bs2
> in Tim Robbins’ 1992 political mockumentary — ... it feels like a shockumentary — Roberts is a charismatic ’60s-hating folk singer who preys on the resentments of white Pennsylvania voters during his U.S. Senate race against incumbent Brickley Paiste (Gore Vidal). He sings songs like “Retake America,” “This Land was Made for Me,” and “Times are Changin’ Back,” tunes that were much easier to laugh at before 24-hour cable news practically lifted their lyrics to serve as their chyrons. 🧵
Jul 14, 2024 at 12:07amWeb
Show threadbs2Jul 14, 2024

🧵
> Robbins, who starred, wrote, and made his directorial debut, was aiming for satire, but beneath the parody was an x-ray of the American psyche in the post-Reagan era that exposed all sorts of malignancy. Bob Roberts was both a wake-up call about the vulnerabilities of our increasingly polarized political system and an instruction manual for how to take advantage of them.

https://ew.com/movies/2017/09/02/tim-robbins-bob-roberts-donald-trump/
#TimRobbins #BobRoberts #TormentNexus pattern

25 Years Later, Tim Robbins Look Back on His Cult Gem That Foresaw Donald Trump

(...and the unavoidable comparisons to President Trump)

EW.com
Show threadbs2Jul 14, 2024
🧵 The prophet's hands tremble...
> Did you ever expect to be prophestic when you made this movie?
> Let’s say I was hoping I wouldn’t be prophestic.
> ... [Bush I] opened the door to what conservatism would be... the selling of the first Gulf War, the media’s involvement.. rallying of public support.. also the nature of discourse.. shift from media that was local to political organizations.. absorbed or purchased.. outlets throughout the country.. early talk-radio.. Rush Limbaughs.
Show threadbs2Jul 14, 2024
> ... very disturbing.. at the time.. political philosophy.. espoused on a daily basis.. to do with manipulation of the facts. And this seemingly innocuous rise of talk-radio punditry, for me, clearly had an agenda to it. The #deregulation under #Reagan that allowed that and the further deregulation under #Clinton, post #BobRoberts, led to more and more conglomerates of radio stations throughout the country that were relentlessly pursuing an agenda that served the elite class.