Huckabee: Cultural Learnings of America for Make Benefit Glorious Nation of Evangelicals

It is not just for laughs and electoral bumps that Mike Huckabee and Stephen Colbert have been in cahoots. Here's my theory: Huckabee is just the latest in the recent comedic tradition of brilliant comedic actors masquerading as clueless fools exploring and penetrating our country in seemingly real, uncontrived situations. Only he's doing what Colbert couldn't: somewhat legitimately (I use the term loosely) running for president. His public tweaking of American values, in his frying of squirrels, his rock band called Capitol Offense, and, of course, his brilliant melding of Bugs Bunny AND Elmer Fudd in his pursuit of John McCain is satire of the highest level. This is all complemented by incisive dialogue that is both knee-jerk funny and cuts under the surface. "You'll see it—one of the things that gets me in trouble is my love of metaphors," he said in response to a "controversy" with the Anti-Defamation league over his comparing his massive weight loss to the experience of a concentration camp. "I use hyperbole in the course of trying to paint a word picture. I pay a dear price for it." Huckabee plays an all-encompassing character a goofy magnetic force with hard core conservative "beliefs." The made up name Huckabee is clearly a play on huckster, that old term for a salesman. Only he’s selling a unique brand of madcap comedy.

The aforementioned comparisons to cartoon characters also applies to his face; those big brown eyes could have been drawn by Tex Avery, his jowls flapping as he smiles and spins his word pictures. These are features that lure you in, like Borat's baggy blue suit, only to subvert that immediate appeal. When Rick Santorum compares homosexuality to bestiality, you know he means business. When Mike Huckabee makes the same connection, it’s with a skip in his step and a smile in his heart. It's non-threatening in a way that could make a liberal consider that not all people who believe these things are evil and leaves the door open for them to come in and change his mind. "No no Mike!" you'd say. "That's very wrong and silly and offensive," and he'd consider it, because in his not being open, he seems to be so open.

His biggest goal, it seems, is to sabotage that idea of the evangelical conservative as a scary nutcase. Instead, he is a jolly nutcase. He’s open to Jews- he just doesn’t believe they’re going to be saved when the apocalypse comes. And people wonder why he’s staying on the campaign trail… when Comedy Central or Fox News picks up a Huckabee talk show next month, there will finally be a great satirist to rival Colbert. Good thing they get along, or Huckabee would demolish him.

Playlist- Ralphs on Sunset 2/1 8:09-8:42

Aerosmith- I Don't Wanna Miss a Thing
Janet Jackson- Together Again
Coldplay- The Scientist (several unfortunate PA interuptions on this )
A commercial for John Grisham's new thrilling law thriller "The Appeal"
Huey Lewis and The News- Hip to Be Square
Unknown- I Will Love Again (I refuse to so much as google sang this song)
Madonna- Beautiful Stranger
Unidentified
Celine Dion- I'll Be Waiting For You (possibly not the title of the song but, once again, not google-worthy)