Remember when the "No On..." California's Proposition 8 (a ban on gay marriage) campaign was struggling for money and support and then, eventually, lost, effectively setting California back 20 years? That was fun! You know what was also super "fun," according to its press release? The making of the new "No On 8" Funny or Die Adam Shankman-directed musical written by Hairspray tuner Marc Shaiman, that he sheepishly and folksily admits he wrote "six weeks later than he shoulda." Um, yeah. So, pardon us, but why the fuck did any of these people involved—Jack Black, John C. Reilly, the ever-smug Neil Patrick Harris, Sarah Chalke, among others—bother to throw this slapdash bit of "duhhh" together, way too late, and then try to congratulate themselves for it?
The press release reads, in part:
“I am grateful for the invitation from Funny or Die to use their website to express myself the way God likes it best: through music, lyrics and humor,” says Marc Shaiman. “Who could have imagined that such a dark moment in California's history could result in the fantastically fun week making this video. The day of filming was, I think, one of the purest, fun days we have all spent, and if not for the sharp thinking and hysterical leadership of Adam Shankman, it would all still just be in my head — I only wish I'd written it 2 months ago. Damn,” he added.
“After being so angry and confused about this horrible and unconstitutional public shaming, it was amazing to go out there and do what we do best in protest: sing and dance,” says Adam Shankman. “It was the fanciest piece of community theater I've ever seen. The whole thing came together in one day. It was beautiful. No lunch breaks or egos. I'm grateful to everyone who participated,” he added.
That bolding is ours. And yes, Damn!!!, it's a little late but at least it was super fun for all the richies. All the richies who, with the exception of a few (Margaret Cho included, God love her) were conspicuously silent before November 4th, when this kind of broad-stroke gooey rallying whimper might actually have meant something. Unfortunately for their sanctimonious flimflammery, the time for chummy, har har "let's quote Leviticus!" musical protest ended a while ago.
This reminds us how smart Obama was to keep celebrities from too-vocally supporting him. (They stuck to simple "Do as you're told by famous people: Vote" web ad campaign videos). Because usually they seem really obnoxious and do more to aggravate than they do to inure.
Oh, plus the music sucks.