"I don't know, what are the hours?"

So Rob Reiner is emerging as the Democratic challenger to Arnold Schwarzenegger in the 2006 California gubernatorial election. Some may think of Reiner as Meathead, but I prefer to think of him as documentarian Marty DeBergi.

Part of me is happy to see that traditional politicians haven't always won elections in recent times. Those familiar with the intricacies of inside dealmaking, logrolling and The Way Things Have Always Been Done are now on the defensive, which could be a good thing. Jesse Ventura's election in Minnesota in 1998 seemed to signal that people were tired of the same old arguments, and Schwarzenegger's election in Ka-lee-fornia was a sign that people didn't mind his inexperience as long as he promised what they wanted.

But it's frightening to me that the leading candidates next year could be two Hollywood actors. Traditional politicians could be forced into the third-party-spoiler role. It's enough to make you... uh, I dunno, get in a boat and sail around the world?


Now playing: The Capitol Years' "Mounds of Money," Charlie Parker's "No Noise," and Count Basie's "Jumpin' At The Woodside"