Dogs reenacting U.S. Supreme Court oral arguments
October 22, 2014 5:09 PM   Subscribe

If there is any justice in the world, this will revolutionize the way you consume Supreme Court news. Fed up with the Supreme Court's refusal to allow cameras at oral arguments, John Oliver has proposed an alternative to existing television coverage that relies on artists' renderings of the justices. Oliver has released more than ten minutes of raw footage of dogs dressed up like the members of the Court, and has challenged news outlets to use the footage to create less-boring recreations of oral arguments.

So far, this challenge has resulted in recreations of the Aereo and Hobby Lobby arguments.
posted by heisenberg (31 comments total) 54 users marked this as a favorite
 
Florida v. Jardines (The drug sniffing dog case) as told by dogs.
posted by T.D. Strange at 5:13 PM on October 22, 2014 [5 favorites]


John Oliver is a modern gem and his show is a breath of fresh air. That is all.
posted by Chuffy at 5:16 PM on October 22, 2014 [21 favorites]


This made me laugh harder than I've laughed in ages. How weird to find myself wanting to kiss Scalia, though.
posted by Neely O'Hara at 5:34 PM on October 22, 2014 [4 favorites]


I recognized Kennedy the first time they showed him. I'm not sure what that means.
posted by benito.strauss at 5:56 PM on October 22, 2014 [11 favorites]


I know I've said this before, but I really mean it this time, but this is the best thing in the history of the Internet and the only thing that will be better is seeing how people edit together the cases.
posted by Joey Michaels at 7:05 PM on October 22, 2014 [3 favorites]


Wow. Like watching of a hybrid of the muppets and the puppy bowl.
While simultaneously listening to CSPAN.
Stoned.
posted by pt68 at 7:17 PM on October 22, 2014 [16 favorites]


I caught this a couple nights ago and my favorite part was the hunt-and-peck stenographer chicken. Such a plucky pullet!
posted by aydeejones at 7:44 PM on October 22, 2014 [4 favorites]


No, Assistant Duck is even better.
posted by emjaybee at 7:51 PM on October 22, 2014 [5 favorites]


Dog Lawyer: "it becomes a little bit more of a loosey-goosey analysis"
Cuts to the duck looking awkward.

Also, I'd love to see this done to the rulings by Richard Posner. I wonder what kind of dog he'd be.
posted by metaphorever at 7:53 PM on October 22, 2014 [2 favorites]


I'm thinking border collie.
posted by Iridic at 8:55 PM on October 22, 2014


I agree, border collie or Australian cattle dog - hardworking, intelligent, and prone to snap at strangers.

(What is the phrase I should add here? #notallworkingdogs maybe?)
posted by heisenberg at 9:20 PM on October 22, 2014


OK, so after some research it would appear that Judge Posner is actually a self-described “cat person” so maybe a cat version for the Seventh Circuit would be more appropriate. Either way I'd watch the hell out of it.
posted by metaphorever at 9:25 PM on October 22, 2014


SEVENTH CIRCAT.
posted by davidjmcgee at 10:20 PM on October 22, 2014 [15 favorites]


*watches john oliver expecting incisive commentary regarding operation protective edge*"oh man cant wait for incisive liberal commentary on israel's massacre in palestine from this month-long operation"
2 weeks later
"wow a bunch of the news is sad huh!! like israel man thats a bummer"
2 more weeks later
"wtf american kids are fat????"
posted by p3on at 10:39 PM on October 22, 2014


That was hilarious. And wrong.

"Fed up with the Supreme Court's refusal to allow cameras at oral arguments?"

I realize that this was a phrase to frame the post but no, not at all. I think there is at least one Supreme Court justice that seeks the spotlight in order to indulge their need for attention and one that hides in order to avoid scrutiny. Speechifying is for the elected Executive and Legisative members of government. There is good reason to have the Supreme Court exempt from elections. Not that they shouldn't come under scrutiny but that their ability before the camera [heh] shouldn't be a part of their job but that an ability to bear media scrutiny will affect judicial appointments.

http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/09/an-elected-judge-speaks-out-against-judicial-elections/279263/
posted by vapidave at 2:01 AM on October 23, 2014


Ah, judicial elections. "Pick two of the following 10 candidates."

Somehow the correct candidate of "fuck you for asking me to vote for this" is never on the list.
posted by nat at 4:02 AM on October 23, 2014


The choice of the bulldog for Scalia and Chihuahua for RBG had me hyperventilating when we watched this last night. IT IS SO PERFECT.
posted by joyceanmachine at 5:49 AM on October 23, 2014


Next, let's have children dressed up as adults doing grown-up things! Points for using animals and children as foils for thinly disguised racism and sexism.
posted by clvrmnky at 5:52 AM on October 23, 2014


If there were timestamped transcripts that matched up with the audio from the court, this could be automated.
posted by demiurge at 5:52 AM on October 23, 2014


*watches john oliver expecting incisive commentary regarding operation protective edge*"oh man cant wait for incisive liberal commentary on israel's massacre in palestine from this month-long operation"
2 weeks later
"wow a bunch of the news is sad huh!! like israel man thats a bummer"


Huh?

There is good reason to have the Supreme Court exempt from elections. Not that they shouldn't come under scrutiny but that their ability before the camera [heh] shouldn't be a part of their job but that an ability to bear media scrutiny will affect judicial appointments.

Uh?

Next, let's have children dressed up as adults doing grown-up things! Points for using animals and children as foils for thinly disguised racism and sexism.

What?
posted by JHarris at 6:28 AM on October 23, 2014 [12 favorites]


RBG as a chihuahua is pure genius.
I love this so much.
Plus: court stenographer!
posted by SLC Mom at 7:05 AM on October 23, 2014


this is really quite good.
posted by rebent at 7:06 AM on October 23, 2014


I'll watch every single recreation that comes out of this -- just for the chance to see even one shot of Scalia wearing a 'cone of shame.'
posted by argonauta at 7:07 AM on October 23, 2014 [4 favorites]


Yes omg the Scalia 'cone of shame' would rock! lol
posted by jeffburdges at 8:33 AM on October 23, 2014


r/RealAnimalsFakePaws has the goods :)
posted by jeffburdges at 8:56 AM on October 23, 2014 [2 favorites]


Things on the internet often don't live up to their hype.

But holy shit, this did.
posted by COBRA! at 9:20 AM on October 23, 2014


Speaking of Oliver's show - how is Antonin Scalia still a thing?

Oh, that's right - like herpes, a single mistake installed for life.
posted by lon_star at 11:43 PM on October 23, 2014 [1 favorite]


I think the best part is not the knowledge that someone will make this their youtube channel and cut one together for every single case but that somewhere there will be someone who has to listen to the audio from the oral arguments for their job and they will at least occasionally listen to them via that youtube channel.
posted by VTX at 12:10 PM on October 25, 2014 [1 favorite]


Oh my god this is amazing.
posted by DynamiteToast at 11:05 AM on October 28, 2014


Although it gets a lot less funny when you watch a case like Hobby Lobby and remember "oh yah they fucked that one up"
posted by DynamiteToast at 11:15 AM on October 28, 2014


RBG has weighed in on this - she "thought it was hilarious."
posted by heisenberg at 10:07 AM on October 30, 2014 [2 favorites]


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