The Buzz: Marshall Tuck employs Hollywood star power for state schools chief campaign | Modesto Bee

Tuck employs star power for schools chief campaign

Forget social media. This is the ultimate 21st-century campaign tool: an online comedy video starring your Hollywood friends.

A new Web ad for state superintendent of public instruction challenger Marshall Tuck features actors Joel McHale, Kristen Bell, Dax Shepard and Adam Scott offering to serve as political consultants for the former Los Angeles schools executive.

The stars’ bumbling policy suggestions (including online elementary school and two-hour recess) allow Tuck to point out California is ranked 45th nationally in math and reading (“That’s pretty good. Aren’t there 3,000 states?”) and make his case for “fixing California’s schools.”

Spokeswoman Cynara Lilly said the actors met Tuck at a campaign event last year and volunteered to do something to help boost his campaign. Tuck is locked in a contentious and costly battle against incumbent Tom Torlakson.

“We’re much more concerned that Marshall Tuck is not yet ready to tell the voters what his demands are for supporting additional funding for schools,” Torlakson spokesman Paul Hefner said. “It’s not a laughing matter.”

Alexei Koseff

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