"( Horn honking )" "I'mAlexMack." "Iwasjustanaveragekid untilanaccident changed my life." "Andsincethen..." "Nothing'sbeenthesame." "( Zapping )" "MybestfriendRay  thinks it's cool." "MysisterAnnie thinks I'm a science project." "Ican'tletanyoneelse know ." "Notevenmy parents." "IknowtheChemicalPlant wants to find me andturnme into some experiment." "Butyouknowsomething?" "Iguess I'm not so average anymore." "( Squealing )" "( Squealing, grunting )" "( Squealing )" "Whoa, whoa, pig!" "Hey!" "Wait!" "Boy:" "You guys ready to ride those pigs?" "Yeah, vote for Eric Brooks!" "Hey, Ray, is it me or did I almost get run over by a pig?" "It's Eric Brooks giving away free pig rides again." "To sucker people into voting for him for class president." "Again?" "They should make him president for life-- he never loses." "Eric:" "A vote for Eric Brooks is a vote for fun!" "Who's next?" "I can't believe everyone falls for the same stunts every year." "Nobody even tries to run against him." "Why don't you run against him?" "Oh, great idea, Ray." "I get up before the whole school and start to glow." "No, we need someone smart and popular." "Yeah." "Someone with a great personality and smile." "I'm not running against Eric Brooks." "( Bell rings )" "Come back here after school for more pig rides!" "( Clapping, cheering )" "( Pig grunting )" "Forget that." "Come on, Ray." "Mrs. Mack:" "Canceled?" "!" "( Both laughing )" "Shh!" "Why would they cancel?" "Oh!" "All right, well, listen if something comes up would you give me a call, please?" "Thanks, bye." "Paradise valley's art committee has canceled their benefit." "The company has no project for me to work on now." "Good!" "This will give you a chance to relax." "You deserve it." "Yeah, it'll be nice to have you home." "Well, the garage does need cleaning and the bedroom could use paint." "No, no major projects." "No cleaning, no painting." "I just want you to take it easy." "I suppose I could always just catch up on some..." "Reading." "( Laughs awkwardly )" "Girl ( With heavy accent ):" "All of us take for granite what make our school great." "Not "takes for granite."" "Takes for granted." "Oh, right, granted." "We cannot expect others to help make our school better." "We must do it ourselves." "Excellent." "I have what it take to be a leader." "I will be a good president for all the students." "I am Paulina Rubka." "Slam dunk!" "( Clapping )" "You wanted someone to run against Eric Brooks?" "There you go." "Good work, just keep practicing right here." "We're going to run an aggressive campaign." "She's got incredible spirit." "Why aren't you running?" "Oh, no way." "I'm too controversial." "I ruffle feathers and tell it like it is." "The voting public hates that." "Yeah, but do you really think" "Paulina has a chance?" "Paulina has what it takes to be a great class president." "I mean, she works hard loves democracy and she knows what's best for the school..." "But to win?" "I don't know." "But she won't pander to the lowest common denominator like Eric does." "We're going to canvass hallways-- wish us luck." "Good luck." "Ray, I can't believe you're just going to sit here and let this happen." "Paulina has no chance." "Me?" "There are 111 other kids that could run against Eric." "Why don't you run against him?" "Me?" "Nah." "I'm still new in town and most kids still don't like me." "Maybe next year." "Ray, you're the one." "Who complained about the cold potatoes in the cafeteria?" "Well, I did." "And who's always protesting 'cause the outdoor basketball courts don't have nets?" "Well, Ray does." "And who did Miss Clark say was funniest in class?" "I am" " I mean, me, but I think it was the biggest clown in class." "Yeah." "And who has the nicest smile in the eighth grade?" "You do present a convincing case." "There comes a time in a person's life when he has to stand up for what's right-- and, Ray that time is now." "Everybody, everybody!" "I'm proud to announce I'm running for president of the eighth grade class at Danielle Atron Junior High." "( Cheering and applause )" "Kids ( Chanting: ) Raymond!" "Raymond!" "Raymond!" "Raymond!" "Raymond..." "Ray:" "Make it a Ray