Op/Ed: Sound familiar?
NBC’s “Parks and Recreation” bears a striking resemblance to Mammoth politics. (Photo courtesy nymag.com)
Please tell me you’re watching the NBC sitcom Parks and Recreation. Honestly, every time I watch it I can’t help but think that the show’s writers are getting plot ideas via the Town of Mammoth Lakes. Or perhaps one of them vacationed here and maybe read The Sheet by accident. Either way, something is going on!
The setting is a struggling Parks and Recreation department in the small town of Pawnee, Ind. Even though the show is about a group of funny, bumbling city employees, this fictional version of a small government has more in common with Mammoth Lakes than you’d think.
On the surface Pawnee is no different than any other small town, especially if you‘ve ever been to a Town Council meeting. Like Mammoth Lakes’ own colorful town meetings, they consist of hilariously absurd comments from over the top locals. For example, on Parks and Rec you hear the townspeople say things like, “The parks are closed? Where are my kids going to go? In my house? Where I live?” and “I don’t think kids should be allowed to use the playground equipment. What about Swine Flu?”
Even the head of the Pawnee’s Parks and Recreation department, Ron Swanson (played by Nick Offerman) bears a striking physical resemblance to Mammoth’s own Recreation Commission Chairman Bill Sauser.
Consider Swanson’s rules from his personal Pyramid of Greatness; “B.O.: cultivating a manly musk puts your opponents on notice,” or “Handshakes: firm, dry, solid, 3 seconds.” and “Crying: acceptable only at funerals and the Grand Canyon.”
Swanson is my favorite character on the show and the outspoken Mr. Sauser is the only reason I’d go to a Rec meeting.
Now let’s take a look at the actual town of Pawnee, Ind. In season 2, unchecked spending and bad investments put the town of Pawnee in a serious budget crisis. This is where I’m supposed to say, “sound familiar?” But bad investments and a budget crisis are only the beginning.
After a brief government shutdown, Pawnee eventually calls in state auditor, Ben Wyatt (played by Adam Scott) to help fix things. Here‘s some background on Wyatt, “When I was 18, I ran for mayor of my small town and won. A little bit of anti-establishment voter rebellion I guess. Here’s the thing about 18 year olds, they’re idiots. So I pretty much ran the place into the ground, and after two months I got impeached. Worst part was my parents grounded me.”
What does this have to do with Mammoth Lakes you might ask? Well, Wyatt bankrupted his hometown of Partridge, Minn. by building an elaborate ice rink called “Ice Town.” The headline in the local paper read, “Ice Town costs ice clown his town crown.” Damn that’s a good headline. I’m a little upset that no one at The Sheet thought of that for Mammoth’s own $4 million ice rink debacle.
So is Mammoth Lakes an example of life imitating art? Perhaps, or maybe it’s art imitating life. I guess we’ll know for sure if Parks and Recreation starts featuring a Wildlife Specialist with his own reality show. Tune into NBC on Thursdays at 9:30 p.m. to find out.
