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Small Talk: The Mess

Rhondinella

By Rhondinella
in The West Wing

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Driad
Driad

And here is the "soft on turkeys" video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=luTzmLiVC4I  

BizBuzz
BizBuzz

This has been fun, for sure ...   So then, answer me this ... why is it that when I saw this     that the first West Wing quote that came to my head was:   There's literally no one in the worl

Deputy Deputy CoS
Deputy Deputy CoS

I don't know, whenI think of West Wing, these are who spring to mind.      Everyone else is a hanger oner.

Moose135

Moose135

(edited)

A couple of things from last night's State of the Union address got me thinking of TWW.  On NBC Nightly News, they had a short segment on Cody Keenan, the President's head speechwriter...he's a little younger, and has more hair, but the beard - and the story - reminded me of Toby.  And of course, Obama's "moonshot" call to find a cure for cancer recalled Sam's "We almost cured cancer" piece from 100,000 Airplanes.

Edited by Moose135
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AriAu

AriAu

And of course, Obama's "moonshot" call to find a cure for cancer recalled Sam's "We almost cured cancer" piece from 100,000 Airplanes.

 

Why not...we split the atom, we've spliced the gene and we've roamed Tranquility base. Unfortunately, I don't thing we are at an "unparalleled moment of possibility", given our inability to pull together on much of anything...as our President pointed out last night.

 

Yes, I love that episode and yes, I laughed when it popped up on CNN newsflash e-mail that he was proposing it.

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ProudMary

ProudMary

A couple of things from last night's State of the Union address got me thinking of TWW.  On NBC Nightly News, they had a short segment on Cody Keenan, the President's head speechwriter...he's a little younger, and has more hair, but the beard - and the story - reminded me of Toby.  And of course, Obama's "moonshot" call to find a cure for cancer recalled Sam's "We almost cured cancer" piece from 100,000 Airplanes.

Rob Lowe even tweeted about it during the speech!

https://twitter.com/RobLowe/status/687146259233116160

 

 

Rob Lowe ‏@RobLowe  22h22 hours ago

Sam Seaborn finally got his cancer line into #TSOTU

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eyebleach

eyebleach

I started listening to the podcast.  It's a guy doing his 3rd rewatch and a friend who has never watched the show before.  They mostly talk about the episode but then bring some history into it.  For example, for the Pilot they discuss presidential mishaps and accidents.  I'm iffy on it.  I love the idea, I'm just not sure they have the depth to do it justice but we shall see?  I'm actually going to email them!

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AriAu

AriAu

So.....for humor I watched the Republican Debate on Fox Biz news and had my TWW moment shortly after it began courtesy of none other than Canadian Ted Cruz, that mean spirited little troll.

Since it was about business and finance, let's do a little math

Does Ted Cruz = Mary Marsh?

Does "New York City values", "socially liberal" and "focus on money and the media" = "New York sense of humor" and "always think they are smarter than us"?

Oh, and he got lots of applause.....Ladies and Gentlemen, your 2016 Republican Party!!!

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SingleMaltBlonde

SingleMaltBlonde

and no - New York Values is actually anti-Semitism in hiding.

I say this as a happy lifelong resident of flyover country...he sees an opening to drive a wedge between the Iowa evangelicals who are/were swinging his way and Trump using the assumed insecurity of anyone who doesn't live near salt water.  Some candidates/media type need to constantly defend the midwest/south/small town america against a threat most of us could care less about.  I would remind Sen Cruz that Iowa had SSM long before New York State.

 

It isn't unlike Sorkin at times and his need to portray Indiana or Dayton, OH as out of touch or the middle of nowhere.

and no - New York Values is actually anti-Semitism in hiding.

I say this as a happy lifelong resident of flyover country...he sees an opening to drive a wedge between the Iowa evangelicals who are/were swinging his way and Trump using the assumed insecurity of anyone who doesn't live near salt water.  Some candidates/media type need to constantly defend the midwest/south/small town america against a threat most of us could care less about.  I would remind Sen Cruz that Iowa had SSM long before New York State.

