Chapter 18. Parodies and satires

Lord Buckethead

Standing against Theresa May in the 2017 UK parliamentary elections, Intergalactic Space Lord Buckethead ran as a member of the Gremloids Party and promised “strong, [but] not entirely stable leadership.” Lord Buckethead advocated the abolition of the House of Lords, excepting himself, and promised free bicycles for all. In addition, he called for a referendum on whether to have another referendum with regard to leaving the European Union, and he called for the legalization of hunting fox hunters. In his Christmas song release, Lord Buckethead declared, “May the goodwill on this planet spread, and be never-ending.”

Lord Sutch of the OMRLP

Lord Sutch, Third Earl of Harrow, and frontman for the rock group Screaming Lord Sutch and the Savages, founded the Official Monster Raving Loony Party partly inspired by the Monty Python’s Flying Circus sketch “Election Night Special.” Party member Commander Bill Boaks, campaigned on road safety and worked with Sutch to pedestrianise London’s Carnaby Street. After Sutch committed suicide, the party elected Alan “Howling Laud” Hope and his cat, Catmando, to lead the party. Sir Patrick Moore said that the OMRLP “had an advantage over all the other parties, in that [we] knew [we] were loonies.” Having stood multiple candidates in several elections, disagreements among themselves resulted in a splinter party, the Raving Loony Green Giant Party, the RLGGP, led by former disc jockey and music club owner Stuart Hughes, who succeeded to office in Sidmouth, Sidford, and Devon after changing his name to Stuart Basil Fawlty Hughes.

Vermin Supreme

In the United States, Vermin Love Supreme is running for overlord of planet Earth. Wearing a boot on his head and carrying a large toothbrush, Supreme campaigns for oral hygiene, awareness of the coming zombie apocalypse, research on time travel, and a free pony for all.

The party’s over

The Party of Moderate Progress Within the Bounds of the Law, Austro-Hungary, 1911, advocated reintroducing slavery, nationalizing janitors, rehabilitating animals, institutionalizing feeble-minded politicians, reintroducing the Inquisition, giving immunity to priests, and mandating alcoholism for everyone. Italian Nettist Party, 1953, advocated abolishing taxes and prisons, automating labor to give everyone more leisure and more money, providing free medical care, three months paid vacations, and a daily steak for every citizen, plus fruit and coffee. Its official anthem was composed of moos. Rhinoceros Party of Canada, 1980, named a rhinoceros from the Granby Zoo as its leader and said that its primal promise was “a promise to keep none of our promises.” However, they promised to repeal the law of gravity and abolishing the environment (too much trouble). One if its candidates, Ted “not too” Sharp, planned to tow Antarctica north to the Arctic Circle: “Once we have Antarctica, we’ll control all of the world’s cold. If another Cold War starts, we’ll be unbeatable.” Anarchist Pogo Party of Germany, 1981, founded by two punk teenagers, promised full salary for the unemployed, pensions for youth instead of for retired persons, legalization of all drugs, and total Rückverdummung (restupidification) and balkanization of Germany. Its slogans included Politik ist Scheiße! (Politics is shit!) Schule ist Scheiße! (School is shit!) Arbeit ist Scheiße! (Work is shit!) Scheißen ist Arbeit! (Shitting is work!) Deadly Serious Party of Australia, 1984, advocated freezing the aging process, and, to defend the coastline, dispatching a flock of killer penguins. Church of the Militant Elvis Party, Britain, 2001, promised to place giant photos of celebrities at airports “to discourage undesirable foreigners from entering Britain,” to go to Antarctica and shout at icebergs to “stop melting,” and to “present Mr. Blair with an Oscar for his marvelous performance as a sincere politician.”

Freedom of religion

Followers of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, those who have been “Touched by His Noodly Appendage,” call themselves Pastafarians wear a colander on their heads as a symbol of “His Great Noodliness,” and teach “Intelligent falling” as an explanation of gravity. Like the Flying Spaghetti Monster, belief in the Invisible Pink Unicorn goddess, like belief in any other religion, is based on both faith and logic. “We have faith that she is pink; we logically know that she is invisible because we can’t see her.” Because she is invisible, no one can prove that she doesn’t exist or that she isn’t pink. The most absurd approach to religion can have the most rational and humanist intent. The Satanic Temple teaches that Satan doesn’t exist except as a literary metaphor to promote pragmatic skepticism, rational reciprocity, personal autonomy, and curiosity. It teaches that belief is a form of ignorance and that to let a supernatural basis define religion is to let theists claim anything they please.