Worry about the big stuff, like government

April 26, 2011 1:52 PM

Tim Heidecker endorses Donald Trumps for president
posted by The Devil Tesla (128 comments total)

So here is my new rule of thumb for American politics: Whenever the American public is offered something utter stupid, borderline evil and utterly ridiculous or insane they will vote for it in droves. Really the only thing standing between you lot and electing Trump is him deciding to run and whether or not Palin beats him in the primaries.
posted by Artw at 1:56 PM on April 26, 2011 [6 favorites]

My bowl of cereal (with a ridiculous combover) has a post-it stuck to it saying "Where's the Birth Certificate?". It got 8% in the last straw-poll.
posted by msbutah at 2:00 PM on April 26, 2011 [17 favorites]

Yeah, but it's just like Florida in 2000--a lot of confused people saw 'cereal' and thought they were voting for soup.
posted by box at 2:01 PM on April 26, 2011 [40 favorites]

I think the Economist is right -- Trump's "run" is truly just a rather entertaining publicity stunt.
posted by bearwife at 2:02 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Really the worst case for the GOP would be running someone moderate and sane who talks about meaningful issues in a reasoned fashion - it's the only way they could lose, really. Crazy person for VP is of course a known loser and doesn't cut it.
posted by Artw at 2:03 PM on April 26, 2011

Tim Heidecker endorses Donald Trumps for president

Dude, one of him is more than enough.
posted by gman at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

Tim Heidecker's stand up comedy act will go down as one of the most subtle, subversive, clever things ever. Or it will be completely forgotten because it is so subtle, subversive and clever. Great job!
posted by Corduroy at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2011 [15 favorites]

My bowl of cereal soup
posted by desjardins at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2011

Gary Busey did too. Comments on this videogum thread are teh funny.
posted by telstar at 2:05 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Trump is a crazy megalomaniac. I think he's for real.

There's also not a shot in hell that he wins, thank god, if he even were able to make it to November, 2012.

I mean, can you imagine a universe in which he doesn't do something campaign-killing in the next eighteen months? And as much as people here love to disparage the American voting populace, do you picture, really, a situation where a majority of Americans (for whom Trump is a played-out joke) would really pull a lever next to his name?

I have as healthy a dose of cynicism as is recommended, but this is a sideshow attraction.
posted by Navelgazer at 2:07 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

I wish he'd choke on his hair.
posted by angrycat at 2:09 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Cereal - Soup, 2012
posted by msbutah at 2:09 PM on April 26, 2011 [6 favorites]

Congee as 3rd party spoiler.
posted by Artw at 2:12 PM on April 26, 2011 [7 favorites]

I'm not sure Donald Trump draws a distinction between publicity stunts and meaningful career moves. I think it's a publicity stunt and I think he's running for real.

And I'm glad. He's going to cause other GOP candidates to burn through more money than they would otherwise. He's going to create dissension among the other GOP candidates. But he is not going to get the nomination.
posted by adamrice at 2:14 PM on April 26, 2011 [9 favorites]

I'll remind you guys that you laughed at the idea that knuckle dragging racists with delusional conspiracy theory style anti-goverment agenda could get into power, and they are currently in the process of dismantling EVERYTHING.
posted by Artw at 2:17 PM on April 26, 2011 [33 favorites]

My bet is he withdraws his candidacy right before financial disclosure kicks in. No way does he want anyone to know how much he is really worth.
posted by riruro at 2:18 PM on April 26, 2011 [6 favorites]

Hey, we might actually do this -- elect a failed businessman and reality-show impresario president. And, if you think about it, it would certainly clarify things.
posted by steambadger at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2011

Who is this Tim dude and why should anyone care?
posted by caddis at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Trump? Palin? No way. Romney? Huckabee? Maybe.
posted by zardoz at 2:19 PM on April 26, 2011

I'll remind you guys that you laughed at the idea that knuckle dragging racists with delusional conspiracy theory style anti-goverment agenda could get into power, and they are currently in the process of dismantling EVERYTHING.

The Cycle:

1) Pff, there's no point in talking about that because it's impossible. S/He's a trainwreck and this is gawking.
2) Pff, there's no point in talking about that because it isn't as bad as they say/other countries.
3) Pff, there's no point in talking about that because everyone knows it's terrible.
4) Ssh, there's no talking about that.
posted by DU at 2:20 PM on April 26, 2011 [8 favorites]

"Donald Trumps."
posted by Jagz-Mario at 2:21 PM on April 26, 2011

My left nut will declare as a real candidate before Trump does.

