Kinky Friedman, a rebel or embarrassment?

I posted this over at my Chron blog, but I thought even you guys that aren't from Texas might enjoy reading about our colorful character running for Governor here:

Kinky Friedman seems to be a character straight out of a Texas novel. Which would be appropriate since Kinky has written 17 books starring himself. With his black Stetson, black coat, big moustache, and the ever present cigar, (Montecristo No. 2s) he is the epitome of cool.

Now he is running as an independent candidate for Governor of Texas. Which seems to be just another interesting road he is taking after taking so many other roads in life. His 70's band, the Texas Jewboys, have played at the Grand Old Opry. He has toured with Bob Dylan, partied with Led Zeppelin, performed with Willie Nelson, Jerry Lee Lewis, Billy Joel. Which makes him even cooler. He has been a peace corp volunteer in the 60's, but he was on coke and speed for many years. He was on Saturday Night Live in 1976, the coolest place on the planet at the time.

He has lived quite a life. Some of it admirable and some of it not. He founded Utopia Animal Rescue Ranch, whose mission is to care for stray, abused and aging animals. (that ALONE may force me to vote for him) A guy who loves animals has the kind of heart I love.

But can a man with such a politically incorrect past (and present) win? We all remember the disaster that was Jesse Ventura. Sometimes what we love in life doesn't work out too well in the Governor's mansion. Can Kinky overcome lyrics in his songs like "You know, you don't look Jewish, near as I can figure, I had you lamped for a slightly anemic well-dressed country nigger!"

But then again in his oh so interesting titled song "They Ain't Makin' Jews Like Jesus Anymore" he beats up (physically and verbally) a drunken white racist who berates African Americans and Jews in a bar.

Some of his one liners about women are, let's say, a bit misogynistic. I read one where he described one woman as having ".."nipples harder than Japanese arithmetic".. He has a well known anti-women's lib song that's meant as satire called "Get Your Biscuits in the Oven and Your Buns in the Bed." Now, in the words of Larry the Cable guy, I don't care who you are, that's funny.

He has a talking action figure with one line that says, "I can't screw things up any worse than they already have." Funny. He has KinkyToons on his website with the motto ""Save yourself for Kinky and save our friggin' state!" Now, you won't find another politican's website like this anywhere. Well heck, you won't find a politican like this anywhere. He says he is for prayer in schools and for gay marriage. (he says gays have right to be as miserable as the rest of us) Once again, funny. What is a good liberal or conservative suppose to do with that??

He'll legalize casino gambling and use the proceeds to fund public schools -- "slots for tots." He'll clamp down on illegal immigration. And he'll run the state's school buses on the biodiesel fuel that Willie Nelson uses to propel his tour bus.

The more I researched Kinky, the more I loved him, I have to admit. He calls Democrats and Republicans "the Crips and the Bloods." That is just perfect. I read recently that he went to do a commercial for the women's basketball team the Houston Comets for their 10th anniversary and said to the camera " Houston Comets basketball -- it's not just for lesbians anymore!" (They didn't use that one obviously) But don't you think that if we can't get anyone in office to do much of anything to help our state we might as well get someone who can make us laugh?

I'm not sure. I mean I sure as heck want to go out and drink with Kinky and listen to his stories, but do we want him as Governor?

You tell me.