The tragedy that is our Caesar Disgustus is that he wanted to be president not to do something but to become somebody. He saw the elevation to the highest office in the land as the ultimate self-justification. He didn't become president to save the country but to save himself.
He
thought that by reaching the greatest height he would achieve the
acclaim and adoration historically reserved for the American
Pantheon, perhaps, his likeness would be carved at Mt. Rushmore. He
would become, as his chronicler Michael Wolff has suggested, the
modern “Sun King”.
As
his reaction yesterday to the less than enthusiastic response by his
political opposition during his State of the Union Speech suggests,
our Caesar simply doesn't understand why his in not loved by most of
the country. Disgustus is indeed a cartoonish character, albeit an
often frightening one. Into day's New York Times, Jennifer
Finney Boyan wrote a piece that may at least partially explain the
myopia that grips this man and this administration: that is, why he
doesn't 'get it'.
“He
grabs pussies, He kisses females without concern for revulsion and
horror they feel for him. He grabs them in unexpected places. Does
he ever experience rejection? He does not. 'Most men would get
discouraged,' he says, referring to those he comes on to.
'Fortunately for her, I am not most men'.
He
is Pepe Le Pew. Does he
remind us of anyone else?” (1)
The
essay, of course, is a delightful (if such unseemly stench can every
be called delightful), and riotously humorous account of “what the
president has in common with Looney Tunes' unseemly skunk.”
Each
cartoon “ begins with a cat, usually but (interestingly) not
always female, getting a stripe of white paint on its back usually
(but not always) by accident. This makes our hero, Pepe, mistake the
cat for one of his own kind—and his response to those of his own
kind is always deep and passionate love”.
“He
has a curious way of expressing it though. Even though he is French
(which in the Looney Tunes world is shorthand for relentless amour),
his terrible smell repulses the objects of his affection, who
struggle valiantly to get away, sometimes successfully, sometimes
not. 'Odor-able Kitty' ends with Pepe with a chain around his ankle.
'Now we are inseparable, are we not, darling'? he says. The shot
follows the chain across the room to the cat, whose leg is also bound
The last we see of the pussy, she is desperately hacking away at the
chain, trying to get free.” (2)
Ms.
Boylan did a masterful study of her subject. She learned that Pepe
is not really French.
“In
his very first appearance, Pepe's lovemaking is interrupted by his
wife, who calls out is name. 'Henry!' Behind her are Pepe's two
little children. He tries to explain himself, and as he does, he
speaks in his real voice, which has an American accent...
Pepe's
entire persona—the French accent, the image of a carefree bachelor,
his very name—is a delusion. Just like Donald Trump and his failed
university, and his failed steak company, and his failed casinos.
Pepe Le Pew is fake meows.” (3)
“Virtually
his whole oeuvre is a series of jokes about males who—no matter how
clearly the point is made—cannot possibly comprehend the magnitude
of their own disgustingness.” (4)
Finally,
Ms. Boylan put it to the test asking her reader to join in a game
which she called “Who Said It—Donald Trump or Pepe Le Pew?”
“You
know, I'm automatically attracted to beautiful”.
“She
thinks that by running away she can make herself more attractive
tome. How right she is!”
“I
just start kissing them. It's like a magnet”
“I
am stupid, no?”
“I'm
like, smart!” (5)
Boylan
lists the answers to who said what at the end of the essay, but it
hardly matters for the question is rhetorical. Both Disgustus and
his cartoon inspiration are indeed indistinguishable and, like his
protagonist, Caesar cannot comprehend the magnitude of his own
disgustingness as everyone, including the First Lady, struggle to
keep him at arms length.
Disgustus
is, in her words, “Like Pepe Le Pew with neither French
nor stench”. About the stench, she is wrong; for the foul odor
now permeating 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue will take a fumigation and
several decades to expunge.
He
finds himself now ever alone, in bed with his cheeseburger, doing
with it god knows what.
There
were only 17 cartoons that Warner Brothers thought fit to cast Pepe
in a starring role. His pungent career mercifully short-lived.
Perhaps, that will be the final parallel between the pole cat and the
pole cat at the barn dance. In the meantime, the country finding itself chained to a pole-cat feverishly gnaws at its hind leg, desperate to be free.
"an' Br'er Putin, he jus' laugh and laugh".
"an' Br'er Putin, he jus' laugh and laugh".
Impeach
and Imprison
______________
- Boylan, Jennifer Finney. “Pepe Le Pew vs. Donald Trump.” New York Times, February 7, 2018, pg A29
- Ibid
- Ibid
- Ibid
- Ibid
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