If he has to financially disclose, he would have to show that he doesn't actually own most (any?) of the buildings with his name on them and that "Donald Trump" is a brand with just about as much basis in reality as Betty Crocker (but without the usefulness) And though he's a fucking asshole, he's a smart enough one to know he shouldn't piss on the brand.
posted by MCMikeNamara at 2:22 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

I liked this more than I expected to when I saw Tim's name, nice work.
posted by zvs at 2:22 PM on April 26, 2011

Congee as 3rd party spoiler.

Not with a for'n-sounding name like that.
posted by graventy at 2:22 PM on April 26, 2011

GREAT JOB
posted by klangklangston at 2:23 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Who is this Tim dude and why should anyone care?

He's half of the shaggy-dog combo behind "Tim and Eric Awesome Show (Great Job)" on Adult Swim. They're also responsible for "Tom Goes to the Mayor." He's considered hilarious to folks who're in on the joke. The joke is that he's not actually funny.
posted by explosion at 2:26 PM on April 26, 2011 [19 favorites]

I think Trump is eminently qualified to be president. He's got shitloads of experience at declaring bankruptcy.
posted by TheWhiteSkull at 2:26 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

he's a smart enough one to know he shouldn't piss on the brand.

He's already pissed on the brand by being a birther. The lowest estimated net worth I've seen for him is $788 million. Not 9 billion as he's said before, but a fair amount. And I'm sure Trump is delusional enough to think he can not only win the primary, but win the election. Besides, can you run a write in campaign without declaring? He's got like 90+% name recognition.
posted by stavrogin at 2:29 PM on April 26, 2011

In 2007, I was in Canada. A girl I was talking to asked who I was going to vote for for president - Rudy Giuliani or Hillary Clinton.

I think it's pretty silly to be talking about this now.
posted by heathkit at 2:29 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

The universe makes waaaay too much sense for Donald Trump to be elected President of the United States of America.
posted by telstar at 2:29 PM on April 26, 2011

Last week, a friend explained to me the logic behind Trump's run. (This is all speculation, btw.)

1) Trump declares at least an exploratory committee, accompanied by the most completely nut-case wingnut flipout issues and postures.
2) Collect $$$$ from the most gullible idiots on the far right.
3) Announce Trump has decided not to run.
4) Pocket all the donations, then roll them over into a Trump PAC.
5) Buy a couple of races with some stooge/puppet candidates
6) Profit!!!
posted by warbaby at 2:30 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]

The genius I voted for just started Middle East War #3. I think maybe I prefer blithering idiot doing insane things to sober and rational man doing insane things.
posted by bonecrusher at 2:31 PM on April 26, 2011

"Why Donald Trump Is Like The Human Centipede."
posted by iviken at 2:31 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]

1) Thought the post was "Heidegger endorses Donald Trump." That was a real WTF? moment, let me tell you.

2) Did the actual routine come across as if he was doing it for the first time to anyone else? The timing was all weird and delivery was all over the place. He stepped on his own lines more than once.
posted by oddman at 2:32 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

On this note, can anyone explain to me why 50% of undergraduate students call him John Stuart Mills?*

*also Mill's and Mills'
posted by Beardman at 2:36 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Taking
Redirection
Understanding
Massive
Power!
posted by munchingzombie at 2:38 PM on April 26, 2011

Heidecker's routine is a parody of a very bad comic, who in this case also happens to be a right-wing asshole. Like Neil Hamburger, it's meant to be so not funny that it's funny. Not everyone's cup of tea but it cracks me up.
posted by toutvabien at 2:41 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

On this note, can anyone explain to me why 50% of undergraduate students call him John Stuart Mills?

Because Mills is a more common surname and undergraduates are as a group not noted for their close attention to detail? I assume it is related to the phenomenon of fan pages -- sincere, so far as I can discern -- for such celebrities as Josh Whedon, Scarlet Johanson, Jennifer Anniston and Nicholas Cage.

And Charles Dikkens, the well-known Dutch author.
posted by ricochet biscuit at 2:49 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

Congee as 3rd party spoiler.

Soft, mushy and goes with just about anything? It'll take too many votes away from Obama.
posted by PlusDistance at 2:50 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

On this note, can anyone explain to me why 50% of undergraduate students call him John Stuart Mills?

