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Wed: Stars of the Stage
posted at 2008-06-26 00:35 | Last modified 2008-06-26 08:35
This is going to be short, since I spent most of the evening at the annual Press Skits. Thanks so much to those of you who came to watch – it was great to see you!
If you couldn't make it, you might be able to catch a rerun. NCNN’s Matt Willoughby videotaped it. I don’t know when the Jones St. showings will be, but I’ll post here when I hear more.
Spotted/AWOL
GOP Gubernatorial candidate Charlotte Mayor Pat McCrory dropped by. He said he'd never even heard about the skits – and yes, he even got to see the one he showed up in. He was also spotted at intermission being friendly with (Dem) House Speaker Joe Hackney.
McCrory’s Dem opponent, Lt Gov Bev Perdue, almost always comes to the skits, but she couldn’t make it tonight due to a scheduling conflict. She did send her campaign spokesguy David Kochman.
Current Gov Mike Easley didn’t show, either, but then, he never has. After eight years, we’re kind of used to it. I’m sure he’ll hear all about his cameo with the Chianti bottle before the day’s over.
A good time was had by all, especially the performers, who racked up more empty beer bottles backstage than at any show in recent memory. Cheers, y’all.
Rock Star?
McCrory didn’t come all the way to Raleigh to watch the skits, of course. He was actually in town to speak at the Americans for Prosperity Rally out back behind the Leg today.
But when the Mayor took the stage, he didn’t head straight for the microphone – occupied at the time (and for much of the event, come to think of it) by state AFP chief Dallas Woodhouse. Instead, McCrory sat down at the band’s drumset on stage and started playing.
It was a savvy move. The crowd of 1000 or so had been lulled into a near-coma by high temps, wonky speakers, and too much free barbecue. McCrory needed to wake them up, and his drum solo definitely did the trick.
It only got better from there. Woodhouse got into the spirit, too, turning in a tonally-challenged but enthusiastic rendition of “We Will Rock You” (just the chorus, thank goodness) as McCrory accompanied on drums and the crowd tried to sing along.
Dang. We couldn’t have written that as a skit if we’d TRIED.
As stunts go, it was as corny as it gets, but it was still great stuff. (How can you not like a guy who cops to being kicked out of ninth-grade band?) The crowd ate it up, too – especially after Bob Dole’s speech, which was more about Viagra jokes than politics.
I know Greensboro's Mark Binker got video on it – I’ll post a link here when he gets it online. If I can load the audio tomorrow, I’ll post it here, too.
The 64K question of the day: Whose campaign ad will the footage show up in?
