Book Vs. Movie: Election
The 1998 Novel Vs. the 1999 Film

The Margos have had the Tom Perrotta novel Election on their list to cover since the podcast began in 2008, but for some reason--it was not made available until this summer. Who could forget Reese Witherspoon’s performance as Tracy Flick? Matthew Broderick's last line in the Alexander Payne movie? The story is about an ambitious woman who will win her high school presidential campaign no matter what made Witherspoon a star. Her character became an avatar for people who tried too hard and were overbearing.

Tracy believes she will easily win the election, not counting one of her teachers (Mr. M.) has it in for her; one of her fellow students is doing it as a goof (nice, but not very bright Paul Warren) while his sister (Tammy) is doing it in retaliation against Paul’s girlfriend Lisa (who used to date Tammy.) The teacher who has sex with Tracy (while his wife is pregnant!) loses his job, which makes Mr. M. angry, and he feels he needs to rob her of an election win.

Now that there is a new Perrotta novel, a sequel called Tracy Flick Can’t Win, is it time to have a new look at not only her character but also the plot in the first place? Who were the villains here? Why does Mr. M. hate her so much? The Margos have so much to unpack here!

This episode is sponsored by Kensington Books and the novel Twice a Quinceaňera by Yamile Saied Méndez.

“This book will set your dreams on fire” –praise for Yamile Saied Mendez by Reese Witherspoon for Furia by Yamile Saied Méndez.

Instead of losing the deposit on her wedding venue, a jilted bride decides to throw herself a quinceañera (times two) for her 30th birthday in this effervescent rom-com from Yamile Saied Méndez, the acclaimed author of the Reese Witherspoon YA Book Club Pick FURIA. For fans of Never Been Kissed, 13 Going on 30, and The Wedding Singer…con azucar y amor.
One month short of her wedding day—and her thirtieth birthday—Nadia Palacio finds herself standing up to her infuriating, cheating fiancé for the first time in…well, ever. But that same courage doesn’t translate to breaking the news to her Argentinian family. She’s hyperventilating before facing them when she glimpses a magazine piece about a Latina woman celebrating herself—with a second quinceañera, a.k.a. Sweet 15!

Yamile (pronounced sha-MEE-lay) Saied Méndez is an Argentinian-American Pura Belpré gold medal-winning author of picture books, middle grade, young adult, and adult fiction. An inaugural Walter Dean Myers Grant recipient, she’s a graduate of the Vermont College of Fine Arts and Voices of Our Nations (VONA). Her young adult novel, Fusia, was a Reese Witherspoon X Hello Sunshine YA Pick and she’s a founding member of Las Musas, a collective of women and nonbinary Latinx creators. Born and raised in Rosario, Argentina—to a family with roots from all over the world—she now lives in Utah with her Puerto Rican husband, five multicultural kids, two bilingual dogs, and one majestic cat. Visit her online at YamileSMendez.com. You can find her social media @YamilleSMendez

In this ep the Margos discuss:
The popularity of the movie and early Tracy Flick “memes.”
The incredible cast of the movie
The controversy around Andrew Payne
The cast: Matthew Broderick (Jim McAllister,) Reese Witherspoon (Tracy Flick,) Chris Klein (Paul Metzler,) Jessica Campbell (Tammy Metzler,) Phil Reeves (Principal Walt Hendricks,) Molly Hagan (Diane McAllister,) Colleen Camp (Judith Flick,) Nicholas D’Agosoto,) Jeanine Jackson (Jo Metzler) Holmes Osbourne (Dick Metzler,) Mark Herelik,) Delaney Driscoll (Linda Novotny,) Matt Malloy (Vice Principal Ron Ball,) Frankie Ingrassia as Lisa Flanagan,) and Pegi Georgeson as Ballot Lady.
Clips used:
Mr. M accuses Tracy of vandalizing
Election 1999 trailer
Tracy confronts Paul
Tammy gives her speech
Mr. M sees Tracy in DC
Music by Rolfe Kent

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