Because of his Mëtal name, John Stuart "Dark Satanic" Mills
posted by PlusDistance at 2:53 PM on April 26, 2011 [9 favorites]

Donald Trump would be the greatest president ever. He could totally beat Obama, and then he'd probably fix everything around here in the first year. That would leave him plenty of time to devote to updating the public monuments.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 2:54 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

I'll remind you guys that you laughed at the idea that knuckle dragging racists with delusional conspiracy theory style anti-goverment agenda could get into power,

Well, I don't think I did. I expected the Republican/Tea Partiers to win the House.

But there's a big difference between winning a bunch of hyper-local contests (House races) and winning the Presidency. I don't think Trump's brand of crazy can win a nationwide contest. Notice how several of the Tea Party types did fail to win Senate races (Sharon Angle, I'm-Not-A-Witch lady, etc) -- again, the broader the campaign the less likely they are to win.

Not that I don't think a Republican can win in 2012. Just not Trump.
posted by wildcrdj at 2:57 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

You guys see the latest Trump madness? Trump has attacked Obama's educational credentials.

Watching the interview there's only one sane interpretation of this. He's speaking in code to the Republican base. Obama got into Ivy league college based solely on his race. He's a result of affirmative action.

Now we get to see if the American public is as racist as we think it is.
posted by formless at 2:58 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Trump/Palin? Palin/Trump? What a joke! Seriously, the winning ticket is Palin/Hilton. Well balanced, two publicity hounds, one dyed brunette, one bleached blonde. Win-win.
posted by Cranberry at 2:59 PM on April 26, 2011

Who's Tim Heidecker?

...

Who's Donald Trumps?
posted by mrgrimm at 3:04 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Trump/Palin? Palin/Trump? What a joke! Seriously, the winning ticket is Palin/Hilton. Well balanced, two publicity hounds, one dyed brunette, one bleached blonde. Win-win.

Hilton is too young, she will have to wait until 2016.


Of course, your suggestion about her candidacy was entire sane...oh, wait.
posted by Jehan at 3:05 PM on April 26, 2011

You guys see the latest Trump madness? Trump has attacked Obama's educational credentials.

"Obama graduated from Columbia in 1983 after transferring from Occidential College."

Occidential College?
posted by mrgrimm at 3:05 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

Normally, I wouldn't care about this stuff, but I have to say I am moved by Tim Heidecker's impassionated (sp?) arguments here because it just goes to what I'm saying about the metafilters is always on our case and it just isnt working anymore, I think we all know what the truth is and he's just willing to say it - you know, no matter what - it's all about bravery.
posted by victors at 3:05 PM on April 26, 2011 [5 favorites]

That Dutch Charles Dikkens did some great movies:

The Adventures of Oliver Twisted; Hard-on Times, For These Times; Dombey and Son do Dallas; A Tale of Two Titties; Our Mutual Friends...

So, that Gary Busey clip, was that real or satire? In this Tea-Party/Sheen world I just can't tell anymore...
posted by titus-g at 3:05 PM on April 26, 2011

I have friends who have smart sons with great marks, great boards, great everything and they can't get into Harvard ...

Also, cite please, Donald.
posted by mrgrimm at 3:06 PM on April 26, 2011

Artw, even here in the U.S., nominees can be taken down by batshitinsanity. Rand Paul aside, most of the tea-party candidates who got any national attention raised a hell of a lot of money for very little showing at the polls.

Give him the nomination, and we'd see his "unfavorables" are as remarkably high as Palin's are. And sadly, that's the number that matters in these campaigns.
posted by Navelgazer at 3:08 PM on April 26, 2011

Can we talk about Tim's appearance on this week's Comedy Death Ray? Ungh. Faked awkwardness is just as funny as real awkwardness.
posted by robocop is bleeding at 3:09 PM on April 26, 2011

That guy takes forever to tell a joke. I couldn't finish it.
posted by bonobothegreat at 3:10 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

I think the Economist is right -- Trump's "run" is truly just a rather entertaining publicity stunt.

Agreed. He is the 2012 election's version of Sarah Palin. It's all about the brand.
posted by mrgrimm at 3:11 PM on April 26, 2011

Oh, except I would disagree with the "entertaining" descriptor.
posted by mrgrimm at 3:11 PM on April 26, 2011

I mean, can you imagine a universe in which he doesn't do something campaign-killing in the next eighteen months? And as much as people here love to disparage the American voting populace, do you picture, really, a situation where a majority of Americans (for whom Trump is a played-out joke) would really pull a lever next to his name?

