Jon Gnarr, the Gonzo Comedian Mayor of Reykjavik, Is Here to Chat
In 2010, Jon Gnarr—an actor, comedian, and punk-inspired artist of sorts—was elected mayor of Iceland's largest city on The Best Party ticket. His gonzo approach to campaigning and governing made him world famous. He's here to take your questions.
Gnarr, who took over Reykjavik shortly after the total collapse of Iceland's banks, is a prominent supporter of gay rights, peace activist, and fan of The Wire. His new book Gnarr!tells the story of his unlikely rise to political office. Noam Chomsky declared Gnarr "my favorite mayor." He has also won plaudits from Lady Gaga and Bjork. Here is a small portion of Gnarr's 2014 New Year's address:
Some people believe Jesus really existed. Others do not believe that. I think that maybe 70% of his story is exaggeration, misinterpretation or even pure fabrication. Maybe Jesus was a Chinese Taoist that arrived to Galilee via the Silk Route? Maybe he was a slave. I do not believe that he performed any miracles. I think it's likelier that he was gay. It maybe doesn't make a big difference. His story is still important. It is about a nobody who starts speaking up in a society that's controlled by bullies. And even though the bullies have, through the course of history, changed the story and falsified facts to make themselves look better, it still retains a core of truth. The story of Jesus is the story of the battle between good and evil. It is the same story as the one in Star Wars, Matrix or Lord of the Rings. Jesus is as much of a Luke Skywalker as he is a Neo or Frodo...
Just like the Terminator, Jesus promised, in the end, that he would be back. But unlike the Terminator, he hasn't made good on his word. Not yet. Or has he? Maybe he's back. Maybe he's in isolation in a US prison, a repressed woman in Saudi Arabia or under house arrest in China. Or maybe he's a persecuted homosexual in Russia.
Yesterday was Jon Gnarr's last day as mayor of Reykjavik. Thursday night, he will appear at The Strand bookstore in Manhattan for a conversation and Q&A with yours truly (Hamilton). But today, in his first day as a non-mayor, he is here to answer questions from you, the Gawker readers of America, Iceland, and the rest of the world. Quite thoughtful of him.
Jon will begin answering questions at 2 p.m. Eastern time. Put your questions for him in the discussion section below!