August 03, 2010 05:25 AM UTC

Starring in "The Henhouse": My Hero Dick

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• by: GalapagoLarry

It’s certainly his time to shine. He’s currently getting lots of attention. The spotlight is on just him, where he’s always wanted it. Out of the way, Norton. Scoot, Maes. Scatt, McInnis. Hit the wings, Buck. You may be Republicans, but it’s Dick Wadhams’ production, he’s done the scripting, and now, Louise, it’s Mama Dick’s turn. And, oh yes, B’bye, Tancredo.

But reviews of Wadhams’ performance in his own comedy (not titled, strangely enough, “Decent Into Ignominy”, but “The Henhouse,”) are coming in, and, sadly, they don’t seem to be that supportive. His audiences are rioting. As in laffrioting.

TPM’s Eric Lach has a bemused go at Dick under the head “Karl Rove’s ‘Heir Apparent’ Falls On Hard Times As CO GOP Party Chair” that neatly presents the particulars:

In recent weeks, Wadhams has had to watch all four of his party’s major primary contenders commit serious mistakes on their way to the August 10 primaries. Now, Tom Tancredo is after him, and a new website dedicated to his ouster has been launched.

(emphasis GL) But Lach’s piece gets better and is a good summary of Wadhams’ several comedic works.

Google talkingpointsmemo.com

The website referenced by Lach (but not here), which we can assume is by Repubs, though anonymously, hilariously brags

Dick has done nothing but destroy campaigns, ruin lives and practice the politics of hate and deceit.

So what’s the fuss? Isn’t that in the official job description for Master State R Choreographer? Oh, it was those four stumbles before intermission, wasn’t it.

Before Act II, as we’ll remember, Tom Tancredo bolted for the door to mount his own show, a la Rooney and Garland, at the old Constitution Theater. (Hey, gang, let’s throw a circus!) And, stealing a cue from Wadhams, he proclaimed, Hit the wings, Goss. This spotlight’s mine.

It turns out, Goss is one heck of a nice guy, a real strait actor, if you will. Without a hint of a tantrum, he turned over the footlights to Tancredo. In a Jodey Hope Strogoff interview in the Colorado Statesman, he gives his reasons for stepping aside and how he feels about it. You know the old phrase “a classy guy”? He’s one. Classy, but misguided.

Google coloradostatesman.com

But his exit also provides one of the funnier punchlines of the Repub/Constitution sides of the campaign — er,show — to be quoted often, I expect, in upcoming reviews.

CS: Any message to Dick Wadhams, the Chairman of the Republican Party?

BG: Yeah, I think he needs to stop worrying about the American eagle circling his fence and pay attention to the coyotes squabbling in his own henhouse.

“Henhouse”? Oh, yeah. That’s that production over at the Repub theater. And my Dick’s the star.

(Note: The link to the site that wants to dumpdickwadhams (.com) is purposefully ignored, to discourage anybody from signing the petition there. I want my hero to still be around tapdancing for Colorado in 2012…and beyond.) And, besides, I haven’t figured out the link thingies yet.