Well it’s official: we’re at war with Alabama. Rather than being conducted in a conventional sense this war will be one of utes vs trucks, and fought between men wearing AC/DC shirts on one side and Metallica t-shirts on the other. Fortunately all will be sporting mullets.
If you’re not sure why this war has been declared it’s the fault of comedian Robin Williams. He had the audacity to joke that Australia was basically a country made up of “English rednecks”. This drew an embarrassing sub-par comeback from Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who suggested that Robin Williams “should go and spend a bit of time in Alabama before he frames comments about anyone being particularly redneck”, he told Triple M radio. (Of course he has to say “frames comments” rather than just “calling us” or something.)
Now the Governor of Alabama Bob Riley has bought into the conflict, putting out a statement today saying he his rather confused by all this.
“I’m not sure if Prime Minister Rudd has ever been to Alabama. If he has, he would know that Alabamians are decent, hard working, creative people.
“That’s why Alabama is home to Australian companies like Austral which employs more than 1000 Alabamians at the world’s largest alumnium shipyard,” Governor Riley said.
I’m not sure whether Kevin Rudd has been to Alabama either. And while I could ask his office to clarify it for the purposes of journalist accuracy I’m not going to. You want to know why? Cause it would be stupid.
It would be stupid because Robin Williams is a comedian who was making a joke –with a lot of truth in it if we’re honest with ourselves – and Kevin Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia.
Let me repeat that: Robin Williams is a comedian and Kevin Rudd is the Prime Minister of Australia.
Hopefully the ensuing war with Alabama will teach Kevin Rudd the folly of his embarrassing habit of giving Prime Ministerial comment on every stupid machination in popular culture.
For starters that’s our job.
Secondly, it’s going to really come back to bite him in the bum one day. Just ask Kim Beazley about the pitfalls of commenting on comedians and their lives.
Take the Williams’ Letterman interview. Rudd had obviously not seen the whole thing, because if he had he would have realised Williams loves Australia.
Not only that, hilariously Rudd has managed to imitate Williams’ art by mouthing off, something Williams joked about with Letterman.
“To get on stage and get heckled in Australia is great, it’s kinda mandatory, ‘GET ON WITH IT!’ ... and that was the Prime Minister…”
So please Prime Minister cut it out Prime Minister, before you just go the whole way and demand Robin Williams face a public booting.
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