The New Political Reality

Rarely do so many of my interests combine into a single piercing point of light like the laser that is the just announced MySpace/Mark Burnett political reality show concept for Independent. The catch is brilliant: While there is a $1 million cash prize, the winner can't keep the money. The prize has to be used to fund a legitimate run for the White House or be given to a PAC or political cause. Contestants in the show interact with the public via MySpace.

While there is no TV Network partner yet, being that MySpace is owned by FOX I'm not sure that isn't much of an issue. Television, reality show, politics, Mark Burnett, social networks... I'm very excited about this show, and I can think of only one man who needs to enter:

Rich Rodgers

Remember Rich Rodgers? He is the man who said, "I challenge Kyle Chisek to a cage match. We can decide who the strong mayor should be." I think now is the time for Rich Rodgers to stand tall and show America what he is made of. I am urging Rich Rodgers to enter this competition and jump start his political career! (Note: Rich Rodgers now has a mustache, and looks somewhat like the man in this photo.)

When asked about his potential application, Rich Rodgers responded, "Would I challenge all 25 Democrat & Republican 2008 Presidential Candidates to a Winner-takes-the-Presidency $49.95 Pay-Per-View Battle Royale? Yes. My Prediction? Pain."

Clearly this is a man who understands not just the intricacies of the political arena, but also the ever-fickle terrain of the modern media landscape. How is it that Rich Rodgers is the name on the tip of everyone's tongue? As you might expect, Rich Rodgers has the answer, "The groundswell of support is awesome. Sure, I'm pretty pumped, but I'm not surprised. Violence and sex sell, which pretty much explains my appeal. I think it has something to do with a reaction against what Max Weber termed the 'iron cage', wherein we are culturally constrained by various manifestations of innerweltliche asceticism, yet physically and emotionally yearn for satisfaction of our impulses and our will to power. In a nutshell, America has an appetite for destruction, and I'm the man to satisfy that appetite."

The mysteries that swirl around Rich Rodgers are fading, and he credits his family for teaching him the values of being a superstar. "I was raised by my parents to always put my fans first. My pop always told me, 'When you see a million faces, rock them all. Don't live a life of regret like me'. You see, when he was my age, he only rocked a little more than half of them. Opportunity doesn't always knock twice. It's painful when he gets that far off look in his eye."

Grounded in family values, politically sharp, and a media darling, it doesn't seem like there is much that could stop Rich Rodgers from attaining victory. "The timing is good. I just turned 35, yet I still have all my teeth. I remember some of what I learned in college, but not so much that I'll get bogged down considering different sides of a complex issue. I run fast, and at 250 lbs, I'm heavier than ever, and force equals mass times acceleration," he said. "Ultimately, though, I need to have a conversation with my family. Which is tough, because I can't understand a word my four month old daughter says."