Kinky

Excellent article on Kinky Friedman and his run for governor of Texas in The New Yorker.

Kinky, in his life and work, has always felt most comfortable as an outsider: a Jew in Texas, a Texan in New York, a reactionary in progressive circles, and a progressive in conservative circles. "Too smart for country, too country for the intelligentsia," as the journalist Larry Sloman - better known as Ratso, who in the mysteries plays Watson to Kinky's Sherlock - once put it. In front of a liberal crowd, Kinky throws in as many racist and sexist epithets as he can think of. If it's a country crowd, he uses bigger words and makes fun of rednecks. Naturally, this is part of his political appeal: politicians are always careful to say nothing offensive, whereas Kinky is careful to always say something offensive; he provokes not to stop conversation but to start it. It's a delicate balance, however. As Evan Smith, the editor of Texas Monthly, for which Kinky wrote a column for four years, put it, "If he's too much like the Kinky we all know and love, he risks not being taken seriously - but if he's too serious he risks just being another guy. People will say, 'If I wanted an unfunny guy, I'd vote for one of the actual candidates.' "

Kinky will have to convince voters that he's at least a little serious, and this means convincing them that he is sincere. Willie Nelson, aboard his tour bus just before a show in New Jersey, told me, "They come to hear just how far out is this guy, and I think that's true of any entertainer who is being honest and truthful." Kinky has said that he would appoint Nelson as his energy czar, in order to explore expanding the use of biodiesel, an alternative fuel that Nelson uses in his buses and cars. "They want to know how honest you're gonna be," Nelson said, "and I haven't seen him back off on anything."

I'd love to see him turn Texas politics on its head. Go to Kinky's site and read, then get on his emailing list.