 

It isn't unlike Sorkin at times and his need to portray Indiana or Dayton, OH as out of touch or the middle of nowhere.

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AriAu

AriAu

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=crKDDS5D_os

 

For some reason, I always think of TWW when I hear this song even though they had someone other than James Taylor sing it (Aimee Mann) and didn't have him sing it when he was on the show.

 

Also, was channel surfing after the football ended and found The American President. Is AS contractually required to use a phrase that ends with "it is entirely up to you" in everything he does?

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ProudMary

ProudMary

I just watched Tuesday night's episode of Rob Lowe's FOX comedy, The Grinder.  I didn't know beforehand that there was a guest appearance by none other than Richard Schiff!  He walked into the scene and I actually screamed out, "Toby!  Back with Sam!"  His appearance was only about 2 minutes in an opening flashback scene but more than enough for a geek-out by this WW fan!

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Melancholy

Melancholy

 I really like The American President. Not as much as The Social Network or Charlie Wilson's War, though- where I'd rate TSN in the top five films of the 21st century and like, Charlie Wilson's War in the top twenty. More than A Few Good Men and Malice. Obviously, I'm panting to see Steve Jobs since I missed it in theaters. 

 

The American President is totally Nineties, though. The clothes. The political issues of the day. On top of seeing a lot of actors who'd be on West Wing and Sports Night, John Mahoney (Frasier's dad) and Wendie Mallick (Just Shoot Me, Frasier) also make an appearance. Plus, straight up movie stars Richard Dreyfus and Annette Benning in lead roles too. 

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betsyboo

betsyboo

(edited)

 I really like The American President. Not as much as The Social Network or Charlie Wilson's War, though- where I'd rate TSN in the top five films of the 21st century and like, Charlie Wilson's War in the top twenty. More than A Few Good Men and Malice. Obviously, I'm panting to see Steve Jobs since I missed it in theaters. 

 

The American President is totally Nineties, though. The clothes. The political issues of the day. On top of seeing a lot of actors who'd be on West Wing and Sports Night, John Mahoney (Frasier's dad) and Wendie Mallick (Just Shoot Me, Frasier) also make an appearance. Plus, straight up movie stars Richard Dreyfus and Annette Benning in lead roles too. 

DON'T READ DEAJA.....................

"My name is Andrew Shepherd and I *AM* the President."

 

(ETA - apparently bolding something in the spoiler tags makes it NOT TAGGED - note to self!)

Edited by betsyboo
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Melancholy

Melancholy

Really, IMO, the staff's banter and their political shenanigans were my favorite part of the movie. Way more than the romantic A-plot. Martin Sheen, MJF, ADS were particularly great. I saw the movie after I'd been watching TWW for a few seasons- but I bet if I saw the movie in 1994, I could have thought, "Wow, this would make a great blueprint for a TV drama about the senior staff of the White House" if I was hit with the burst of brainpower to go along with a creative craving.

 

I need to rewatch Charlie Wilson's War. I loved it coming out of the movie theater, as did my family. However, I haven't seen it since. Hey, has anyone here seen Moneyball or Steve Jobs? Those are the two that I haven't seen- Moneyball, because I don't like sports (even though I liked Sports Night) and Steve Jobs because I missed it in theaters.

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ProudMary

ProudMary

I need to rewatch Charlie Wilson's War. I loved it coming out of the movie theater, as did my family. However, I haven't seen it since. Hey, has anyone here seen Moneyball or Steve Jobs? Those are the two that I haven't seen- Moneyball, because I don't like sports (even though I liked Sports Night) and Steve Jobs because I missed it in theaters.

In addition to my Sorkin fandom, I am a baseball fanatic so I was extremely excited to see Moneyball.  I found it disappointing overall.  First, it doesn't particularly have a Sorkin feel to it.  This was a shared writing credit and it feels like it.  Then, from a baseball perspective, it played with the truth by portraying the 2002 Oakland Athletics as these massive underdogs to advance the story, when in reality they had three of the best starting pitchers in baseball and also a shortstop who earned the MVP award that year but were barely mentioned at all.  I suppose if one is a casual baseball fan or has no real knowledge of the sport, they could get caught up in the excitement but to me it was a head scratcher.  Honestly, if the viewer doesn't like baseball, I can't imagine they'd like the film as it is very much a "baseball movie" concentrating on the business end of baseball.

