Along Came Kinky… Texas Jewboy for Governor by David Hartstein premiered on Thursday, March 19th at SXSW after much of the film industry had headed out of town. That slot implies that the film would have local appeal but maybe shouldn’t take up a slot during the official Film festival. I might take some heat for saying that, but the reason I’m saying it is because I think the film deserved more. In talking to the filmmakers after the screening, I was dismayed to hear that the film hasn’t been offered other fest slots. Really?

Politics in America is fucked. I don’t usually say stuff that that, but come on… Obama was a welcome glimmer of hope that perhaps, just maybe, we might start making a few good decisions to get ourselves out of the total mess we are in, but if anyone is thinking we are out of the woods, all I can say to that is No Way! Not even close. Budget crisis, healthcare crisis, employment crisis, foreign relations crisis and rampant greed and corruption. We are just at the tip of the iceberg. The Great Depression was worsened by The Dust Bowl, and we’ve gone ahead and nurtured the possibility of environmental disasters to rival anything that has happened in the past, just to define what a fine precipice we stand on right now.

What happened in Texas with Kinky’s race for the governor’s office is important for our whole country. I’m really disappointed to hear that festival programmers disagree. If ever there was a time to start airing state political races and examining how our political process is broken, now is the time. Kinky Friedman is a musician and entertainer. He made his career making people laugh (Texas Jewboy) and at the same time challenging deeply held prejudices in the very red state. As the film makes clear, as did Paul Stekler’s Last Man Standing (2004, not much has changed), it’s basically impossible for Democrats to be elected in Texas. That fact is astonishing to me, and the reasons why are even more flabbergasting. Yes, there were some key voter turn-arounds that made it possible for Obama to win and this film shows how the mood was changing toward the winds that would become Obama’s campaign. All hope is not gone on the national level, but we citizens have work to do on the state of our country. It won’t happen through politicians alone, especially not those who are more concerned with their own bottom dollar than the welfare of communities. Kinky tried, and he has to be admired for that because not many of the rest of us are willing to do the same.

Kinky’s idea was that government was intended to be a part-time gig. One that would see business people, lawyers, etc. rotate into top positions, serve their country and then rotate out to other things. Career politicians are a serious problem. What is made also abundantly clear in Along Came Kinky is that governing today has become seriously complicated and to walk in off of the street and expect to not spend a year playing catch-up is also unreasonable. This is an important message for those of us who would like to see the whole damn thing nuked. The idea Kinky brought to the table was inspiring but the reality of someone who isn’t up to speed on all of the issues is also a reality we need to deal with.

Anyways, whether you agree with me or not, this conversation is important. Along Came Kinky is a wonderful film because it is funny and engaging, but also a serious observation of our political process at work and how we are failing ourselves by not becoming involved. It doesn’t matter whether this happens in Texas or any other state. This story rises beyond the individual, the state and where others wonder about third-party politics in the US.

My next thought after hearing that the film had been rejected from several prominent fests that I would have thought would play it, was that perhaps the film was judged too quickly based on the rough cut. I never saw the rough cut so I’m only speculating, but I think that a film like this has a bias against as being too local when it lands in a programmer’s box. If the rough cut didn’t dispel that idea, as did the fine cut that I watched, then that would be a good case for holding back festival submissions until a film is completed.

Distribution, including festival play, is an incredibly tough game to play and the battle ground is littered with filmmakers and films that are good and have an audience, but I want to add my voice to accolades for this one. I believe that Along Came Kinky can and will win audiences outside of Texas so keep your eye out for it.

Other thoughts on the film:
Nerve’s Screengrab
Paul Stekler for Texas Monthly
Slackerwood Interview with Harstein