Today is the anniversary of the Watergate burglary, the day the word “gate” took on a whole new meaning.
I was just commenting on this the other day after I attended “The Daily Show with Jon Stewart. He coined the phrase “AssFest 2010″ to commemorate Obama’s pledge to kick some ass in the BP oil spill fiasco. But my first thought was,
“Where’s the gate?”
There have been some great gates over the years. Perhaps it’s a sign of age, but I’d enjoy a look back at some of my favorites. Shall we?
- Billygate — President Jimmy Carter’s brother Billy — the one with his own beer — represented the Libyan government as a foreign agent. That’s okay, Billy. We liked to forget you were an American, too.
- Camillagate — A taped conversation of the then illicit relationship between Prince Charles and Camilla Parker-Bowles was leaked. (They’re married now, so it’s all good.)
- Fajitagate – I just heard about this one Tuesday in a cab in Modesto, CA. Three off-duty San Francisco policeman arrested two men carrying bags of steak fajitas mistaken for drugs. The chief of police was eventually fired (and the fajitas were eaten).
- Nannygate — Rob Lowe’s nanny sues him for sexual harrassment. Rob Lowe sues her right back, and nothing comes of it. You can’t mess with Rob Lowe. He’s that good-looking.
You’ll notice the original Watergate didn’t make my list. It never will. The hearing coverage preempted the afternoon soaps for weeks.
That kinda thing really scars a kid.
First class
You can’t put a price on friendship.
But let’s face it — a friend whose brother is a writer on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart is inherently worth more.
It was the first time I was considered a VIP guest and entered through the appropriately-named VIP entrance. The first time I got to hang out in the staff lounge before the show instead of outside in the rain with the ‘regular audience.’
The first time I sat in the front row in the seats closest to Jon Stewart and guest Al Sharpton. The first time I got to take a tour of backstage and the The Daily Show offices.
Yeah, it was the first time I was in the same room with the head writer and Samantha Bee and John Oliver. And the second time I met staff writer Kevin Bleyer, who I sat next to on a very delayed flight from North Carolina many years ago.
(I remembered way more about our meeting than he did — imagine.)
And I imagine I will remember yesterday in vivid detail for years to come.
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