I have as healthy a dose of cynicism as is recommended, but this is a sideshow attraction.

I love how you can easily substitute "Ronald Reagan" in 1980 or "George W. Bush" in 2000 for Trump's name in the above chunk of text and have a good laugh.
posted by blucevalo at 3:15 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

Am I really the only one here who thinks he'd be a great president? Think about all the jobs he'd create gilding Trump Grand Canyon National Park and Resort Casino!
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:16 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Does nobody else remember how Bush was the joke we all hoped would win the primary because, hell, who could take a Massachusetts yankee in a cowboy hat with a penchant for saying stupid shit second only to Quayle who transparently fucked up his state after being elected by daddy right after being rescued from his cocaine haze during which he dodged the draft? Nobody?
posted by Blasdelb at 3:18 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

That guy takes forever to tell a joke. I couldn't finish it.

I didn't get Tim Heidecker until I watched this.
posted by telstar at 3:20 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

I would bet Trump loves both shrimp and white wine, so it's not surprising that Tim is a fan.
posted by cell divide at 3:23 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

That was terrible. The whole notion of Donald Trump running for President is so freighted with absurdity and so ripe for exploitation, and that's the best he can do? Not impressed. We deserve much, much better.

I mean, Trump himself is a walking parody of Donald Trump. Certainly, with all the comic talent that exists in this country, we should expect much better than that.
posted by hwestiii at 3:24 PM on April 26, 2011

BOB BOP PERANO! BOB BOP PERANO!!!

Tim & Eric Nite Live? Anyone? Anyone?

Anyone?
posted by slogger at 3:31 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

telstar: The universe makes waaaay too much sense for Donald Trump to be elected President of the United States of America.

You know what, a few years ago I would be right with you, but between the Nobel Prize, Teabaggers and Gaddafi, it seems more and more like the Obama Presidency is being scriptwritten by a coked-up Aaron Sorkin dictating to a junkie squirrel.
posted by Kattullus at 3:33 PM on April 26, 2011 [8 favorites]

"I didn't get Tim Heidecker until I watched this "

And I friggin' trusted you...

he STILL isn't funny.
posted by tomswift at 3:33 PM on April 26, 2011

Donald Trump’s Low Ceiling, or, Why Donald Trump Is Like The Human Centipede (NY Mag)
Worth a peek, if only for the accompanying photo.
posted by prinado at 3:34 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

Heidecker is about the best stand-up act I've seen all year.
posted by telstar at 3:38 PM on April 26, 2011

That picture was absolutely perfect.
posted by oddman at 3:40 PM on April 26, 2011

If it weren't for the birtherism and now the educational attacks against Obama, I'd almost prefer Trump over most of the other known Republican Candidates. Prior to his swing to the right this year, he was actually pretty moderate. He's annoying in so many ways, but I'm sure he'd do a better job than a Palin or Sanotorum. In a way, he'd be the perfect presidency for the Republican plutocracy.

I get what Trump gets out of running for president (or faking it), what I don't get though is what right wing media like Newsmax get from promoting the idea.
posted by drezdn at 3:42 PM on April 26, 2011

he STILL isn't funny.

You don't think so? Well, you're fired.
posted by mreleganza at 3:46 PM on April 26, 2011

I love how you can easily substitute "Ronald Reagan" in 1980 or "George W. Bush" in 2000 for Trump's name in the above chunk of text

But those guys were the Establishment candidates. There's no way the people who pushed Bush in 2000 want Trump to win.
posted by wildcrdj at 3:48 PM on April 26, 2011

Donald Trump may just be the only chance we've got to turn this country around. The advertising rights to his live selection of cabinet picks would pay off the national debt before he even took office. Don't believe me? I've got five words for you: Secretary of State Gary Busey.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 3:49 PM on April 26, 2011 [3 favorites]

Drudge Report headline: SHOCK POLL: ONLY 38% SAY OBAMA 'DEFINITELY' BORN IN USA...*

And within the very article that headline links to:

For what it’s worth, not everyone is convinced Trump was born in the USA either: 43% say he definitely was born here, and 20% say he probably was; 7% say he definitely or probably was born in another country. Nearly three in 10 say they don’t know enough to say.

Hah.

