Summary

Waldo is an animated bear on a late night show segment, with speech and expressions controlled by Jaimie. The character becomes popular enough that producers spin him off in a “campaign” against parliamentary candidate Liam Monroe. Waldo attends interviews Monroe is doing and provokes him from a van with a screen on the side, mocking him with crude humor at the direction of a producer. The stunt gets big run in the press, but Jaimie becomes depressed because he doesn’t to turn Waldo political.

Monroe finds out who Jamie is and outs him during a live debate, belittling his underwhelming comedic career. This hurts Jaimie, who knows there is truth in the assessment. He angrily goes off script, aggressively attacking Monroe, the establishment, and another candidate, Gwendolyn, who he had a one-night stand with and who dissed him at her campaign manager’s advice. Waldo’s rampage gets a positive reaction from the crowd and makes national headlines, leading to calls for Waldo to start a real campaign. Waldo continues to do successful interviews and stunts, to the delight of Jaimie’s executive producer.

Jaimie eventually apologizes to Gwendolyn, and at the next Waldo stunt, decides he’s had enough. He goes off script again, telling people to vote for real candidates before resigning and leaving the Waldo van. The EP takes over Waldo and recruits a bystander to assault Jaimie, who had begun attacking the van.

In the election, Waldo garners real votes and finishes a close second to Monroe, beating Gwendolyn. Jaimie becomes homeless, and Waldo goes worldwide.

Something disturbing: The parallels to elections and candidates of late.

Something entertaining: Waldo’s sad expressions during Monroe’s attack on Jaimie.

Overall Reaction to the Episode

Positive. This was a simple but entertaining plot, with interesting parallels to the politics of today.

Most Relatable to our Societal Condition Today

An unqualified character/candidate with little political skill or knowledge gains power and popularity by captivating crowds, social media, and a nation with personal insults, crude humor, name calling, and disregard for traditional political decorum. Sound familiar?

Element Connected With This Week’s Assigned Readings

I see connections with a “withered expert paradigm” in Peter Walsh’s The Web, the Expert, and The Information Hegemony (370). The technology that make’s Waldo’s campaign possible and wildly successful absolutely destroyed the walls of access to the UK’s political establishment. This sort of action would be difficult to impossible before the age of technology, social media, and the internet.

Discussion Question

Considering the election of unqualified, but popular candidates (from both parties) seen in America today who threaten/eliminate freedoms, cause/inflame intense divisions, and harm our country’s world positioning, should congress update the minimal qualifications and experience for candidates for important national elected positions, like president? Today’s candidates — despite obvious lack of qualifications, skill, intelligence, mental stability, and leadership ability — can be quickly elevated by social media campaigns, even with minimal-budget campaigns.