Lone Star: Kinky Friedman

WHILE HIS NAME may seem less dignified than that of your suit-and-tie politician, Kinky Friedman certainly takes his politics seriously — well, that, Texas and his cigars.

A noted author, country musician and Internet phenomenon — thanks to his 2006 independent bid for Texas governor — he's back with a new book, "What Would Kinky Do? How to Unscrew a Screwed-Up World."

So, bring your copies, your cleavage, even your babies' bottoms to the Birchmere on Thursday night. After he imparts his mix of wit and wisdom, he promises to sign "anything but bad legislature."

» EXPRESS: What's the show like?
» FRIEDMAN: It will be a mix of music along with some stories and commentary on my part. And you'll find that [band member] Jewford or little Jewford as we call him — uh, that's Jew and Ford; he's a Jew and he drives a Ford — he's an idiot savant on the keyboards. ... And Washington Ratso — real name Jimmie Silman — is going to play a song he learned from a street musician in Dublin.

» EXPRESS: Loved your "Texas for Dummies" essay.
» FRIEDMAN: Well, Texas is a strange place. It can be very backward but also very progressive at the same time.

» EXPRESS: Is music a passion or another way to get your message across?
» FRIEDMAN: Well, there's a little bit of Judy Garland in me. But also, if you can get a message across in a song, then you've got something.

» EXPRESS: This your first stop in Washington?
» FRIEDMAN: Maybe 30 years ago, I used to perform up there with Washington Ratso, but it's been awhile. He's played a lot in Washington, and he's pretty well-known there. ... He's Lebanese, and he and I consider ourselves the last true hope for peace in the Middle East.

» EXPRESS: Are you concerned how your sarcasm may come across in a very tense Washington right now?
» FRIEDMAN: Well, A) I don't care and B) We've already sold over 450 tickets going up against Labor Day weekend and Obama's speech. It's already a financial pleasure, as I like to say.

» EXPRESS: I hear that "cigar aficionado" is one of your major accomplishments.
» FRIEDMAN: I would say "aficionado" is the wrong word. Cigars are my religion. I smoke eight to 11 Cubans a day.

» EXPRESS: You mean a week?
» FRIEDMAN: No — a day. But as I told Bill Clinton when I met him, I'm not supporting their economy, I'm burning down their fields.

» EXPRESS: So what do you have to say about the current state of things?
» FRIEDMAN: America's in serious trouble, and I don't think Obama or McCain can save it right now. It's like we got the Bloods and the Crips running. The [Ron] Paul and the Obama people together — now that would win.

» Birchmere, 3701 Mt. Vernon Ave., Alexandria., Thu., 7:30 p.m., $29.50; 800-551-7328.

Photo by George Brainard