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Kickass News

John Lithgow Takes on Trump with Rhyme and Verse

Kickass News

Kickass News

Society & Culture, News

4.31.3K Ratings

🗓️ 28 September 2020

⏱️ 46 minutes

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

John Lithgow shares some of his favorite poems from his new book Trumpty Dumpty Wanted a Crown: Verses for a Despotic Age and how a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan’s most famous song inspired him to express his political voice through rhyme and verse. He reveals that he originally wanted to go into fine art instead of acting, how his poetry books have returned him to his childhood love of drawing, and why the motley cast of characters around Donald Trump serve as endless sources of inspiration Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Transcript

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0:00.0

You're listening to an AirWave Media Podcast.

0:08.0

Quiz Lady, the comedy with all the answers is now streaming only on Hulu.

0:13.0

The story stars Aquafina and Sandra O. as two sisters, one tightly wound and one train wreck.

0:20.0

When their beloved dog is kidnapped, they have no choice but to get on their favorite game show to win the cash and pay his ransom.

0:28.0

Quiz Lady, now streaming only on Hulu, rated R.

0:58.0

Neugierich, then we'll have you now on Lufthansagroup.carriers.

1:28.0

The Constitution, he wanted to shelf it.

1:32.0

With impeachment awash, his ambition had grown. He wanted an orb, a scepter, a throne, six royal palaces, six royal carriages,

1:42.0

a church dispensation for six royal marriages, courtiers installed on his own supreme court, and royal beheadings, if only for sport.

1:54.0

He craved the occasional royal procession and gasp.

1:59.0

The eventual royal succession. Trumpty-dumpty gets his way, unless the public has something to say.

2:09.0

If we let him have all of his favorite things, we'll have to endure the divine right of kings.

2:17.0

That was John Lithgo, reading the title poem from his new book, Trumpty-dumpty wanted a crown, versus from a despotic age.

2:26.0

It's a sequel to his first book of poems, Dumpty, The Age of Trump in Verse, which became a New York Times bestseller,

2:33.0

and the perfect vehicle for the area-dyte star of film television and stage to take down Donald Trump and his cronies through witty rhyme and verse.

2:43.0

And today I'm happy to welcome John Lithgo on the podcast to share some of his favorite poems from the book,

2:48.0

why he's generally avoided politics in public, and how a performance of Gilbert and Sullivan's most famous song inspired him to find his political voice through poetry.

2:59.0

He reveals that he originally wanted to go into art instead of acting, how his poetry books have returned him to his childhood love of drawing,

3:07.0

and why the motley cast of characters around Donald Trump serve as an endless inspiration for his humorous illustrations.

3:15.0

We also discuss his magnificent turns as Roger Ailes and Winston Churchill, as well as in HBO's new series, Perry Mason,

3:23.0

how this classically trained actor was convinced to play an alien on the hit sitcom Third Rock from the Sun,

3:29.0

and how Twilight Zone the movie has made him every flight attendant's favorite star.

...

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