Do you remember that old TV game show that started in 1956 and went on every decade until 2002, called TO TELL THE TRUTH?
I happened to be one of the lucky contestants in the show aired in 1971. I was 30 years old then, and would do anything for attention. I was invited by CBS in New York because the main character was supposed to be a person with an unusual occupation or had done something noteworthy. In this occasion that main character was a hotel owner in Mexico City, who was simultaneously a bullfighter. The name is not important, especially because I don't remember it!
I was one of the two impostors, who had been invited to sit along with the real bullfighter and my mission was to answer questions by the panel made of four celebrities, and to lie as much as I could, but with total conviction, to the point where I personally would believe my own lies! It had to look real as the idea was to mislead the panel and get them to vote for me as the real character. Bottom line, I got 2 out of the 4 votes. The other impostor got one, and the real bullfighter also one. So I won $50 and an attache briefcase! Inflation, among other things, account for today's game shows that reward you with thousands of dollars. What a difference! (Cheap bastards!).
Anyway, as I said at the beginning of this story, I was 30 years old, energetic, always up to something new and always trying to impress someone, or me. That day of the show I was not even nervous and I felt it was a challenging thing to do, especially because I was going to make some money lying, kind of McCain's pattern. Imagine getting rewarded for not telling the truth just like in politics! I remember at one point of the questioning I was asked who was my favorite bullfighter and I, not knowing what to say, quickly gave the panel the name of my boss at work.
No way he was going to be watching that show! Wrong. He did. The first phone call I got the next morning at 9:01 was his. Fortunately, it was inconsequential and we both had a good laugh about it.
It doesn't work that way when one lies in real life to obtain what otherwise one would not have the capacity with his own credentials and means. As a matter of fact, besides hurting other people one would eventually hurt himself even more. That is, of course, if one had any principles.
I would love to recreate "To tell the truth" but with a Machiavellian twist. Instead of having a central character with an unusual occupation, I would
stick both McCain and Palin behind a long desk that would seat 4 people instead of 3. Both contestants would play musical chairs, occupying always a different chair as if they were different people. So two contestants and four characters with different answers all the time for the same questions. Kind of the real thing in the Republican ticket. And best of all, to maintain the essence of the show alive, all lies, which would look terribly natural with these two "characters"
At the end the celebrity panel would pose the famous question (with the necessary modification): "Will the real McCain and Palin please stand up!" What chair would they chose to stand up from? The confusion moving from one chair to another, standing up, sitting down, back and forth would create a total chaos and both the panel and the audience would crack up laughing at that ridiculous scene. I guess, kind of what's happening during the Republican campaign now, because neither one, after so many lies, know who they really are.
PS.
I don't have that briefcase anymore and I regret it today. It would have been a nice memento of a chapter of my life. As for McCain and Palin, when this is over and years go by, they will never lose their mementos. It is way inside them. It is their conscience. Was it worthy?
I happened to be one of the lucky contestants in the show aired in 1971. I was 30 years old then, and would do anything for attention. I was invited by CBS in New York because the main character was supposed to be a person with an unusual occupation or had done something noteworthy. In this occasion that main character was a hotel owner in Mexico City, who was simultaneously a bullfighter. The name is not important, especially because I don't remember it!
I was one of the two impostors, who had been invited to sit along with the real bullfighter and my mission was to answer questions by the panel made of four celebrities, and to lie as much as I could, but with total conviction, to the point where I personally would believe my own lies! It had to look real as the idea was to mislead the panel and get them to vote for me as the real character. Bottom line, I got 2 out of the 4 votes. The other impostor got one, and the real bullfighter also one. So I won $50 and an attache briefcase! Inflation, among other things, account for today's game shows that reward you with thousands of dollars. What a difference! (Cheap bastards!).
Anyway, as I said at the beginning of this story, I was 30 years old, energetic, always up to something new and always trying to impress someone, or me. That day of the show I was not even nervous and I felt it was a challenging thing to do, especially because I was going to make some money lying, kind of McCain's pattern. Imagine getting rewarded for not telling the truth just like in politics! I remember at one point of the questioning I was asked who was my favorite bullfighter and I, not knowing what to say, quickly gave the panel the name of my boss at work.
No way he was going to be watching that show! Wrong. He did. The first phone call I got the next morning at 9:01 was his. Fortunately, it was inconsequential and we both had a good laugh about it.
It doesn't work that way when one lies in real life to obtain what otherwise one would not have the capacity with his own credentials and means. As a matter of fact, besides hurting other people one would eventually hurt himself even more. That is, of course, if one had any principles.
I would love to recreate "To tell the truth" but with a Machiavellian twist. Instead of having a central character with an unusual occupation, I would
stick both McCain and Palin behind a long desk that would seat 4 people instead of 3. Both contestants would play musical chairs, occupying always a different chair as if they were different people. So two contestants and four characters with different answers all the time for the same questions. Kind of the real thing in the Republican ticket. And best of all, to maintain the essence of the show alive, all lies, which would look terribly natural with these two "characters"
At the end the celebrity panel would pose the famous question (with the necessary modification): "Will the real McCain and Palin please stand up!" What chair would they chose to stand up from? The confusion moving from one chair to another, standing up, sitting down, back and forth would create a total chaos and both the panel and the audience would crack up laughing at that ridiculous scene. I guess, kind of what's happening during the Republican campaign now, because neither one, after so many lies, know who they really are.
PS.
I don't have that briefcase anymore and I regret it today. It would have been a nice memento of a chapter of my life. As for McCain and Palin, when this is over and years go by, they will never lose their mementos. It is way inside them. It is their conscience. Was it worthy?
1 comment:
First of all McCain could never do the show, especially the one where he runs around the chairs. Are you kidding me? He would have a heart attack and die. Palin would last longer but not much. First lie she'd be caught in, and out comes the sawed off Remington.
I remember that episode on TV. Too bad there is no copy of it to be had. It would have been glorious to see you in a bullfighters cap.
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