I also saw Steve Jobs and I thought it was just brilliant.  The dialogue is non-stop and absolutely amazing.  Sorkin at his best.  There's a reason that Fassbender, Winslet, Daniels and Seth Rogen gave such incredible performances; they were given magnificent words to speak.

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AriAu

AriAu

Those are the two that I haven't seen- Moneyball, because I don't like sports (even though I liked Sports Night)

 

Sports Night was really not about sports so that is why you liked it.

 

I agree with ProudMary-It does play fast and loose with some baseball facts, and it lacks any of the usual Sorkin touches. In fact, I had actually forgotten that AS co-wrote it. It does not make a lot of sense unless you understand baseball and why pitch counts  and advanced saber metrics (waaayyy beyond on base percentage etc) matter.

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Melancholy

Melancholy

(edited)

Sports Night was really not about sports so that is why you liked it.

 

Yeah, but usually, I have such an aversion to sports that I frequently don't even care for, like, these Oscar bait movies that tell a dramatic story about an underdog in sports carrying the day and winning. Didn't like Friday Night Lights (movie or TV show) or Seabiscuit or Rocky or Raging Bull or Cinderella Man. It's very hard to get me to like a story where the narrative is still driven by sports, even if its emotional goal is something else or there's a ton of non-sports subplots. Off the top of my head, Sports Night and A League of Their Own were the only TV/movie pieces that I liked which told dramatic stories stemming from sports. 

 

I'm really excited for Steve Jobs to make to on-demand viewing. 

Edited by Melancholy
BW Manilowe

BW Manilowe

(edited)

I'm watching The American President right now. It is strange to see Martin Sheen as CoS. And Will Bailey!

What about Anna Deavere Smith (Nancy McNally) as the CJ equivalent? And the actress who plays Ellie Bartlet (middle daughter, most like Abbey) is in it too--I think as Annette Bening's character's sister or something.

Edited by BW Manilowe
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Moose135

Moose135

If you watch enough of Sorkin's work, you will see many of the same actors.  This from an old interview with Josh Malina:

 

“There’s sort of an informal group of us that I think of as the Mighty Sorkin Players.  I think what he sees in us as a crew are actors that are able to speak his dialogue in a natural way, in the rhythms that he hears in his head.  He’ll tell you he has a very musical approach to writing.  There are very specific cadences and rhythms.  Some people naturally get it, some don’t.  He likes to work with people, first of all, that he gets along with… I think that reflects nicely on him.  He likes to be around his friends.  He likes to employ them.  And he likes to work with actors who can sort of make the dialogue come alive, the way he envisioned it.”

 

http://www.popentertainment.com/malina.htm

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AriAu

AriAu

(edited)

On 6am news today, they announced the voting at Hartsfield Knoll, not Hartsfield Landing-I was very confused. Haven't watched that episode in awhile...did I have it wrong all these years (I know Sorkin didn't have it wrong) or did something change?

The voting did start at 12:01 and they did have a vote count by 6am CST.

New Hampshire....it's what's New!

 

Edited to add-there are actually 3 towns that are the first to vote and none have the name Hartsfield in them-there is Hart's Location, Dixville Notch and Millsfield.

Must be fictional town

Edited by AriAu
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Melancholy

Melancholy

Hartsfield Landing is supposed to be Dixville Notch :)

 

Thank you! I just started reading about it Dixville. First thing I checked- whether they were affected by a pulp mill closing. (I think Dixville was- there was big pulp mill closing in their nearby city of Berlin, New Hampshire in September 2001- right before the airing of the ep. 

 

JOSH: We're for affordable health care.

DONNA: What's affordable if you've lost your job at the pulp mill?

JOSH: They don't - the Flenders don't work at the pulp mill!

DONNA: Nobody works in the pulp mill!

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