Until I read this capsule description in yesterday's New York Times, I didn't actually know the plot of the forthcoming Will Ferrell movie:

"TALLADEGA NIGHTS: THE BALLAD OF RICKY BOBBY" After courageously satirizing television newsreaders and soccer coaches, Will Ferrell dares to take on Nascar. He's the Southern hotshot of the title; his rival is a sneaky Frenchmen (gee, do you think there will be any Jerry Lewis jokes?) played by Sacha Baron Cohen....

NASCAR? The French? Oh my. Right-wing commentators are actually going to proclaim, in all seriousness, that this is one of the great film comedies of all time. They're going to review it as if it's Shaw or Moliere or Aristophanes. They're going to stamp their feet and say it will be an outrage if it's not nominated for Best Picture. I'm not joking. And in reality it's, y'know, a Will Ferrell movie.

Well, it'll get their minds off United 93, which they wanted to use as a GOP campaign ad, but which dropped 54% at the box office from its first weekend to this past weekend, despite being on 24 more screens.