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SOMETIMES, THERE IS GOOD NEWS
LOST IN TRANSLATION
| July 2, 2006 - In what seems like seventeen years, there was finally a news story that made me smile, laugh, and get me through an otherwise dreadful (and humid) weekend in Austin. Junichiro Koizumi, the Japanese Prime Minister,
one of the biggest Elvis fans alive, was in the States visiting Bush in Washington, and somehow scored a once in a lifetime trip to Graceland. The trip was highlighted by being served fried peanut butter and banana sandwiches on Air Force One while watching a reel of Elvis highlights. Once he arrived, the Prime Minister met greeted at the gates
of Graceland by Lisa Marie and Priscilla Presley, who gave them a personal tour of Elvis' legendary home.
Koizumi wasn't shy about breaking into song, and his unabashed coolness in reveling in the moment was juxtaposed with the antsy and uncomfortable duo standing behind him, the always loveable George and Laura Bush. George and Laura were the hysterical foil to Koizumi's unabashed joy - both wore anxious smiles in every picture, and despite Bush's best attempts to get his comrade to stop singing at every opportunity, could only manage awkward one liners that fell flat, betraying his 'common man of the people' image.
I usually don't write about the news like this on this little webpage, but when an event as extraordinarily amazing like this happens, it needs to be remembered. I can't remember the last time I laughed or was pleased as much by reading the newspaper without irony since the Starr Report came out.
Wouldn't you want to be this man's friend??? |
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The newspaper reports were hysterical - the LA Times had an article that included this summary of the repartee:
"Love me tender . . ." Koizumi crooned through a thick accent as he stood with the others in Graceland's famously tacky jungle room — replete with fake-fur-covered furniture, an indoor waterfall and avocado-colored shag carpet on the floor and ceiling.
The Bushes, clearly unaccustomed to such affection (or perhaps still disoriented by the mirrored ceilings in the downstairs television room) looked on with strained smiles. But Koizumi persisted, belting out another one of his favorite Elvis hits.
"Wise men say," he
chimed, "only fools rush in." (***see note below)
Lisa Marie Presley spoke up, wondering where the group could find a karaoke machine. But Bush had heard enough. He tapped his friend on the shoulder and shook his hand — effectively cutting off the performance.
"I thought you were going to do 'Blue Suede Shoes,' " Bush cracked.
The exchange marked only one of several offbeat but affectionate scenes during Koizumi's "sayonara summit" this week in the United States.
***Of course, the 'wise men' line would've carried a whole lot more weight and pizzazz had Koizumi and Japan not been such an ardent supporter of the Iraq war from the start.
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pictures from a news service. |
POSTSCRIPT:
The closest I ever came to visiting Japan was four years ago, when I was deciding whether to blow my savings on one last trip abroad or do the responsible thing and move to Austin with something in my back pocket. I found a ridiculously cheap round fair flight for around 500 dollars, but with the World Cup taking place there, my expenses would've doubled and I headed south instead (literally? figuratively? you decide) The longer I'm in America, the more excited I get about breaking
away again, like my annual trips to Europe from 98-01. Japan is the one place in the world I want to visit more than any other at this point, just because its set 30 years in the future. Square watermelons, odd vending machines, American culture bizarrely re-interpreted and repackaged without meaning all squarely poised against the traditions and insulated culture that has thrived for thousands of years. The repackaging of American culture intrigues me most, almost because the meaning and importance placed on it by Americans
(rock n roll, celebrities, the whole notion of pop as culture set forth by our previous consuming Baby Boomer generation) is totally lost and almost naively clung to by the Japanese. I think its hysterical that the Japanese Prime Minister can fly over to Graceland and strictly enjoy and appreciate Elvis without the oceans of tears I experienced from 30,000 crying, desperate fans that I witnessed while at Graceland during the 20th Anniversary of Elvis' death. The looks of horror and unease on the 'down to earth good ol' boy' George and
his straight laced and soulless wife makes the juxtaposition all the more valuable.
Before I die, I will make it to Japan, and revel in their culture and idiosyncrasies just as much as they do ours, and I think the world will be a better place because of it.
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