21 April 2006

Al Gore channels Inner Lesbian Rock Star at Special TED "An Inconvenient Truth" Film Screening

Documentary star Al Gore made a surprise appearance along with his wife Tipper at the special Thursday afternoon TEDScreening of An Inconvenient Truth, the new Davis Guggenheim film about Gore's 30 year odyssey to bring global warming to the world's attention and convince us to take action. Producer Lawrence Bender and TED Curator Chris Anderson hosted the screening at Landmark's Guild Theatre in Menlo Park, about 30 minutes south of San Francisco, CA.

About 100  Silicon Valley Waifers turned up to watch, laugh and gasp at this electrifying (solar, please) documentary that expands upon the incredible live presentation the former Vice-President delivered at TED2006. You won't find the caricature of the boring, stiff politician from Saturday Night Live, but rather an emotional, warm, engaging, hilarious professor who wins you over with his imperfect humanity. He fearlessly shows his failures and tragedies, both personal (he almost loses his son in a car accident; his sister dies of lung cancer) and political (no one listens to his global warming message in the 70's), in addition to his triumphs, as he journeys from (privileged) family farm to the White House, and back again. (More after the jump...)

The movie which closes with an original song by Melissa Etheridge, played on even after the projector bulb was extinguished, so Al delighted the audience by lip-syncing to Etheridge's throaty tune. If we'd had more time, Tipper would surely have accompanied him on the drums, much as she did with Melissa in Washington D.C.'s 2000 Equality Rocks concert. I remember; I was in the front row.  Pictures from last night's event on Flickr and Bold-Face Names tomorrow.

Prediction:
2007 Scientific and Technical Achievement Academy Award to Al Gore for Best Use of a Cherry Picker in a Motion Picture.

Watch An Inconvenient Truth film trailer. Order An Inconvenient Truth book by Al Gore. In theatres and bookstores May 16, 2006.

Posted by Tom Rielly | Permalink | | Comments (2) | TrackBack (1)