John Howard in 'Cabinet: The Movie.'
July 18, 2007 4:06 AM   Subscribe

Cabinet: The Movie. Starring Australian PM John Howard and a bunch of chickens. [more inside]
posted by Effigy2000 (13 comments total) 2 users marked this as a favorite
 
You wants context? I gots your context right here...

"We’re 16 points behind! … 2PP! Even Dennis can’t help us!” [Dennis Shanahan is The Government Gazette's The Australian's political editor...]

“Ah! Dennis… not quite The Menace he was of old. Could he not make more of a single percentage point? That sausage sizzle metaphor, so cunningly dreamt up by our spin merchants even had me saying ‘WTF?’?" [... and he recently ran into a bit of trouble with Australian political bloggers (on his own blog, no less) for being an unabashed supporter of John Howard. This is not necessarily a bad thing but when it slants your reporting and causes you to horribly strangle a metaphor, it results in angry bloggers on your blog and, apparently, a half-page editorial from your editor-in-chief defending you and 'old media' from those uncouth heathens of the 'new media' world.]

"Do not concern yourself with such bagatelles. I have good news! Today I have revoked the visa of Haneef, Doctor Of Death." [An Indian citizen working in Australia as a doctor has been charged with "recklessly providing a SIM card to a terrorist organization" and has been linked to the Glasgow bombings. On being granted bail, the Howard Government removed his visa, forcing him into immigration detention and once again pandering to the all important racist vote.]

"But I must ask the question… Is there any man here who thinks that just possibly our poor poll performance may be due to… due to… me? Am I the stumbling block? Speak up. Let me know your true feelings…" [With opinion polls showing, once again, that his Government is in serious trouble 2 or 3 only months from an election, Howard asks his Cabinet if it's his fault that the polls are so bad.]

"Nobody here but us chickens, boss…” [Well this really dosen't need context does it? But here it is anyway.]

SUPER EXTRA BONUS LINKS: John Howard shows the young people he gets climate change. And Labor responds in style.
posted by Effigy2000 at 4:08 AM on July 18, 2007


this is breaking my brain at the moment.

i'll content myself now with the excellent parody of johnny that i saw the other nite in Keating: The Musical.
posted by UbuRoivas at 5:48 AM on July 18, 2007


This is the career politician his own party kept out of power for years because they knew what he was like. They put forward creeps like Downer and Hewson rather than him. He became PM on the back of Keating's unpopularity and since then has lied his head off every chance he gets.

I think his biggest error was extending the first home owner's grant, and leaving the buyers at the mercy of interest rate rises, but maybe Dr Haneef's incarceration will kill him off - he's got the lawyers worried. The honest ones, anyway - he's put all the crooked lawyers in the ministry.
posted by emf at 5:53 AM on July 18, 2007


Anyone who blows up Downer gets my vote.

(assuming they're going to lose either way...)
posted by pompomtom at 6:16 AM on July 18, 2007


Australia: A bit like Britain, except more sarcastic.

Seriously, I wish our two countries were closer together. We'd get along so well.
posted by humblepigeon at 6:25 AM on July 18, 2007


sarcasm? we hate the stuff.

but i thoroughly endorse your wish - we can't get enough of the brits here. that's why our brightest & best always take off to spend years in london: to try to impress the superior english with our enlightened & cultural attitude towards life.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:35 AM on July 18, 2007


MetaFilter: A bit like Britain, except more sarcastic.
posted by UbuRoivas at 6:36 AM on July 18, 2007


Australian's do not satirise well, in my opinion. It is often overstated (thus defeating the raison d'être). You are raising some important political issues here. The formatting of this post causes me to doubt that they'll be addressed though.
posted by tellurian at 7:17 AM on July 18, 2007 [1 favorite]


UbuRovias - that would work better as a tagline for NTK
posted by russm at 4:53 AM on July 19, 2007


gah... UbuRoviasUbuRoivas
posted by russm at 4:54 AM on July 19, 2007


Australian's [sic] do not satirise well, in my opinion.

Impressive summary of 21 million people.

The formatting of this post causes me to doubt that they'll be addressed though.

More to do with the disinterest in domestic politics from non-Australians, methinks.
posted by wilful at 6:54 PM on July 19, 2007


Steady on, criticism of a particular mode is not condemnation of a nation. You're right to a degree, willful, for example John Clark, one in 21 million. I'm sure there are others but they don't achieve national or otherwise recognition for one reason or another. The main reason. I think, is because they're not that good.
Feeling defensive?
posted by tellurian at 8:06 AM on July 21, 2007


Australian's do not satirise well, in my opinion.

We do, however, apostrophise ok.
posted by UbuRoivas at 3:16 PM on July 21, 2007


« Older Like the Archers, but with more dragons.   |   Sean Bonney's Translations of Baudelaire Newer »


This thread has been archived and is closed to new comments