Categories: Feschuk on the famous

Prime Minister Billy Shears

Scott Feschuk on Stephen Harper as the fifth Beatle

by Scott Feschuk on Sunday, October 4, 2009 7:04am - 112 Comments

This is an important moment for the country: After nearly 20 years, we finally have a Canadian answer to Bill Clinton playing saxophone on Arsenio Hall, but with the added merit of it not in any way involving Arsenio Hall. That has to qualify as progress.

I’m not sure of the extent to which the performance of this rich person at a gala will resonate with ordinary working people, but my guess is: a fair bit, actually. Of course it was a crass strategic ploy to “humanize” the Prime Minster – but the key to any successful strategic ploy is that the strength of the ploy outweigh the inherent cynicism of the attempt. And this one totally did. It was a ballsy display of big-balled ballsiness and a huge success in the room, plus he kinda sounded like Ringo and everyone laughed when he sang, “I need somebody to love.” Mark my words: even as you read this posting, Jack Layton is tuning his guitar, Elizabeth May is figuring out how to deliver her speeches via karaoke and Michael Ignatieff is… I don’t know, what would Michael Ignatieff play? The lute? The equiviconium? The underwhelm-o-spiel? I fear a four-hour one-man play may be the price we pay for Harper’s Beatles cover. Ladies and gentlemen, Michael Ignatieff is Michael Ignatieff in Michael Ignatieff.

From our vantage in Row J, the surreal nature of last night’s proceedings was only heightened by the fact that the group in front of us included Derek Burney, who was wearing a bow tie made of sealskin. Leonard Asper and his wife were there. A bit down the row, Jim Prentice and his wife were sitting alongside designer Justina McCaffrey and Gail Asper, and as Harper concluded they all started jumping up and down, hollering “Encore! Encore!” And to the right of me? A man who earlier in the evening had revealed himself to be a theatrical Slow Clapper, and who made strange bird-call-type noises as he applauded the Chopin piece, but who sat arms folded and unmoved after Harper’s version of With a Little Help From My Friends, saying loudly, “Only an idiot sings about drugs.” That man’s name? I have no idea, but let’s say it was Stockwell Day (which it wasn’t, but it makes the story better).

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  • Parlow

    "I get high with a little help from my friends."

    Tomorrow's Headlines:
    "Hedy Fry say's PM has drug problem"
    "David McGuinty states Tory Party rife with dealers"

  • http://sean-cummings.ca Sean Cummings

    Iggy would play a sitar … a very cerebral instrument – very civilized.

    • Mark

      For some reason I picture Ignatieff playing a huge pipe organ, a la Phantom of the Opera.

      But I for one would pay to see a Harper/Ignatieff duet on Norwegian Wood.

      • keith

        how about second fiddle?

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/john_g2708 john g

    He would have come out for an encore, but I heard the only other Beatles song he knows is "Taxman"

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/VinceClortho VinceClortho

    MI: The Michael Ignatieff Story………

    Good post Scott, a number of high quality zingers and disrespectful of all partisans/nicely done.

  • Dot

    Elizabeth May hasn't quite got the timing just right, but her karaoke skills were already evident last month while leaving Central Nova to run in Saanich Gulf Islands.

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vLBKOcUbHR0

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/DaveFromToronto DaveFromToronto

    You have to give our Prime Minister credit for having a lot of nerve. (And I'm not somebody who gives the Prime Minister credit for anything very often.)

    It's ironic that a man who reportedly has difficulty collaborating with anyone would choose to sing "With A Little Help From My Friends".

    And I still find it fascinating that Mr. Harper's music preferences are those of an earlier generation. The PM was eight when Sergeant Pepper came out; he is actually younger than three of the four (original) members of R.E.M., to pick an example at random.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/Inkless Inkless

      Yo Yo Ma's the same way. He was 140 years from being born when Schumann wrote that cello concerto.

      • Sea Otter

        Zing! :-)

        I think the Beatles pretty much qualify as timeless classics. Now, had he been singing Jefferson Airplane…

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/VinceClortho VinceClortho

      Somehow I think this is more Iggy's style, including song choice.

      [youtube j440Kqc5gvg&feature=related http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j440Kqc5gvg&fe... youtube]

  • Helen

    Stephen Harper…a most excellent adventure!
    Thank you!

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

    He sings pretty well, I gotta say.

