The Film Take Back America Took Back

As a result of the attention surrounding my film about the 2007 Conservative Political Action Conference--it was a YouTube hit--the liberal Campaign for America's Future asked me to produce a similar video about their annual conference, Take Back America (TBA), held in Washington. On the first day of TBA, my film about CPAC was shown to an audience that appreciated its satirical edge. The planners of TBA promptly scheduled a screening of my film about their conference for their closing lunch banquet. But when I finally delivered that film, they were less amused.

Judge for yourself.

With over a thousand people waiting to view my film, my videographer, Thomas Shomaker, and I were whisked backstage. There, conference organizers told us "technical" problems made our screening impossible. I was finally told that our film was too "edgy." In it I interviewed participants at the conference, including Ralph Nader, Al Sharpton, Mike Gravel, bloggers from Atrios to Matt Stoller, and activists. I suspect that its good-natured humor failed to meet a threshold of dull earnestness.

Comments (13)

1. I wonder which major candidate will back it!!

   Posted by john maasch at 06/21/2007 @ 6:23pm

2. MAX,

   pretty funny video, beware those who take themselves too seriously, and can't have a laugh when someone pokes a little fun at 'em......The Jason Alexander bit was hilarious....

   Who was the guy who termed the whole Obama campaign, as represented by the Obama Girl video, a narcassistic festival of self love?

   Another guy who has no sense of humor.......(But probably not totally wrong, either.... heh,heh)

   Posted by davebarlett at 06/21/2007 @ 7:30pm

3. I'm sorry Mr Blumenthal...

   did you ACTUALLY think that "progressives"...had a sense of humor about themselves?!?!?

   Posted by Mask at 06/21/2007 @ 7:47pm

4. Hysterical, Max. Well done. Pitiful that the conference powers wouldn't let you show this. Loved the woman who called you shallow and Matt Stoller's pretended indignation. Very, very funny.

   Posted by grayslady at 06/21/2007 @ 8:03pm

5. yeah, funny, but...did you really think they would go with it? you're a strange bird, max. i like you. they just ain't ready for you...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 06/21/2007 @ 8:33pm

6. Sorry, the film's just not funny, insightful, thought-provoking, edgy or even interesting. It's boring.

   I can understand why they wouldn't want it shown as the "record" of the conference.

   Posted by Ian Mega at 06/22/2007 @ 04:58am

7. y'know, there aren't many political videos on YouTube that I won't watch to completion, but this is a total waste of my time. Can't say how lousy the last 70% of the film is since I terminated it.

   Posted by twowheels at 06/22/2007 @ 08:59am

8. Movies/film/cinema are/is the quintessential art form and I congratulate you on assisting more of we voyeurs onto a public venue for our "15 minutes of fame/celebrity."

   As far as your being displeased your film wasn't shown, I agree with Ian that it's no "record" of real/desired events, instead an ironic interpretation, satire, which is only humorous to the "insiders" whose egos are being stroked by vain inclusion. Because "History repeats itself first as tragedy, then as farce" we must accept the fact formerly serious matters are now farcical, foolishness is wisdom, and the pretentiously serious are shilling for the preposterously sanctimonious.

   I like your humor and film-making, but would remind you of the four rules of entertainment: know your audience (your mistake with this film in this forum, expecting people to welcome self-mockery); don't compete with the electronics (no problem here; you've the "mike"); leave 'em wanting more (check); and lastly, "don't quit your day job" (an issue for most aspiring artists, although you've apparently "made it").

   Congratulations on being at the forefront of social activism, Max. Keep on truckin' sir.

   Posted by lewwelge at 06/22/2007 @ 09:13am

9. in hindsight, max, you probably should have made two versions...a rah rah slightly sarcastic, laugh at selves sort of deal (like what they wanted) and then the more snarky, sort of artsy, tomgreenesque piece you did do, for here or youtube or wherever.

   dont get me wrong...i love tomgreenism, but i dont think most folks there were...you know...cool like that.

   obamagurl is hot, by the way, in a cheap slutty sort of way...

   Posted by ibbleblibble at 06/22/2007 @ 4:33pm

10. obamagurl is hot, by the way, in a cheap slutty sort of way...

    Posted by IBBLEBLIBBLE

    Not that there's anything wrong with that...eh, ibble?

    Posted by davebarlett at 06/22/2007 @ 9:23pm

11. Posted by DAVEBARLETT 06/22/2007 @ 9:23pm |

    was not complaining...

    Posted by ibbleblibble at 06/23/2007 @ 07:45am

12. I have to concur with those who say it's just not sufficiently interesting. I lasted about 6 minutes until Ralph started putting me to sleep. Something about your work makes me wonder if I quite understand where you're coming from. Everything is fair game in political satire, but it's funny when it actually reveals the chinks in our armor, not when it simply perpetuates tastelessness.

    Posted by Donald Weed at 06/23/2007 @ 12:41pm

13. Nice. Good work Max.

    Posted by ck416 at 06/24/2007 @ 1:56pm