From ‘SNL’ to ‘Simpsons,’ Bush part of pop culture
D.C. TO HOLLYWOOD
George H.W. Bush didn’t star in “Bedtime for Bonzo” like Ronald Reagan, play saxophone on “The Arsenio Hall Show” like Bill Clinton or host “The Apprentice” like Donald Trump — but the former president certainly wasn’t invisible in the world of entertainment either.
Here are a few key moments where D.C. met Hollywood in the Bush 41 years. 1. Dana Carvey on “Saturday Night Live” — Though his Church Lady and Garth characters from “Wayne’s World” might disagree, comic Dana Carvey’s Bush impression was a high point, a master-class in comedic impression that didn’t just ape Bush’s mannerisms but gave them a whimsical spin that was both incisive and good-natured. Bush himself was a fan, appearing on the show and becoming friends with Carvey off-screen. Some might say that such a turn of events “wouldn’t be prudent,” but Bush didn’t seem to care.
2. “Two Bad Neighbors” episode of “The Simpsons” — When Bush and Barbara move to Springfield and become neighbors to the Simpsons, George and Homer take a dislike to each other. What made the episode work was how show creator Matt Groening and voice actor Harry Shearer twisted Bush’s nice-guy image with a giddy, Bart Simpson glee.
3. Neil Young’s “Rockin’ in the Free World” — Not all of Bush’s intersections with pop culture were as light-hearted as Dana Carvey or “The Simpsons.” One of singer-songwriter Neil Young’s bestknown tracks is an ampedup put-down of the Bush administration, using the lines “We got a thousand points of light, for the homeless man, we got a kinder, gentler machinegun hand.” While this might seem like typical music-industry, limousine liberalism, Young was a paradox as he had previously praised Ronald Reagan. 4. The movie “W.” — Though the 2008 Oliver Stone film was more about President 43 than 41, the latter — as portrayed by James Cromwell — nevertheless had a significant role as a dad disappointed by his son’s fratboy life choices as a young man.
5. Colorful socks — During his presidency, Bush wasn’t known as being particularly fashion-forward, but that changed well after he was out of office. After being diagnosed with Parkinson’s in 2007 and subsequently using a wheelchair, he decided to have a little fun with his footwear now that his ankles were more exposed. Out came the wacky socks that soon became an internet sensation. In 2014, Bush wrote, “I’m a self-proclaimed sock man. The louder, the brighter, the crazier the pattern — the better.”