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Friday April 20, 2007

Still skewering after all these years

by dan pine
staff writer

Brad Van Grack has his favorite Capitol Steps songs. And, as a member of D.C.’s preeminent political satire ensemble for 16 years, he’s heard them all.

There’s “Super Callous Mean and Nasty Right Wing Legislation” (sung, of course, to the tune of “Supercalifragilisticexpialidocious”). Another is “Boutros Ghali Doodles All The Day” (sung to “Polly Wolly Doodle”).

With new songs written every couple of days, the Capitol Steps try to remain as current as a daily newspaper. Just last week they added new gems to their show, including “When IRS Guys are Smiling” and “A Leader Like Barack.”

The Capitol Steps hold two sold-out performances on Sunday, April 29 at the Friend Center for the Arts at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco.

Van Grack, one of the Steps’ Jewish members (there are 29 members in all) says the group tries to live up to its motto: “We put the ‘mock’ in democracy.

“We’re equal opportunity satirists,” he added. “We’re not skewed to the left or the right. You could say we’re skewed against whoever is president at the time.”

Those 29 members take turns hitting the road in groups of five (plus a pianist), bringing the same show to audiences across the country. Van Grack says wherever they go, they meet with plenty of knowing laughs, as long as the crowd has at least heard of George Bush or Dick Cheney.

“We’re not too inside the Beltway,” notes the Silver Spring, Md., resident. “We have 20 songs in the show, 20 opportunities to get some applause.”

The Capitol Steps began in 1981 as a group of low-level Senate staffers aiming to poke fun at the very people who employed them. Over the years, the ensemble has recorded 26 albums, including their latest, “I’m So Indicted.” The Steps have been featured on all the major networks and are heard regularly on NPR.

Van Grack (who swears he doesn’t know how his Polish Jewish forebears came by that distinctly Dutch name) has written a few tunes for the Capitol Steps. The key, he says, is coming up with the right rhyme and the right song to steal from.

Raised in a Reform household, Van Grack earned a degree in theater at the University of Maryland, studied Shakespearean acting in London, and then launched a career in repertory theater around the country. But the Capitol Steps have been the mainstay of his career.

As for Jewish audiences, Van Grack says the show has plenty to offer. As a short list, he cites a Chassidic-garbed Mel Gibson coming out to sing “If I Were a Real Mensch” to the tune of “If I were a Rich Man,” and “Hebron, I’m in Hebron.”

And though the group members try to maintain a measure of political independence, Van Grack admits he can’t help some of his feelings. “I really grieve about what happens to Israel on a regular basis,” he said. “I’m appalled about what we do and don’t do about that situation.”

Meanwhile, the performer says he’s proud of taking part in the grand American tradition of ridiculing its leaders. “People have sometimes freaked out about how politics can be so ugly. But free speech is a precious commodity.”

Sixteen years is a long time to be with one comedy troop. In all that time, does Van Grack think Capitol Steps has ever crossed a politically sensitive line?

“We haven’t had any Don Imus moments,” he said. “But we’re not that kind of humor anyway.”

The Capitol Steps perform 2 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday, April 29 at the Jewish Community Center of San Francisco, 3200 California, S.F.

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