OPINION:
If you’ve never watched the musical game show “The Masked Singer,” check it out. It’s as unprecedented as our response to COVID-19 — except it’s funny, and we can all benefit from strong doses of humor these days.
Every week, the show gives viewers and celebrity judges the chance to see heavily costumed “performers” do their thing. For example, Sarah Palin rapped to “Baby Got Back” in a bear suit, Rob Gronkowski danced and roared like a white tiger defending a huge secret (and he did; having agreed to rejoin Tom Brady), and singer Dionne Warwick proved why her vocals are unforgettable, even dressed as a mouse.
Viewers can play along by trying to match the clues with costumed singers, or not. I’m sure some folks don’t watch the show because it’s on Fox, which lots of folks consider a mouthpiece for conservatives and You Know Who.
Ridiculous bias? Not really.
Politicians give the appearance that they’re regular Jane and John Does who wear suits and eat frozen pizza for dinner. That’s their costume, but their masks hide their true selves.
Consider a big-city mayor during an election year. He, she or they, if you prefer, tells you they’ve given schools in a multimillion-dollar infusion of public dollars in the supplemental budget. You yell, “Yay!” — until you learn that nothing at your child’s school has changed.
Why? The “additional” money was used to pay public schooling overhead, such as administration, personnel, transportation and utilities.
It’s not a criminal offense to keep you in the dark. It’s a politician’s job to place distractions for all to see.
The masks and the costumes hide the truth, the facts and the motives.
Again, consider Mrs. Palin, a bear in a pale pink-and-blue costume, appearing meekish but protective of her cubs. If she was meek during the 2008 presidential campaign, it was only because her mask perfectly contrasted with that of John McCain, who was incapable of being bowled over.
This election year, Joe Biden, the Democrats’ presumptive nominee, vowed to have a woman as his running mate. Will he choose a meekish type or a sidewinder?
There’s no ignoring the facts: Restoring America to pre-COVID-19 status will be daunting on federal, state and local levels.
What’s more, politicians remain hidden behind masks. Some politicians are probably relieved that they can hide behind yet another mask.
House Speaker Nancy Speaker, for one, has become quite fashionable at the task. Color coordination has always been her thing.
Which is why it’s a serious problem that the speaker has essentially shutdown the “people’s” House.
Cannot the housekeeping staff get its hands on enough disinfectant and hand sanitizer? Don’t House members know how to bag their own PB&J sandwiches for lunch? Can’t they figure out how social distancing would work in their own offices?
All of the above and none the above.
They’re trying to figure out how to land spots on “The Masked Singer,” where they can fight over the elephant and jackass costumes.
• Deborah Simmons can be contacted at dsimmons@washingtontimes.com.
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