Watch out, Hollywood: The Republicans are invading!

You may think of David Zucker as one of those uproarious Zucker brothers who made the "Airplane!" and "Naked Gun" movies. But Hollywood conservatives look upon Zucker as their Paul Revere, their Gen. George Patton, their Oliver North ... any uncompromising, right-thinking warrior type will do. In recent years, Zucker has become one of the most outspoken voices in showbiz conservative circles who believes that Hollywood is in "a new McCarthy era" because of its hostility to conservative views. He's also convinced that Democrats are weak, foreign-policy appeaseniks. As for Barack Obama, Zucker says: "Obama is not qualified to be president, and it'll be a disaster."

Having already made a series of agitprop videos mocking Madeleine Albright, pro-tax congressional Democrats and the Iraq Study Group, he's now graduated to a feature film spoofing liberals of all stripes and sizes. Called "An American Carol," it will hit theaters in October, released by Vivendi Entertainment's new feature film division. I tried to talk to Zucker myself via his PR people, but didn't get anywhere. However, the new issue of the right-leaning Weekly Standard has a fascinating profile of Zucker, examining his odyssey from ardent Barbara Boxer liberal to flame-throwing Dick Cheney conservative.

The story also offers a treasure trove of excerpts from the film, which lampoons a host of prominent liberals and showbiz types, from Michael Moore to Rosie O'Donnell, with even a couple of jabs directed at Obama. It also features a host of notable Hollywood conservative actors, including Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammer, James Woods and Dennis Hopper. They are clearly not happy to be swimming in a big pond full of lefties. Grammer, who is friends with Ann Coulter, says he once quoted her pearls of wisdom to some young staffers at his company. As the Standard recounts, the reaction was not pretty:

" 'Ann Coulter,' " Grammer says, recalling their horror and assuming their voice. " 'She's the anti-Christ.' And I said, 'What the f--- do you know about the anti-Christ? You don't even believe in Christ.' "

So how much do Hollywood liberals take it on the chin in the movie? Let's say--plenty:

As the Weekly Standard describes it:

The film follows the exploits of a slovenly, anti-American filmmaker named Michael Malone, who has joined with a left-wing activist group (Moovealong.org) to ban the Fourth of July. Along the way, Malone is visited by the ghosts of three American heroes--George Washington, George S. Patton and John F. Kennedy--who try to convince him he's got it all wrong. When terrorists from Afghanistan realize that they need to recruit more operatives to make up for the ever-diminishing supply of suicide bombers, they begin a search for just the right person to help produce a new propaganda video.

"This will not be hard to find in Hollywood," says one. "They all hate America." When they settle on Malone, who is in need of work after his last film ("Die You American Pigs") bombed at the box-office, he unwittingly helps them with their plans to launch another attack on American soil.

OK, so subtlety was never Zucker's strong suit, even back in the "Naked Gun" days. He's cast Kevin Farley, Chris Farley's little brother, to play Michael Moore--ahem--Malone. Woods plays Malone's agent. Voight plays George Washington. Hopper is a judge who defends his courthouse by gunning down ACLU lawyers trying to take down the Ten Commandments.

The film also has a chubby comedian named Rosie O'Connell who's promoting a documentary, "The Truth About Radical Christians," which, among other things, examines the growing phenomenon of nuns as suicide bombers--showing two nuns, strapped with explosives, boarding a bus and inspiring fellow passengers to shriek, "Oh, no! Not the Christians!"

Will this stuff play in Peoria? Can conservatives truly be funny? I'm eager to see if the film is, well, slightly less didactic than the way the Standard describes it. Maybe Zucker hasn't lost his touch. On the other hand, maybe he's become just as humorless and sanctimonious as Barbra Streisand. At the end of the piece he says: "I don't have any desire to be taken seriously. But having said that, I really believe this stuff. Why can't I put it out there. I'm scared to death of Obama. If I didn't do something about it, I would feel--my kids would ask: `What did you do in the war Daddy?' [My answer]: I donated my career to stop this s---."

Does Zucker still have a funny bone? Here's one of his satiric videos from the 2006 campaign. Judge for yourself:

Photo of David Zucker by Luis Sinco / Los Angeles Times

Comments

[Seán]

Wow what a filthy parasite that guy is. It's amazing in a tolerant society the kind of dirt which can gather in the cracks. His time and that of his greasy confederates is over. All they can offer is fear and bigotry.

