Molly Ivins: Raise Hell

“You have to have a good time while you’re fighting for freedom. It might get to be the only fun you ever had!”

Political commentary can be both caustic and incisive. Molly Ivins showed America how.

The new documentary Raise Hell: The Life and Times of Molly Ivins explores the famed columnist’s life and legacy.

“I need you to go see this play, Red Hot Patriot: The Kick-Ass Wit of Molly Ivins. It’s starring Kathleen Turner.” I said, “What’s it about?” And he said, “Molly Ivins.”

I said, “Molly Ivins — why do I know that name?” He said, “Well, you’ve gotta go see it. That’s all I’m going to tell you.”

So I bought the ticket, I went, and I was blown away. The material was Molly’s material — her words. It was brilliant. It was hilarious. I was so intrigued by Molly.

You know when you go to see something, you come home and you start Googling? I Googled! I found all these C-SPAN clips of Molly, and I started to watch them that night, ’til 2 or 3 in the morning. I was blown away. She was hilarious! She was brilliant, and so spot-on.

So I called James the next morning and gave him my reaction. And he said that there were no films or documentaries about her. There was a book, but that’s it. So we reached out to her estate [about making a film].

https://www.vox.com/culture/2019/8/28/18276087/molly-ivins-raise-hell-janice-engel-interview