S05.E21: Tariffs

[Lantern7]

I hadn’t heard the president speak in a while, so there was that. Also, the bit where he called China “motherfuckers” . . . the way his hair looked . . . could that be considered a mullet?

Same old thing from John . . . point out and clear up stuff we were unclear about, show us that racists have wormed into the Australian government, and present a story where Melania body-swaps with a male aluminum worker, which explains why she seems reluctant to hold her husband’s hand. Because there’s a male aluminum worker trapped in her body.

Oh, and we get a sweet presentation voiced by Danny Kaye, ridiculing a right-wing blowhard’s approach to documentaries. The knife labeled “DUMBFUCKERY”? Icing on the cake.

Edited August 20, 2018 by Lantern7

[attica]

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie? Sure, a dude needs a paycheck, but fercryinoutloud, Bartlet had a degree from the London School of Economics, and should fucking know better!

*That's rhetorical. I understand that it's weird. I am no rancid orange creature.

[walnutqueen]

2 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

and present a story where Melania body-swaps with a male aluminum workers, which explains why she seems reluctant to hold her husband’s hand. Because there’s a male aluminum worker trapped in her body.

THAT?  Was hilarious!!!

 

56 minutes ago, attica said:

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie?

Not unless it is also weird that I never want to hear Martin Sheen's voice again.

Is it time for the Catheter Cowboy to explain how tariffs work to Trump?

[ganesh]

1 hour ago, attica said:

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie?

I thought that was him. I found that a bit odd. He doesn't need the money. 

I know I shouldn't be amazed, but I'm still amazed at the willful ignorance of this administration. Everyone gets things wrong now and then, but this is just deliberate. 

[attica]

I actually looked it up, because I know Sheen has a brother who does VO work and sounds very much like him. So I was 'maybe Sheen's bro?' But Imdb was all, 'naw, all Sheen.'

[ganesh]

For anyone who hasn't seen, the full Rudy interview is not to be missed. I know everyone is focused on "truth isn't truth", but when John starts the clip, he's talking about how Mueller is going to get Trump in a 'perjury trap', which seems worse to me. 

[sugarbaker design]

4 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

and present a story where Melania body-swaps with a male aluminum workers, which explains why she seems reluctant to hold her husband’s hand. Because there’s a male aluminum worker trapped in her body.

This is a great example of my biggest complaint with the show.  Start a topic, proceed smoothly, gaining momentum, giving information while keeping interest, then go off on a nonsensical tangent that goes on forever while committing the biggest crime in show business:  it isn't even funny.  The studio audience has to be high, they laugh at anything.

[DEL901]

10 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

This is a great example of my biggest complaint with the show.  Start a topic, proceed smoothly, gaining momentum, giving information while keeping interest, then go off on a nonsensical tangent that goes on forever while committing the biggest crime in show business:  it isn't even funny.  The studio audience has to be high, they laugh at anything.

I thought it was funny.

 

Also, regarding Rudy's obsession with a "Perjury Trap", any time I hear that phrase, I hear Elvis singing "Suspicious Minds"

[meowmommy]

3 hours ago, attica said:

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie? Sure, a dude needs a paycheck, but fercryinoutloud, Bartlet had a degree from the London School of Economics, and should fucking know better!

Came here because I was going to post the exact same thing.  I thought Martin Sheen was the quintessential Hollywood liberal.  How much money could he possibly need?  (Small voice:  I've never seen the West Wing.)

If they cleaned up the profanity, the parody could easily work as a campaign ad.

1 hour ago, ganesh said:

he's talking about how Mueller is going to get Trump in a 'perjury trap'

I've heard that over and over, and their basic argument is that he'll say something that contradicts what someone else says, and somehow that's a perjury trap.  Isn't that the risk with any investigation?  That someone might offer a different version of events?  

46 minutes ago, sugarbaker design said:

This is a great example of my biggest complaint with the show.  Start a topic, proceed smoothly, gaining momentum, giving information while keeping interest, then go off on a nonsensical tangent that goes on forever while committing the biggest crime in show business:  it isn't even funny.  The studio audience has to be high, they laugh at anything.

Of course I think the same thing when I watch comedy specials of people who aren't remotely funny.  The audience is either paid, stoned, drunk, or all of the above.  I have never liked when John goes off on some weird convoluted pathway.  And the whole time I'm thinking, the joke will never work because Melania doesn't actually have a loving relationship with her husband.

[Lantern7]

1 hour ago, sugarbaker design said:

This is a great example of my biggest complaint with the show.  Start a topic, proceed smoothly, gaining momentum, giving information while keeping interest, then go off on a nonsensical tangent that goes on forever while committing the biggest crime in show business:  it isn't even funny.  The studio audience has to be high, they laugh at anything.

I laughed. Seriously, though, with the world we live in these days, maybe Melania IS pining for her husband as she works with aluminum and adjusts to her new male body.

Anyone have a list of John’s nicknames? The only one I remember is “Daughter Wife” for Ivanka. I tried calling Pence “Mother’s Husband,” but I’m currently using “Handmaid’s Tale.”

