cHARACTERS
Overview
The key characters include a reporter and ten focus group panelists. The panelists represent, in rough proportion, the US electorate across the following demographics: gender, race, sexual orientation, religion, and education level.
On the focus group set, they are seated in chairs designated #1 to #10 from left to right. The seating arrangement represents the cultural political spectrum. Seat #1 is the extreme left (EL), and seat #10 is the extreme right (ER). Between the extremes are, in ascending order, far left (FL), left(L), center left (CL), center right (CR), right (R), and far right (FR). The first letters of each character’s name match the abbreviation of his / her cultural-political orientation.
The Panelists
1
Elaine
2
Florence
3
Lamar
4
Clara
5
Clayton
6
Cristy
7
Craig
8
Rachel
9
Frank
10
Eric
EXTREME LEFT
FAR LEFT
LEFT
CENTER LEFT
CENTER RIGHT
RIGHT
FAR RIGHT
EXTREME RIGHT
Jason the Reporter
Reporter
Leading Role
Young field reporter tasked with moderating a voter focus group. Eager to get ahead by delivering good ratings, he’s not shy about doing whatever it takes to spur heated exchanges among his panelists. His talent and driving ambition to succeed, allow him to take this otherwise mundane local assignment and turn it into a spectacle with a national viewership.
He’s a youthful blend of John Mulaney, Jim Carey, and a Long Island Iced Tea. He has enough alcohol-enhanced charisma and snarky wit to power a small building, but also a deep understanding and passion for all the cultural-political issues discussed on his show.
Stan the Producer
Producer
Minor role
Over the hill 40-ish news producer. Works with Jason to produce focus group sessions. Allows the young ambitious field reporter to call the shots. Has concerns about the increasingly contentious nature of the sessions but cannot argue with the success and goes along. His greatest aspiration – getting through the day.
Elaine the Young Rebel
Panelist #1 (Extreme Left)
Supporting role
The daughter of multigenerational African-American father and Mexican-American mother, this 20-ish biracial and bisexual waitress thinks the US is a fundamentally racist and greed-driven society in need of radical change. She has little faith in the existing political system to fix anything. She is youthful rebellious exuberance personified. At 5’-9”, she is an attractive, but intimidating young woman with a hot temper.
Florence the Proud Progressive Academic
Panelist #2 (Far Left)
Leading role
The daughter of multigenerational European Americans, this 50-ish white heterosexual mother of two and professor of Women’s Studies is an unabashed feminist, democratic socialist, and anti-racist who finds nearly every aspect of US mainstream culture shamefully unjust and corrupt, including its history, economic system, politics, and establishment institutions. Her kids went to private schools and Ivy League universities.
Lamar the Race-conscious 'Black' Dad
Panelist #3 (Left)
Supporting role
The son of multigenerational African- Americans, this 40-ish heterosexual father of one is a mid-level government administrator. He defines himself primarily as a God-fearing black man and father of a black son in a society structured to benefit whiteness.
Clara the Content Working Mom
Panelist #4 (Center Left)
Supporting role
The daughter of a multigenerational Puerto Rican father and Columbian immigrant mother, this 30-ish heterosexual single mom is a manufacturing supervisor. She leans left on fiscal and social issues, but in her work- and child-centric life, politics is rarely top of mind. Having spent time in Puerto Rico and Columbia, she is happy, by comparison, to have the opportunities that come with living in mainland USA.
Clayton the Optimistic Engineer
Panelist #5 (Center Left)
Leading Role
The son of multigenerational European- and Jewish- Americans, this 30-ish heterosexual single engineer is a fiscal centrist who leans left on social issues. He defines himself primarily by his family, his friendships, his work, his rational view of the world, and his US citizenship. He has an exceptionally positive outlook on life and finds reasons to smile at twice the frequency of the average sober, well-adjusted human. He respects all ideologies and belief systems that fit within the boundaries of reason and that promote the flourishing of a free and democratic society.
Cristy the Cheery MD
Panelist #6 (Center Right)
Leading role
The daughter of a multigenerational European-American father and first generation Asian-American mother, this 30-ish biracial and heterosexual single medical doctor is a fiscal and social centrist. She defines herself primarily by her closeknit family, and her friendships. She’s always cheery but based on visits to her mother’s impoverished hometown in an authoritarian country, she has a silent disdain for any whiny sociopolitical discontent expressed by anyone fortunate enough as she is to be a member of US middle- or upper-class.
Craig the Law-centric Dad
Panelist #7 (Center Right)
Supporting role
The son of multigenerational Irish-American parents, this 30-ish heterosexual father of two is a policeman who defines himself primarily as a husband, father, patriotic US citizen, and peace officer. He’s a fiscal centrist, leans libertarian on social issues, but puts little weight on politics in assessing people. He views people primarily through a law enforcement lens as either ‘on the job’ (police), ‘civilians’ (law abiding) or ‘perps’ (criminal). He further subdivides civilians and perps into ‘standard’ and ‘asshole’. All other classifications are secondary.
Rachel the Conservative Christian Grandma
Panelist #8 (Right)
Supporting role
The daughter of multigenerational European-American parents, this 60-ish heterosexual mother of three and grandmother of three is a retired school bus driver. She’s a God-fearing Christian conservative who thinks liberalism, moral decay, and abandonment of traditional Christian values are ruining the country. For the sake of her grandkids’ futures, she volunteers for conservative Christian politicians and causes in local, state, and national elections. Her greatest famous-person crush – Colin Powell.
Frank the Alt-right Provocateur
Panelist #9 (Far Right)
Leading role
The son of multigenerational European- Americans, this 50-ish heterosexual father of two is a conservative writer and podcaster. He’s a Christian conservative who thinks liberalism, socialism, affirmative action, identity politics, and open boarders have ruined the country. He considers it his patriotic duty to save and restore the country to its former greatness by motivating ‘real’ Americans to fight and defeat the degenerate liberal forces and ideologies responsible for its ruin. His greatest regret – his only daughter is a liberal and no longer speaks to him.
Eric the White Nationalist
Panelist #10 (Extreme Right)
Supporting role
The son of multigenerational European-Americans, this 20-ish single heterosexual is an auto mechanic and gun-toting white nationalist. He believes the US was founded by and for Christian people of European decent. Further, this birthright is being stolen and sullied by undeserving, inferior, and degenerate non-white, non-Christian people who originate from shithole countries with backward cultures and religions. At 5’-6’’ he augments his diminutive stature with a façade of macho confidence. His secret indulgence – gangsta rap.