The Queen's English

Is it just me, or does almost everything that is said with a British accent sound cool? One of my favorite movies is The Lion in Winter, because of it’s cunning dialogue and memorable quotes. Also, because Peter O’toole has that John Wayne quality in that anything that he says just sounds so cool. But I think that my favorite quote from that movie is perhaps the stupidest one, and it only works because of the accent. Prince John merely says, in that whiny voice of his, “You stink. You’re a stinker and you stink.” I can’t do that line, or this wonderful movie any justice.

Perhaps that’s why I like the Prime Minister’s questions so much, because it is so, I don’t know, British. It is so filled with pageantry and rowdiness. The people totally insult each other, but the nature of it does not make it look offensive. It’s this great back and forth, with the roar of the crowd in between.

Whenever Tony Blair gets pissed off at something that the conservative guy says, he always brings up the poll tax. Here is an illustration of what a normal exchange sounds like, with some exaggerations on my part:

Conservative Guy: Well, the prime minister sounds quite cunning when he speaks about me, but he hasn’t told you that he has ruled over the worst Economic performance in recent history, and his mother has sex with sheep.

Croud: Har Har Har Rah Rah Rah Har Har Har.

Tony Blair: Under my administration, employment is up, college admission is up, and there is far more medical access than ever before. And my mother may have sex with sheep, but I have never thought of anything as horrible as the poll tax.

Croud: Har Har Har Rah Rah Rah Har Har Har.

Can’t we bring this to America? Every time I look at it, I wish that our President had to do it. I mean, I think that Bush would crap his pants under such pressure. I’d pay money each week to see this. It’s like watching a football game, with the jockeying for position, the fight for the ball, and the rowdiness of the crowd. Perhaps I’d go to a Bar and slam back a few cold ones and start singing fight songs every time one of the Liberals scored a good blow. Don’t you think that we could get more people involved in Democracy if it was just another excuse to drink?