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Hollywood, July 23, 2006 -- For Ronald Reagan, it was a relatively natural move to leap from the silver screen of a Hollywood career onto the world political stage when he undertook in 1980 to defeat incumbent President Jimmy Carter to win the White House. Some have said it was Reagan's "greatest role," a reference to his generally lackluster film career as a 'B' actor, the sum of all his parts never matching his star turn as president.
Now the formula is as viable as ever but in the reverse direction. The POST has learned that Universal Pictures has quietly signed none other than George W. Bush for the remake of HUD, one of Hollywood's classic contemporary Westerns, which will begin shooting in spring of 2009.
When White House press secretary Tony Snow made the announcement to a skeletal gathering of the Washington press corps late this afternoon, the news was met with some skepticism.
"Is this for real?" Helen Thomas wanted to know. "I'm not taking the jihadist position on this, Tony, I really want to know if President Bush is going to play Hud in the remake."
"It's for real," Snow assured her. Reporters mumbled to each other while some made entries in their notebooks. Clearly no one had advance word on the announcement.
"The president and Mrs. Bush have asked Toby Keith to write a song for the soundtrack," Snow hastened to add.
"Who's going to read his lines for him?" David Gregory wanted to know. Snow's garbled response was unintelligible.
The original HUD was released in 1963 and starred Paul Newman as Hud, a Texan of few disciplines and no apparent moral compass, an unchallenged, dismissive low-life who sows doubt, disillusion, betrayal, and ill feeling in all those he comes in contact with.
"Dubya's perfect for that part," said Barry Powell, a spokesman for Universal. "He's got failure written all over him. And he looks the part. You know, the way he pranced around on that air craft carrier with all those socks stuffed into his crotch. Hud would do that. Except Hud wouldn't need the socks. And add to that the mangled English. Dubya's just what the doctor ordered."
When word of the president's future acting assignment reached Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT), a spokesperson for the senator told the POST that Senator Lieberman "will definitely be in line to see the film," despite his misgivings in the past about the morality of Hollywood film themes.
"If President Bush is going to be in it, Haddassah and I will order our tickets in advance." The Senator and Mrs. Lieberman have already formally requested to sit in the seats on the theater's far right side.
Paul Newman, who starred in the original HUD, declined comment for this story, however his publicist told the POST that Mr. Newman had left express instructions not to be bothered while he writes yet another check for Ned Lamont's senate campaign.
National reaction was decidedly mixed. Mel Gibson told the POST via telephone that he felt confident that "Any remake of HUD will likely suck. Bush is not a real conservative. The Pope and me are good buds. Do you think the president has seen my work in ROAD WARRIOR? The Jews are to blame for everything." When asked to clarify his remarks, Mr. Gibson hung up the phone with a coarse expression ordinarily reserved for barnyards or G8 summits.
The film, scheduled to be in theaters by fall of 2009, is expected to gross record amounts in ticket sales, according to Universal's accounting division, owing to speculation over film-goers' interest in seeing a political celebrity jump to the big screen.
Powell seemed buoyed already in anticipation of vigorous revenues. "Dubya's approval ratings may be on the way down, but as Hud, he's going to drive ticket sales way up. It's a case of Lackluster to Blockbuster."
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