Wikipedia:Reference desk/Archives/Entertainment/2009 May 29

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May 29

First minority president in movies?

Anyone know when a movie featured the first black president? How about first woman? --68.92.139.62 (talk) 03:45, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

If you mean President of the US, see Black president in popular culture (United States), where it is speculated that Rufus Jones for President (1933) was the first. There doesn't seem to be a corresponding article for women, and the subject of female presidents is not even mentioned in List of fictional United States Presidents, which is an odd oversight. —Kevin Myers 04:02, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Yes, sorry. President of the US. (Forgive my American wiki-centrism!) --68.92.139.62 (talk) 04:38, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

The earliest fictional female president on screen I could think of was President Leslie McCloud in Kisses for My President (1964) portrayed by Polly Bergen. "Actresses who played fictional presidents" mentions an earlier one: Ernestine Barrier played "Madame President" in Project Moonbase (1953), but I don't know whether that is a US president, I neither saw the movie nor read the story. ---Sluzzelin talk 13:36, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Ah, I really should have read the article I linked to. In Project Moonbase

"the President of the United States is a woman. This is counterbalanced, however, by the film's misogyny, wherein the female lead is portrayed as a 'spoiled brat,' and is threatened to be spanked by her male commander."

And speaking of gender clichés: Polly Bergen's President McLoud steps down from office when she becomes pregnant (and the film is about her husband anyway). ---Sluzzelin talk 18:33, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

"female lead is portrayed as a 'spoiled brat,' and is threatened to be spanked by her male commander". That's hot. A Quest For Knowledge (talk) 18:47, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

I've seen that film. It was terrible. People being female was the movie's only gimmick. 'Finally we get to see the hotshot pilot that everyone has strangely been talking about but not using personal pronouns ... OMG She's a woman! This is a shocking development because everyone knows that women cannot be pilots in real life.' This same pattern was used more than once. APL (talk) 23:29, 1 June 2009 (UTC)

Women taking maternity leave is a cliché? --Tango (talk) 20:22, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

She didn't take maternity leave, paid or unpaid, she resigned from office. And the newspaper headlines point out how it took millions of women to put her in the White House, but only one man to get her out. :-| ---Sluzzelin talk 20:46, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Olive Oyl for President (1948), ack ack ack ack ack. Clarityfiend (talk) 20:03, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Good find! I guess then Betty Boop for President might be the oldest so far (1932). ---Sluzzelin talk 20:46, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

Well blow me down. I didn'st even see that. (I needs me spinach.) Clarityfiend (talk) 22:12, 29 May 2009 (UTC)

While not an answer to the question, this golden age (1943) Wonder Woman comic seems relevant. 80.41.31.27 (talk) 23:43, 30 May 2009 (UTC)

In The Shadows - The Rasmus

In the song In The Shadows by The Rasmus what does the line "I know that I am haunted to be wanted" mean? --124.254.77.148 (talk) —Preceding undated comment added 10:38, 29 May 2009 (UTC).

The lyrics look like they were generated by an Emo-lyric generator, so I wouldn't set too much store by this expression, but it's the same construction as "happy to be home" or "lucky to be alive" i.e. the singer/narrator's response to being wanted is to feel haunted or cursed. Perhaps he yearns to relinquish earthly responsibilities, or fears that his spirit has been crushed by an onerous duty such as conscription. Or perhaps he knows that he is not long for this world and doesn't want to let anyone down.

See here for more discussion of the song's "meaning".

chocolateboy (talk) 13:46, 29 May 2009 (UTC)