Making plans for a Kinky year
Making plans for a Kinky year
05:50 PM CDT on Friday, October 1, 2004
By ALAN PEPPARD / The Dallas Morning News
Even Hill Country humorist, musician and novelist Kinky Friedman has to pay the bills. So his campaign for governor is on brief hiatus while he hits the road to flog copies of his new book from Harper Collins, 'Scuse Me While I Whip This Out: Reflections on Country Singers, Presidents and Other Troublemakers.
On Oct. 13, the Kinkster will give a reading followed by an autograph session at the Barnes & Noble at Lincoln Park.
But the really big show will be at the opening of Bill Clinton's library, the Clinton Presidential Center, in Little Rock, Ark. Both Presidents Clinton and George W. Bush are expected to be in attendance for the November festivities, which will include a Kinky book signing and a screening of the documentary about Kinky, by Dutch director Simone de Vries.
The exact title doesn't lend itself to a family newspaper. Let's just say it's called Proud To Be an [Expletive] From El Paso. In it, Mr. Clinton, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett expound on the force of nature known as Kinky Friedman. After the screening, Kinky will perform some of his signature tunes with his sidekicks Ratso and Little Jewford Shelby. ("He's a Jew and he drives a Ford," explains Kinky.)
Revving for the race
After the first of the year, Kinky will ramp up his campaign to run for governor as an independent. "In late January, right after the inauguration of President Nader, I'll officially announce for governor in front of the Alamo," says Kinky. "It will be carried by live remote on the Imus show."
The latest line of Kinky campaign gear can be purchased at www.kinkyfriedman.com – bumper stickers such as "My Governor is a Jewish Cowboy" and "He Ain't Kinky, He's My Governor."
The Kinkster is unconcerned by rumors that a gaggle of well-funded candidates may run, too – Dallas' first husband Steve Wolens , a rerun by South Texas millionaire Tony Sanchez, Comptroller Carole Keeton Strayhorn, not to mention incumbent Rick Perry and the bettors' favorite, U.S. Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison.
"Kay and Rick will pump about $100 million into this thing, but we're going to win it on the coin of the spirit," says Kinky loftily.
