Appreciating May the Fourth Be With You

In May 1977, the original Star Wars film (now known as Star Wars Episode 4: A New Hope) premiered at movie theaters.  Practically no one expected the tremendous  success of Star Wars, as it grossed $775 million at the box office.   But the George Lucas film became a sustained cultural phenomenon.

When Tory politician Margaret Thatcher first became British Prime Minister, the London Evening Standard published a punny congratulatory ad from the Conservative party which played off of Star Wars rebel imagery vis-a-vis Labour's deathgrip on UK politics after 1978-79 Winter of Discontent.

While the politics of the pun's origination may have faded, the slogan became a geek touchstone.  It was a catch phrase on Facebook for "Luke Skywalker Day" in 2008.  The first organized grassroots holiday was in Toronto, Canada in 2011.  Since Disney took over Lucasfilms in 2013, it has become a celebrated ersatz holiday.

It might make you want to sing.





Like lounge singer Nick Winters on Saturday Night Live so many moons ago?


Almost.

But it might inspire the Boogie Storm to make some mad jumps. 

Mark Hamill Leads the Liberal Light Saber Brigade Against Trump

After several days of a media feeding frenzy prompted by the publication of a gossipy book about internal back biting in the early days of the Trump Administration, President Trump sought to settle some scores about "Fire and Fury" through his communication channel of choice-- Twitter.

This catty post from the White House served as catnip to his critiques to pounce upon.  Mark Hamill, the actor most famous for portraying Luke Skywalker in the Star Wars films, also took to Twitter to lead the light saber brigade against the supposed Dark Side's Supreme Leader.

Liberal cohorts took Hamill's tweet as a signal to charge against Trump, focusing like a laser beam against the perceived purile peevish dimwittedness. 

Hamill has a history of animus against Donald Trump.  When the then President-Elect posted a New Years greeting on social media, Hamill mocked it by voicing it as "The Joker" (a role which he has played  in Batman animated shows since 1992).




Sometimes it is hard to take play actors seriously because we associate them with their on-screen roles.  After the release of Star Wars: The Last Jedi (2017), this is especially true considering the sour demeanor of Luke Skywalker.  One can perceive that Hamill channeled his recent rancor against President Trump through the filter of Grumpy Cat.

Celebrating Star Wars 40th Anniversary by Unboxing Popular Culture

Nerds can be willing to spend enormous amounts on kitschy tchotchke which seems to relive their fantasy obsessions from childhood. Think of the gaggle of geeks from the television sit-com “Big Bang Theory” where Shelton wanted to get his vintage Apple II signed by the great Woz. Or the prized mint-in-box Wesley Crusher Star Trek action figure from Will Wheaton. Or Shelton being tempted to play with the mint-in-box Star Trek Transformer Device by a hallucinated voice of Leonard Nimoy.  The value to collectors revolves around signatures and being pristine. Ironically, the obsession to be mint-in-box usually negates the pleasure of enjoying the item.

This phenomenon is not just a Hollywood exaggeration. Fan boys are fulminating over the auction of a rare Star Wars promotional poster.  The 1978 poster seems kind of silly, with the ‘Droids bedecked with philharmonic instruments to promote the Star Wars Symphonic Suite.  Even though the item is considered somewhat uncool because of the symphonic campiness, it is a rare piece of memorabilia AND it is signed by Star Wars creator George Lucas.  Therefore this geek grotesquerie will probably sell at auction for between $5,000 and $8,000.

Rather than ridicule the Star Wars Symphonic Suite as an unopened package for being cute yet conventional marketing, I suggest enjoying the symphonic suite composed by John Williams.  It is a contemporary classical piece that resonates in the popular culture.







It is certainly has more class than "Nick Winters, the Lounge Lizard" (a.k.a. Billy Murray) and his Lounge Medley from Saturday Night Live.

Benito Juarez on Governing

 Benito Juarez was the President of Mexico who resisted the French Occupation of Mexico, overthrew the Second Mexican Empire and restored the Constitutional Republic.

 The reason people celebrate Cinco de Mayo is the unlikely victory of Mexican troops over French forces in the battle of Puebla.  Many people north of the border confuse Cinco de Mayo with Mexican Independence Day, which is actually commemorated on September 16th.

 For many Americans Cinco de Mayo is an excuse to party.  Nationally, it is now the third biggest bar night of the year. But considering the way we celebrate and the general ignorance about El Día de la Batalla de Puebla, maybe it's better to consider it the Revenge of the Fifth.

 

Reveling in the Revenge of the Fifth

The success of the Star Wars Day has been phenomenal since its inception in 2011. In fact several minor league baseball teams wear special Star Wars inspired uniforms to mark the ersatz holiday. One never knows where people can see Storm Troopers strutting about.




 Some people want to extend it from "May the Fourth Be With You" to "Revenge of the Fifth". Of course, this conflicts with Cinco de Mayo.  And this year Star Wars Day was the day before the "Run for the Roses" at Churchill Downs, which usually is associated with many mint juleps.

Thus it might be prudent to revel in Revenge of the Fifth by succumbing to the Dark Side.

Guinness Extra Stout is only 3.4% ABV and 210 calories a pint.  But if you quaff it in a 12 oz. portion, Guinness has fewer calories than orange juice. And it's quite popular all around the Empire (as well as the former British Empire). 

George Lucas on Science and Star Wars

May the Fourth Be With You!

Capitalism Versus Communism in the Cosmos

Unboxing Popular Culture

Nerds can be willing to spend enormous amounts on kitschy tchotchke which seems to relive their fantasy obsessions from childhood. Think of the gaggle of geeks from the television sit-com “Big Bang Theory” where Shelton wanted to get his vintage Apple II signed by the great Woz. Or the prized mint-in-box Wesley Crusher Star Trek action figure from Will Wheaton. Or Shelton being tempted to play with the mint-in-box Star Trek Transformer Device by a hallucinated voice of Leonard Nimoy.  The value to collectors revolves around signatures and being pristine. Ironically, the obsession to be mint-in-box usually negates the pleasure of enjoying the item.

This phenomenon is not just a Hollywood exaggeration. Fan boys are fulminating over the auction of a rare Star Wars promotional poster.  The 1978 poster seems kind of silly, with the ‘Droids bedecked with philharmonic instruments to promote the Star Wars Symphonic Suite.  Even though the item is considered somewhat uncool because of the symphonic campiness, it is a rare piece of memorabilia AND it is signed by Star Wars creator George Lucas.  Therefore this geek grotesquerie will probably sell at auction for between $5,000 and $8,000.

Rather than ridicule the Star Wars Symphonic Suite as an unopened package for being cute yet conventional marketing, I suggest enjoying the symphonic suite composed by John Williams.  It is a contemporary classical piece that resonates in the popular culture.







It is certainly has more class than "Nick Winters, the Lounge Lizard" (a.k.a. Billy Murray) and his Lounge Medley from Saturday Night Live.