Limbaugh on the radio. Up to that point, I had been getting decent grades. From that point on, however, I began to score Cs and Ds. I'm sure that it was just a coincidence.
Were all the professors like that?
Fortunately no. I had another American Literature prof who was cool, and my Constitutional Law professor was great. Very strict and to-the-T, but good. That was probably the toughest class that I had to take in college, but I'd take it again in a second.
Why didn't you go into the political science field instead of going into teaching political science?
Maybe I should have [smiles]. I didn't get into political science because I like politics; it's more that I think that it's important to follow politics and know how they work because if you know what's going on, you might have a bit more of a fighting chance when you have to get out of something...or into something, for that matter. I want to know how the governments - from local to state to federal - work because to me it's really important. I've always viewed politicians as crooks and liars, because they've continuously proved to be such. They've routinely stolen our money and used their position for nothing but personal gain. Yet so many voters continue to put them back into office.
Why do the voters do that?
Really, I don't know. I think that the constituents are for one thing just ignorant. I also think that a lot of people think that it's their civic duty to just blindly agree with whatever their elected officials say. It's as if the public thinks that, "If my Congressman says that the sky is purple and the grass is pink, then it must be true and it must be good." Similarly, if a politician pushes for a tax increase to fund some kind of personal pork project, a lot of the voters think, "Well, he must know what he's talking about, and he must know what's right, because he's in the government, and the government is good." It's that absence of questioning that really scares me. No one wants to question anything.
Don't you think that they might have more important things to do?
Well, I guess that I'm being a bit selfish here, but I think that something like civics are an important thing because they touch upon everyone's life - both economically and socially. If that's not important, what is? Other than what's on MTV or how many girls are left on The Bachelor.
Did Evan make the right choice?
Out of all the choices, I would have probably picked her, too [smiles]. I wouldn't have gone on the show in the first place.
What about the million dollars?
Shit, it was half a million each - and then the IRS takes half of each share. So you're down to $250,000. But it's okay, because the IRS works hard for their money.
You're not a fan of the IRS?
I pay my taxes on time and in full, but I think that it's interesting to know that they're the only non-law enforcement agency who can carry fire-arms. They also institute a "guilty until proven innocent" protocol, and it's good to know that the revenue code is actually unconstitutional. The U.S. Constitution says that all laws have to be written by Congress to be lawful, but the revenue code was written by the IRS. Essentially the revenue code is illegal, but I'm considered a whacko for saying stuff like that. It's just more of the "don't question the government" attitude from the masses. Ahhhh, I love people.
Earlier in the interview, you said that you occasionally work on short stories and screenplays. Can you tell us what you're currently working on? I'm guessing that it would be something anti-mankind.
Well, yeah. I guess that I'm kind of predictable in that sense, but I'm trying to develop a screenplay or short story that is based upon the idea of a society that doesn't really care that they're being told how to live their lives. When they vote, they cast their choice based upon which candidate looks the best and offers the most social programs. Oh, wait - I guess that's how America is right now. I should just get a camcorder and record everything around me. Then I'd be done.
Have you made any movies yet?
No, actually. Most of my accomplishments are in art or music. I recently completed a demo tape of a musical project that I'm in with a friend, and that's a pretty big accomplishment for me. I'm equally proud of my writing, ranging from poetry to short stories that are somewhat Kafka-esque.
Since we're on the topic of movies, what movies would you suggest to people, and why what about them do you like?
Wow. There are a lot of movies to mention. As for drama, I'd recommend The Postman with Kevin Costner, because it's a great example of how not only can one person make a difference in a society, but it also shows that evil people won't change, even if you give them a second chance. Duel is cool, too, which was Spielberg's directorial debut. It's a classic cat-and-mouse situation, only it involves a car and a tractor-trailor. Pale Rider is great because it's a western with a supernatural feel. All Quiet on the Western Front is dark, and it helps that it was made in the 1930s. Gods and Generals and Saving Private Ryan are two good war movies, and there are a few others that are good, too. I try to go for movies that have some intelligence to the writing, and scripts that I can really get into. John Carpenter makes good movies, too. Especially Christine and Halloween.
What's the worst movie that you've ever seen?
I haven't made it yet.