Does The Peter Principle Best Explain The Career Of James Comey?

James Comey resembles one of those giant inflatable characters in the Macy's Parade. Yes, he might look menacing until we remind ourselves that he is just a bag of helium. He can only harm you if he falls on you and that will only happen if the hired hands stop paying attention to the guidewires and...OOPS! Look out, Attorney Lynch! He is falling in your direction!

The Peter Principle might shed some light on the subject. Director of the FBI is a grown up job. I don't know if the position has ever been handled well but there have been directors who were not as overwhelmed as was James Comey. In Comey, President Obama saw a kindred spirit who also overestimated his own skill set, his own intellect, and his own abilities. Just add time and Laurence J. Peter and Raymond Hull are prophetic once more.

We live in strange times in part because we don't have familiar idioms to guide us. Mythology, folklore, religion, the classics--and ultimately pop culture which usually borrows heavily from these influences--do not have anything like Donald Trump on their shelves. Do you remember a western where the guy from back East arrives in a gold-plated stagecoach wearing a fancy suit and proceeds to kick some cowboy butt so that he can lock horns with the henchmen of Madam Espionage? I can't seem to find that movie on Netflix.

James Comey is indeed a villain but like Donald Trump, he seems to break a few molds. If we were to cast Comey in a popular Hollywood vehicle, how would we do so?

Batman vs. The Leaker?

Batman vs. The Fizzler?

Batman vs. Professor Comeytose?

Batman vs. The Literary Pretender?

Batman vs. Nervous Stomach?

Batman vs. The Book Deal?

Batman vs. The Whiny Bitch?

Batman vs. Dr. Nobody?

Batman vs. Humpty Dumpty?

Batman vs. The Bad Lawyer?


Perhaps we should consider a remake of "Bambi Meets Godzilla" where doe-eyed James Comey is cast in the lead role as Bambi. Godzilla would be played not by Donald Trump or a blathering John McCain or the ever-formidable Susan Collins. No, for the role of Godzilla, we should cast the spirit of The Peter Principle (I hear he is available and will probably not demand residuals.) I can smell the popcorn.


COMEY MEETS THE PETER PRINCIPLE