GREAT MOMENTS IN MOTIVATIONAL SPEAKING: IF YOU’VE GOT WHAT IT TAKES, WE’LL TAKE WHAT YOU GOT

For those of you unfamiliar with the William Klein film Mister Freedom (a.k.a. this year’s Team Def Podcast cover star, as opposed to the clothing store), here’s a synopsis:

Mr. Freedom is a pro-American Right superhero who fights for God and country by beating, robbing, raping, and killing anyone who looks like they might disagree with him. When he hears that France is in danger of falling to the Commies, Mr. Freedom heads overseas to set things right. When the welcome he receives isn't quite as warm as he expected, he gives up hope of steering the French away from the Reds and decides to salvage what he can by destroying the entire country.

I’ve never seen the film, no, though I’d like to. But I've seen clips, and it’s striking how much of Mr Freedom’s rhetoric sounds awfully familiar over 40 years later – as well as Klein’s liberal interpretation of what the American Right represents.

Listen:

Admit it – you’ve heard all this before. Especially if you watch cable TV news. 

And yes, that IS in fact Serge Gainsbourg on the piano. Well spotted.

Destroying you in order to save you,

This is dF