Dan Cirucci: Gala 'Electile' Premiere

Thursday, April 10, 2008

Gala 'Electile' Premiere

Last night we attended the world premiere of the new political documentary "Electile Dysfunction" along with a capacity crowd at the Philadelphia Film Festival.

This new film by Mary Patel (pictured) and Joe Barber is really a crash course in the modern-day business of politics and it uses the 2006 Pennsylvania Senate campaign between Santorum and Casey as its frame. The production values are first rate and the film moves at a lively pace as it travels to Washington, New York, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, rural Pennsylvania, Hollywood and many other places. One of the fun aspects of the feature is a series of TV exaggerated TV spots for fictional candidates. They're fresh, funny and just-this-side of believable. In addition to Casey and Santorum some of the notables featured in the film are legendary Philly PR guy Elliott Curson, political consultants Neil Oxman and Joe Trippe, actor Ed Asner, presidential grandson and son-in-law David Eisenhower, former Philadelphia Inquirer editor Gene Roberts, White House correspondent Helen Thomas and Philly TV anchor Larry Mendte.

Patel and Barber have high hopes for getting the film distributed and/or picked up by HBO or some other outlet. Voters can gain ample insight into how propaganda, persuasion and advertising are brought to bear on a campaign and what to watch out for as they decide how to vote. And the film is a must-see for students of politics and communication. Plus, it funny and entertaining.

After the showing we joined others at the post-premiere party upstairs at One just a few blocks from the theatre. At the party were we saw more friends including Penn State Abington criminology prof and author Sean Patrick Griffin, former Philly City Controller Joe Vignola, Philly PR Hall of Famer Nessa Forman and ubiquitous Philly lawyer Scott Sigman.

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About Dan Cirucci

He has been cited by Rush Limbaugh, quoted in the New York Times, featured at Real Clear Politics and Lucianne.com and interviewed on radio, TV and in social media.

He's Dan Cirucci, the founder and editor-in chief of the Dan Cirucci Blog, Matt Rooney's sidekick on Save Jersey's videocasts and one of the most widely honored public relations professionals in his field. He's also been a public relations consultant to numerous organizations and individuals and hosted The Advocates on RVN-TV.

Inducted into the Philadelphia Public Relations Hall of Fame, for many years he served as a Lecturer in Corporate Communication at Penn State University. A former President of the Philadelphia Public Relations Association (PPRA) he has lectured at Rowan University, Temple University, The College of New Jersey and Arcadia University. He has conducted workshops on public relations for thousands of participants throughout the nation and has taught countless others the art of public speaking. He has also advised numerous lawyers, judges, public officials and political candidates.

Cirucci is a prolific writer and his op-ed pieces have appeared in the Philadelphia Daily News, Philadelphia Inquirer, Courier-Post and other publications.

A native of Camden NJ, Cirucci is a former President of the Philadelphia chapter of the International Association of Business Communicators. Cirucci served as Associate Executive Director of the Philadelphia Bar Association for nearly 30 years. He served as Chair of Penn State University's Professional Advisory Board for the Corporate Communication major at Penn State Abington and on the Pennsylvania Bar Association's Judicial Selection Commission.

He received his MA degree from Rowan University and his BA from Villanova University. He has been named a Distinguished Alumnus of Rowan's public relations program and received the E. A. "Wally" Richter Leadership Award, the highest honor from the National Association of Bar Executives' Communications Section. He has also been honored by numerous other local, state and national groups.

In his hometown of Camden, Cirucci taught fifth grade at the Ulysses Wiggins Elementary School named for the founder of the Camden NAACP. There he was one of the first teachers in the country to teach African-American history to inner city students. He later served as editor of a local weekly newspaper, as Assistant to the Township Manager of Cherry Hill Township and as Associate Director of Communications at the New Jersey State Bar Association.

Cirucci's passions include politics, the popular culture, books and authors, art, communication, music, theatre, movies, dining and travel.

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