News You Can Bruise for 2005 February 11

(6) Fri Feb 11 2005 09:46 Forbearance:

I decided not to use my CodeCon presentation to push my pet hypothesis that the "free money from the government" guy is actually the Riddler from Batman.

"Riddle me this, Batman! How could you get $800 for remodelling the Bat-Cave? Or $400 for a new cape? Or over $1000 for repairs to the Batmobile?"

Comments:

Posted by Joe Grossberg at Fri Feb 11 2005 14:22

I've seen him in person, driving his question-mark covered SUV around DC.

Posted by Kristofer Straub at Sat Feb 12 2005 00:13

I've fought him, and his money bombs are an unbeatable distraction.

Also, if you look at more recent footage of him (you know, in the wild), you will see that a lot of his question marks are backwards now. I think this is because DC DID get after him for looking too much like the Riddler.

Posted by Pthag at Sat Feb 12 2005 06:41

Bwah? This "money from the government guy" confuses me. Pray explain your obscure American tropes to this poor Home Islander.

Posted by Leonard at Sat Feb 12 2005 11:22

Matthew Lesko is his name, and he's researched all the obscure government grants and loans created by omnibus spending bills over the years, and put the details into a big telephone-directory-like book (or onto the CD he's holding in that picture). He runs bizarre commercials where he shouts out ways of getting free money from the government, while chasing people in suits around Washington DC.

There's one priceless shot where he does his yelling in front of a government building sign that says "Matthew Lesko's Department of Free Money". If only that were really where all the wasted government money goes.

Posted by Pthag at Sun Feb 13 2005 13:11

What a kind man. Why all the question marks?

Posted by Leonard at Sun Feb 13 2005 14:26

I have NO IDEA. The only thing I can think of is that somehow he _wants_ to be confused with the Riddler.