The Reagans Speak Out on Drugs, 25 years later
March 5, 2013 6:48 PM Subscribe
25 years ago, the Reagans spoke out on drugs, and they were, rather surprisingly, in support of a variety of substances. This wasn't a new video showing a sudden change of heart, but the work of two years, editing a longer speech to the nation that was originally broadcast in 1986. The new video couldn't be seen on TV, but was shared, traded, and bootlegged on VHS tapes. The case was originally labeled "A uniquely edited version of a real televised address to the American people," noting that it was made by Cliff Roth, an audio/visual geek and teacher who had access to a high quality film reel and audio source, plus the time and resources to make a piece of "editing art".
This would have reduced drug use a generation ago.
posted by Brian B. at 7:13 PM on March 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Brian B. at 7:13 PM on March 5, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh, I love it so.
posted by leotrotsky at 7:18 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by leotrotsky at 7:18 PM on March 5, 2013
Say yes to drugs, even to the point of making others uncomfortable...
Hil arious. Thanks!
posted by Flashman at 7:21 PM on March 5, 2013
Hil arious. Thanks!
posted by Flashman at 7:21 PM on March 5, 2013
What band used samples from this? Help, it's driving me nuts.
posted by davebush at 7:29 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by davebush at 7:29 PM on March 5, 2013
davebush, it was Black Grape in "Get Higher."
posted by filthy light thief at 7:34 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by filthy light thief at 7:34 PM on March 5, 2013
Yes! I was just thinking "it's a band like Blake Grape". Thanks.
posted by davebush at 7:36 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by davebush at 7:36 PM on March 5, 2013
From TFA:
Probably the biggest TV exposure it got was on a late-night show on USA called Up All Night.
I am pretty certain that is incorrect. I saw it on the USA Channel's show Night Flight.
I always remembered that video. It inspired me to do my own editing of presidential speeches, and I'm sure it was inspiration for guys like the Emergency Broadcast Network.
When I finally got ahold of video editing equipment capable of doing the job. I remember people saying they couldn't stand to listen to Bush making speeches, it enraged them to the point they wanted to smash their TV. So I decided to fix that. I took some Bush speeches and painstakingly edited out all the words. It looks like he's twitching all over the place, then applause. The effect was so great that some asshole in my own town plagiarized it and submitted it to a film festival.. and won a prize! That incident actually appeared on MeFi, long ago before I was a member, but I couldn't locate it in a search.
Since my video server is down (I swear I'll fix it someday) I will release a low-quality version of my edited George Bush State of the Union speech. It's 11Mb at low quality encoding, I have higher rez versions but they're impractically large without streaming services. I think my edit encapsulates the experience of the George Bush years in a way that is almost impossible to capture any other way. I think I described it by saying I edited out all the lies and other unnecessary words. You'll get the idea after a minute or two, but I encourage you to stick through all 25 minutes, the sheer weight of the nothingness takes on a haunting quality.
posted by charlie don't surf at 7:47 PM on March 5, 2013 [10 favorites]
Probably the biggest TV exposure it got was on a late-night show on USA called Up All Night.
I am pretty certain that is incorrect. I saw it on the USA Channel's show Night Flight.
I always remembered that video. It inspired me to do my own editing of presidential speeches, and I'm sure it was inspiration for guys like the Emergency Broadcast Network.
When I finally got ahold of video editing equipment capable of doing the job. I remember people saying they couldn't stand to listen to Bush making speeches, it enraged them to the point they wanted to smash their TV. So I decided to fix that. I took some Bush speeches and painstakingly edited out all the words. It looks like he's twitching all over the place, then applause. The effect was so great that some asshole in my own town plagiarized it and submitted it to a film festival.. and won a prize! That incident actually appeared on MeFi, long ago before I was a member, but I couldn't locate it in a search.
Since my video server is down (I swear I'll fix it someday) I will release a low-quality version of my edited George Bush State of the Union speech. It's 11Mb at low quality encoding, I have higher rez versions but they're impractically large without streaming services. I think my edit encapsulates the experience of the George Bush years in a way that is almost impossible to capture any other way. I think I described it by saying I edited out all the lies and other unnecessary words. You'll get the idea after a minute or two, but I encourage you to stick through all 25 minutes, the sheer weight of the nothingness takes on a haunting quality.
posted by charlie don't surf at 7:47 PM on March 5, 2013 [10 favorites]
Oh yeah - I remember watching this on the Underground Tape Railroad!!!
posted by symbioid at 8:04 PM on March 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
posted by symbioid at 8:04 PM on March 5, 2013 [1 favorite]
I always remembered that video. It inspired me to do my own editing of presidential speeches, and I'm sure it was inspiration for guys like the Emergency Broadcast Network.
