Proving again that 1) critical consensus is shit and 2) Middle American tourists have a healthier appetite for coastal attitudes than NYC/LA snobs give 'em credit for (see Patton Oswalt's Cirque du Soleil observations), Will Ferrell's You're Welcome America is raking in the bucks. There's also considerable Tony and Emmy buzz, because unlike the Oscars, Broadway and the music industry have fewer pretensions about rewarding financial success.

This could be my inner effete East Coast elite talking, but I'm surprised that there's still a healthy market for such an easy comic target. Maybe it's the pull of Will Ferrell that's packing the houses. Perhaps America really does dislike Dubya so much, hanging the current economic doldrums squarely on his administration.

Whatever the case, I wouldn't be surprised if Ferrell takes this pony on the road. Vegas, baby. That Elton John/Bette Midler/Cher mafia's going down.