As the world waits anxiously for the denouement of the crisis in Libya, Hollywood executives have lost no time in positioning themselves to secure the services of the country's embattled Colonel Muamumumumumwah! Gaddaffi. Fox and Miramax are currently involved in a frantic bidding war to land the controversial totalitarian dictator/unpleasant but ultimately necessary bulwark against Islamic fundamentalism for a new biopic based on the life of the much loved American comedy genius, Groucho Marx.
A spokesman for Miramax made it plain how highly coveted the hardman of North African politics is. "First up, it's the hair", Fox production assistant Benzedrine Cliffbalaster told our correspondent. "It's real cinema dynamite. Not many people can train it to do that unruly wavy-even-though-you've-smarmed-it-down-with-brylcreem-and-several-hours-worth-of-combing thing that made Groucho such a unique and iconic screen presence, but we really think we're onto something with Moo-moo-moo-mwah! But it's not just the hair; we reckon the kid can act too. He's funny too and had our emissary in stitches when during our first face to face with him - hell, he even got a few laughs out of the old fingernail pulling routine! If we can just coach him to walk as if he's trying to get under a three foot high pole whilst comically shaking his cigar, we'll have hit cemedy cinema paydirt!"
But Gaddaffi's son, Seif al-Islam - who, incidentally, is a strong contender to land the role of Zeppo, the legendary fourth Marx Brother in the same production - hinted that the Libyan Leader might be holding out for a higher offer than either of those currently tabled, which might open the way for a shock move into televison. "Dad is highly honoured to have been asked to play the role of Groucho Marx who, even though with a name like that he's almost certainly a Jew, has been a huge favourite of my father, and a very important influence on his life - particularly in the area of foreign policy and cigars. My father knows all the gags - 'I've had a wonderful evening, but this wasn't it'; 'There ain't no sanity clause'; 'Love goes out the door when money comes innuendo'; 'you can lead a horse to water, but a pencil must be lead'....no, hang on - that's Laurel & Hardy. Whatever. He can do a great Stan too you know, that bit where he raises his bowler hat and teases the hair up and starts blubbing. Honestly, he's a real scream! But seriously; Dad's also a huge fan of contemporary American small screen dramas such as The Wire, Six Feet Under, The Sopranoes and Madman. You know, much as he'd love to have a crack at playing Groucho, I think deep down he sees himself as a bit more of a Don Draper and we think we're beginning to get the executives at HBO to see things that way too..."
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