day." "Vote for Ray Alvarado." "Make it a Ray day." "Here you go." "Got one?" "Take two." "Raymond Alvarado." "What's up, Eric?" "What are you doing?" "He's running for president." "What's it look like?" "Flyer?" "Well, can't you talk, Ray?" "I think you're in over your head." "You know, a president has to be able to stand on his own two feet." "Well, I'm not the one giving people pig rides, Eric." "( Laughing )" "And I can talk just fine." "You'll have your chance, Ray." "You'll have your chance Friday, when we give our speeches." "We're all anxious to hear what Ray Alvarado has to say, aren't we?" "Alex:" "Don't worry about him, Ray." "Face it, Ray" "I'm going to take you down." "We'll see about that." "I can't believe you're running against us." "How could you?" "Couldn't you have come to me first?" "We could've all gotten behind Paulina." "No offense, but Paulina has no chance." "I know she's smart and has great ideas..." "But you think this election is about pig rides and personality!" "And you?" "I don't even want to talk to you!" "( Quietly ):" "What?" "( Mascot's antennas boinging )" "Okay, Ray." "Why do you think you're fit to be our school president?" "Tell us about your track record." "Last year I anchored the 440 relay and set a seventh grade record in the 60-yard dash." "Cut... cut!" "Cut, cut, cut, cut, cut!" "Ray, we discussed this." "Issues, Ray, issues." "What about more school dances, shorter school days?" "Oh, yeah, right." "Hey, look what I've got." "Louis, we're way behind here." "Read this" " Eric's playing serious hardball." ""Poll shows that half of the student body can't identify Paulina rubka"?" "No, no, not that." "Here." "Look at that." ""Presidential hopeful Raymond Alvarado cried at the lion king."" "I did not!" "Yes, you did." "But why are they writing about it?" "Eric's buddy, tino, is on the newspaper." "Keep reading-- it even says" "Raymond's middle name is "Filbert."" "Filbert is a family name." "Let me see that!" "Hey, where did he get this information from?" "This stuff's personal." "Ballet lessons?" "!" "I never took ballet lessons." "It was a movement class!" "Filbert." "Wow." "You're going to have to prepare yourself for dirty tricks." "We knew Eric wouldn't play fair." "What should we do?" "We don't have to do anything." "We'll win this election fair and square, on the issues." "Besides, kids don't believe what they read in the school newspaper." "She's right, Filbert, nobody does." "It's really funny but nobody believes it." "Besides, who cares if you cried at the lion king?" "It shows you're sensitive and that's good!" "Now let's finish your commercial." "( Sighs )" "Come." "No, no, I got it." "Action!" "Okay, Ray, why do you think you're fit to be our class president?" "Tell us about your track record." "I wasn't crying." "Cut!" "( Oven bell rings )" "Mrs. Mack:" "I had a few extra minutes after I finished the girls' room so I whipped this up." "I hope you like it!" "Doesn't exactly sound like Mom took it too easy today." "Ta-da!" "Wow!" "( Catching breath )" "You just whipped that up?" "And I made two sauces." "One's thai curry one's apricot." "But I thought you were going to read nocongas, no clarinets?" "What can I say, honey?" "There's just so much to do around here!" "( Laughs )" "Alex:" "Ray Alvarado is a man of the people." "VoteforRayAlvarado this Friday andshakehandswiththefuture of Atron Junior High." "( Applause )" "Well done, Ray, well done." "Our next political commercial belongs to Paulina." "( Patriotic music playing )" "Nicole:" "Throughout history, change has never been easy." "Ittakescourage, strength and vision." "PaulinaRubkahasall those qualities and more." "I am Paulina Rubka." "I know what it will take to make our school better." "I will fight for you to bring you the things you want to Danielle Atron Junior High." "Won't you join me?" "Vote for me for class president." "Slam dunk!" "Very nice, Paulina ( Applause )" "Very nice." "Okay, and our last spot belongs to Eric." "Man:" "Ray Alvarado claims to be one of the best basketball players intheeighthgrade." "Fact:" "Ray spent most of his time on the bench." "RayAlvaradoclaimeda98 %  