Anyway, Trump is obviously not viable -- significant numbers of independants and Republicans say they will definitely not vote for him. But I don't think that's what he's after. He's just helping to shove the Overton Window further to the right by bringing birther bullshit to the forefront and using his smarmy asshole charm to delegitimize Obama for a lot of low-information voters that like his shtick. Why else is he tossing out so much vague nonsense about having "investigators on the ground" and "somebody told me his certificate is missing?" He's just trying to plant doubts.

* typical disingenuous cherry-picking, btw, since it ignores the focus of the story, elevates something buried in the eighth paragraph, and elides the fact that another 20% say he's "probably" born in the U.S., for a total of 58%.
posted by Rhaomi at 3:51 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

My bet is he withdraws his candidacy right before financial disclosure kicks in. No way does he want anyone to know how much he is really worth.

It's not legally required, as far as I know.

Does nobody else remember how Bush was the joke we all hoped would win the primary because, hell, who could take a Massachusetts yankee in a cowboy hat with a penchant for saying stupid shit second

Uh, not really. I don't really remember the republican primary (I wasn't that into politics at the time) but GW always seemed the far-ahead front runner according to the MSM stuff I had read.

He's just helping to shove the Overton Window further to the right by bringing birther bullshit to the forefront and using his smarmy asshole charm to delegitimize Obama for a lot of low-information voters that like his shtick.

Why would he care about the Overton window? He wasn't even a conservative until a couple months ago. In the past he's criticized republicans and said he thought Democrats were better for the economy.

He's an egomaniacal narcissist. He thinks he can win the republican primary and then get everyone to forget all the crazy shit he's spewing through sheer force of will.
posted by delmoi at 4:01 PM on April 26, 2011

Why would he care about the Overton window? He wasn't even a conservative until a couple months ago. In the past he's criticized republicans and said he thought Democrats were better for the economy.

Maybe someone's paying him for this performance.
posted by heathkit at 4:03 PM on April 26, 2011

This isn't a serious run, the guy is only using this dog and pony show to boost his visibility. He's not even a birther, he just plays one on TV. In fact I will bet one bottle of scotch, of a value not to exceed $100, with any single person here, that if he even makes it to the primaries there will be a reality show about his run.
posted by Ad hominem at 4:04 PM on April 26, 2011

So far I'm finding the disclosure argument the only convincing argument against, though it is a pretty convincing one.
posted by Artw at 4:06 PM on April 26, 2011

if he even makes it to the primaries there will be a reality show about his run.

And this would be different from the other candidates...how?
posted by telstar at 4:08 PM on April 26, 2011

It might actually be entertaining. Not worth watching, just... entertaining.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:14 PM on April 26, 2011

Ya got me on that one. But other candidates carefully manage the press, what if he gave say, NBC a complete back stage pass, cameras in the war room and instant response meetings, sit in with image consultants, see polling in real time.
posted by Ad hominem at 4:15 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

adamrice: He's going to cause other GOP candidates to burn through more money than they would otherwise.

This kills me - the sheer amount of money dumped into campaigns. In the end, there's only one President elected, so it's all an effort to shout louder than the person next to you. A single campaign burning through ONE BILLION DOLLARS is disgusting, considering how many jurisdictions are squabbling over thousands. And to be clear, I'm not hating on the player, I'm disgusted at the game.
posted by filthy light thief at 4:16 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

Also, regarding the birther issue, I got pretty frustrated watching Anderson Cooper debating Trump about it last night. He expended so much energy trying to nail down the legal authenticity of Obama's released Certification of Live Birth and the fact of his Hawaiian birth while completely skipping over a more basic logical tack: even if Obama were born in Kenya, doesn't the fact that his mother was an American citizen make him one by default? Jus sanguinis much?
posted by Rhaomi at 4:18 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

jesse ventura needs more time to consider the VP slot.
posted by clavdivs at 4:18 PM on April 26, 2011

[E]ven if Obama were born in Kenya, doesn't the fact that his mother was an American citizen make him one by default?

Well, yes. But that's not the question. We know he's a citizen, the real question is whether he's a "natural born citizen." (And by "real question," I mean the astonishingly hare-brained question asked by the Birthers and other know-nothings like Trumps.)
posted by monju_bosatsu at 4:24 PM on April 26, 2011

I have a friend that loves to send LOL republican/teabaggers videos and I usually don't even bother watching because I have heard more than enough idiots speak, thank you. But for some ungodly reason I watched this one (the impending Michelle Bachman candidacy really blows my mind) and the people in it have stuck in my mind all week. How do these people that purport to back Trump live? They can barely get a coherent thought out of their mouths; how do they handle the complexities of modern life.

