A Very Inconvenient Truth Indeed

Fluid, compelling, hilarious, & practically ebullient. Thinking back to the 2000 Presidential elections, I would have never associated these words with Al "The Bore" Gore. Low and behold, though, these words seem a bit modest when describing the Tennessean who "used to be the next President of the United States."

If you're reading this, chances are you've heard of his new global warming documentary coming out today called, An Inconvenient Truth (to accompany this there is also a nice $24 paperback of the same subject wonderfully compiled by the victim of Floridan miscounts). As such he's apparently touring the US with a presentation very similar to the film. Where's the first stop?

The belly of the anti-eco beast. Houston Texas.

So, as any good pro-ice shelf citizens would, my roommate and I moseyed on down to the Hobby Center's Sarofim Hall to pick up some shiny new student tickets for said lecture-tainment.

It was packed tighter than Big Oil's wallets. Valet streamed with petrol-sipping Priuses, and 'Kerry 2004' festooned Bavarian autos. Hemp-adorned neohippies were frantically passing about their various fliers of equally just causes to the surprisingly receptive pre-theater assemblage. Left and right there were guys holding hands, mom's speaking of social responsibility, and eyes rolled at the mention of Iraq. A pretty solid crowd from Houston. All of this was unfortunately with an air of idle wealth given the pricey seats. Kevin was positively glowing in line until, "Yeah, they've sold out. No more tickets."

What? Damn.

As previous experience with a Gershwin play and the Chinese Acrobats dictated, someone is going to want to give away a ticket or two. Unfortunately, there were a good 20 people or so hovering about all after the same thing. Some willing to pay. And then immediately in front of me a woman burst through the door of lobby. "Anyone want a free ticket?"

Yoink. Score one for Cecil. Putting the measured and strained looks of congratulations of my fellow ticket seekers aside, I then tried to help Kevin. None needed of course. He managed to swindle one from some old lady (read he was very kind and she liked his soft voice).

After some guitar and vocal music that wreaked of free love and dried fruit, Al Gore came on stage and bestowed us with a healthy helping of charisma and news of our environmental irresponsibility. I've never been so entertained by impending doom. Think, enjoying a nice tea while having a heart attack. Gore was incredibly compelling. Apparently the whole of the scientific community is crapping their pants while your average Joe and their media isn't quite convinced. Honestly, I feel bad using superfluous energy for this blog at the moment. I implore everyone to see the film soon. If not for you, for your future children living in newly beach-fronted Oklahoma.

After fretting about the CO2-emmitting ride home, I thought, "Where was THIS guy six years ago?" Not, of course, that the US would have appreciated him given the fat and spoils of the Clinton years, but I would have REALLY REALLY preferred this guy to our current 'Axis of Feeble' as the Economist says (aside: though I read the Economist, I am not, in fact, a Republican). If he'd exposed even a glimmer of his jovial quips and zeal circa 1999, these amber waves of grain could have potentially not been the bane of world existence or at the very least not so foreign policy stupid. Homeboy is not roboto after all since having left politics. Using the international yardstick of conviviality, "Would I have a beer with this guy?"

You bet your Prius I would.