Terminators, and Hustlers, and Porn Stars, oh my!
Posted Thursday, August 7, 2003 at 12:35 PM Central
by John Couture
It's official, The Terminator plans to be a Running Man when California voters decide the fate of incumbent governor Gray Davis on October 7th. On a day when Kobe Bryant was supposed to be the main news story, Arnold Schwarzenegger stole the spotlight in grand fashion by announcing his candidacy on 'The Tonight Show With Jay Leno.'
Arnie throws his hat into a crowded ring that is quickly becoming a full-blown circus that would make Barnum and Bailey proud. From the entertainment sector, Arnie joins child TV star Gary Coleman from the 1980s show "Diff'rent Strokes" in the recall election. Coleman, who had his fair share of personal troubles since the show's demise, was recently showcased on E!'s "True Hollyood Story," a show that sheds a light into Hollywood's hard knock stories and "Star Dates," a show in which Hollywood has-beens mingle with common folk. There's even rumors that comedian Gallagher is contemplating whether or not to throw his mallet and watermelon into the ring.
A driving force behind this barrage of questionable candidates is the relative ease in which one can get his or her name on the ballot. To be considered for the recall election, a potential candidate only needs 64 signatures and $3500.
Not to be outdone by the Hollywood types, the adult entertainment industry is also getting into the act. Larry Flynt, the magazine publishing magnate responsible for Hustler Magazine, announced his bid earlier this week. Even porn stars are taking umbrage over the current administration. Mary Carey (pictured right), a popular adult film star, took the plunge on Tuesday discussing her plans to make lap dances tax deductible and to implement a "Porno For Pistols" swap program that will target violence by replacing guns with hard core pornography in the hands of killers. The star quipped "if more guys had orgasms, they'd be less violent." Mary Carey's other radical ideas include raising revenue by taxing breast augmentation surgeries and hiring porn stars to negotiate more lucrative electricity prices.
Most political pundits agree that interest in this election is heightened by these so-called candidates and hope that the victor can help save California, one of the nation's most populous states and also one of its poorest with a budget deficit approaching $38 billion.
Will one of these atypical candidates be the answer? Will plastic surgery taxation make it into one of the debates? Who knows, but the ride will definitely be an interesting one.
You can get an updated list of all candidates here.