Their fears of Obama and socialism are really just fears of ALL they don't know and can't get a grip on: technology, world politics, personal finance. Everything must be scary to them but they need to make it not about their own fear but some grand political statement, WE ARE SAVING OUR COUNTRY!!!

The left needs to figure out a way to educate people without talking down to them. Otherwise the specter of another president like GWB is only one flukey election away.
posted by readery at 4:26 PM on April 26, 2011 [4 favorites]

Tell me one endeavor that trump has committed to that did'nt wave a pot of gold at the other end? he is NOT chasing the president of the united state's annual salary, for sure.
posted by taxpayer at 4:27 PM on April 26, 2011

Sometimes I get the feeling that Tim & Eric aren't pretending to be unfunny so much as they're pretending that they're pretending to be unfunny.

Has anyone seen them do anything that was actually funny, and not in an "it's funny because it's not funny" sort of way?
posted by Sys Rq at 4:36 PM on April 26, 2011

(anyone else unable to watch this video? It was just a bunch of bright green lines for me)
posted by OrangeDrink at 4:43 PM on April 26, 2011

Has anyone seen them do anything that was actually funny

This prank phone call always makes me laugh.
posted by to sir with millipedes at 4:54 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

It is too funny, but actual polls say that he is the favorite republican candidate. They say he is a joke of a candidate. But is he?
posted by juanillogg at 6:07 PM on April 26, 2011

The Absolute Vodka "ads" they did with Zach Galifinakis are nothing short of hilarious. To me, anyway, but I like the Tim and Eric show as well.
posted by zardoz at 6:10 PM on April 26, 2011

The Shocking Truth Behind Donald Trump's Hair Revealed.
posted by hippybear at 6:17 PM on April 26, 2011

I just watched Terminal City Ricochet, and now I'm scared.
posted by ambulocetus at 6:21 PM on April 26, 2011

Tim Heidecker reminds me of Tao Lin
posted by stbalbach at 6:31 PM on April 26, 2011

Sorry, should have linked it, Terminal City Ricochet
posted by ambulocetus at 6:33 PM on April 26, 2011

It is too funny, but actual polls say that he is the favorite republican candidate. They say he is a joke of a candidate. But is he?

See the earlier link about Trump / The Human Centipede. I think thats right on -- he's winning a plurality, but there are enough people against him (60+% of people saying they wont vote for him, half of Republicans) that when the field narrows he'll be up against a Romney or a Pawlenty or something and lose to them. At least thats my guess...
posted by wildcrdj at 6:55 PM on April 26, 2011

The always-controversial Scott Adams on Trump: Donald Trump: Magnificent Bastard
posted by misha at 7:07 PM on April 26, 2011

Scott Adams: Back to Trump. He's a graduate of the Wharton School, which means his intelligence is in the genius range.

Why is this guy so obsessed with IQ?
posted by oddman at 7:25 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

The always-controversial Scott Adams on Trump

Summary: annoying rich prick explains why second annoying rich prick is actually a mega-genius and you should respect him
posted by mightygodking at 7:29 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

Didn't realize Heidecker does stand-up (thought it makes perfect sense that he does). His routine is even more discomforting than I'd anticipated (and I say that as a fan of Tim & Eric).

I'm not sure what keeps me watching (and laughing uncomfortably). The character he portrays someone I both feel sorry for and want to stay very far away from. And (here and in general) he tries to keep you guessing about when he is and isn't in character. I guess there's a certain dexterity to playing right on the line between reality and satire, funny and the pathetic, genuinely engaging and the insipid/boring -- and I suppose that display of dexterity can be kind of fascinating.

Have you heard them in interviews? They do the same kind of thing -- the interviews always turn extremely awkward, passive-agressive, and semi-hostile. Once on NPR, they refused to talk about their comedy and wouldn't stop talking about the poor quality of the microphones. Whenever the interviewer tried to turn things around, they just kept upping the ante, becoming more and more aggressively disdainful of NPR's poor choice in audio recording technology.
posted by treepour at 7:32 PM on April 26, 2011

If America can elect Reagan and Bush, America can elect Trump; America has not hit bottom, yet.
posted by Vibrissae at 7:54 PM on April 26, 2011 [2 favorites]

I just have to say this: Trump deserves the massive implosion of his brand, fortune and ego that is bound to occur in six to eight months if he continues down this road.
posted by vverse23 at 8:47 PM on April 26, 2011

Oh god, is Scott Adams actually Donald Trump's sockpuppet?