  • http://canadianpoliticsandissues.yuku.com/directory Largs

    Strange that nothing was reported on Iggy's performance of Ricky Nelson's "I'm a Travelin' Man"

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

    There is much commentary about the PM being cold, aloof and unfeeling well you can see what is happening now. The strategists are now beginning to work to soften up the PM's image in anticipation of an election. The opposition parties should pay attention because when the party decides to do something strategically they usual succeed. Watch for more of this kind of stuff. Iggy may get some time to prove he is a leader at the same time the PM will make it more difficult for him by softening his rough edges.

  • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

    There is much commentary about the PM being cold, aloof and unfeeling. Well you can see what is happening now. The strategists are now beginning to work to soften up the PM's image in anticipation of an election. The opposition parties should pay attention because when the party decides to do something strategically they usually succeed. Watch for more of this kind of stuff. Iggy may get some time to prove he is a leader but at the same time the PM will make it more difficult for him by softening his own rough edges.

  • http://www.intensedebate.com/people/hollinm hollinm

    There is much commentary about the PM being cold, aloof and unfeeling. Well you can see what is happening now. The strategists are now beginning to work to soften up the PM's image in anticipation of an election. The opposition parties should pay attention because when the party decides to do something strategically they usually succeed. Watch for more of this kind of stuff. Iggy may get some time to prove he is a leader but at the same time the PM will make it more difficult for him by softening his own so called rough edges.

    • wilson

      Seeing as it was Laureen Harper's idea… it bridged the gap between 'ordinary people' and black tie events.
      And this was a ticketed event, pay to get in.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/SeanStok SeanStok

      I fully accept that Harper is a nice, normal, personable fellow in everyday life. Why can't he bring that to work a bit more? Why should voters care if he's a sensitive, relaxed fellow – deep down – when his behaviour as Prime Minister is so often characterized by confrontation, mean-spiritedness, aloofness, and essentially encouraging his caucus and staff to revel in acting like blowhard bullies?

      We're rather doomed if voters can't assess the performance of government, or politicians. on their own terms, and are instead swayed by gut emotional assessments of whether we'd want to invite them over for tea or not.

      • John.K

        Perhaps he doesn't encourage his caucus and staff to revel in acting like blowhard bullies. Maybe they are innate blowhard bullies…

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

          you appear to be a mindless cheap-shot artist on here. Maybe you're an innate mindless cheap-shot artist, too?

          • kcm

            Pots and black kettles.

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

            Are you back to inane and cowardly cheap-shots, too? I thought I told you that it would only further expose you as juvenile and unintelligent. But I guess that didn't stop you. lol. Next.

          • kcm

            How exactly is it cowardly or inane? You think you're brave because you stick DF next to your comments? You run around these boards accusing others of failings that you exhibit in spades. 'Juvenile, unintelligent…I thought i told you..'.notice a pattern here DF? I suspect that your over-inflated opinion of yourself is yours and yours alone.

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

            Oh, you actually had a point to make with that one-liner idiocy of yours? lolol. Next.

          • kcm

            Yes i had a point. You're a self-righteous hypocrital crank. Next!!!

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

            lol, and what was that? Oh, and stop using my material. It might make it seem as though you've got some kind of envy complex. Next and next.

          • kcm

            Sad twisted little man!

      • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

        You know, I get a bit sick and tired of these accusations thrown at Harper when Chretien and gang were every bit as bad, if not worse. Chretien physically assaulted people, routinely mocked the opposition in the House, while Paul Martin got up and called the Alliance racists for bringing up a fundraiser involving the Tamil Tigers, a group later to be categorized as a terrorist organization.

        Politics involves hardball. Liberals perfected it. Now they get mad when they're on the losing end.

        I can understand the criticism to a point. But please spare me the hypocritical double standards. Unless, of course, I missed all those times you howled about Liberals doing the same and/or worse.

        • http://intensedebate.com/people/PhilCP PhilCP

          Unless, of course, I missed all those times you howled about Liberals doing the same and/or worse.

          There are a few on this site who are at least trying to "howl" regardless of the political leanings of the target.

        • kcm

          Dennis, a man without a moral compass.

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

            says the man (or woman) who apparently believes that smearing people with one-line cheap-shots constitutes a "moral compass". I couldn't make up feeble critics like this. Seriously. I must be doing something right to invoke such stupidity and cowardice.

          • kcm

            Take a look in the mirror, why don't ya! What exactly makes you so brave and virtuous Dennis? I'm curious.

