‘Shit Burqueños Say’ star dips toes in ABQ politics

It’s hard to slog through an election without hearing about endorsements. Friends, former opponents and local celebrities  pepper social media  with their support of one of the two candidates in the Albuquerque mayoral runoff.  Lauren Poole is one local celebrity who has attached her name to mayoral candidate and State Auditor Tim Keller’s campaign. Poole […]

‘Shit Burqueños Say’ star dips toes in ABQ politics

It’s hard to slog through an election without hearing about endorsements. Friends, former opponents and local celebrities  pepper social media  with their support of one of the two candidates in the Albuquerque mayoral runoff.  Lauren Poole is one local celebrity who has attached her name to mayoral candidate and State Auditor Tim Keller’s campaign.

Poole is most often recognized for her honestly ignorant but affable character Lynette. Last week, she lent her character’s voice to a campaign video for Keller.

Poole’s Lynette character is part of a long-running, inside joke amongst “Burqueños” since a YouTube video called “Shit Burqueños Say” went viral almost six years ago. That video didn’t have l political undertones, but did  refer to former Albuquerque mayor Martin Chavez.

“What do you mean Marty Chavez ain’t the mayor no more?” Lynette says in a recent Keller campaign video, referring to the 12 years Chavez spent in office over three terms as mayor of Albuquerque. “He’s like always the mayor,” Lynette said in the original viral video in reference to the 12 years Chavez served as mayor over three terms.

Poole started depicting the character in 2009, through the local Blackout Theater Company, which  produced a video showing over-the-top characters,  including Lynette, in a job interview. Lynette’s local popularity led to more videos from Blackout and promotional videos for events and organizations like the New Mexico State Fair.

Poole said when she’s not in character, she’s rarely recognized as Lynette  unless she’s sporting her signature headband and hoop earrings. Poole went mostly unrecognized Friday morning when she met with NM Political Report to talk local politics, the local artistic scene and how the two come together.

Would you consider yourself politically active?

Before Trump got elected I thought that I was. I vote in all of the elections, even in school board elections, but I would miss some.

After Trump got elected I was like, “Ok, what’s going on? Am I doing enough?”

What made you decide to speak out in support of Tim Keller?

I used the Lynette character to make a Planned Parenthood video. They have a thing called “In Case You’re Curious” so that kids can text sex ed questions, and a nurse will answer them within  24 hours. It’s one of those things that I realized, “Oh, people pay attention to what [Lynette] says.” And I’m probably not the smartest or most informed person on the planet or even in the city, but I can use my powers for good. If I see a way that I think that I can benefit the community by using that visibility, I think that’s more positive.

Have you talked to Dan Lewis or do you know very much about him?

I don’t know much about Dan Lewis. I was kind of expecting more hard-line conservative answers and he was so vanilla with his answers. And I wouldn’t say Tim Keller has gone all Gus Pedrotty, balls out either, but I do like what Tim Keller’s saying more.

You mentioned something in this campaign video that I heard on social media about the two candidates looking the same. Support for Tim Keller aside, is there another message in there about diversity?

I mean there’s a joke on that. It’s totally a joke. On face value, it’s like, “Great, two more white dudes who look pleasant and not scary.” They’re clean cut and palatable to most humans. [It’s] because that character isn’t funny if she’s not being a little bit real.

Did you get any negative feedback regarding the Tim Keller campaign ad?

I haven’t gotten any negative feedback, but the internet’s a funny place that way. People will troll on the internet. To my face no one’s really been shitty about it.

Tim Keller has spoken out in support of the local music scene, is that part of the reason you support him?

Yeah, many of my best friends have moved away, because they just can’t make a living as an artist here. I’m trying really, really hard not to do that.

What is the status of the local artist community?

I can only speak to my own personal circle and what I see. The status quo in Albuquerque is you don’t make a living as a performer. You do something else to win the bread.

Are you still performing locally?

