In the House!

In the House!

Photo credit: Janet Donovan

“The Budget Troll” was at the Bonjean’s Annual Christmas soiree doing what all good trolls do – trolling.  So what is a “Budget Troll” you might ask?  Well, this particular troll claims he is trolling to solve America’s budget crisis:  “My goal is to rise through the ranks of beltway power-players to become chief negotiator and lead the fiscal chairman on both the House or Senate Budget Committee.  Mark my words — I’ll solve this crisis faster than you can say budget troll.”  OK, so good luck with that!

Troll

The troll’s assistant (yes, even trolls have assistants) told us that he wanders around the Hill trying to get the attention of Congressional Members and so far hasn’t had much luck.  “Not even with Speaker Boehner?” we asked.   Negative.

Each year, Ron and Sara Bonjean host the city’s most outrageous bash – this year on the eleventh night before Christmas – one that might cost lesser people their day jobs.  Ron was unfazed…..he owns his own company and doesn’t plan to fire himself anytime soon.

SamDealy

Sam Dealey, Sara and Ron Bonjean

This year’s celebrity surprise guest was “Screech” – a.k.a. Dustin Diamond – from the 90s “Saved by the Bell.”  We weren’t sure what he looked liked now, so we asked.  “Just look for the nerd,” we were advised.  Really?  In Washington? Tons of policy wonks streamed in as we glued our eyes to the front door endlessly and waited with bated breath.

After a long grace period and lots of red and green vodka shooters, we wondered if he might be a no show.  An hour past his due time, we were saved by the bell when celebrity party handler (yes, even party hosts have celebrity handlers) Doug Heye showed up with their guest. Seems that the deputy chief of staff to House Majority Leader Eric Cantor had a flat tire after he and Ron’s best friend from Milwaukee picked up Diamond from the hotel.  All were rescued by Sara who promptly retrieved them and transported all safely to the party.

Screech

“Screech”

We’re not sure if Diamond was prepared for the scene, but he graciously walked into the ‘mosh pit’ and interacted with guests.  Hollywood on the Potomac caught up with him in front of the ‘selfie’ photo booth where we sat down with him on a large leather sofa and discussed his life as a child actor.   Since he started perfoming while in fifth grade, he managed to avoid the normal route to celebrity – flipping hamburgers at a local mickey d’s – although he did subcumb to being a live manequin in a department store.

DSC_0083

Diamond and Bonjean

A lot has changed since those days.  Today’s actors need to be versatile in their craft and probably at least one of the reasons he is also a musician, a wrestler, and a stand up comedian.  “A lot of people do stand-up comedy in hopes of landing a television series. Well, I’m just the opposite. I’ve already had a TV series and now I’m doing stand-up. I hope people stop remembering me as “Screech” and remember me as Dustin Diamond. I think my stand-up routine is helping that. “Screech” and I have a lot in common though. We are both strange, funny, interested in computers and good at chess.”

We’re not sure what he thought of the ‘scene’ but got the sense he was not politically inclined, but then again, looks can be deceiving.

He was probably aghast at seeing Mini Me, as all good fans would be, getting tipsy on a glass of wine rendering him “shagless.”

Mini Me

Austin Powers and Mini Me

Or possibly shocked by a really skinny, trimmed down version of Elvis Presley who was ‘in the house’ doing whatever Elvis does when he is ‘in the house.’

Elvis

Elvis

Or what he thought of a couple of dictators dressed in military gear: Think Sasha Baron Cohen.

DSC_0081

And the ever present mime:

DSC_0097

We’re not sure if the Bonjeans woke up to leftover guests the next morning or paid a hefty Uber bill.

The Scene:

A look back at 2012 guest Erik Estrada who had the happiness thing going on:

A look back at 2011 guest Gary Busey who had the wandering hands thing going on:

Share