[ganesh]

45 minutes ago, meowmommy said:

I've heard that over and over, and their basic argument is that he'll say something that contradicts what someone else says, and somehow that's a perjury trap.  Isn't that the risk with any investigation?  That someone might offer a different version of events?  

I wouldn't say there's a risk if you tell the truth and have actual credibility. I think his use of the word trap was to hammer the narrative that the investigation has an agenda. In the clip, I would say he is correct if he's saying there's different versions of events in people's minds. That's what an investigation does - compile everyone's version of events and figure out what actually happened. That's not what Rudy said though. 

I do crack up when John expounds on the dead sexiness that is the Treasury Secretary. 

Edited August 20, 2018 by ganesh

[iMonrey]

"Stupidity is increasing at an unsustainable rate" pretty much sums up where we are as a species at this point in history.

[peeayebee]

1 hour ago, meowmommy said:

And the whole time I'm thinking, the joke will never work because Melania doesn't actually have a loving relationship with her husband.

Of course she doesn't because she was body-swapped with an aluminum worker!

I loved that whole convoluted joke. I honestly didn't know where it was going until John pointed out the "reason" that Melania won't hold her husband's hand.

I hadn't seen the clip where Trump uses the word "motherfuckers." That was surprising. I know he talks like that in private, but I didn't know an example had been filmed.

I also didn't know that Peter Navarro was brought in as the trade guy because Jared found him on Amazon. Wow. I'm speechless. But Navarro is an idiot, an idiot leading an idiot. He was certain that no country would retaliate? Did he really believe that, or is this trade war somehow actually loved by Trump. 

That film parody was awesome.

[ganesh]

44 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

I hadn't seen the clip where Trump uses the word "motherfuckers." That was surprising. I know he talks like that in private, but I didn't know an example had been filmed.

I know. You think the news would have reported that at some point. I don't remember it at all. 

[teddysmom]

6 hours ago, attica said:

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie? Sure, a dude needs a paycheck, but fercryinoutloud, Bartlet had a degree from the London School of Economics, and should fucking know better!

OMG!!! I was screaming at the tv IS THAT MARTIN SHEEN!!!  What the fuck.   

2 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

nonsensical tangent that goes on forever

This pisses me off too.  That joke about Melania body swapping was not remotely funny.  

[iMonrey]

Am I being overly optimistic and/or naive to hope those farmers in Indiana, all of whom probably voted for Trump, are now regretting their decisions and will vote accordingly in 2020?

[Annber03]

2 hours ago, iMonrey said:

"Stupidity is increasing at an unsustainable rate" pretty much sums up where we are as a species at this point in history.

Yep. 

The "economist" Trump is listening to is a guy that Kushner got off of Amazon. Jesus Christ, I just... What the hell kind of "Twilight Zone" bullshit world have we stepped into here, seriously? 

8 hours ago, Lantern7 said:

show us that racists have wormed into the Australian government

That was disturbing. I'm thinking we should institute an international law that if you have any connections to/support from white supremacists/neo-Nazis, or use their language in your speeches, you should be automatically barred from ever holding any sort of political office whatsoever (and if you are currently in office and say things like that, you should immediately be removed from office). Good lord. We really don't need more countries emulating this racist administration, Australia, please don't go there. 

2 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I hadn't seen the clip where Trump uses the word "motherfuckers." That was surprising. I know he talks like that in private, but I didn't know an example had been filmed.

Same. At least that clip gave us John's "dumb motherfucker" comment in response, though, so that was fun :D. 

(I hope, though, that whenever Trump does finally leave office, he goes somewhere where I never, ever have to hear his voice ever again. Honest to God, it's like nails on a chalkboard.)

And I'm personally among those who loved that weird Melania/aluminum worker body swap story. It was just so bizarre and I got some really funny mental images from it. 

Anywho, yeah, regarding the main tariff topic, there's been a LOT of stories here in Iowa about how farmers are being affected by Trump's tariffs. And my mom, who works at a place that deals with the finances and such regarding business suppliers, has talked about how she's getting a lot of unhappy calls regarding the increase in prices for products, and the suppliers are unhappy because they've had to limit the amount of product, given how expensive it's all getting. 

But please, Trump supporters, do tell me again how Trump's looking out for the rural/working-class folks out there. 

4 hours ago, DEL901 said:

Also, regarding Rudy's obsession with a "Perjury Trap", any time I hear that phrase, I hear Elvis singing "Suspicious Minds"

LOL! 

Yeah. Giuliani is the comedy gift that keeps on giving. I'm sure some in the White House would very much like him to shut up, but I imagine Mueller/the FBI are sitting here like, "No, please, Giuliani, keep talking!" 

[peeayebee]

13 minutes ago, iMonrey said:

Am I being overly optimistic and/or naive to hope those farmers in Indiana, all of whom probably voted for Trump, are now regretting their decisions and will vote accordingly in 2020?

