He’s good for one thing…
March 30, 2009 at 9:38 am 1 comment
Our Taoiseach has been ridiculed in a spectacular stunt by an ‘artist’ (term used tentatively). A cartoonist has caricatured Cowen in paint, framed it and somehow dodged the iron security of Ireland’s National Gallery. Can I bring in this bag? “Yeah, sure you’re grand.” They’re such pleasant front-line staff at the Gallery – especialy the security people.
As you’ll no doubt be aware: he hung it up amongst the National Portrait collection with an offensive (though accurate) label alongside. Brilliant stunt altogether.
Today FM broke the story, RTE television also reported it in full colour on the 9 o’clock news.
Then, disturbingly, in further signs that Ireland really is resembling a banana republic again; FF demanded that the Director General of RTE “consider his position” (that’s rich coming from a party of corruption who rarely consider their own positions, no matter how serious the matter), RTE apologised (so they really ARE the State Broadcaster then) for insulting the office of Taoiseach, and Today FM’s studios were raided by the Irish Police force, who demanded to see all email correspondence with the ‘artist’.
The painting is poor as art, and even as a cartoon; a good likeness, if a little slim; tasteless and childish to be honest. However it’s given us all a good laugh – Cowen’s good for something then, but it’s also brought us a foretaste of just how arrogant and even dictatorial this Fianna Fail government might become. Has Cowen been taking tips from Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez?
See my own comments on Fergus O’Donoghue‘s excellent blog here.
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Sloopy | April 6, 2009 at 10:51 am
I think the main problem was not the original prank but the decision of RTE to display the picture. We have enough coarseness in society without these infantile pictures appearing on the evening news.
Regarding the original prank – if the police investigate it well then so be it. It does seem a crime was committed after all. The media seem to think that because they don’t want it to be investigated then it shouldn’t be. All this talk of “have a sense of humour” is truly nauseating. I don’t recall legality being determined by hilarity.