Canadian Comedian Fails Miserably In Trying To Embarrass Sarah Palin
Hey did you hear about Sarah Palin’s book tour? Turns out that the former VP candidate and Alaskan Governor is on some sort of press tour and is trying to get in the news. During a book signing event in Columbus, Ohio, Canadian Comedian Mary Walsh ambushed Palin with camera crew and microphone to seek her thoughts on the Canadian health care system (and ostensibly embarrass her as well.)
While the event security detail prevented a meaningful interview, Palin did provide some basic comments consistent with her conservative position. While many websites are now presenting this video clip as evidence of her naivete, the video actually acquits Palin quite well, and makes the comedian look far more foolish than her target. Perhaps more stunning is that this clip has received a lot of play on numerous news sites, despite the fact it comes from a comedy show.
Some background. This Hour Has 22 Minutes, is described by many as the Canadian Daily Show. Comedian Mary Walsh plays one of the characters named “Marg Delahunty” — a strident conservative who is known (in Canada at least) for buttonholing politicians and conducting satirical interviews. As she approaches the table where Palin is signing books she yells “I just wanted to ask you if you have any words of encouragement for Canadian conservatives who have worked so hard to try to diminish the kind of socialized medicine we have up there.”
Security quickly ushers Walsh away, but not before Palin replies “Keep the faith. Because common sense conservatism can be plugged in there in Canada too. In fact, Canada needs to reform its health care system and let the private sector take over some of what the government has absorbed.”
What’s not clear about this segment is the funny. Everything about it is rather predictable, even the canned laughter throughout. What IS clear about the clip is the way that its been presented via many websites. The Huffington Post presents the clip with the headline “Palin Tricked By Comedian Again, Says Canada Should Drop Public Health Care.” Raw Story’s headline claims “Palin tells Canada to get rid of public health care.” Google News results on “Marg Delahunty” provide more examples.
Sarah Palin does have a history here. In November of last year she unwittingly took a prank call from a well-known Canadian comedian posing as French President Nicolas Sarkozy. In the infamous six-minute call, Mrs. Palin discussed politics and the dangers of hunting with Vice President Dick Cheney, all the while being clueless she was not indeed speaking with the French president.
The segment is best viewed as evidence of one’s predisposition towards Sarah Palin. If one sees her as a intellectual lightweight, you might find this to be humorous. If one sees her as the target of unfair media attacks – then this will definitely support that view.
22 comments
rmbltmbl says: Nice story. ‘Thank you.’ :)
Grammie says: Thank God Palin isn’t our VP.
With her gullibility and naivete she might have hammed it up at the first State Dinner with two wanna be reality stars who crashed the party and even allowed herself to be photographed with them grinning like a jackass eating cactus!
I’m so glad that I can hold my head up today with pride b/c we finally have an intellectual, nuanced and sophisticated group in the White House.
Nachi says: But it’s rather hard to embarrass something like a Sarah Palin. Hard to make sense out of – nonsense.
Rachel Sklar says: I fail to see how anyone at the party was responsible for knowing the identity of every person seeking a photograph…that’s just silly.
As for this post, I have a theory about why it’s being picked up by HuffPo and Raw Story – because it’s the day after Thanksgiving! And it’s Palin! Cha-ching. I agree that there is no gotcha here – very, very different than the Sarkozy embarrassment (btw a far greater embarrassment than taking a photo with someone). Actually Palin was quite gracious in responding not once but twice, despite the barging into her book signing and subsequent loading dock ambush (I guess the Canucks are watching Bill O’Reilly!). The clip just isn’t really that funny. BTW “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” has a history of doing this sort of thing; they also did it to George Bush. It’s a blip.
kanawa says: The only one Walsh embarrassed was herself.
If I was a little more thin-skinned I’d be embarrassed myself as a Canadian at her childish attempt at humour.
Sarah is a national treasure. You folks are blessed to have her.
