Do they give Academy Awards for cameramen on local news remotes? They should, and this year it should go to the guy who shot the now notorious Sarah Palin Turkey Video--the one in which the once-and-future governor was at a Wasilla turkey ranch to give one of those ridiculous Thanksgiving pardons to one of the toms, doing a stand-up for the cameras while, behind her, more turkeys are having their throats cut by one of the ranch's employees.
It is Coen Brothers-perfect. The gray sky and struggling birds. The bloodstained pants on Brian Tomes--aka Joe the Turkey Killer. The stained trough that the birds are draining into. Even Tomes is brilliant, grinning and nodding along with every word Palin says -- except for when he has to turn back to his charges to delicately execute them for the cameras. Like the man said, truth really is better than fiction. Hitchcock and Harlan Ellison together couldn't have made up anything better.
And the absolute best part? There's actually a Colorado connection to this video. Check out Jon Solomon's excellent story about Brian Tomes, the governor and the Denver rock scene here.
And, of course, have a happy Thanksgiving...--Jason Sheehan