And will this all end with Trump, at the end of the presidential debate, saying "Sorry I peed in your cesspool, Obummer"?
posted by mccarty.tim at 8:57 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

There were hints of Miss Teen USA 2007 in that act. Good shit.
posted by Flex1970 at 9:02 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

telstar: "The universe makes waaaay too much sense for Donald Trump to be elected President of the United States of America"

bzzt, wrongo, buddy: "the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose."
posted by symbioid at 9:03 PM on April 26, 2011

Do not press button ()
posted by clavdivs at 9:06 PM on April 26, 2011

also, when did Scott Adams turn into Dogbert?
posted by treepour at 9:53 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

If unemployment and gas prices stay bad, it is very possible for a republican to win against Obama. The question is, can Trump beat the GOP establishment? Trump would savor going up against Romney, and could probably win, considering fucking McCain did. But Trump will look really bad being an attack dog against Huckabee or Daniels. Their nice guy thing disarms Trump's greatest asset, which is "Fuck you, I'm Donald Trump". So maybe Trump will avoid going after those guys head on -- but it may be tough to avoid when they all gang up on him in the beginning. How he plays this opening phase will be key. If he hangs on, and the primaries boil down to who can hate on Obama the most, Trump clearly wins, no matter who he is up against. Remember, these people love Fox News and Rush -- Trump's bombast is pitch perfect. And anyone who can overlook O'Reilly's loofah business, or Beck's alcoholism, or Rush's drug addiction, can overlook Trump's character issues too. IMO, if Trump keeps doing what he's doing, and can explain why he gave a bunch of money to Rahm Emmanuel (which is probably his greatest hurdle), he is only going to gain GOP votes. If it actually came to Trump vs. Obama, will the swing voter bloc turn out for Trump, even if they don't like Obama? At least some will, and the rest will stay home.
posted by blargerz at 10:00 PM on April 26, 2011 [1 favorite]

The timing was all weird and delivery was all over the place. He stepped on his own lines more than once.

Pretty sure that was the point.
posted by beerbajay at 1:16 AM on April 27, 2011

Because of his Mëtal name, John Stuart "Dark Satanic" Mills

Oh man, worst William Blake earworm ever.
posted by Neale at 1:57 AM on April 27, 2011

If America can elect Reagan and Bush, America can elect Trump; America has not hit bottom, yet.

America has hit the bottom a long time ago.

What the rest of the world wants to know is: When are you guys going to stop digging?
posted by Djinh at 4:22 AM on April 27, 2011

Billy Crystals for VP.
posted by Eideteker at 5:41 AM on April 27, 2011

I get the feeling Trump won't win, but he'll knock out any of the nice, sensible Republicans in the beginning of the primaries who can't keep up with his crazy, if he actually does run (LOL financial disclosures). Sensible may govern well, but it doesn't get you a bunch of press and support from your most fanatical base.
posted by mccarty.tim at 5:45 AM on April 27, 2011

The Daily Show had a pretty awesome take on why early polls showing Trump so far ahead are pretty meaningless.
posted by Saxon Kane at 7:26 AM on April 27, 2011

The thought that Donald Trump might be our next President terrifies me. I know it is a joke around here, and that even FOX News has denounced him, but I believe it might happen. Do you *know* how many people write personal letters to Warren Buffet asking for help with their mortgages? Or leave comments on reposts of The Apprentice episodes asking Donald Trump for financial advice? There is a culture in this country that believes that the ability to make a lot of money perfectly corresponds to being smart, hardworking, and deserving - and furthermore that someone who can make money can do anything.

Whereas *we* know that you can be a borderline-incompetent (at least very limited) megalomaniac and make money though the magic of right place, right time, right resources, and right connections - and that plenty of undeserving people become very, very wealthy that way. But many people don't understand that. Trump plays a Boss on television. We've elected actors and wrestlers, why not a reality TV star?

