Comments on: Bow, bow, to the President-elect http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/ Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:46:55 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.3 By: greeneyeshade http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96843 greeneyeshade Sun, 21 Dec 2008 06:08:57 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96843 I love it, but (1) "The Mikado" as a "pretentious" figure? When you're an absolute ruler, why do you have to pretend? (2) Remember, "Topsy Turvy" is about the *creation* of "The Mikado," which limits the liberties Mike Leigh could have taken; and (3) Michael Lonie, I believe Gilbert was a failed barrister, not a failed solicitor _ in his time, and for a long time afterward, barristers were considered gentlemen, solicitors were not. (Sir Joseph Porter made his career as a solicitor.) I love it, but (1) “The Mikado” as a “pretentious” figure? When you’re an absolute ruler, why do you have to pretend? (2) Remember, “Topsy Turvy” is about the *creation* of “The Mikado,” which limits the liberties Mike Leigh could have taken; and (3) Michael Lonie, I believe Gilbert was a failed barrister, not a failed solicitor _ in his time, and for a long time afterward, barristers were considered gentlemen, solicitors were not. (Sir Joseph Porter made his career as a solicitor.)

]]> By: Michael Lonie http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96836 Michael Lonie Sun, 21 Dec 2008 04:27:26 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96836 Gilbert was a solicitor, and had an appreciation of human weakness based on a lawyer's view of the seamier side of Victorian society. There is another song in The Mikado that I have always liked, for its insight into human nature. The song is a duet between the Mikado and Katisha. It goes something like this (I'm going by imperfect memory here). See how fortune the Fates alot For A is happy, but B is not. Yet B is deserving, I dare say, of far more happiness than A. Is B derserving? I should say he's worth a great deal more than A. But A is happy, oh so happy, laughing, haha, chaffing, haha, quaffing haha haha ha. Ever joyous ever gay, happy undeserving A. If I were Fortune, which I'm not, B would enjoy A's happy lot. A should perish miserably, always assuming that I am B. Then B would be happy, oh so happy. Laughing, haha, chaffing, haha, quaffing haha haha ha. But condemned to die is he, wretched meritorious B. Gilbert was a solicitor, and had an appreciation of human weakness based on a lawyer’s view of the seamier side of Victorian society. There is another song in The Mikado that I have always liked, for its insight into human nature. The song is a duet between the Mikado and Katisha. It goes something like this (I’m going by imperfect memory here).

See how fortune the Fates alot
For A is happy, but B is not.
Yet B is deserving, I dare say,
of far more happiness than A.

Is B derserving? I should say
he’s worth a great deal more than A.

But A is happy, oh so happy,
laughing, haha, chaffing, haha, quaffing haha haha ha.
Ever joyous ever gay,
happy undeserving A.

If I were Fortune, which I’m not,
B would enjoy A’s happy lot.
A should perish miserably,
always assuming that I am B.

Then B would be happy, oh so happy.
Laughing, haha, chaffing, haha, quaffing haha haha ha.
But condemned to die is he,
wretched meritorious B.

]]> By: Jimmy J. http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96821 Jimmy J. Sun, 21 Dec 2008 00:24:47 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96821 This puts me in mind of another Gilbert and Sullivan work, "HMS Pinafore." Obama's ascension to high posityion reminds me of the tale of how the Ruler of the Queen's Navy attained his lofty position. See it here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpJ_IAUs8nI This puts me in mind of another Gilbert and Sullivan work, “HMS Pinafore.”

Obama’s ascension to high posityion reminds me of the tale of how the Ruler of the Queen’s Navy attained his lofty position.

See it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TpJ_IAUs8nI

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96810 Ymarsakar Sat, 20 Dec 2008 23:36:03 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96810 We have some controversy going on between black, gay marriage, and Obama supporters, Neo. <a href="http://therealbarackobama.wordpress.com/2008/12/18/video-obama-the-warren-pick/" rel="nofollow">Link</a> Obama will have his work cut out for him herding these cats around. But he will do so better than Bush did, at least. We have some controversy going on between black, gay marriage, and Obama supporters, Neo.

Link

Obama will have his work cut out for him herding these cats around. But he will do so better than Bush did, at least.

