamentations, and then handed off his show to Anderson Cooper. "The execution is right around the corner, Anderson. Looks like you get it," Larry said, clearly pissed that the CNN upstart was gonna get to control the coverage of Saddam Hussein, rather than he. Larry King seemed annoyed that the damn Iraqis hadn't killed the bastard during his own show.
And, having just watched yet another representation of Elizabeth I, I can't help but think that we need more politicians like her. Brutal? Yes, she was. But she knew her duty, and she actually saw her rule AS a duty rather than as a right. She knew when to patronize the Arts, and she knew when to...
Aw, poor Larry King. The execution actually DID take place during his show. But It seems Saddam has been killed, 10 minutes ago. I expect Larry King will soon express a severe distaste for youtube, since the execution was video taped and youtube will have it before Larry King.
Anyway, Elizabeth I knew how to rule. She was lucky, and she was determined. And she could show most of our current world leaders a thing or two about what it means to govern people.
And I wonder what it would be like to let the people govern themselves?
Saddam Hussein is dead. So, like, we can call the Iraq War a victory and bring the troops home now, right? We won, didn't we? Mary, Queen of Scots, you have any thoughts?... wait, who succeeded Elizabeth I? And do I dare flip over to Fox News? And why is this execution happening on a Friday, which is news-dump day, just before a president has a funeral...? Could it be that the Bush administration no longer views Hussein as a jewel in the crown?
Edit: The above is rhetorical. Mary, Queen of Scots, is a weak allusion to Saddam Hussein. George Bush is an even weaker allusion to Elizabeth I, and James I, who succeeded Liz, was the son of the previously-mentioned Mary, who was killed by order of Elizabeth. And Elizabeth tried to distance herself from that death order.