If we’ve learned anything from the last four years, it’s that anyone can run for President …and win. This idea is the loose premise behind Andrea Metz and Michelle Peerali’s Candis For President featuring trans actress Candis Cayne.
The 11-minute short follows the exploits of Candis and her producer/friend Andrea (Andrea Metz) as Candis has recently been rejected for a television series because the studio wants a more prominent name to play the trans role she was chasing…”how about Jim Carrey?”
Later that night, when Candis and Andrea are unwinding. Rachel Maddow’s show is on the television and she points right at the camera and says, “Run for office!” and thus begins Candis’ bid for President of the United States. Her first campaign appearance will be at L.A. Pride. What ensues is a series of improvised bits during Pride as Andrea prepares Candis for her appearance and the two interacting with the crowd garnering votes for the upcoming election.
“…she points right at the camera and says, ‘Run for office!’ and thus begins Candis’ bid for President of the United States.”
Shorts that attempt to mine comedy at remote locations tend to be hit or miss and it all relies on the lead actors. Metz and Cayne are amazingly good at this level of improvisation and interaction. I like that the bits are not over-the-top moments designed to draw attention to Candis or two people telling jokes at a frenetic pace, ala Robin Williams.
Candis for President works because we are presented with two well-defined characters placed in a real location and given an over-the-top premise…running for President. Like a really good improv, we see how these two characters cope with their realities in this specific situation.
Metz is the energetic producer/manager, who has a very clear picture regarding how Candis needs to present herself while running her campaign at the same time. Candis, on the other hand, is just going with the flow, believing that her personality and general love for people is enough to win. She has a layer of self-doubt that plagues her mixed with an inability to focus at times.
In the end, Candis for President is fun to watch as it is laced with humorous moments from start-to-finish and some downright hilarious unscripted interactions with the public.
"…two well-defined characters placed in a real location and given an over-the-top premise…"
