Slaughter Nick for President

What do a Canadian B TV show, a dissident Eastern European punk rock band, and the yearnings for freedom and democracy of an Eastern European population traumatized by genocide and post-cold war cultural fugue, all have in common? Well, Canadian actor Rob Stewart, apparently! Though it would require two decades for him to become aware of the fact, Rob, or rather his TV character, Nick Slaughter, had become a cultural and eventually a political icon in post-Tito Serbia. Remind you of 'Searching for Sugar Man'? It should, they were both released in 2012? Why did Sugar Man get so much promotion and acclaim while Slaughter has remained relatively unknown? No idea. But while they are quite different, they are equally wonderful.

I recently discovered the light-hearted series Tropical Heat and streamed the whole enchilada. I was struck by resemblances between Rob Stewart and our beloved Bruce Campbell. Similarly handsome; Stewart's narration and his delivery of wisecracks and asides sound identical to Sir Bruce. Both have the same self-effacing comic flair, though Bruce became a legend by going over-the-top in horror flicks with Sam Raimi. Nick Slaughter's character and situation more closely remind me of Bruce's underrated Adventures of Briscoe County, Jr. And his co-starring role in Burn Notice.

The similarities extend here, as Stewart is stunned to find out he's a Serbian celebrity of almost heroic proportions, much like Bruce's emergence as a cult idol here. His trip to Serbia is full of warmth, humor and insight into their struggles throughout the 1990s, and the role comedic relief (largely from his old series) played in coping with oppression and hardship, and their ultimate success in establishing a freer and more democratic society.

Stewart's humility and appreciation of all he learned and experienced comes through convincingly. We like him! We really like him!