]]> By: neo-neocon http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96782 neo-neocon Sat, 20 Dec 2008 18:06:41 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96782 OlderandWheezier: I did see the movie "Topsy Turvy, " and I have to register a dissenting opinion. I did not like it. I tend to prefer fairly freeform versions of the Mikado---I like them to take a lot of liberties. The version I posted takes too many liberties, though---it is just strange. But I found "Topsy Turvy" to be too staid. I find that local productions are often the best---the actors usually have good voices, but they know how to have fun. OlderandWheezier: I did see the movie “Topsy Turvy, ” and I have to register a dissenting opinion. I did not like it. I tend to prefer fairly freeform versions of the Mikado—I like them to take a lot of liberties. The version I posted takes too many liberties, though—it is just strange. But I found “Topsy Turvy” to be too staid. I find that local productions are often the best—the actors usually have good voices, but they know how to have fun.

]]> By: OlderandWheezier http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96774 OlderandWheezier Sat, 20 Dec 2008 16:55:38 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96774 Good job, neo. It's just a shame that you had to settle for the embedded version. Have you by chance seen the movie "Topsy Turvy," which is (probably loosely) based on G&S's inspiration for and staging of The Mikado? Good job, neo. It’s just a shame that you had to settle for the embedded version. Have you by chance seen the movie “Topsy Turvy,” which is (probably loosely) based on G&S’s inspiration for and staging of The Mikado?

]]> By: Nolanimrod http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96766 Nolanimrod Sat, 20 Dec 2008 11:08:41 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96766 I love this guy! Now it's <b>The Office of the President Elect</b>? <i> Fantastic!</i>Do you suppose he hangs that sign on the bathroom door while he's in there? If he uses condoms do you suppose there are little titles printed on them? Does Michelle, do you imagine, have to dress up like the Statue of Liberty? I love this guy! Now it’s The Office of the President Elect? Fantastic!Do you suppose he hangs that sign on the bathroom door while he’s in there? If he uses condoms do you suppose there are little titles printed on them? Does Michelle, do you imagine, have to dress up like the Statue of Liberty?

]]> By: Ymarsakar http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96757 Ymarsakar Sat, 20 Dec 2008 04:22:34 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96757 You are absolutely brilliant here, Neo. You are absolutely brilliant here, Neo.

]]> By: Ozyripus http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96741 Ozyripus Sat, 20 Dec 2008 01:11:48 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96741 I do hope there is a heaven with saved souls, who finally having recognized 'truth,' are now looking down and listening. One would be an old lunch friend, dead at 84 in the mid-nineties, who could and did declaim, indeed sing, if a bit reedy, the exactly appropriate Gilbert & Sullivan song for the political/intellectual argument of the moment. He was the only self-identified Republican in my local, very progressive 'church' group that I had been indoctrinated into as a child; I was long, long past childhood in the nineties, and about to become an apostate *********/Democrat, gratis Bill's child-lawyer definition of sex, the final, inappropriate straw. The sex was stupid; his crapping out on ROTC much earlier, finally defined him and the progressive crew for me. This old friend and G&S fan was a Dartmouth graduate, who never missed a chance to so note (i.e., a real Ivy-League Easterner), and had been an Army communications Sgt. aboard the Navy cruiser that carried FDR to Yalta; that story we heard several times; but he hardly remembered Korea had happened by the mid-nineties. He so humorously used G&S to note the political inanities of those days, that I'm sure he's smiling down at you, neo. I do hope there is a heaven with saved souls, who finally having recognized ‘truth,’ are now looking down and listening. One would be an old lunch friend, dead at 84 in the mid-nineties, who could and did declaim, indeed sing, if a bit reedy, the exactly appropriate Gilbert & Sullivan song for the political/intellectual argument of the moment.

He was the only self-identified Republican in my local, very progressive ‘church’ group that I had been indoctrinated into as a child; I was long, long past childhood in the nineties, and about to become an apostate *********/Democrat, gratis Bill’s child-lawyer definition of sex, the final, inappropriate straw. The sex was stupid; his crapping out on ROTC much earlier, finally defined him and the progressive crew for me.

This old friend and G&S fan was a Dartmouth graduate, who never missed a chance to so note (i.e., a real Ivy-League Easterner), and had been an Army communications Sgt. aboard the Navy cruiser that carried FDR to Yalta; that story we heard several times; but he hardly remembered Korea had happened by the mid-nineties.

He so humorously used G&S to note the political inanities of those days, that I’m sure he’s smiling down at you, neo.

]]> By: Deekaman http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96732 Deekaman Fri, 19 Dec 2008 23:10:38 +0000 http://neoneocon.com/2008/12/19/bow-bow-to-the-president-elect/#comment-96732 Two words...Pure...Genius Two words…Pure…Genius

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