The best new thing in the world today is the book, Drift, by the beautiful and inspiring Rachel Maddow, who is far and away the best political pundit in mainstream news. Aside from Jack White, Rachel Maddow is my only other celebrity crush *swoon* and I am happy to report that she is just as dreamy in person as she is on tv. Had Rachel gazed into my eyes from across the room, swore away her partner of a decade, and declared love for me at first sight, I would have immediately become a lesbian. Unfortunately, that didn't happen, but I did tell her she was the biggest bad ass around and she seemed very amused by that, slightly blushing and giggling in that precious way she is known to do. You think she'd be used to all the flattery by now.
Maddow walked up onto the stage at Barnes and Noble Union Square to thunderous applause and wild exuberance. Looking visibly nervous and surprised, she asked "Is this normal?" I've been to a lot of book discussions/signings in the city and I can answer definitively that this was not, in fact, normal. This was more like a gig than a literary event. Rachel is a rock star. And we were her groupies. The entire top floor of the book store was packed with fans as obsessive as myself. I became fast friends with the guy sitting next to me. We lamented, and consoled each other over the fact that we would not be allowed to hug Rachel.
And why are we so enamored with Ms. Maddow? The Oxford-educated Rhodes scholar is undoubtedly brilliant, yet she manages to exhibit her brilliance in a remarkably unpretentious manner. That's rare for anyone in this world, but it's especially unique given the circus of vainglorious windbags she is amongst in cable news. As a respectful polemicist, who engages in debates with the utmost civility, and allows those in disagreement a fair opportunity to argue their side, Maddow puts all the other narcissistic blowhard pundits to shame. And her signature use of humor, interesting anecdotes, and little-known facts to set up and present information is compelling and entertaining. I find that she often has a unique perspective on issues, that she offers critical insights not presented by any other media sources. It is telling that so many invited guests decline repeated offers to appear on her show, in spite of Ms. Maddow's reputation for being fair and courteous. That is a testament to her brilliance, and to their fears and insecurities. These people know they are no match for sharp shooter Rachel Maddow!
Above all, Ms. Maddow just seems like a genuine human being, one who shares her love of dogs, comic books, fishing, and classic cocktails; one who is playful and geeky, yet serious and determined; one who unabashedly lets out her inner fangirl and gushes over the likes of Metallica's iconic drummer Lars Ulrich, and then one who is able to refocus that enthusiasm into a hard-hitting takedown of the Koch brothers. That she does not conform to the traditional standards of beauty makes her that much more appealing. She is such an amazing ambassador for women in a society starving for strong and respectable female public figures, and in a society drowning in Disney princesses, in female reality stars who promote stupidity as entertainment, and in attempts by the women of the religious right and the GOP to destroy feminist policy.
The only way the event could have been better is if Rachel had mixed cocktails for the audience. I would have also loved to get a pic with her, but understandably it wasn't allowed as there were just too many fans in attendance, and Barnes and Noble would have had to stay open all night long to accommodate such requests. Maddow did commit to signing everyone's books which was very generous. She probably developed carpal tunnel syndrome as a result.
At one point, a lady in the audience asked Maddow when she was going to run for office. The entire audience erupted in cheers. Maddow seemed flattered, but horrified by the thought. I'd vote for her.
Someone sitting close enough managed to take a great video of the event. No doubt they arrived at least two hours prior to claim their seat. I arrived an hour prior and managed to get a seat towards the middle which was actually pretty far back. But there were many who weren't so lucky. It was standing-room only with hordes of people packed all the way back in Timbuktu. Here she is talking about her book Drift, which analyzes our country's drift towards a state of perpetual war and the resulting destruction of this state upon our democracy:
And here is the famous cocktail enthusiast showing us how to make a Jack Rose:
This guy might love Rachel as much as I do:
I think this guy is also part of the I heart Rachel fanclub:
And a really brilliant tribute from the folks at New York Theatre Barn:
I totally lied when I said that Jack White and Rachel Maddow are my only celebrity crushes. Rounding out my top five are Conan O'Brien, Lisa Bonet, and....hmmmm..... fifth spot is a tough one. I'll have to think about that. Which five celebrities are on your laminated list?
"Three times I made sergeant/ I’m not that kind of man/ And pretty much just as quick as I could/ I get busted back to private again/ Cause takin’ orders never suited me/ Giving them out was much worse/ I could not stand to get my friends killed/ So I took care of myself first/ Now I know that don’t sound right/ Don’t think too bad of me/ Now it keeps me up nights/ What I could have done differently" --Lucero, The War
No comments:
Post a Comment