Galifianakis: Liberal hero

Fri, 10 Aug 2012 16:45:00 +0000

Remember the old saw about how history repeats itself "first as tragedy, then as farce"? Zach Galifianakis’s new comedy "The Campaign" may be a farce, but it recalls a tragic election that changed the course of politics in America.

In the film, Galifianakis plays Marty Huggins, an eccentric upstart who challenges long-term Rep. Cam Brady, who expected to run unopposed. The film, directed by Jay Roach, mastermind of the execrable "Meet the Parents" series, is unlikely to offer sharp political satire, but we can hope it’s at least infected with a touch of Tea Party–era lunacy.

Zach is not the first Galifianakis to run for office. Forty years ago, his uncle Nick battled conservative commentator Jesse Helms for a place in the Senate. The election vaulted Helms into power for the next 30 years, transforming a former Democratic stronghold and ushering in a long period of conservative dominance for North Carolina that only appeared to break with Barack Obama’s historic (and wafer-thin) victory in 2008.

Salon.com > Nick Galifianakis

Galifianakis: Liberal hero