Tea Party presidential hopeful Michele Bachmann has an unlikely suitor in studio chief and liberal patron Harvey Weinstein, who issued a statement Tuesday night inviting the Minnesota congresswoman to her native Iowa for the U.S. premiere of his satire Butter.
The Bachmann campaign hasn't responded to Movieline's request for comment, but let it suffice to say -- based on Butter's send-up of the archconservative Midwestern competitive spirit and the verbiage read by co-star Olivia Wilde prior to the film's gala Toronto Film Festival premiere -- she probably won't be attending:
"In 20 years of coming to the Toronto Film Festival, I've never released a statement for a film. But I would like to take this moment to formally invite Republican Congresswoman from Minnesota and Republican presidential candidate Michele Bachmann to co-host with me the big premiere of Butter in Iowa in a few months from now. I know Michele will already be in Iowa for the caucus, so we can save some money on airfare and travel. I would, of course, be more than happy to fly in the other leading members of the Tea Party movement to make an entire day of it. We could take some math classes in the morning to help balance the budget, brush up on the Constitution in the afternoon, play some ping-pong, and then maybe some verbal ping-pong on gay rights and women's rights (especially the right to choose). But at night we can all go hand-in-hand to the premiere of Butter, a fun and important film where we'll share some popcorn and laughs. These are the kind of bipartisan effort that makes America great. I look forward to hearing from Michele, and I'm particularly looking forward to those classes on the Constitution. All my best, Harvey."
Harvey! That rascal! This doesn't quite rival that rollicking Blue Valentine/NC-17 publicity stunt from last year, but it's good to see the old boy staying hungry and creative.
ยท Harvey Weinstein Pokes Fun at Michele Bachmann and Tea Party Before Butter Screening [THR]