Joe the Plumber Doesn’t Understand 15 Minutes of Fame
I wish I could say I was kidding about this. But political pawn Joe the Plumber is hoping his fame can be extended to minute number 16.
Samuel J. Wurzelbacher is writing a book. He’s launching a Website. He’s got representation. Joe the Plumber will either be living the American Dream, or remain in a lower tax bracket. Love him or hate him, you’ve got to wish the guy some luck.
But now that the election is over, will the general public care about Joe the Plumber? Are they going to pay $14.95 a month to read his blog or join his forums? Or is it $19.95… it depends on which page of SecureOurDream.com you go to.
People were interested in hearing what Joe the Plumber had to say during the campaign. But I don’t see the mystical maven of monkey-wrench’s time in the public eye continuing past January 20. And even by then, he may be fodder for a “where are they now” piece.
Now if Joe does hang around, I think it’ll be as painful as watching Joey Buttafucco and Amy Fisher. Maybe 10 years from now, “Celebrity Boxing” comes calling, or maybe Larry Flynt will let him star in his latest series of adult films?
I just pray for Joe the Plumber that he’s not doing the book as a self-publish job, and shelling out all sorts of cash. And, for that matter, that he’s paying publicist Jim Della Croce a per diem rate.
Maybe if he had first watched The Simpson’s episode 232, Joe the Plumber would have realized he’s just the flavor of the month, and not on overnight multichannel sensation.
November 11th, 2008 at 4:03 pm
So, Tim, if it were Joe the Journalist, how likely would you be forcasting an impending trainwreck? Since he’s blue-collar, and worse yet, a republican, he’s just flavor of the month-right? Additionally, to deem him a political pawn shows an elitist perspective–they guy asked Obama a simple question and the media all went into a tizzy. After all, how dare he ask a question that the media had worked so hard to avoid! He didn’t force himself upon the public, but boy did he pay for asking a question…the media jumped down his pipewrench, examining him more closely than the actual candidate. The man’s entitled to try and reap some coin out of the buzzsaw the media put him through. Oh, but your wishing him luck, right? Kind of like you wish luck to a kid in a lemonaide stand.. Oh, and for the record, the real political pawn is the media…think about that one for a bit.
November 11th, 2008 at 8:08 pm
I just want to say I agree with you completely, I live in the same city as Joe the Plumber. He didn’t force himself upon the public but once the door was opened he doesn’t want it closed. Lot of rumors are going around about Joe, that he lost his job as a plummer…. but I don’t think his fame will last I know I wouldn’t waste my hard earned money to buy his book. I also heard he was going to make a record deal but not sure if that would work either… a singing plumber. Maybe he should go back to school and earn his apprenticeship that might get him somewhere. The other talk was he was going to run for US House of Representative in 2 years against Marcy Kaptur…fat chance he would win.. He is a embarrassment to this town.
November 12th, 2008 at 11:44 am
Well, Mike, with all due respect, I don’t think I see where you’re going with this: Joe the Plumber asked Obama a question, and the McCain camp immediately made him its rallying point. I think if McCain didn’t refer to Joe the Plumber about 50 times in debate No. 2, no one would have cared. But since he became the mascot of the McCain-Palin campaign, the media wanted to know what he was all about.
The media did the same to Obama and his alleged close ties to slleged terrorists and evil no-good hell-raisers.
And I do wish Joe luck. I hate seeing anyone fail.
Tina, if Joe the Plumber had launched his own business as his way of capitalizing on his 15 minutes of fame, would your hometown instead seen him as a hero?