Daily Dialogue — March 4, 2014

CHUCK BARRIS: Hi, folks. Before we begin taping today, I’d like to introduce you to Mr. Peter Jenks of the Federal Communications Commission. Okay?
PETER JENKS: I don’t know if any of you are aware of this, but it’s a federal offense to make lascivious remarks on a television network broadcast. The penalty for this disgusting, un-American behavior is one year in prison, or a ten thousand dollar fine. Or both! Anyone making a sick or subversive remark tonight will be arrested immediately. I then will personally escort the offender to federal prison for booking under edict number 364 of the Broadcasting Act of 1963. And it’s a long drive to that prison, baby. Just you and me. No witnesses.
CHUCK BARRIS: Okay, have fun everybody… alright…

— Confessions of a Dangerous Mind (2004), screenplay by Charlie Kaufman, book by Chuck Barris

The Daily Dialogue theme for the week: Lecture. Today’s suggestion by Zach Jansen.

Trivia: The film was spoofed in a brief article in The Onion entitled “Movie Marketed as Six Different Genres” (“a romantic comedy, a spy thriller, a Hollywood satire, a straightforward biopic… a strange, Being John Malkovich (1999)-esque mind-bender,” and a chick flick).

Dialogue On Dialogue: Commentary by Zach: “I don’t have much to say about the dialogue, but the delivery is priceless. A hundred actors could read the same lines and never come close to Robert John Burke. He has maybe three or four scenes in the film, but his brave and off-beat choices (in an already off-beat movie) make his performance stand-out like nothing else — I mean, talk about making the most of a few lines. As much as I love Sam Rockwell as Chuck Barris, I lust Robert John Burke as Peter Jenks.”

My comment: Who said lectures have to be boring!

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