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A World of Laughter, a World of Tears

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  • Crack Pairing: Orson Welles and Vampira. No, really. note 
  • Fan Nickname: "Nachos" for statichaos, thanks to the way brains parse portmanteau words.
  • Fridge Brilliance:
    Aracnid: I've just had a horrible realisation...there is no way in Hell that Goldwater would allow something like the Mental Hygiene Acts to pass, meaning it must be either a Dixiecrat or Rockwell. So now you've now got the entire board cheering "Go Racist, Segregationist, States Righter Dixiecrat, Go!"...Therefore you logically must be evil and working for the devil in order to turn us to the dark side.
    statichaos: Yes, come to the Dark Side. We have cookies.
  • Harsher in Hindsight: While trying to mend fences with civil rights leaders, Cohn defends the decision not to federalize the Arkansas National Guard on the grounds that it would set a bad precedent that would make it too easy for future administrations to use the National Guard to oppressive ends. At the time, this comes off as cynical ass-covering, but the events of the 2025 California Immigration Riots have shown there might be something to these concerns.
  • Heartwarming Moments:
    • Due to the Mickey Mouse Club strangling Hollywood, both Orson Welles and Ed Wood retreat to France. The two happen to meet, and Ed Wood gets the opportunity to work with his idol... something that (an apocryphal scene in his biopic aside) never happened in our timeline.
    • Also, Pat Brown's speech to his son Jerry after resigning the governorship of California.
  • Moral Event Horizon:
    • A large group of white protesters rips one of the Little Rock Nine into pieces. After that, many African-Americans see white society as well beyond this point.
    • The Florida State Government crosses this when they commit a massacre against the black community in Tampa. It's so bad that even the Soviet Union believe that the FSG should be prosecuted for war crimes.
      • Though to be fair, this is likely done out of cynical geopolitical maneuvering rather than genuine moral outrage from the Soviet government, given the Soviet’s own willingness to brutally crush dissent and internal opposition.
  • Tear Jerker: No matter what Disney's actions, James Dodd's eulogy/tribute to him will have you choking back tears. Not helped by the fact statichoas linked to this video. Made worse by the fact that it ends on Dodd, who functions as The Woobie for this story, smiling and saying goodbye. Statichaos, you bastard.
  • What Do You Mean, It's Not for Kids?: Disney as President? Can't be that bad... wait, why is the Mickey Mouse Club turning into the Hitler Youth?
  • The Woobie: Beano, after he gets locked in a government-run "insane asylum" for political dissidents, where LSD is used on him.


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