Ted Nugent gets seated next to Thomas Lauderdale..of Portland's world-famous Pink Martini

[madmom]

http://www.blueoregon.com/2013/02/operation-sparkle-ted-nugent-gets-seated-next-thomas-lauderdale/

In the run-up to the State of the Union, one of the more controversial (and stupid) storylines has been that lunatic Tea Party Congressman Steve Stockman invited lunatic Tea Party rocker Ted Nugent as his guest. In the world of politics, Nugent has been known for his on-stage racist and violent rhetoric toward President Obama - and has even received a visit from the Secret Service for his efforts.

Meanwhile, what wasn't known until the broadcast got underway, is that musician Thomas Lauderdale - of Portland's world-famous Pink Martini - was invited to the State of the Union as a guest of our own Congressman Earl Blumenauer.

And either through some bizarre twist of fate or a wicked sense of humor from whichever party planner made the seating chart, Nugent and Lauderdale wound up sitting next to each other.

[jberryhill]

1. I'm going to guess Oregon

[GoneOffShore]

2. Wondered how that happened.

Lauderdale's reaction was interesting - Now I wonder in Peddy Ted knew who he was sitting next to?

[Ikonoklast]

3. That is awesome. Massive talent sitting next to a massive has-been.

Nugent must have been burning up inside.

Pink Martini is one of my favorite listens.

[Kber]

9. He just popped up on my Pandora station this morning.

Didn't know who he was until I read this article, but I did (illegally, 'cause I was driving at the time - shhh!) check the station and "thumbs-up" the song. I liked it!

[Ikonoklast]

11. I'm secretly in love with China Forbes. That voice, ohhh myyyy.

Don't tell anyone, mmmk?


And Lauderdale is a true Renaissance Man.




Bit of trivia, Forbes' cousin is John Kerry.

[progressoid]

4. I was wondering who that was!

Excellent!

[Cha]

5. Sorry, I don't know who Thomas Lauderdale is but he says he thought Nugent "was a real

gentleman"

I was totally not expecting to be seated next to Ted Nugent at the State of the Union .... but it was incredible. We talked about hunting ... in Texas (where he has lived for the past 10 years) and Michigan (where he grew up). Growing up he was inspired by Dick Dale ... and later by the British Invasion bands of the mid-60s ... The Yardbirds ... The Rolling Stones. He only tours in the summer. I asked him if he did USO tours. He has ... BUT is probably the only celebrity who carried his own machine gun. (Shockingly, I don't have a machine gun of my own.) He thought this year's Grammys were too "bubblegum" and childish. And, of all of his compositions, "Fred Bear" means the most to him ... people ask for it at their funerals, their barmitzvahs, their graduations ... "It doesn't get more "wow" than that," he said. At the end of the night, he shook my hand, and wished me luck. I thought he was a real gentleman.

[Brother Buzz]

6. It's called diplomacy

Thomas Lauderdale picks his fights

[Mike Daniels]

7. He (Nugent) thought this year's Grammys were too "bubblegum" and childish

Big surprise.

Of course, the fact that some of this year's winners have probably sold more albums over just the last year or two than Nugent has over his career is probably chaffing him as well.

If it wasn't for the NRA keeping his mug in the news Nugent's cultural relevance would be limited to being the topic of a "dead or alive" trivia question.

[Cha]

8. Yeah, too bubblegummish as opposed to mr slick

"BUT is probably the only celebrity who carried his own machine gun."

And making fucking threats against the President of the United States.

[madinmaryland]

10. I feel sorry for Mr. Lauderdale and being stuck next to that stinky douchebag...

[aint_no_life_nowhere]

12. "I just shit my pants to get out of this interview"

Martin Bashir just showed that clip of Nugent getting annoyed with a reporter's questions after the sotu speech.

Bashir's reaction? He seems to have an obsession with fecal matter.