We find ourselves living through what’s likely the all-time heyday of the theater kid as public figure and performative politician. By this point, and I say this as a proud geek myself, Revenge of the Nerds’ Lambda Lambda Lambda would be embarrassed.
Most recently, Tennessee state representative Justin Pearson became famous as one of the so-called Tennessee Three, a small group of state lawmakers who led a mob into the legislative chamber during business hours. Pearson and another Justin (Jones), who disrupted the session with bullhorns, found themselves thrown out of the legislature (before being reinstated shortly thereafter). A bespectacled black dude known for his Afro hairdo and histrionic arm movements while speaking, Pearson always struck me as a Dollar General Malcolm X. But, the past few weeks have provided a deeper revelation about him: It’s all an act.
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