Memories of Lamont
Reading about Ned Lamont’s improbable campaign against the once popular Joe Lieberman, I am reminded of another Lamont, this one played by Demond Wilson in “Sanford and Son”. And the more I think about that "big dummy" I can’t help but notice how Connecticut’s Lamont seems to embody what made Watts’ Lamont (and Wilson by extension) such a success:
1) Both Lamont's comes in, stand where they’re told, deliver their lines, and just generally don't get in the way. They’re both nice, likeable guys, but they both know it could have been just about anyone standing there.
2) They also know what not to do if they want that job: namely, distract too much attention from the Old Guy at this center of this spectacle. If they stand there and let every groan and every laugh come at his expense, they know they’ve got this gig in the bag.
3) Of course, no one really seems to mind – or notice, one – that these Lamont's are kind of Johnny One Notes: one wants out of Watts, the other Iraq – but that’s about it for character development. They both have these big plans, just not a lot of big details to go along. But, again, it doesn’t seem to be of any concern to anyone. How far can you get on charm? Pretty far, it seems.
4) Both Lamont's are also on friendly terms with some loud, pretty vocal zealots who just can’t stand The Old Man. For one Lamont, it’s the Daily Kos and Atrios crowd; for the other, it’s Aunt Esther.
5) Oddly enough, both Lamont’s have seen their share of Bubbas try to help The Old Man in his schemes to succeed, but the efforts never really seem to help. Both Bubbas are popular with the core audience, of course, but you don’t really see them that often – they just come in, do five minutes worth of work, and then leave.
Today’s lesson: And if the Aug. 8 primary turns out like we all think it will, well, then this might be the big one and if that’s the case, then Lieberman’s coming to join you, Elizabeth.
1) Both Lamont's comes in, stand where they’re told, deliver their lines, and just generally don't get in the way. They’re both nice, likeable guys, but they both know it could have been just about anyone standing there.
2) They also know what not to do if they want that job: namely, distract too much attention from the Old Guy at this center of this spectacle. If they stand there and let every groan and every laugh come at his expense, they know they’ve got this gig in the bag.
3) Of course, no one really seems to mind – or notice, one – that these Lamont's are kind of Johnny One Notes: one wants out of Watts, the other Iraq – but that’s about it for character development. They both have these big plans, just not a lot of big details to go along. But, again, it doesn’t seem to be of any concern to anyone. How far can you get on charm? Pretty far, it seems.
4) Both Lamont's are also on friendly terms with some loud, pretty vocal zealots who just can’t stand The Old Man. For one Lamont, it’s the Daily Kos and Atrios crowd; for the other, it’s Aunt Esther.
5) Oddly enough, both Lamont’s have seen their share of Bubbas try to help The Old Man in his schemes to succeed, but the efforts never really seem to help. Both Bubbas are popular with the core audience, of course, but you don’t really see them that often – they just come in, do five minutes worth of work, and then leave.
Today’s lesson: And if the Aug. 8 primary turns out like we all think it will, well, then this might be the big one and if that’s the case, then Lieberman’s coming to join you, Elizabeth.
Labels: political humor
posted by Generalissimo Juan Flores at 3:43 AM
um . . . that's not Redd Foxx.
um . . . he's aware of that. It's the actor who portrayed Fred Sanford's friend BUBBA.
Duh.
I believe that the plural of Lamont would be Lamonts, not Lamont's; the latter would either be the possessive, or a contraction for "Lamont is".