on-time paper delivery record." "Fact:" "Aninternalcompany survey showed him with a 40% in-the-gutter factor." "RayAlvaradotoldpeople hewasdestinedtobe a professional musician." "Fact:" "Rayquitthe saxophone after four lessons." "( Playing poorly )" "Askyourself." "DoyouwantRay Alvarado as your next school president?" "( Sax continues squeaking )" "( Laughter )" "( Applause )" "( Bell rings )" "Okay, don't forget candidates' speeches, ready noon tomorrow." "Sorry, Ray, that was brutal." "Hey, Eric." "How come you couldn't slam Paulina, too?" "Paulina who?" "How do you like politics, Ray?" "I was on the bench because I pulled my hamstring!" "I never said" "I'd be a professional musician." "We're just stating the facts." "You didn't have to stoop so low." "Listen to you crybabies." "This is politics." "If you can't take it find another line of work." "If you think that was tough, wait till my speech." "I want him, Alex and I don't care what it takes." "Easy, Ray." "What is it?" "Ray:" "Can we say we found it open?" "Would that be wrong?" "Alex:" "Well, it would be wrong for you to look at it." "But I think it would be all right if I looked it over." "I mean, because we can't trust Eric." "Tell me if he plans to let out more secrets." "I want my third grade report card kept quiet." "What's it say?" "Very interesting." "He wants each student to be able to veto one teacher per semester." "Vote a teacher?" "What does that mean?" "It means if you get, like, Krantz for chemistry you vote him and the school gives you another teacher." "Wow." "What a great idea!" "No, it's not." "It is, but it'll never happen." "But it makes him sound good by offering it." "Let me see that." "He also wants to allow students to call teachers by their first names." "What do you think?" "I kind of like it." "Ray, think about it." "He's promising things that'll never happen." "That's how real politicians get elected." "Maybe we should, too." "You're right." "It's the only way to beat him." "Ours can't compete with that stuff." "He's just offering easy answers." "You'll offer easier ones." "This is great, Alex." "I want to make him pay." "If it wasn't Eric Brooks" "I never would've opened his speech." "But we had to for the school's good." "( Laughter )" "( Computer beeps )" "Aw." "( Bang )" "Oh, I'm okay!" "I just dropped the mallet." "The mallet?" "What's she doing with a mallet?" "She's cracking coconuts for tomorrow's breakfast." "Something she calls "breakfasts of the world."" "Oh, Dad, can't we stop her?" "I've been through this before." "We just have to let it run its course." "Mrs. Mack:" "You guys are going to love breakfast." "Can I sit here with you?" "Sure." "( Sighs )" "You know, I don't miss work a bit." "( Chuckles )" "Ray:" "I have a dream for all junior high students regardless of grade, height, or G.P.A." "To enjoy a gourmet cafeteria and all it offers." "I'm talking about a wide variety of pizzas available daily and a ban on that roast beef stringy stuff they serve on Tuesdays." "( Clapping )" "This is great, Ray." "When Eric hears it, he'll have no place to hide." "But is calling the principal by his first name pushing it?" "Mort's a funny name-- it's worth votes." "Aloha, Ray." "I know it's a big day for you but would you like to join us for a polynesian breakfast?" "Why not?" "This way." "Aloha, Ray." "Welcome to the Islands." "Mrs. Mack:" "Okay, sit." "Mom, can I just have oatmeal?" "Alex, I'm trying to expand your horizons beyond oatmeal." "This is part of your mother's" ""breakfasts of the world" series." "Mrs. Mack:" "Okey-dokey." "Who wants to try some poi?" "Oh!" "Paulina:" "Coming from eastern Europe, I know what it means to fight for what you believe in." "We need a dialogue between students, teachers, and parents." "Only when we communicate is real change possible." "My name is Paulina." "Slam dunk!" "( Applause )" "Wow, she's really good." "I asked her to drop "slam dunk" but she really believes in it." "Nicole, I feel terrible." "I don't have a real campaign and stand for nothing." "We wanted to beat Eric." "I didn't think Paulina could win." "Sorry, Nicole." "It's okay, guys." "As long as someone beats