Beyond The Commons

 Beyond The Commons

Aaron Wherry covers all the goings-on in and around Parliament Hill. Follow Aaron on Twitter: @aaronwherry

Categories: Beyond The Commons, Capital Read

The John Cusack of Canadian politics

by Aaron Wherry on Wednesday, October 28, 2009 1:00pm - 22 Comments

Michael Ignatieff on 22 Minutes last night.

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  • Susaan

    Unbelievably lame. CBC hammering home the humour as Iggy´s new department of communications launches his reality show, Ignatieff´s House get a Makeover.

  • Boethius

    Susaan,

    It's good fun. Get a life.

  • Style

    Hey, why the homage to "Say Anything" at the end?

  • CAPS

    Because Jerri said he is the John Cusak of Canadian politics.

    • Style

      And that is the only movie John Cusak has been in? Come on, there's got to be a Mike "say anything" Ignatieff joke in this somewhere…

      • hosertohoosier

        Is this the new Tory attack ad in the works? "Michael Ignatieff prefers Say Anything to High Fidelity. Ignatieff – wrong on Cusack, wrong for Canada."

      • http://solopiano2.wordpress.com solo piano

        ignatieff is a decent politician.

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

    Agreed…this isn't a coup like playing the NAC but it's hard to see how this can do anything but help Iggy.

    Would have been funny if Harper had been waiting in her bedroom with the handcuffs after Ignatieff left…

    • MJ Patchouli

      haha, that would have to be on cable, john g, or French CBC…

  • McC

    this was awesome (and I'm not a Liberal – INAL?)

  • Wascally Wabbit

    A brilliant piece – intentional or not.
    Iggy proves he can laugh at himself – and actually have fun.
    Thank you Gerri Hall – squeaky voice and all.
    Almost up to Samantha Bee level!

    • http://solopiano2.wordpress.com solo piano

      i second this post.

  • Jesse

    I laughed several times. Iggy was a little stiff and the comedian was sort of doing all the heavy lifting but its good to see him trying to bust out of the mean spirited elitist behaviour he's been throwing at us for so long.

    Ignatieff basically has the problem Harper used to have, which is that people like a happy go lucky sort of figure instead of somebody grumpy and uptight.

    • hosertohoosier

      There is a flip-side to that. Happy-go-lucky sorts often get viewed as un-serious lightweights, like Stockwell Day or George W. Bush.

  • hosertohoosier

    I thought it was a funny bit, but I think it was hurt a bit by the fact that Iggy didn't get many of the pop culture references (the writers of 22 minutes must have been born in the 70's). I think my favourite Canadian political cameos are Chretien at Harvey's and Harper on Corner Gas. The first because it was so surreal, the second because it was effective self-mockery. In general I prefer the Rick Mercer approach (ie. making himself the "straight man" and letting the politician and the general situation get the laughs) than the Marg Princess Warrior approach (where the comedian interviewer is ridiculous and the politician plays the straight man).

    Kudos to Iggy on making a particularly brave choice here.

    PS: Harper is probably more like Charlotte, while Iggy is probably more like Carrie.

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

    That was awesome :D

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

    I mean really people .. It sucks big time I mean I was waiting for some sort of punch line or at the least an attempt at some self deprecating humour actually anything that was half way funny but it dropped dead right out of the starting gate – the kids hugging Iggy the other day was far funnier – 22 minutes needs some writers or soemthing … nope sorry homey don't play dat game.

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

      Yawn……..try to have some fun once in a while. Everything bothers you. It's a shame.

      • Anon Lib

        Seriously!

      • http://solopiano2.wordpress.com solo piano

        it's healthy to laugh at politics, except when politics does the damage it does every day all across canada.

  • knick

    This was an enjoyable bit of comedy show fun – funnier still is that some will feel compelled to analyze and critique as something significant of anything.

  • http://solopiano2.wordpress.com solo piano

    hilarious.

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