Trump picks Sound of Music fan as Austria ambassador
mainThis is not an alternative fact.
Patrick Park, a businessman friend of Donald J Trump, has seen The Sound of Music 75 times.
He has been told by the president that he’s to be the next US ambassador to Austria.
‘I’m flying to Vienna to check out the embassy, and then I’m going to Salzburg to see if the Von Trapp house is for rent,’ Park said. ‘And then I’m going to learn to like schnitzel and sachertorte.’
photo: PalmBeach Daily News
I know many singers, artists, movie lovers who love Zachertorte and Schnitzel.
They are already more qualified for this position. Some have even already met a Von Trapp!
Exactly.seen SoM over 100 times.Met Julie Andrews.Von Trapp Villa is a Music School.Im more qualified for the job.Bryen von Trapp.Vermont.
Puting the right people in the right place… 🙂
I have no idea who could that gentleman be, but I love The Sound of Music too…. Julie Andrews was impeccable there , not to speak of those lovely songs and the whole concept of the film ….
Nice satire…!
thank you for your compliment John, actually it wasn’t satire, I just wanted to be nice to people 😉
You’re in the wrong place then.
Oh, Maria I’m shocked. How could you possibly think that?
How do you solve the problem of Maria?
You are very generous…. as Julie was to the Trapps. So, the movie has worked.
Awful to think of these vulgar hard-right populists being sent to a nation as civilised as Austria, where vulgar hard-right populism is so universally abhorred…oh…
Before you all start bashing the guy just because he’s a friend of Trump, maybe you should enlighten yourselves…
http://www.palmbeachgalas.com/philanthropys-finest/patrick-park-instrumental-in-symphony-many-other-institutions/
http://blacktiemagazine.com/Palm_Beach_Society/Patrick_Park.htm
Yes, he’s quite wealthy, and has no experience…but then this is quite common in US politics and ambassador positions. And parts of Austria, my favorite European destination, are quite civilized and beautiful, but it has its own share of rednecks, racists, homophobes and else. It was after all the breeding ground of one Herr Hitler.
I’m a Cubs fan too! Thank you for your kind words and allowing others to view a little about me. Yes I’m not a politician but have experience in business and dealing with people and I want to do something for our great country and President. It’s a honor to serve. I can tell you are a fair minded person. Go Cubs, Patrick Park
Well, the majority of Austrians DID vote for the green/left presidential candidate; not for the “freedom party” candidate.
You mean the country which brought you Mozart, Haydn, Schubert, Strauss, Mahler and Berg? Where Beethoven and Brahms lived?
I see the problem.
Seeing “The Sound of Music” 75 times is truly a remarkable achievement. I don’t understand how anybody could stand seeing it even once.
I played in the pit for 25 performances and survived.
How?
Perhaps I quite like the idea of a musical that carries so many positive messages but more likely it was because the girl that played Liesl in this particular production was really hot.
Yes. But you were paid!
Yes and it could be much worse. I know someone who did a three year run of Phantom of the Opera. Or Cats. Are they different?
Three years?? There are NY musicians who’ve been playing Phantom since its debut 25 years ago.
Fun fact: Hardly anyone in Austria knows “The Sound of Music”.
I actually imported the film in the 90s from the UK and showed it to incredulous Austrian students so that they’d know where the English speaking world gets their image of Austria from. For all the lovely – American – music, it is hilarious to watch for an Austrian; not because of the content, but because the film makers mixed and matched locations all over the place and put them together as they saw fit. It’s the equivalent of watching a film of someone driving past Big Ben, across Tower Bridge (instead of Parliament Bridge) and reaching Windsor Castle at the other end.
The first Austrian staging of the Musical, as far as I know, was in 2005 at the Volksoper, conducted by US conductor Erich Kunzel.
Let’s be clear.. Kunzel is a ‘pops conductor.’ :>))
… and he made an excellent job of it to, as far as I am told by family and friends who attended a performance.
He’ll pick a Brigadoon fan if Scotland goes indy.
I think we might be reading too much into this. I have a feeling Trump might be under the impression he’s sending this guy to the land of the kangaroo…
I’m sure that mr T-Rex thinks that Austria must like the movie, he must have seen it himself, so this man is best because he must be an expert on the country. That is why such choices are so revealing. Soon we will see an ambassador being sent down through the rabbit hole to represent the USA at the Queen of Hearts.
I guess that leaves David Hasselhoff as ambassador to Germany (god knows America quite successfully pawned him off on us before
The man should read Arthur Schnitzler instead of gobbling down schnitzels and watching the embarrassing “Sound of Music”. It would give him greater insight into the neurotic Austrian soul.
I would rather recommend Robert Musil.
Who cares? Political hacks get to hang out in foreign countries while real work is done behind he scenes. And Austria? When were they last relevant-WW1???? Heck, send Hillary over there – she ain’t busy
Learning German might come in handy too…
His boss -Trump, I think his name is-has said that he doesn’t approve of foreign languages.
‘Foreign languages should be prohibited and where inavoidable, super-vetted’. Where foreign languages sport extremist overtones, they will be deported to Guantamo Bay.
People who love the Sound of Music don’ love music, but only the sound it makes.
Thank you Sir Thomas