Alexa MdDonough Humour!
Clement Ng
The following was published in last Friday's *Ottawa Sun*. I
found McDonough's jokes to be corny, but hey read for yourself.
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ALEXA HITS THE FUNNY BONE: TOP HONOURS FOR HUMOUR AT THE PARLIAMENTARY
PRESS GALLERY'S ANNUAL DINNER GO TO THE LEADER OF THE NDP, DESPITE A GOOD
SHOWING BY WELL-KNOWN WIT JEAN CHRETIEN -- [The Ottawa Sun - Friday
October 23, 1998]
PUBLICATION: *The Ottawa Sun*
DATE: Friday October 23, 1998 PAGE: 14
BYLINE: Richard Cleroux
Prime Minister Jean Chretien got in a few good licks at the annual
Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner on the Hill last weekend but it was New
Democrat Leader Alexa McDonough who stole the show.
That's unusual because at past dinners, she wasn't that good.
McDonough told the bunfest there had been "some big changes" lately in the
NDP. It all had to do with a seven-day train ride the NDP took caucus took
across Canada last month.
"We are still opposed to greedy big business, greedy big banks and greedy
multinationals," she said. "However, now we are okay with greedy small
business, greedy medium-sized business, and greedy trust companies."
She continued: "'Manifesto' becomes 'prospectus' and 'ordinary Canadians
become 'investors' and 'comrades' are 'golf partners'."
The NDP doubled its vote in the recent Sherbrooke byelection, going from 1%
to 2% of the total vote. At this rate the NDP should win the riding by the
2020, she quipped.
Chretien had called her "Linda Tripp" she said. "If I'm Linda Tripp, and
Suharto is President, does that mean Chretien is Monica Lewinsky? "
The imagery was just what the largely white, male, middle-aged audience
loved. Guffaws all round.
Prime Minister Jean Chretien got himself into more political image trouble
by poking fun during the Parliamentary Press Gallery dinner on the Hill
Saturday night at the victims of RCMP pepper spray during last November's
APEC Summit protest.
But he did manage one good line at Solicitor-General Andy Scott's expense.
"People were surprised that Andy Scott didn't recognize Dick Proctor
sitting across the aisle," Chretien said. "But the Opposition has always
said Andy doesn't know Dick."
"Put a bunch of guys in a room and all you get are 'dick' jokes," cracked
NDP Leader McDonough. "Too much Viagra, guys."
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Clement Ng aka "chigger" (not Clementine...)
4th Year Integrated Science, Faculty of Science, Carleton University
E-mail: cn...@chat.carleton.ca
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/ __\ / | / / \ "War cannot be avoided, only postponed to the
/ / / || / / O \ advantages of others."
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/ /__\_____/_|__/_____/ / - Niccoli Machiavelli in *The Prince*
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dave schultz
> The following was published in last Friday's *Ottawa Sun*. I
> found McDonough's jokes to be corny, but hey read for yourself.
The whole bit about NDP changing image/terms was pretty dumb. Sherbrooke
was alright. Lewinsky is an obvious punchline for any political joke these
days, and this was stretch to say the least- moronic, to say the most.
Chretien's joke was infinitely funnier than anything that came out of
McDonough's mouth. Self-deprecation is a virtue, which is why the
Sherbrooke bit was only part that was mildly funny.
Thanks for the article.
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Dave Schultz
Vice-President, Carleton Reform Club * Treasurer, History Society
History III, Carleton University Ottawa, Ontario, Canada.
Knock, knock. Who's there?
Autumn again. What do you want?
The coolness of your temple. You can't have it.
I'll take it.
Knock, knock. Who's there?
Autumn again. -Federico Garcia Lorca (1898-1936)
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