Inkless Wells

Paul Wells on all the latest out of Ottawa—along with the occasional post about jazz. Follow Paul on Twitter: @InklessPW

Categories: Capital Read, Inkless Wells

Hey look: Which one was Reuben Kincaid?

by Paul Wells on Friday, April 15, 2011 9:32am - 10 Comments

From the magazine, my written-on-deadline column about Tuesday’s English-language leaders’ debate. It ends more seriously than it begins:

As for the set: corrugated metal, beige ’70s colours—at last I realized why it all looked so familiar. The broadcasters had stationed the leaders of Canada’s political parties in front of the tour bus from The Partridge Family.

Tags: Election 2011, Great rock bands of the '70s, self-promotion

More by Paul Wells

truthintoronto

There were times that Jack Layton's head — in particular — almost completely belended in with the mustardy coloured backdrop behind him.

Whether this is a good or bad thing — of coure — entirely depends on one's politics…
gottabesaid

Wells, you have to be careful throwing those Partridge Family references around… unless you enjoy planting the 'C'mon Get Happy' song in people's heads. Talk about excruciating.

Patchouli

I THINK I LOVE YOU!

Jameshalifax

Well, to be fair……the Partrigdge Family was a very popular show a couple of years after Michael Ignatieff abandoned Canada.

That decor was quite appropriate given the circumstances.

bergkamp

I was saying to my missus while we watched debate that it was like Goodbye, Lenin.

Did not want to give Iggy a shock, heart attack, so they used similar colour scheme that was popular when he left Canada thirty years ago.

ilikejazztoo

Paul, are you still submitting to the PM's 5 question limit and if so why are you of all people playing along?

Paul Wells

Haven't been on any leader's tour for a week. Thanks for paying such close attention to my coverage. I wonder how you think it would be possible for a reporter not to "play along." Also: were you up in arms about this business when it was Paul Martin taking questions off a list of reporters in 06?

ilikejazztoo

Sorry about not staying up to speed on your coverage I was… yunno…living my average guy day job life out here in the nation. Not everyone's a high powered reporter living the good life… tweeting from the swanky digs at the French language debate then doing a stand up on "the Hill" then dashing off cutting and clever rejoinders to schmucks in Comments sections.
Don't know, don't care about what happened in '06. Quit showing off with your encyclopedic knowledge and near total recall and riddle me this…. What do you make of the recently floated idea in the Globe that reporters refuse to "play along" with the carefully scripted PM tour. Would a blackout by the national media force them to play along with you guys?

http://stumblingabordeaux.posterous.com Pato31

I might be the only person on the face of the earth to have enjoyed the set. This sort of post-industrial geometric aesthetic with my favourite yellow!
Anon

Gad, no. The only thing missing was the avocado-coloured fridge.