Art imitating life

Last night was Park and Recreation night -- both on NBC and at Los Amigos Elementary where the commission held its meeting. I observed the former.

Is it me or is the real park and rec director Kevin McArdle, far right, starting to resemble actor Nick Offerman, who plays a park and rec director on the NBC show? When the show premiered last year, I didn't think there was much resemblance. But as the show progressed, McArdle seems to look more and more like the actor after every City Council meeting. Maybe it the mustache.

At an afternoon special meeting yesterday, McArdle told the City Council there were three events that were "on the fence." Budget constraints are preventing the department from hosting the July 4 fireworks extravaganza at the Epicenter, the volunteers appreciation dinner and the Founder's Day Parade. Some would have to go. The city ended up saving the parade and scrapping the other two.

Four hours later on television, Amy Poehler's character tells a group of people who teach rec classes that some classes will be cut due to budget cuts. She said she'll cut the class based on attendance and student evaluation. So make sure your students are happy, she said. One teacher replied, "But I teach a class called 'How to deal with terminal illness.' "

McArdle, who watches "Park and Rec" occasionally, said the show is often so silly that art rarely imitates life. But he pointed out an exception. In one episode, Poehler's character leads a meeting with just one resident in the audience. In real life, that one person was probably me.