She is a principled and intelligent woman with a graciousness beyond what some of the posters above seem capable.
Go Sarah, 2012!
HalifaxCB says: My apologies from Canada. “This Hour has 22 Minutes” is in general pretty pathetic drivel of the sort that could only exist on a state supported broadcaster like CBC. I would also like to express my appreciation towards Govenor Palin, the people waiting in line, and the security personnel for handling this incident with grace.
Grammie says: ” Rachel Sklar says:
November 27, 2009 at 1:42 pm
I fail to see how anyone at the party was responsible for knowing the identity of every person seeking a photograph…that’s just silly. ”
I’m sorry that you didn’t appreciate my snarky sarcastic jab at those who weep, swoon and weep again for The One for his super human attributes while simultaneously heaping scorn on we, gasp, conservative Repubs.
Stories that are hyped as proof positive of the absolute stupidity, ignorance and naivete of all prominent Repubs, especially GWB and Palin, are ever legion and seem to be de rigeur for the MSM. I wish I had a dollar for every time such accusations were thrown my way b/c I am a conservative Repub. You don’t agree with me that if this happened to GWB and VP Cheney it would have been fodder for more dumb accusations against GWB and his staff?
As for the picture taken I consider it to be a really big deal b/c of what it undeniably demonstrates. I’m surprised that you are so sanguine about two people gaining such access to both POTUS and the VP. I would not be surprised that they could have smuggled in a small explosive thru the Metal Detectors and blown up the whole venue if they had been dedicated terrorists with some good technical back up..
My guess is that the ultimate fault is going to fall on a BHO staffer who overrode the Secret Service.
I can’t stand Sarah Palin and think she’s a lightweight who isn’t remotely qualified for the presidency (or the vice-presidency, for that matter.) But I do think she acquitted herself well, and the unfunny comedian came off like a buffoon.
I don’t think either of the women are losers because you could argue that with her second response, Ms. Palin was saying that aspects of the Canadian system could possibly use some Americanization and the comedian’s premise is based on the foundation of those numbers from the Raw Story poll.
But you know… I didn’t read the poll, but if you were to survey Americans about our system of elections general contentment would likely poll very high, while if you press, I’m sure people could name some needed reforms.
David B. says: Palins dead on on this one.I live up here in this socialist eutopia.Our HC systems a failure that is going off a cliff due to costs.Your media reports we spend less per person on HC.Yes our federal government does.However our provincial governments pay up to 40%of their entire budgets on HC.These huge costs are expected to rise to 80%as baby boomers retire.Your media fails to point out our governments federal and provincial ,are talking about a massive overhaul.They are looking at free market solutions included in their discussions.Our government has to do something.Just raising the individual payer premium payment can not alone,cover whats on route.If you like rationing,cutbacks,waiting lists,and huge taxes,then universal HC is a great idea.If not I suggest America listens to her and others,free market ideas.After all,if you join us in adopting a system like ours,where the heck will we go for life saving surgery?Not that Americans care,but it should point to an obvious conclusion.Your HC system although needing modest reforms,is the worlds best.
Palin addresses the prank call and her thoughts as the interview turned in a strange direction in Going Rogue. Something people need to consider is this question: At what point to you tell someone you have been told is a foreign dignitary that you’re creeped out by his conversation? And under what circumstances would you question if s/he was whom s/he said s/he was? How could you possibly know if you have never spoken to him/her? Melanie Morgan of Move America Forward said that back when she was an ABC News reporter assigned to interview Yassir Arafat, the PLO leader hit on her in an uncomfortably crude fashion. Palin had already been drooled over by the President of Pakistan in her getting-to-know-you meetings at the United Nations. How was she to know this wasn’t more of the same?
I guess some of you think that if Obama had been told that the French PM was on the phone for him (which is a screwup of the campaign rather than the candidate, Steve Schmidt), the Great and Mighty O would have quickly decided that this guy with the French accent couldn’t possibly be Sarkozy, and hang up. Well, consider this: The same comedians previously “got” Sarkozy himself as well.
