Opinion: "King Charles III and my 1958 manhood ritual"
Paul Keane Oct. 17, 2022
"America may be a democracy, but it has royalty, too, fake royalty: the Queen of Daytime Television, the King of Pop, Prince and The Artist Formerly Known as Prince, and The Duke, both the cowboy duke and the jazz duke."
A promotional still from the American television series “Dallas” shows members of the Ewing family as they pose in front of their television home, the Southfork Ranch, Dallas, Texas, 1979.
"Here’s the American connection to royalty with “Dallas” and it is a connection pregnant with 1776 monarchy relationship history."
"When Larry Hagman, the actor playing J.R. Ewing on “Dallas,” was introduced to the 80-year-old queen-mother in Britain earlier in November 1980, even the queen-mother asked him “Who shot J. R.?” He replied politely “I’m sorry. I can’t tell you ma’am.”
"Luckily, no second revolution ensued from this polite American rebuff of British royalty. The queen-mother would have to wait like every other ordinary citizen. Television had become a democratizing instrument more powerful than Yankee muskets."
"I used to think of Queen Elizabeth’s son, who was four years younger than me. I’d grumble under my breath: “I’ll bet that kid will never push a lawnmower in his life.” And I was probably right.
In 2022, I can wish Prince Charles well as King Charles III at age 73. I still push my own lawnmower at age 77 up here on my Vermont hillside. I’d recommend it to His Majesty some time. It’s a great equalizer."
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