I was expecting to John to bring up Trump wanting to give billions of dollar in aid to farmers, but I guess that would have gotten off track. Still, I wonder if this bribe will keep farmers from realizing that Trump screwed them with his tariffs.

[SnideAsides]

I'd like to point out that (1) Bob "Not In My Outback Yard" Katter was literally the only other person who tried to defend Fraser Anning's comments and (2) thanks to the vagaries of the Australian senate electoral system and a bunch of politicians being disqualified from Parliament for having dual citizenship with other countries, he was elected after receiving only NINETEEN VOTES. That's "Kevin Spacey's film flop" terrible.

[ganesh]

7 minutes ago, peeayebee said:

Still, I wonder if this bribe will keep farmers from realizing that Trump screwed them with his tariffs.

I think it will. Although I suppose the results of the midterms will tell us a little more. 

[Annber03]

3 minutes ago, SnideAsides said:

I'd like to point out that (1) Bob "Not In My Outback Yard" Katter was literally the only other person who tried to defend Fraser Anning's comments and (2) thanks to the vagaries of the Australian senate electoral system and a bunch of politicians being disqualified from Parliament for having dual citizenship with other countries, he was elected after receiving only NINETEEN VOTES. That's "Kevin Spacey's film flop" terrible.

That makes me feel a little better :).

1 minute ago, ganesh said:

I think it will. Although I suppose the results of the midterms will tell us a little more. 

Man, I both cannot wait for and am very nervous about the November elections. It's the 2016 feelings all over again. Hopefully this go-round will have a much happier outcome. 

[SnideAsides]

Oh yeah. I know the word "literally" is overused these days, but even the lady who used her own maiden speech in 1996 to complain that Australia was being "swamped by Asians" condemned his speech. Australia is making progress. It's just our system that's fucked.

[Jersey Guy 87]

18 hours ago, peeayebee said:

I hadn't seen the clip where Trump uses the word "motherfuckers." That was surprising. I know he talks like that in private, but I didn't know an example had been filmed.

I'm pretty sure that was from 2012 (at least that's what I remember seeing in the corner of the clip when I watched it) when Trump was only thinking about a presidential run, not actually campaigning.  So it didn't get that much media attention at the time.

16 hours ago, Annber03 said:

Yeah. Giuliani is the comedy gift that keeps on giving. I'm sure some in the White House would very much like him to shut up, but I imagine Mueller/the FBI are sitting here like, "No, please, Giuliani, keep talking!" 

What's frightening is obviously Trump (and some others in the White House?) think Giuliani is effective.  And, in a way, he is.  All the talk is about Giuliani saying "Truth isn't Truth" instead of the substance of what Trump and his associates did.  This may be effective with the ordinary person at home but I don't think it's effective with Mueller.

[ganesh]

The m/o in the clip they showed was to muddy the waters in the court of public opinion, so when the report comes out, it's immediately discredited. So Rudy is effective in that. 

[purist]

17 hours ago, SnideAsides said:

the lady who used her own maiden speech in 1996

She's no 'lady'. >:(

I thought this was the best LWT in ages. Funny, informative and covering a really important topic.

[teddysmom]

On 8/20/2018 at 4:23 PM, iMonrey said:

Am I being overly optimistic and/or naive to hope those farmers in Indiana, all of whom probably voted for Trump, are now regretting their decisions and will vote accordingly in 2020?

I live in IN, work in RE development and we rent land we own and haven't developed to local farmers. One of them told me last year that the tariffs wouldn't affect them, and Trump is brilliant because he's wealthy, blah blah blah. I thought of him when I saw this segment, wonder how everything's going for you when grain prices drop thru the floor this fall.  Guess what? Your rent is staying the same. 

[SeanC]

On 8/20/2018 at 1:41 PM, meowmommy said:

Came here because I was going to post the exact same thing.  I thought Martin Sheen was the quintessential Hollywood liberal.  How much money could he possibly need?  (Small voice:  I've never seen the West Wing.)

Sheen is aggressively leftist, and has been arrested dozens of times over the years for participating in various protests.  I legitimately have no idea what he was doing narrating that documentary.

[ganesh]

Did he lose a bet?

[MaryPatShelby]

On 8/20/2018 at 8:08 AM, attica said:

Is it weird* that the thing that galled me most about last night's ep was that Martin (President Bartlet) Sheen was the narrator of that stupid Death by China movie? Sure, a dude needs a paycheck, but fercryinoutloud, Bartlet had a degree from the London School of Economics, and should fucking know better!

*That's rhetorical. I understand that it's weird. I am no rancid orange creature.

I was completely galled by that, and even more so when imdb confirmed that it wasn't just a Martin Sheen sound-alike. Why would he narrate that?  I'm so disappointed, and kind of surprised that JO didn't mention it.

[TudorQueen]

I may have lost some of my lifelong respect for Martin Sheen.

[biakbiak]

10 hours ago, TudorQueen said:

I may have lost some of my lifelong respect for Martin Sheen.

He also did a doc about OJ that said his older son did it.

[ganesh]

What is wrong with this guy?