Republican Like Me: Infiltrating Red-state, White-ass, And Blue-suit America

I gave this book to my girlfriend's brother who just got back from Iraq and needed a good laugh... he loved it and has passed it around to some of the soldiers from base. Free speech is an American right that they fought for... and as an American, I recommend that you read this book and excercise freedom of the funny bone. If we are ever to knit together the fabric of this country, we have to laugh at our differences. Mr. Leon's wit is a sharp needle which pierces through hypocracies of this decade's American right-wing cultural over-drive. His infiltration style is inventive, very playful and makes me think of a real life "Fletch" in our midst. This is by far Harmon's most provocative work yet, at a time where the country needs to reflect on its values; these adventures level the score in a comical way that is easy to digest and has thawed tensions... even opened intelligent discussion to all my friends who have read it. This is definately one of my favorite reads of the season.

Leon's first chapter, "Dinner at Applebee's With White Supremacists" is reason enough to buy this book. Under the pseudonym of Hal Haterman, Leon shares an Applebee's dinnertable discussing hate, Canada, and love of Caesar salad. This is quintessential Leon. Leon is hilarious, biting, and ballsy. This man throws himself into absurd, political, and potentially risky situations--managing to make it out safely enough to write about in his easy, satirical style that has me laughing out loud. Aside from The Daily Show's cast, I don't know another political comedian today who is willing to be as completely outrageous, hysterical,and scathing as Harmon Leon.

What a hoot! Leon goes undercover to learn about, and silently mock, bizarre goings on across, America, from dining with white supremacists to working on (or perhaps against) the campaigns of Arnold Schwarzenegger, John Kerry, and George Bush. Leon's writing can't help but evoke an image of modern "gonzo journalism"-minus the over-medication-or perhaps a Daily Show correspondent with a slightly sadistic bent. It's a humorous, satirical glimpse on how the other half lives.

Answer this: How are aspiring white supremacist Hal Haterman, ultra-right-wing operative Drake Sutherland, Christian headbanger Chad Sin-No-More and teen abstinence educator Quentin Smalls connected to each other? Sorry, it's a trick question: There is no connection. They are not in any way some of the fake personas that Harmon Leon has donned while invading what he calls the "sacred institutions of everyday life." You must be mistaking him for somebody else. Some kind of queer-loving, bleeding-heart, whiny-baby liberal who lives in godless San Francisco and makes his living by poking fun at EVERYTHING THAT MAKES AMERICA GREAT! It's hard to know what to expect from a guy who once arrived at a pro-life rally in front of a Planned Parenthood clinic wearing an elaborate outfit consisting of tiny baby dolls taped to his shirt, with one of them floating in a jar that had the words "Stop Now!" scrawled on the outside. There are also plenty of Christians, ex-gays, gun-rights fanatics and some Vincent Gallo thrown in for good measure. In other words, there's a little something for everyone.

"We're now a ragamuffin bunch, kind of like a moronic crime-fighting team from another dimension or world of tomorrow, set upon this earth to rid America of those pesky illegal aliens with their funny music and crazy hats." ( Leon infiltrating the Federation for American Immigrant reform) Read "Republican Like Me" and enter the world of Harmon Leon, as Alice entered through the looking-glass, to examine the otherworldly dimension of American Republicans and even more extreme conservatives from the inside. Guided by a loudly pronounced bias and a hungry eye for absurd details, liberal Leon skillfully dons characters who will blend into or completely contrast the conservative platforms he infiltrates, covering a bold range from hate-groups through corporate etiquette workshops, Christian support groups for ex-gays, abortion clinic protesters to the Republican party itself. This socio-political odyssey is ingeniously penned with much passion and satirical observations in a intimate and honest voice, allowing the reader to glide through the sometimes breathtaking and hilarious moments as if he/she were a screw in Leon's ever-present tape recorder. Leon 's purpose is not only to visit and observe occupants of the less liberal side, but also to mirror their ideology by confronting them with the grotesque stereotypes he mercilessly portrays. Despite his bias, Leon sincerely struggles to catch the essence of each conservative bastion he gleefully targets, always making room for surprising discoveries, anxiety or self-doubt. "Though the activity of 'strolling' is stressed as a new urbanism selling point, there is a large void of "strollers" around the designated central square magnet for strolling. [...] Thus, if appointed emperor of Timberline Village (besides going 'mad with power'), I'd hire actors to portray elderly but wise citizens, who would always be on hand to fix a kite or give wise, elderly advice from a park bench..." ( Leon posing as conservative prospective house buyer in new suburban residential complex) In "Republican Like Me", (chame)Leon bravely straddles his self-engineered bumpy, unpredictable and highly unscientific anthropological roller-coaster ride, never blind to occasional moments of universal truth that are sparked by his unlikely presence in wholly absurd situations. "Being a scary clown is lonely. Between groups I stand alone in my clown box, reflecting on moments of my life that have led up to this point." ( Leon fighting unemployment by taking humiliating costumed jobs) Pick up this comical treasure with much essence and no political correctness, and experience a virtual tour through a conservative landscape armed with nothing but love of life and biting cynicism. Time has come for Alice to grow up and smash the looking-glass; may she not break her hand in the process.