Patton led a bayonet and tear gas assault on veterans, attacking a man who had received a medal for saving Patton's life in combat. He also did a great line in beating up shell shocked soldiers when he wasn't sacrificing his men for personal reasons.

Washington and JFK would kick ten kinds of crap out of the greasy draft dodging parasite.

Zucker's doctor is probably to blame, steroids and anti-depressants seem to have destroyed his mind.

[whisskey]

Yes he's funny and Conservatives can be very funny.

Let's face it, nothing is funnier than the constant, status-striving, phoniness of Liberals. "Global Warming" benefits on Mega-Yachts. "Save the Planet" and heart-on-the-sleeve politics while abusing the help. Talking about Communism being "the way" while the Malibu Driveway of the mega-mansion is filled with Porsches.

The huge gap between professed beliefs and actual behavior makes Liberals a huge juicy target. Witness conservative comics Larry David (Curb Your Enthusiasm and Seinfeld regularly rip Liberal social pretensions), Stone and Parker (South Park), and Mike Judge (King of the Hill, Beavis and Butt-head, Idiocracy).

[gator]

Its about time someone talked about the actors and actresses who have brains enough to be conservative. All we are inundated with is sissies alec baldwin,sean penn,george looney,barbra,susan sarandon,loudmouth rosie and so on. I will watch this movie when it is released.

[James Baker]

That's about as funny as a sack of potatoes falling on my head!

[gassem]

Actually a sack of potatoes falling on your head would be very funny slapstick.

[DA in LA]

Wow. That is so bad I don't know what to say. Funny is supposed to come first, the point second. This is embarrassingly bad.

[Patrick Bateman]

At long last an intelligent view in a sea of stupidity. This guy zucker is spot on. we had to tolerate the lest's rants for years so make sure you keep free speech in mind before you bash him too much.

[Bob Williams]

When I ceased being a liberal I was able to laugh again. No more furrowed brow and pursed lips for me!

[Alex Garcia]

Whenever anyone mentions the term "liberal Hollywood", I laugh. I have been living and working in "liberal Hollywood" for 25 years and I can assure you that Hollywood is not as liberal as you think it is, or as Fox News wants you to believe it is. There is an underlying conservatism in Hollywood that no one ever acknowledges, or even wants to admit exists. The actors mentioned in this article are just the tip of the iceberg (you forgot Mel Gibson, Clint Eastwood, and Patricia Heaton, to name a few). Chances are, the majority of conservatives work below the line: editors, lab technicians, teamsters, etc...usually they either live in Palmdale, or in the bowels of the San Fernando valley. Once I have a conversation with these people, they immediately start on with the insults ("sissy liberals"), or how Obama makes them nervous and how he is unfit he is to be president, without actually having any facts for their determination. They are the ones that make me nervous, not to mention my stomach turn.

[Londin]

Why do stories like this end up on the latimes site? Isn't the Los Angeles Newspaper at least supposed to be unbiased? You can talk about the film sure but using such a pervasive headline goes against everything journalists have fought for over the years. I guess I am kidding myself here though. This guy isn't a writer, he's a blogger. In that case the LATimes isn't a legitimate news source; it's a blog site.

[s. Chaidez]

Finally somebody with the necessary backbone to stand up to the mega liberals in hollyweird. Go Zucker!

[s. Chaidez]

Liberal Hollywood has done a great job of perverting America. Enough already!

[Angela]

Oh, Alex Garcia. You slay me. The fact you can state that people have no reason to believe Obama is unfit to be President just shows YOU don't have the facts. You probably read his book, too. The pathetic attempt at insulting the people who live or work in Palmdale or the "bowels" of the Valley shows your true colors as a Westside elitist who never passes the 405 without holding his nose. Frankly, I'd elect anyone who is qualified. And no, I don't like McCain either so sorry to burst your bubble. Obama has three years of experience in NOT being a leader. Never a mayor, never a governor, never a leader. Not to mention he's a Chicago Democrat which means I wouldn't trust him as far as I could throw him. And yes, I am from Chicago. Every time I hear a liberal use the word "fact" I just laugh to myself and repeat Larry Elder "Facts to a Liberal are like Kryptonite to Superman". Thanks for the laugh.

[Nathan]

Ahhh, it's so nice to be Canadian. We have multiple parties to vote for, if a party is out of control we can call a no confidence vote and get a new election to remove them from power. Don't get me wrong we have lots of problems with our system, but why do you have religious and patriotic tests but think electing an "elite" person is a bad thing? Your dems are more like the rest of the west's conservatives and your neo-conservatives are like Iran's thoecrats.

