Media Research Center is upset with the BBC:

The very conservative and slightly nutty MRC takes the BBC to task in their CyberAlert for last Friday:

BBC Election Coverage Features Derisive George Bush Impersonator

The BBC's idea of humor during its live election coverage on Thursday night: Bring aboard an impersonator of President George W. Bush to mispronounce names, confuse titles and terms and advocate Florida-style vote fraud. [... ] About an hour earlier, the BBC had featured an impersonator of Tony Blair who played him as an elitist snob.

[MRC transcript, emp add]

Natasha Kaplinsky [BBC]: "The party is in full swing here at Television Centre with some extraordinary guests turning up. We were speaking to the Prime Minister early on. Well, President Bush has turned up, no less. Can you believe it? President, we are truly honored to have you with us this evening."

Bush impersonator: "Well, listen, Miss Nancy Kerplucky, I'm awfully proud to be with you. You're in Londonchester, Ohio, while you're having your general electrician while you try and find your new Prime Sinister, and I just wanted to pitch in with my people and wish my staunch ally, Barry Blair, a bunch of luck, him and his Chandelier of the Exchequer, Charlie Brown. I think they're going to kick royal ass. It's like four, nil, nil, like in the ball game, that's pretty good. So we're holding out a bunch of hope there, so it's just good luck from myself and Donald and Condoleezza Rice and her Uncle Ben, let's bring it on."

Kaplinsky: "What do you think of the political characters here in Britain?"

Bush impersonator: "Oh, I dig'em."Kaplinsky: "Yeah?"

Bush impersonator: "I think they're real good. I love John Prescott, it's a shame he didn't punch nobody because that was fun. I was just watching Pax Man before, he's some kind of super hero. I love your Peter Snow*, he's like a sort of crazy woodpecker something, it's crazy. And who else do we have? Charles F. Kennedy, he's kind of like the big eagle out of the Muppet Show, I like him, and Michael Howard the Duck from the Convertible Party, I sort of took a catch line off of him: 'Are you not thinking what I'm not thinking?' Thank you, Michael Howard the Duck."

Kaplinsky: "What would you say to the eventual winner, President Bush?"

Bush impersonator: "Hey, I've had a bunch of experience at this. I would say this: If you don't get the result you want, keep counting the ballots until you do get it, and, you know, this is Britain, this is like the United States of Britainland. I mean, it's only about as big as Florida, it's not too difficult to run a place like this, just pretend that you're the janitor of this cute little country, and you'll be fine. And, you know, Tony, if you don't get it -- I think you will -- but if you do not, you're still welcome to come around the White House. I'll welcome you. You're not allowed on the furniture, and you still have to beg for treats, but you can come around. God bless."

Kaplinsky: "Yes, thank you very much indeed for your time this evening. Enjoy the rest of the party."

Bush impersonator: "Inoption's not an action, roll VT, invade Iran, you're hot, I looked you up on the Web."

Kaplinsky: "Oh, now back to the studio for some words of wisdom."

The BBC isn't as reserved as one might think.

* - Peter Snow is a BBC reporter, seen most recently on the PBS airing of Battlefield Britain. Unfamiliar people mentioned by the Bush impersonator are probably BBC regulars.

posted by Quiddity at 5/09/2005 08:24:00 PM