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

Harmon Leon (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: November 7, 2005

A flaming liberal in real life, Leon has been called 'a cross between Michael Moore and South Park'. He shares with readers his hilarious misadventures as he dons the persona of a 'pissed-off convenience store clerk' at the Knob Creek Biannual Machine Gun Shoot in Bullit County, Kentucky. Next, he's working security in southern California at an 'Arnold for Governor' rally, where he has several memorable encounters with the Terminator himself - and finds himself constantly promoted! But this is only the beginning. Leon reports on his zany experience at a Christian wrestling extravaganza, where the scantily clad wrestlers toss opponents into the stands in the name of Jesus. Taking a different tack, he paints on temporary tattoos, wears a black T-shirt reading 'Kill 'em all. Let God sort 'em out!' and then entertainingly describes the reactions he gets when he tries to purchase a condominium in an exclusive gated community.

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

Though Leon compares his mission of going undercover to infiltrate the "Bush-loving extreme Right" to Black Like Me and the work of anthropologist Jane Goodall, a more apropos comparison would be to Beavis and Butthead or some of the stunts featured on Jackass. In these 31 essays, Leon sloppily paints abortion protestors, private security companies, white supremacists, the press, the FBI and anyone who isn't from "Northern California, the land of the peace-loving, true BLUE liberal," with a brush wider than the trailers he assumes most of his "subjects" have crawled out from under. The writing on display here is at turns abominable and clichéd, and nearly always unfunny-spastic, juvenile locker room banter disguised as daring commentary. His "infiltrations"-volunteering for the Schwarzenegger, Bush and Kerrey campaigns; joining abortion protestors; having dinner with a group of suburban white supremacists at an Applebees; working at a security guard at an Oakland Denny's; participating in an FBI-sponsored media luncheon-amount to little more than a disparate array of set-ups for Leon to act like a 12-year-old buzzed on too much caffeine: after working the phones as a San Francisco-based Bush volunteer, for instance, Leon writes, "For no apparent reason, in black Magic Marker I scrawl the words 'Bush Wears Panties!' in the middle of the phone list and leave." Leon's inspiration may have been noble, but the result is so asinine it's hard to imagine liberals will want to claim him as one of their own.
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Review

"...one of the funniest and most insightful books ever written...raises the bar for political humor..." -- Boulder Weekly

"Harmon is insane, hysterical,and after reading about all of the lunatics he's ripped apart in this book, I hope bullet-proof." -- Dan Bova, Executive Editor of Stuff Magazine

"In an age of absurdity...Leon is a welcome reflection of our ridiculous reality." -- Creative Loafing Atlanta

"Read this book immediately. Then eat it. If they do take over, no evidence will remain linking you to it." -- The Yes Men

"[I]f you like edgy writing and your politics with a twist of humor, this book will keep you laughing..." -- Northfield News, November 12, 2005

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Paperback: 281 pages
• Publisher: Prometheus Books; First Edition edition (November 7, 2005)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 1591023602
• ISBN-13: 978-1591023609
• Product Dimensions: 8.3 x 7.4 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (21 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #2,054,870 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

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Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Starts out funny and insightful- degenerates into "Jackass for Liberals", December 15, 2005

By 

Jeremy (Seattle, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Republican Like Me: Infiltrating Red-state, White-ass, And Blue-suit America (Paperback)

What I expected when I picked up this book was some good old-fashioned joke playing on the right wing, or possibly some real insight into what makes the conservative mind tick (hopefully mocking them throughout). Sadly, what I got was a guy who is guilty of everything he attacks the world for being. He is hateful, mean spirited and has a completely closed mind towards those who are different-just like his targets! As publishers weekly said, this is less a book with thoughtful responses and candid peaks at what righties really think and more a guy acting like a child, running around flinging his boogers (literally and figuratively) and playing practical jokes on the unsuspecting. Except some of those unsuspecting people are conservative, so that makes it okay!

So, if you are a left leaning (or just anti-right) and you are a big fan of the "Jamie Kennedy Experiment" but you just wish it was more mean spirited and juvenile, this is the book for you! If you are left-leaning because you believe in basic human dignity for all, this book will probably just leave you frustrated. Undercover journalist? Nope. Just an undercover self-absorbed comedian.

6 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT READ, December 16, 2005

By 

Christian Burns (Anchorage, Alaska) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Republican Like Me: Infiltrating Red-state, White-ass, And Blue-suit America (Paperback)

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.

1.0 out of 5 stars Thought I might like it, June 3, 2010

By 

Red Morning Entertainment, Inc. "Red Morning" (So Cal USA) - See all my reviews
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This review is from: Republican Like Me: Infiltrating Red-state, White-ass, And Blue-suit America (Paperback)

What was an intelligent topic and somewhat novel idea was ruined by smug, condescending, get a real kick out of hearing myself, ego. Wow. Didn't make it all the way through. Took a stunning idea from Black Like Me and trivialized it. Next...