Times when politicians were genuinely funny

[George White]

Reminded in the wake of John Bruton's death of Bertie Ahern saying that people who moan about the economy,
'
Sitting on the sidelines, cribbing and moaning is a lost opportunity. I don't know how people who engage in that don't commit suicide because frankly the only thing that motivates me is being able to actively change something.'
Taoiseach Bertie Ahern

Which dated badly, because the economy did collapse.

And was much criticised, but I think it is a wonderful example of a very black Irish sense of humour.

But then again I love Bertie. Without him, I wouldn't be so openly corrupt in every way.

Although in hindsight, it does sound a bit Sunak.

[madhair60]

Amess

[Glebe]

I thought Bruton (RIP) said "on mature recollection..." but apparently that was Brian Lenihan Snr.

[Indomitable Spirit]

Sir Beer Korma

[George White]

I thought Bruton (RIP) said "on mature recollection..." but apparently that was Brian Lenihan Snr.

The thing is, when a politician does a bugger up like that, it should enter the lexicon.
Like Mary Coughlan using alma mater instead of imprimatur, i.e. 'I give my alma mater to the Taoiseach'.

The politician's usage of them should make their chosen meaning cromulent.
Like how 'bonnet du douche!' is now a Franglais expression of startlement, thanks to everyone's favourite gliding club enthusiast.

[Jerzy Bondov]

Hi how're you doing! We're back, and we're ready for it all over again.

[Petey Pate]

[Wonderful Butternut]

A few years ago Mary Lou McDonald was clashing with Varadkar in the Dail over something or other, and King Blueshirt objected to McDonald using the term "lies" to describe what he was saying.

Mary Lou responded in the most deadpan fashion imaginable: "What term should I use Taoiseach? Fibs? Untruths? Porky Pies?"

[FredNurke]

The thing is, when a politician does a bugger up like that, it should enter the lexicon.
Like Mary Coughlan using alma mater instead of imprimatur, i.e. 'I give my alma mater to the Taoiseach'.

The politician's usage of them should make their chosen meaning cromulent.
Like how 'bonnet du douche!' is now a Franglais expression of startlement, thanks to everyone's favourite gliding club enthusiast.

Cf. Warren G. Harding's 'normalcy' and Sarah Palin's 'refudiate' (although in both cases the word had already been coined).

[George White]

A few years ago Mary Lou McDonald was clashing with Varadkar in the Dail over something or other, and King Blueshirt objected to McDonald using the term "lies" to describe what he was saying.

Mary Lou responded in the most deadpan fashion imaginable: "What term should I use Taoiseach? Fibs? Untruths? Porky Pies?"

He was telling 'the truth' (grins a la Lionel Hutz).

[Shaxberd]

Australian politics is good comedy value a lot of the time, intentionally or otherwise.

Winton Turnbull: "I am a Country member -"
Gough Whitlam, butting in: "I remember!"

Or more recently, Bob Katter's mood turning on a dime:

Edit:

Now I'm back diving into the auspol highlights, please enjoy this video of a Senate committee cracking up over the subject of bee semen:

https://twitter.com/batshit_auspol/status/1730548513090785718/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1730548513090785718&currentTweetUser=batshit_auspol&mode=profile

[superthunderstingcar]

And you, madam, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning.

However briefly.

[gilbertharding]

Anyone here remember Denis Healey appearing in the Nationwide pantomime? Silly fucking Billy.

[Indomitable Spirit]

[Sebastian Cobb]

Australian politics is good comedy value a lot of the time, intentionally or otherwise.

Winton Turnbull: "I am a Country member -
Gough Whitlam, butting in: I remember!"

Or more recently, Bob Katter's mood turning on a dime:

Edit:

Now I'm back diving into the auspol highlights, please enjoy this video of a Senate committee cracking up over the subject of bee semen:

https://twitter.com/batshit_auspol/status/1730548513090785718/mediaViewer?currentTweet=1730548513090785718&currentTweetUser=batshit_auspol&mode=profile

And there's that whole much-denied rumour that Scott Morrison shat himself in a McDonalds in 1997.

Also in the Southern Hemisphere there's that time the Kiwi PM, Robert Muldoon, got smashed and called a snap election.

[madhair60]

Thatcher dying lol

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

kinda miss her

[ajsmith2]

And you, madam, are ugly. But I shall be sober in the morning.

However briefly.

Always thought that one didn't work due to Churchill himself being no oil painting so therefore in this zero sum game, he loses both ways, as I posted here some time ago:

https://www.cookdandbombd.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=54033.0

As someone mentions in one of the replies, it only just about works in the context of the sad fact that womens looks were/are more valued as integral to their intrinsic worth, which is a miserable premise to construct a gag around imo.

Apologies for the stick up my bum literalmindedness here btw, but this supposedly 'great quote' has always bugged me due to the way it just doesn't add up due to Churchill = uggo.

[George White]

And there's that whole much-denied rumour that Scott Morrison shat himself in a McDonalds in 1997.

Also in the Southern Hemisphere there's that time the Kiwi PM, Robert Muldoon, got smashed and called a snap election.

Muldoon brilliantly became a horror host on NZ TV after retiring from politics.
The UK should follow suit. A crepescular Morlock-alike with a daft English accent whose name is Boris? He'd be perfect.

Ditto with Bertie and Brian Cowen as his slobbering manservant.

[GoblinAhFuckScary]

i giggled but also didn't really fail to understand what he was gibbering. desensitised to insane old british madness i spose

[mechanical blood goat]

Or more recently, Bob Katter's mood turning on a dime:

Hahaha that's fantastic

[Video Game Fan 2000]

bob katter vid is one of the funniest things ive seen recently, its like Partridge-esque but for a character that never existed

[Norton Canes]

All this HoC badinage and quippage is more in the Tory line of business isn't it, since so many of them come from the sort of background where hectoring and bullying is rife and it's more important to come out with a remark that'll make your chums chuckle than say anything of meaning. That given, it's disappointing that they have such a low hit-rate when it comes to genuine wit. The only things I can recall raising a chuckle from recent times is Johnson calling Starmer a 'bollard' in his fucking-off speech (but I think that was only because 'bollard' is one of those lolrandom words Johnson had stumbled upon, rather than it being at all apt) and this admittedly great zinger from sex pest Chris Pincher during an EU debate:

Corbyn: Last week — like him — I was in Brussels, meeting with heads of government and leaders of European socialist parties, one of whom said to me... (fatal pause)
Pincher: Who are you?

[Pavlov`s Dog`s Dad`s Dead]

All this HoC badinage and quippage is more in the Tory line of business isn't it, since so many of them come from the sort of background where hectoring and bullying is rife and it's more important to come out with a remark that'll make your chums chuckle than say anything of meaning.

They reckoned old Labour stalwart Dennis Skinner was handy with a bit of badinage. His response to being told by the Speaker he couldn't say "half the honourable members opposite are crooks" was evidence of a very sharp wit:

Spoiler alert

"Very well, half the honourable members opposite are not crooks."

[close]

[Dr Rock]

George Bush's face as he dodged two shoes.

[Mr Vegetables]

"I'm too old to be a British politician, and too young to be an American one" made me smile from Gordon Brown recently

[Butchers Blind]

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman"

He did.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

"I did not have sexual relations with that woman"

He did.

[Video Game Fan 2000]

WELL IT AINT HENRY KISSINGER, THATS FOR SURE

[shoulders]

Dennis Skinner: "Half of the government benches are corrupt"

Speaker: "Will the honourable member retract that statement please?"

Dennis Skinner (without missing a beat): "Alright, half the government benches aren't corrupt"