If he started in 1986, he also predated The Evolution Control Committee.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:07 PM on March 5, 2013
If he started in 1986, he also predated The Evolution Control Committee.
posted by filthy light thief at 8:07 PM on March 5, 2013
This of course reminds me of Doug Kahn's Reagan Speaks. See also DiYMedia.net but I can't seem to find the one with Thatcher. Though now, I'm not sure if I ever heard it or just saw references to it.
posted by user92371 at 8:35 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by user92371 at 8:35 PM on March 5, 2013
I remember people saying they couldn't stand to listen to Bush making speeches, it enraged them to the point they wanted to smash their TV.
It's true! I remember being at a gym once when they had one of his campaign speeches on TV. The sound was off and the subtitles were on - I was amazed to find that if you took the smarmy lying asshole tone of voice away, he actually came off like kind of a normal person. His actual policies were still completely full of shit but it was at least possible to see why it was possible that nearly half the country actually liked him. He certainly had a good speechwriter that day, at least.
posted by Mars Saxman at 8:36 PM on March 5, 2013
It's true! I remember being at a gym once when they had one of his campaign speeches on TV. The sound was off and the subtitles were on - I was amazed to find that if you took the smarmy lying asshole tone of voice away, he actually came off like kind of a normal person. His actual policies were still completely full of shit but it was at least possible to see why it was possible that nearly half the country actually liked him. He certainly had a good speechwriter that day, at least.
posted by Mars Saxman at 8:36 PM on March 5, 2013
No. Fuck No.
posted by nj_subgenius at 8:40 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by nj_subgenius at 8:40 PM on March 5, 2013
I remember people saying they couldn't stand to listen to Bush making speeches, it enraged them to the point they wanted to smash their TV.
Back to Reagan: The President's Speech
posted by homunculus at 10:27 PM on March 5, 2013
Back to Reagan: The President's Speech
posted by homunculus at 10:27 PM on March 5, 2013
I think the idea is like so: if they talked about how events really did turn out, this is what they might have said.
posted by telstar at 10:28 PM on March 5, 2013
posted by telstar at 10:28 PM on March 5, 2013
I'm sure it was inspiration for guys like the Emergency Broadcast Network yt .
I love this show!
posted by homunculus at 10:31 PM on March 5, 2013
I love this show!
posted by homunculus at 10:31 PM on March 5, 2013
Here's Nancy sharing her inspiring pro-drug message in a very, very special episode of Diff'rent Strokes.
posted by Room 641-A at 7:48 AM on March 6, 2013
posted by Room 641-A at 7:48 AM on March 6, 2013
I can't listen to this now, but I have the distinct feeling this probably is part (or all of) some audio I used of Reagan in a music mix about drugs.
I mixed bits of it in with Steppenwolf's "Goddamn the Pusher"
My copy was from cassette and I was never sure where I got it from.
I can't wait to get home to listen to this.
Thanks!
posted by mmrtnt at 12:25 PM on March 6, 2013
I mixed bits of it in with Steppenwolf's "Goddamn the Pusher"
My copy was from cassette and I was never sure where I got it from.
I can't wait to get home to listen to this.
Thanks!
posted by mmrtnt at 12:25 PM on March 6, 2013
Look at that enormous puppet head on Nancy.
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:41 PM on March 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
posted by Mental Wimp at 2:41 PM on March 6, 2013 [2 favorites]
Oh yeah - I remember watching this on the Underground Tape Railroad!!!
Kids who never knew a pre-Internet, pre-YouTube era don't know how reflective of reality that was. You couldn't just get these tapes. You had to know a guy. And it wasn't just any guy. It had to be a guy who knows a guy.
posted by jonp72 at 6:09 PM on March 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
Kids who never knew a pre-Internet, pre-YouTube era don't know how reflective of reality that was. You couldn't just get these tapes. You had to know a guy. And it wasn't just any guy. It had to be a guy who knows a guy.
posted by jonp72 at 6:09 PM on March 6, 2013 [4 favorites]
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