          • http://intensedebate.com/people/Dennis_F Dennis_F

            Oooh, take a look in the mirror? What's next, I've got cooties? I just love it when unintelligent and resentful people try to dig themselves out of holes on here. It's a nice sideshow for me. Thanks!

          • kcm

            Seems you can't actually answer a simple question. What makes you so brave and virtuous? But you don't do self-analysis do you? Sad little man.

      • wilson

        'Why can't he bring that to work a bit more?'

        He likely does behind the scenes, but the media prefer the rough and tumble for their front pages.
        No way a Mr Sensitivity could have united Reformers and Progressive Conservatives, led them into government, and kept their government floating during this economic crisis.
        And no way Mr Angry could have kept the respect and solidarity of caucus this long.

        • Foreigner

          "He likely does behind the scenes,"

          She knows. She's Harper's number one fan

          /Misery

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/BCVoiceOfReason BCVoiceOfReason

    Big deal he sang a Beatles song. But he is once again disdainfully ignoring the urban Toronto people in that he did not rap AND / OR he totally ignored the Quebec Nation and artists by not singing 50% of the verses in French

    Seriously!

  • Riley Hennessey

    The lute!! Oh man I spat out my cereal I laughed so hard at that. Comedic genius.

  • http://theplaceofbiff.blogspot.com biff

    How crass and cynical of him,

    at the tender young age, to have practiced on the piano on cardboard, only to hear the notes for the first time in practice because his family couldn't afford a piano…..knowing all along that he would one day use these skills, not as a passionate young child adoring music, but a "pre-con" able to manipulate the masses with this false skill and passion.

    By George you have it! This only makes him LOOK human, but he's not, he's really, really not.

  • http://theplaceofbiff.blogspot.com biff

    As for the "rich man" comment, see playing on cardboard above.

    That he used his skill, talents and education to go from very modest means to more than modest means,

    is generally thought of as admirable to most Canadians. Now, being born into aristocracy, or say, a steamship co. owing family, that's another matter. Though ijudging from you comments, t appears that liberals seem to favour "old money". Perhaps the farther away the wealth aquisition, the less they are reminded of the positives of capitalism.

    • http://intensedebate.com/people/ScottFeschuk ScottFeschuk

      Uhh, biff,, i think most people would understand the "rich person" remark to be a reference to exactly one year ago and Harper's stated belief that rich-peopled galas, such as the one he expertly exploited for personal gain last night, do not resonate with ordinary Canadians.

      and for the record, i favour money in all its forms – old, new, bullion, copious…

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/MoneyCityManiac Johnny

    The PM plays Ringo while the others play checkers.

  • John

    Meet the band, Herringbone:

    http://www.herringbone.ca

  • wilson

    Any attempt to 'reframe' Harper as mr. angry, will fail.

    The framing of Stephen Harper is now complete.

    • Blues Clair

      At least you hope.

      • dan in van

        Harper has done the work for everybody. I'm afraid he should have picked Mean Mister Mustard…

  • LynnTO

    "This is an important moment for the country: After nearly 20 years, we finally have a Canadian answer to Bill Clinton playing saxophone on Arsenio Hall, but with the added merit of it not in any way involving Arsenio Hall. That has to qualify as progress."
    Was Stephen Harper offered multiple music scholarships to international universities, too? I don't remember…

    That being said, mind officially blown. I've never laughed at the PM in a good way before. It was a nice change.

  • http://intensedebate.com/people/OntarioTown OntarioTown

    Why does a liking for music have to be a generation thing? My neice, who's with it folks, and only in her 30's loves Louis Armstrong. And, just because a person is educated, they're the only ones who like classical music?

    My father-in-law, a country boy, played the violin really well ( never had a lesson in his life) and loved opera. He worked at GM. He could also play a saw.

  • Foreigner

    Bread and circuses. And the rubes lap it up.

  • Blues Clair

    Harper should of sung Bob Rae's underground hit of early 90s.

  • Observant

    Ignatieff's musical preferences go more towards Shostakovich, Scriabin, Stravinsky, Tchaikovsky and of course Prokofieff. He likes that deep and moody Russian stuff that his father always played at home on the stereo. Iggy did write that he was drawn to his father's Russian side of the family .. rather than him mother's bucolic Canadian-Scottish side … all except for Algonquin Park and Cherry Park. I'm sure he can hum a tune or two …. God Save the Queen and America the Beautiful … because "… it's your country as much as it is mine .."….

  • Bill D, Cat

    Wait 'till he unleashes his Jerry Lewis impression ( en francais , of course ) . It's all over but the crying .

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