The pellet with the poison’s in the flagon with the dragon; the vessel with the pestle has the brew that is true.
– Danny Kaye, “The Court Jester,” 1955
“Laughable and absurd.” That’s how Vice-President Mike Pence described a report in the New York Times that he was conducting a shadow presidential campaign focused on the 2020 election. He denounced the Times article as “disgraceful and offensive to me, my family and our entire team.” “The allegations in this article are categorically false,” he protested, “and represent just the latest attempt by the media to divide this administration.” Suggesting the Times information was – you guessed it – “fake news,” he tweeted, “my entire team will continue to focus all our efforts to advance the president’s agenda and see him re-elected in 2020.” He wrapped up with what passes as a rhetorical flourish on Planet Pence: “Any suggestion otherwise is both laughable and absurd.”
He is, of course, lying.
Abby Normal
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: Ah! Very good. Would you mind telling me whose brain I DID put in?
Igor: Then you won’t be angry?
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: I will NOT be angry.
Igor: Abby someone.
Dr. Frederick Frankenstein: [pause, then] Abby someone. Abby who?
Igor: Abby… Normal.
– “Young Frankenstein,” (1974)
On August 30, 2016, the day after Gene Wilder died, the Washington Post published a tribute by cartoonist Tom Toles that shows Wilder, suitcase in hand, running up to St. Peter at Heaven’s Gate and exclaiming, “Tell him somebody put an abby normal brain into a presidential candidate!” It was a heartful tribute to Wilder, as well as cunning political satire. It was funny and easy to laugh at, since Hillary Clinton took a commanding lead in the polls just a week earlier and it seemed obvious she would trounce Trump in November and send him back to “The Apprentice.” Then, lightning struck and the monster with the “abby normal” brain came to life and took up residence in the White House.
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