Maybe HuffPo’s BHO-protecting people should get around to mentioning that fact now that Obama’s sheen has worn off for Sarko.
grahampink says: Mary Walsh is a socialist/progressive fool who has been sucking on the Canadian taxpayer funded CBC teat for as long as I can remember. That’s her whole shtick, so there’s nothing new here.
Sarah Palin needs to kept from talking too much.
The more she speaks off-script the dumber she’s shown to be.
That’s why her handlers will never let her appear on “Meet the Press” or “Face the Nation.”
Softball Fox News questions answered in refrigerator magnet statements are all she can handle.
Btw, Rupert Murdock owns Fox News and Palin’s book publisher, HarperCollins you betcha.
sueNaustin says: Grammie,
It is Thanksgiving and I think letting such bitterness (in addition to snarky, sarcastic) go would be better for you.
Sunnyr says: The Village Idiot in the White House is running about even with 3 Republican likely candidates, including Sarah Palin. This must be humiliating for this administration after only 1 year in office. People in this country are counting the days until they can boot his sorry bott OUT OF OFFICE!
brigitte yee says: the only idiots in washington right now are illegally occupying the White House. I is not the black house. It is called the WHITE House for a reason.
Palin 2012
MikeLI631 says: Canadian huh ?
Figures.
Tom says: The thing about idiots like Dave Martin, Grammie, and Nachi is that they cannot respond with any sort of logic or objectivity to an item like this. For them, it is simply an opportunity to smear an individual who their cohorts consider “irrelevant.” Thus, their words have no meaning, and this site is wasting bandwidth having their comments on here. To honestly see this incident as reflecting badly on Palin requires not simply derangement, but an utter psychosis. Thus, they are either liars or suffering from a complete mental incapacity of thought.
And Grammie, as for the current crowd in the White House being ” intellectual, nuanced and sophisticated”: When an administration which cannot even handle simple things like gifts to the sons of world leaders, protocol when meeting heads of state, or even the spelling of a common type of wine is considered to have a any characteristic higher than than “sheer incompetence,” then you demonstrate a compulsive dishonesty–or at best a cult-mentality disorder–which renders your opinion not only worthless, but morally unjustifiable.
Laurs1 says: Grammie is PROUD of the “intellectuals” in the WH? Surely not THIS WH, where the rookies roam and completely misunderstand foreign policy, not to mention domestic. Palin takes a phone call seriously — who wouldn’t?— while BO misreads virtually all foreign leaders. Hmm. I wonder which is more important or dangerous. I wonder who is more naive or lacking in intellect. This last, Grammie, is a rhetorical wondering, as the answer is absolutely, perfectly obvious.
shootfromthehip says: Hmm let’s see.
Bridgette Yee is apparently a racist and thinks BO is “illegally occupying the White House.” Based on what, she doesn’t say.
Tom thinks bowing to the Japanese is bad protocol (opposite, my friend!).
Laura thinks BO misreads “virtually all foreign leaders” without offering up any examples of why she thinks this.
Palin fans are apparently just as intellectually challenged as Palin is, it seems.
The crazy from the right just does not stop–even on Thanksgiving weekend.
homie says: “If one sees her as a intellectual lightweight, you might find this to be humorous. If one sees her as the target of unfair media attacks – then this will definitely support that view.”
I’ll meet you in the middle. I view her as an intellectual lightweight who fails to possess even a passing understanding of 7th grade civics, who is the victim of frequent and, arguably, ‘unfair’ media attacks.
Mkay?
homie says: “Bridgette Yee is apparently a racist and thinks BO is “illegally occupying the White House.” Based on what, she doesn’t say.”
Kind of funny coming from someone with a non-caucasian surname such as Ms. “Yee”. As to her moronic comment about illegally occupying the WH, hadn’t you heard? ACORN ’stole’ 2008. LOL
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