[Gladiator Movies]

Jon Voight, Kelsey Grammer, James Woods and Dennis Hopper. Box office gold right there.. Ahahahahaha. Almost as funny as the numbnuts commenter who thinks Larry David is conservative. Zucker isn't funny he's paranoid. You right-wingers already sent Bush to ruin Washington, now you've got your man Zucker making a mockery of Hollywood with this embarrassingly lame and completely failed attempt at humor. What's next on your list of 'things that make America great' that you want to destroy?

[Lilith]

And I said, 'What the f--- do you know about the anti-Christ? You don't even believe in Christ.' "

Yes, Mr. Grammar the Christian, with his f-bombs and a Swiss Alps of cocaine on his coffee table. You are righteous, brother. I feel bad for whoever has to work for that douche wrapper.

[Leah]

"Collision" between entertainment, media and pop culture? More like a cabal between entertainment, media and pop culture. Good on ya, Zucker. Pee in Hollywood's liberal punchbowl!

[KansasGirl]

The libs on this site are hilarious.

[cinnamon barks]

This was the best Zucker could do for stinging satire? Come on.

[Tina]

As a midwesterner looking at this piece and, of course, getting the 'hollywood liberal' bashing pushed down my throat every time I turn the so-called news on, I'd just like to say that any attack on someone merely for their political views is assinine. Whether it's republican or democratic views, I can turn off anything and anyone I don't want to listen to; although, listening to opposing views is necessary. This kind of bashing of specific people really burns me. Whether it's Chuck Norris or Barbra, who cares? Why do these people find it so necessary to 'try to be funny' by making fun of someone who's just saying what they believe in? The votes will still be counted and people will still vote for who they believe is the best leader. I only hope that this time the votes will be counted in a timely manner so we don't have to live through a president who was never really elected in the first place! (P.S. I'm proud to say I had nothing to do with him winning the second time around either- and, I'm a Christian who really can't stand Ann Coulter. I hope now that I've broken your stereotype of the conservative midwest.)

[JetDog]

These kinds of stories -- and the resultant comments -- are painful! The pain is not the result of any one person or party. Rather, it's a reminder of how bleak things are looking from all sides.

I love my country, but that doesn't mean I have to trust the people in charge of it. The ones who have conviction misuse it, and the ones who need conviction don't have it. No matter how self-righteous the warring parties may be, their leaders are not too proud to fling poo at each other on a regular basis.

I went to the Nixon Library just a few days back. I was awed by the responsibility the man felt toward his country, especially in foreign policy, and the determination he embodied. It was also a wake-up call to the fact that we were once a country in which determined leaders came a dime a dozen, whether they were Democrats or Republicans. But the Library failed to suppress my thoughts that he was a willing contributor to the modern, sadistic American healthcare system. To speak of the Dems, LBJ was the leading culprit in the bungling of Vietnam, while at the same time he tried to dismantle racism at home. It would seem from observing twentieth-century history that no American politician has the capacity to be both a leader and a kindred spirit (remembering, of course, that LBJ was less than kindred to his Oval Office employees).

To tie back to this blog, it mirrors the crisis in the film industry on a much more serious level: Just as the filmmakers have no Hitchcock, Kubrick, Ford, or whoever you want to name to represent them, we have no Lincoln to guide us now. I am hungry for greatness, but I don't believe either David Zucker's party or George Clooney's is going to give it to us.

Thank you for letting me put my pessimistic two cents in. I'm sorry if I started any more flame wars -- er, conversations -- after Tina's relatively even-handed comment.

[JetDog]

When you lean as far left as Michael Moore or as far right as David Zucker does now, you're too self-righteous to be funny. I'm sticking to "Team America" and "South Park," which realize that everyone is up for mockery.

[British Ex-pat]

I don't care if the man is funny or not, anyone who takes on Islamofascism is doing a good thing for humanity.

[Rosk]

I'm just gonna look at this movie as a skewed funny take on reality like all other movies in the genre. Yeah like I'm gonna gonna immediately go with either sides biased, assuming, nonobjective, viewpoints.

[Incognito]

"It's amazing in a tolerant society the kind of dirt which can gather in the cracks. His time and that of his greasy confederates is over. All they can offer is fear and bigotry."

What a joke... Liberals and the Democratic Party are some of the most intolerant people in this country. As a moderate Republican regional actress who has had to keep her politics to herself, I have witnessed on many occasions the belligerance, vitriol, lack of inclusiveness and intolerance that these so-called tolerant ones dish out.