US TV series Veep (on HBO) is neither The West Wing nor House of Cards, nor...
Veep (short for Vice President) is a quirky 20 minute political comedy that hits home too often for our comfort. It is a world of intrigue, of soundbites, of ego and the resulting complications.
A few days ago, we read an article in ZEIT online on the allegedly sad state of the German military and felt instantly transported into a recent episode of Veep where former Veep and current President Meyer points out a painting in the Whitehouse, which incorrectly makes her personal aide believe she hates the painting. The aide removes it, only to set off a scandal about a native American painting being removed from the Whitehouse.
According to the German article, here is what happened when the German defense secretary, incidentally also a lady, walks the halls of her department after one morning briefing: she reportedly pointed at a painting in passing, asking her entourage "Do you like this?"
The next morning, the painting was gone.
Unfortunately, the article remains silent on details. Was the painting removed without being replaced? Not likely because this creates a blank spot which arouses curiosity. What was the motif, the scene that the entourage took as possibly not pleasing the boss? Abstract art like the painting in Veep, some boring nature scene, some historic uniformed Germans?
We may never know.
But thing seems clear, though. If you want to understand your government's inner workings, watch Veep.
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