The Rod & Patti Show
Better than the original
By STEVE RHODES
Updated 12:45 PM CST, Fri, Jun 12, 2009
Whatever souls are currently inhabiting the bodies of Rod and Patti Blagojevich these days, they're doing a helluva job.
In fact, if the former First Couple had acted like this when they were still in office, they might indeed have been headed to the White House someday.
Because the fact of the matter is that the Rod Blagojevich we've been seeing in the media these days - and in gambits such as appearing in Second City's Rod Blagojevich Superstar this weekend - is thoroughly smart and engaging.
And the Patti Blagojevich we're seeing on I'm A Celebrity, Get Me Out Of Here!
They should run for office!
If, like Patti's junglemates, you knew nothing of the case against Rod or Patti's numerous controversial entanglements, like her string of real estate deals with Tony Rezko in which she's alleged to have done no work in return for hefty commissions, you'd wonder how in the world this couple found itself in such legal jeopardy.
In other words, if all this publicity is part of an effort to influence a future jury pool, it's working marvelously.
Of course, once in court and presented with the full weight of the federal government's evidence - including wiretaps and the testimony of the governor's closest advisors - the jury might forget all about Rod Blagojevich, Superstar and his jungle-ready wife.
But if the jury is comprised of the likes of Lou Diamond Phillips, John Salley, and Spencer Pratt, they're home-free.
On the other hand, a jury made up of commenters on this USA Today article means a life sentence.
"Lets see how hard he's laughing when they drive him to prison," Sinbaid writes.
Maybe the lesson is simply the hard reminder that holding public office isn't - or shouldn't be - about show business. Rod Blajojevich could have been the next Billy Mays or Joel Osteen, but talents like those have very little to do with the ability to govern, which is a thoroughly mundane task centered around complicated budgets, thorny tax proposals and the fate of home health-care workers.
In a weird way Blago actually does seem to finally be fulfilling his destiny; it's just that his deeds along the way - enabled by his stalwart wife - will likely also put him in prison.
Steve Rhodes is the proprietor of The Beachwood Reporter, a Chicago-centric news and culture review.
Copyright NBC Local Media
First Published: Jun 12, 2009 8:04 AM CST
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