Political Jabs in shows

[Fiyero13]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:29pm

With today being super tuesday I was wondering what musicals have political jokes in them, i know Avenue q and spelling bee do

[Gothampc]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:31pm

Evita has many of them.

[george95]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:35pm

RENT mentions Newt Gingrich's lesbian sister. At the time the show premiered, when the new Republican congress was in session, Newt Gingrich was a household name. Since he had such conservative politics, the media jumped on the chance to report that he had a lesbian sister.

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:44pm

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels

"The Bushes of Tex were nervous wrecks because their son was Dim....


But look what happened to him"

[Jon]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:45pm

In the original version of KISS ME KATE, the character of Harrison Howell, Lili's suitor, was a senator. There was a scene where she's talking on the phone with him which contains several jokes about the govenment and references to political figures of the early 1950's. The recent revival changed his character to an army general.

LIL' ABNER has the hilarious song "This Country's in the Very Best of Hands" that makes fun of politicians. Ir also has characters like Mayor Dawgmeat and Senator Jack. S. Phogbound.

BEST LITTLE WHOREHOUSE GOES PUBLIC had a right wing sentor named "A. Harry Hardast".

The gay revue WHEN PIGS FLY had a song in which a young man laments that he always falls for the wrong type of guy. He sings three versions throughout the show - one about Rush Limbaugh, one about Newt Gingrich and one about Strom Thurmond.

Updated On: 2/5/08 at 04:45 PM

[WaltSummersPI]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:46pm

It's a mean, nasty Republican town - Grey Gardens

Also, "And where's mother going to go, to your yacht in the Greek islands?" Updated On: 2/5/08 at 04:46 PM

[Pippin]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:46pm

Pippin, of course has one, when Pippin is crowned king, and calls for "limited police action".

[LeadingDude]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:47pm

Wicked has a lot of them.

[SNLMedia]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:51pm

Hairspray.

When Tracy is in jail, and she finds out that Velma talked the governor into forcing her into solitary confinement for the entirety of the Miss Teenage Hairspray contest, she says:

"Manipulating our judicial system just to win a contest... is unamerican!"

[Fiyero13]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 4:57pm

what were the ones in wicked?

[bobby_luvs_bway]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 5:27pm

From "Wicked" - WHEN I SEE DEPRESSING CREATURES
WITH UNPREPOSSESSING FEATURES
I REMIND THEM ON THEIR OWN BEHALF
TO THINK OF
CELEBRATED HEADS OF STATE OR
SPECIALLY GREAT COMMUNICATORS
DID THEY HAVE BRAINS OR KNOWLEDGE?
DON'T MAKE ME LAUGH!



Ronald Reagan was known as the Great Communicator. That's just off the top of my head, but there are a few.

[MissAnneThrop]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 5:28pm

Glinda refers to herself as an unelected official (ref 2000 election)

[BigFatBlonde]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 5:41pm

I remember seeing Annie Warbucks YEARS ago in Los Angeles - this was before the New York version -

Anyway... There was a scene at the White House in the garden and gardeners where coming in and out while FDR was talking to someone about something. At one point FDR notices the gardeners and instructs them to:

Get rid of the Bushes! I don't want to see anymore of those Bushes at the White House!"

The audience applauded. Of course he was refering to George H. W.

Sadly no one could have anticipated George W.

[deadparrot]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:08pm

There's also reference to a "regime change" in Wicked.

[jv92]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:14pm

Little Edie tells us that that wars shouldn't be allowed and that "your full length velvet glove hides the fist." Two more political jabs from Grey Gardens.

[Mr Roxy]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:23pm

November basically is an entire political jab without any mention of GWB.

[SporkGoddess]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:26pm

Jekyll and Hyde jabs at the upper class London society a lot.

Kiss of the Spiderwoman is most likely about the Argentine Dirty War and thus a reference to Videla's tyranny.

[Jilani]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:33pm

Glinda refers to herself as an unelected official (ref 2000 election)

It was Nessarose who said that. Interesting; I never saw it as a reference to that, but it's quite possible.

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 6:57pm

in August: Osage County, the beginning of Act 3
KAREN: I just can't believe your world view is that dark.
IVY: You live in Florida.

and

Avenue Q.."George Bush! is only for now.."
Updated On: 2/5/08 at 06:57 PM

[LePetiteFromage]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 7:00pm

Updated On: 5/8/09 at 07:00 PM

[verynewyorkcurious]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 7:01pm

my apologies.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 2/5/08 at 10:56pm

"It turned out to be a revolutionary idea. 'Walk Like a Man.' Hey, some guys have run for president on less!"

Sometimes changed to "have been elected president."

[bethyd]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 10:51am

I can't think of the exact quote, but Tick Tick Boom has a crack at Bush Sr. Something about the 90s being boring and uneventful, for example, George Bush is the president.

And High Fidelity had a little cartoony picture of Bush Jr on the side of the set on a brick wall, as if it were graffiti. I think it's visible in the picture with the CD if you look carefully off to the right.

[Calvin]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 10:57am

Roxy, Mamet has said that President Smith is not based on Bush.

Oh, and I think there might be a political jab or two in "Hair."

[Salene]

Posted: 2/6/08 at 11:11am

Billy Elliot. There's even a song about the lady in question - Merry Christmas, Maggie Thatcher.