Someone please explain to me why I shouldn't be afraid. And please address this demographic in your explanation.
posted by subdee at 10:13 AM on April 27, 2011

symbioid: "telstar: "The universe makes waaaay too much sense for Donald Trump to be elected President of the United States of America"

bzzt, wrongo, buddy: "the Universe is not only queerer than we suppose, but queerer than we can suppose."

sheeit, guys, guess I forgot the irony tag. Trump being prez wouldn't even be that weird. My comment was meant to answer all the comments denying the possibility. I tried to imitate Tim Heidecker and failed... :(
posted by telstar at 11:07 AM on April 27, 2011

Thought the post was "Heidegger endorses Donald Trump." That was a real WTF? moment, let me tell you.

It wouldn't be the first time Martin endorsed an insane megalomaniac.
posted by octobersurprise at 11:25 AM on April 27, 2011

Obama releases long-form birth certificate [pdf]

"The President believed the distraction over his birth certificate wasn't good for the country. It may have been good politics and good T.V., but it was bad for the American people and distracting from the many challenges we face as a country," White House Communications Director Dan Pfeiffer said in a statement.

[...]

Trump on Wednesday took full credit for the release.

"I feel I've accomplished something really really important and I'm honored by it," Trump said at a press conference held during his pre-scheduled visit today to New Hampshire. Trump noted that people have long been requesting the document, but Trump was the only one who got the president to release it. Trump suggested Wednesday this development will boost his own potential presidential candidacy.

Trump said he and others are still going to have to assess the document's authenticity. We're "going to look at it. We have to see if it's real, if it's proper," Trump said.

posted by Rhaomi at 11:31 AM on April 27, 2011

For fuck's sake: Trump To Obama: Now Release Your College Records

"I'd like to know how does he get into Harvard, how does he get into Colombia if he isn't a very good student," Donald Trump told the press this morning in New Hampshire.

"If he wants to release it that's fine, if he doesn't want to release it that's fine too. But the word is he wasn't a very good student," Trump added.

This coming from the guy whose own son-in-law had his dad buy him enrollment at Harvard for a cool $2.5 million despite mediocre grades. Christ, what a bigoted, hypocritical asshole.
posted by Rhaomi at 11:38 AM on April 27, 2011

I think Trump is a viable candidate. He may not look like much now, but if he gets the nomination and the hate machine spends months talking about how the other guy is a socialist fascist islamist terrorist, etc., the outcome of the contest is far from certain, regardless of what people are saying now about unwillingness to vote for him.

And it's not as if he's any less qualified than Palin.
posted by Zed at 11:38 AM on April 27, 2011

I'd like to know how he gets a hot babe, how he gets her, if he doesn't have a big penis? If he wants to release it that's fine, if he doesn't want to release it that's fine too. But the word is he doesn't have a very big penis.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 11:42 AM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

As someone from elsewhere, I don't know a lot about US politics. But first it appears Trump 'heard that the word is' that Obama's birth certificate was missing, and now he's 'heard that the word is' that Obama got into college with low grades.

I suspect Mr Trump is visiting a little shoeshine guy with a big cap on a regular basis.
posted by reynir at 11:52 AM on April 27, 2011

My favorite comedian is funny, but only because he's doing a bit where he's parodying an intentionally unfunny parody of comedy. Kind of post-post-comedy if you catch my drift.
posted by Guy Innagorillasuit at 12:00 PM on April 27, 2011

IRFH, I am going to hold you personally responsible if I am ever exposed to pictures of Trump's penis.
posted by desjardins at 12:03 PM on April 27, 2011

Heh, apparently the released certificate was put through OCR software to make the text searchable... meaning some of the printed text was recognized and separated into its own PDF layer. That's now the latest grapple-point for the conspiracists.
posted by Rhaomi at 12:07 PM on April 27, 2011

Trump Dogged By Rumors His Hair is Not From U.S.
posted by telstar at 6:35 PM on April 27, 2011 [1 favorite]

Trump Dogged By Rumors His Hair is Not From U.S.

In a piece of good news for Mr. Trump, a new poll showed a majority of likely voters agreeing with the statement, “Donald Trump being sworn in as President would be a great last scene in a Planet of the Apes remake.”

Heh.
posted by Zed at 6:57 AM on April 28, 2011

I love the Onion's take...
posted by mandro at 9:13 AM on April 28, 2011 [1 favorite]

Yesterday’s events demonstrate how tricky frames can be. Obama chose to respond respectfully to Trump’s attack. He devoted time, attention, and money to defending himself. He published his birth certificate. By doing all that, Mr. Obama tacitly accepted the “villain” role in Donald Trump’s frame.
posted by telstar at 6:09 AM on April 29, 2011