'The Undefeated' defeated in Reagan Country

What If Sarah Palin Starred in a Movie and No One Showed Up? That was the story the Atlantic's Conor Friedersdorf planned to write as he sat alone in an Orange County CA theater debuting Sarah Palin's two-hour infomercial The Undefeated. Orange County is Reagan Country and prides itself on being a red island in blue California. Friedersdorf was kinda shocked to find there was zero interest in the Palin flick by the local islanders.

But just as the previews started, two young women walked in giggling together and took seats three rows behind him:

Jamie Watkins, 22, is a Missouri native, which qualifies her as a real American. She only recently moved to Southern California, and her little sister, Jessie, age 18, was visiting for the first time. "So, um, what made you come out here tonight?"

"We're going to Disneyland tomorrow," Jamie said, "but she just got here, so we decided we should go out. We looked online for the latest movie playing," Jessie added. "But all the Harry Potters were sold out, and then we saw 'The Undefeated.' We don't even actually know what we're seeing."

"Well welcome to California," I said. "You're about to see a documentary about Sarah Palin."

"Oh, really?" they said, and started giggling again. I think they were expecting an action flick. When I returned to my seat, I thought maybe I'd talk to them after the movie, and get the perspective of two people who went in with no expectations. But they only lasted 20 minutes before walking out.

Priceless.