Post by Trent Matsunoshin on Oct 21, 2007 5:03:07 GMT 1
Australian PM ambushed by bunnies
Fri Oct 19, 12:22 PM ET
SYDNEY (AFP) - Embattled Australian Prime Minister John Howard was accosted on Friday by comedians dressed as giant bunnies who encouraged him to "pull a rabbit out of his hat" to save himself from electoral disaster.
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Howard, who in May warned his cabinet they risked being "annihilated" at this year's polls and that he had no political rabbit to pull out of his hat to save them, was unimpressed by the interruption to his morning walk.
The prime minister was in Sydney when he was heckled by three comedians from "The Chaser's War on Everything" television program who were dressed as white rabbits and carrying signs that read 'economy' and 'interest rates'.
"We know you need to pull a rabbit out of your hat, so here's a few," one of them shouted at Howard, who was wearing running shoes, shorts and a windbreaker.
The prime minister, who earlier this week chided the satirical show over a song that made fun of dead celebrities including Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, Princess Diana and cricketing legend Don Bradman, was not amused.
"You blokes are a lot funnier when you pick on somebody who is alive," Howard told them Friday, referring to the dead celebrities song.
Though he made no other comment to them, the comedians were at first undeterred, hopping along beside him and continuing to shout encouragements.
"Come on prime minister, why don't you just take one rabbit, you only need one rabbit to get you over the line," one said.
Howard, who is trailing Labor opposition leader Kevin Rudd badly in opinion polls, ignored them and they went away.
The prime minister later said he was unimpressed with the antics of the comedians, focusing again on the dead celebrities song that included the line "even tools (idiots) turn into top blokes after death."
"It reflects poorly on them and it reflects very poorly on people who think it's funny," Howard told reporters.
"The Chaser" came to international prominence in September when footage of its fake motorcade being waved through security checkpoints during an Asia Pacific summit in Sydney was carried by news outlets around the world.
Fri Oct 19, 12:22 PM ET
SYDNEY (AFP) - Embattled Australian Prime Minister John Howard was accosted on Friday by comedians dressed as giant bunnies who encouraged him to "pull a rabbit out of his hat" to save himself from electoral disaster.
ADVERTISEMENT
Howard, who in May warned his cabinet they risked being "annihilated" at this year's polls and that he had no political rabbit to pull out of his hat to save them, was unimpressed by the interruption to his morning walk.
The prime minister was in Sydney when he was heckled by three comedians from "The Chaser's War on Everything" television program who were dressed as white rabbits and carrying signs that read 'economy' and 'interest rates'.
"We know you need to pull a rabbit out of your hat, so here's a few," one of them shouted at Howard, who was wearing running shoes, shorts and a windbreaker.
The prime minister, who earlier this week chided the satirical show over a song that made fun of dead celebrities including Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin, Princess Diana and cricketing legend Don Bradman, was not amused.
"You blokes are a lot funnier when you pick on somebody who is alive," Howard told them Friday, referring to the dead celebrities song.
Though he made no other comment to them, the comedians were at first undeterred, hopping along beside him and continuing to shout encouragements.
"Come on prime minister, why don't you just take one rabbit, you only need one rabbit to get you over the line," one said.
Howard, who is trailing Labor opposition leader Kevin Rudd badly in opinion polls, ignored them and they went away.
The prime minister later said he was unimpressed with the antics of the comedians, focusing again on the dead celebrities song that included the line "even tools (idiots) turn into top blokes after death."
"It reflects poorly on them and it reflects very poorly on people who think it's funny," Howard told reporters.
"The Chaser" came to international prominence in September when footage of its fake motorcade being waved through security checkpoints during an Asia Pacific summit in Sydney was carried by news outlets around the world.
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