Eric, I'll be happy." "Oh, you were great!" "Thank you!" "Good job." "Thanks." "Good luck to you, Raymond." "Slam dunk." "Thanks, Paulina." "Slam dunk to you, too." "Excuse me while I go to the lavatory." "Better come back." "How's she doing?" "Oh, she's doing fine." "But I'm losing my faith in the political process." "Let's work on your acceptance speech." "Great speech!" "Thanks, bye." "Good luck!" "( Clears throat )" "Did you guys find my fake speech all right?" "What are you talking about?" "You don't think I'd base my whole platform on vetoing teachers and calling them by their first names?" "Ray's going to look like such an idiot." "You probably spent hours preparing a speech to burn me." "That's why I dropped it near you." "Woman:" "Our next candidate is Eric Brooks." "( Applause )" "Ray?" "( Applause )" "Annie:" "Dad..." "Can we talk?" "Sure, honey, what's on your mind?" "I love Mom." "I know you do." "But she is driving me crazy." "Me, too." "She means well." "It's just that she's very disciplined and used to putting energy into her work." "Well, whatever, but could you talk to her?" "I guess so." "Do you want me to go with you?" "Sure." "Okay." "Well, uh, you're not doing anything." "I'm reading." "But you're not..." "Cooking and cleaning?" "No." "First, there's nothing left to clean and, second, I was driving you guys nuts." "How did you know?" "You all went screaming from the room every time I entered." "It wasn't as bad as all that." "Yes, it was." "But that's okay." "Donna called me..." "The art benefit is on." "I'm back at work tomorrow." "I guess there's no more "breakfasts of the world"?" "No, just plain old Mom again." "Fine." "That's okay." "By the way we could all learn to relax more" "Don't you think?" "You're right, honey." "We could all take a page from Alex's book." "Now, she knows how to relax." "Is he in there?" "No." "You go that way." "If you see him" "Don't let him on that stage until he talks to me first." "Eric:" "I'd like to congratulate Paulina and Ray for their campaigns." "At another school they may have been mistaken for serious candidates." "But at Danielle Atron Junior High School it's obvious they aren't." "( Laughter )" "Where's my campaign manager?" "I don't know, Ray." "Just relax and be yourself." "No, being myself doesn't always work for me." "Ray, good luck." "One of us must stop Eric." "...and should I win, you can expect my victory party to top anything we've done before." "Thanks for your support!" "( Applause )" "We're going to wait inside." "Calm down, she'll be here." "( Applause )" "And now, for our third and final candidate..." "Raymond Alvarado." "( Applause )" "Thank you, thank you." "Thanks, Carol." "Boys and girls, Phyllis, Carol and Mort." "( Tittering )" "I'd like to talk to you about how the teachers have an unfair advantage over the students at Atron Junior High." "I think it's time for the students to give them a report card every semester." "( Applause )" "Oh, no." "Ray Alvarado." "Ray!" "Raymond!" "( Applause )" "( Continuing speech )" "( Applause )" "Ray, Ray..." "Kill the speech." "Eric set us up." "He did?" "Kill the speech." "Kill the speech!" "But you know no one will ever give us that stuff." "So don't get excited." "I just said it as a joke." "But that just comes to show you how we have all been fooled in the past." "In fact, let's face it." "Paulina's the only candidate who really wants to help us." "Eric gives you pig rides and parties." "I would like to throw my support to her." "Paulina... come up to the stage." "( Cheering and applause )" "( Cheering )" "Slam Dunk." "Slam Dunk!" "( Cheering )" "It didn't work, did it?" "Eric's still the president." "Maybe, but it takes time to change the system." "At least Paulina made it close." "How's she taking it?" "Are you kidding?" "She's already planning for next year's campaign." "And you?" "Me?" "I'm retired from politics." "Getting one vote didn't exactly boost my confidence." "Good thing I paid Louis back that five I owed him." "I would have been shut out." "So, you want to go to Eric's party?" "Yeah, I never ridden a camel before." "Me neither." "Let's go." "Captioned by Grant brown"