A Look Back At Peculiar Capitol Hill Appearances

While comedian Stephen Colbert’s appearance before a House Judiciary Subcommittee Friday has riled some feathers, it’s worth noting that he is not the first celebrity to raise eyebrows by coming to the Hill.

Dee Snider And Frank Zappa 

Heavy metal singer Dee Snider and Mothers of Invention frontman Frank Zappa both appeared before the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation committee in 1985 to discuss the influence of rock lyrics.

Zappa described efforts from the Tipper Gore founded Parental Music Resource Center to place labels on records as “an ill-conceived piece of nonsense” and Snider accused the future second lady of misinterpreting lyrics he wrote to contain sadomasochistic messages.

“The only sadomasochism, bondage, and rape in this song is in the mind of Ms. Gore,” Snider said.

Michael Jackson

Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee (D-Texas) invited Michael Jackson to Washington, D.C. in 2004 to discuss Africa’s AIDS crisis with members of Congress.

While a celebrity showing up on the Hill to bring awareness to a disease is nothing shocking, the timing of Jackson’s trip certainly was.

As Jackson stalked the halls of power, reportedly wearing a silver jacket and pink lipstick, the pop star was under scrutiny from a grand jury in California over charges of child molestation.

Chris Farley

Saturday Night Live Star Chris Farley was invited to a House Republican Conference meeting in 1995 and the rotund comedian arrived dressed as Newt Gingrich. Farley then delivered a monologue impersonating the then-Speaker of the House.

Running through a satirical legislative agenda, Farley asked members to approve measures to make Atlanta, Georgia the new U.S. capital and pass a resolution to keep reporters away from Gingrich’s mother.

The Salahis

Michaele and Tareq Salahi, the socialite couple who garnered notoriety after crashing a state dinner at the White House, faced the House Homeland Security Committee this January after receiving a subpoena.

Although their appearance set off a media blitz, the testimony from gatecrashers was less than substantive.

“On advice of counsel, I respectfully assert my right to remain silent and not answer,” was Tareq Salahi’s sole response to a myriad of questions from the committee.

 Young Ronald Reagan 

The 1950’s era wave to root out Communists from the U.S. government and entertainment industry involved a whole slate of celebrities.

One noticeable occurrence during the Red Scare was actor-turned-politician Ronald Reagan’s testimony before the House Committee on Un-American Activities.

Reagan, the President of the Screen Actors Guild at the time, was asked by the committee if he had any inner knowledge on socialism within the film industry.

“I do not believe the communists have ever at any time been able to use the motion picture screen as a sounding board for their philosophy or ideology,” Reagan said.

Other celebrities roped into HUAC’s investigation included Lucille Ball, Orson Welles and folk singer Pete Seeger.