Mostly just with bands, but actually a Chicano theater company in Denver paid me to build a Lynette show. I don’t like working alone and so my friend Damien Flores, we made a show that we took to Denver about two stoned cholos that were not politically active, and we do address that Lynette is a white chola, there’s a joke about it. The whole show’s about 50 minutes long, and we’re going to put it up here, we just need to not be lazy and rewrite it, because it was made for Denver. But it’s about two stoned cholos and on election night they realize, “Oh shit, we gotta get more politically active,” but they feel like they don’t know how. They realize, “Oh there’s a lot of things we don’t understand” and they try to vote in more elections. It’s about people just feeling like they’re not educated enough to make an impact and make a difference and they’re trying to start a million cholo march on Washington.

We're ad free

That means that we rely on support from readers like you. Help us keep reporting on the most important New Mexico Stories by donating today.

Related

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

Equality New Mexico endorses 15 legislative candidates

A New Mexico-based LGBTQ rights organization endorsed 15 candidates for state House and Senate seats for the 2024 elections.  Marshall Martinez, executive director of…
Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Lujan Grisham pocket vetoes two bills

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham pocket vetoed two bills the legislature passed this legislative session: one changing the Cybersecurity Act and the other concerning law…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…
Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republicans seek to limit national monument designations

Republican-backed legislation in the U.S. Congress would make it harder for the government to designate new national monuments. The proposed Congressional Oversight of the…
Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

Amid new graduation requirements, what do high schoolers want to learn?

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican The main things that bring Brayan Chavez to school every day: Seeing, talking to and engaging with…
Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

Special ed teachers hope lawmakers OK pay raises, admin changes

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican Brittany Behenna Griffith has a laundry list of adjectives to describe the ideal special education teacher:…
Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

Lawmakers must find consensus on competing education spending plans

By Margaret O’Hara, The Santa Fe New Mexican A challenging task awaits New Mexico lawmakers in the next 30 days: Reconciling three very different…
Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Health workers fear it’s profits before protection as CDC revisits airborne transmission

Amy Maxmen, KFF Health News Four years after hospitals in New York City overflowed with covid-19 patients, emergency physician Sonya Stokes remains shaken by…
Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Lujan Grisham, Biden admin announce $10 million in federal funds for tribes, pueblos

Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced Friday $10 million in funding from the federal American Rescue Plan Act was awarded to six tribal nations and…
Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

Proposal to curb executive powers moves to House Judiciary

The House Government, Elections and Indian Affairs Committee discussed a potential constitutional amendment that seeks to limit the governor’s executive powers. The committee approved…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Supreme Court to hear two abortion cases this spring

Later this month, the U.S. Supreme Court will hear oral arguments on the case against the abortion medication mifepristone. It will hear a second…
New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid to cover cost of over-the-counter oral contraception

New Mexico Medicaid announced on Wednesday that it will cover the cost of Opill, the first oral contraception approved for over-the-counter use. It is…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

At stake in mifepristone case: Abortion, FDA’s authority, and return to 1873 obscenity law

Lawyers from the conservative Christian group that won the case to overturn Roe v. Wade are returning to the U.S. Supreme Court on Tuesday in pursuit…
San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

San Juan County, Navajo Nation settle redistricting case

The Navajo Nation and San Juan County reached an agreement Monday about commission districts after the tribe alleged that its members were not adequately…
MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

MIT ranks NM elections most well-run in the U.S.

New Mexico’s 2022 election was ranked most well-run in the country by Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Election Data and Science Lab’s Elections Performance Index.…
Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List endorses seven candidates for Legislature

Emily’s List, a nonprofit that supports women candidates and reproductive rights, endorsed seven incumbents facing general election opponents in New Mexico legislative elections. All…
BLM announces final methane waste rule

BLM announces final methane waste rule

The federal Bureau of Land Management announced its final methane waste rule on Wednesday. These new regulations clamp down on the practice of venting…
U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

U.S. Supreme Court hears case to restrict access to medication abortion

The U.S. Supreme Court heard the case about the regulations around mifepristone, one of a two-step regime for abortion medication, on Tuesday. FDA v.…
What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

What consumers, farmers should know about the flu impacting dairy cows

Migrating birds appear to have caused a virus in dairy cattle that is causing reduced milk production. So far, the disease, which initially started…

GET INVOLVED

© 2023 New Mexico Political Report