A good question

A YouTube submitted question for the great debate directed at Helen Clark but not shown.

We saw no tough questions put to Clark and all the hard ones were put to John Key-no matter though Clark fucked up the easy ones like, "how would you describe a rich person?" (she should have said "prick") and Key easily dealt with a grilling from the left.

The video is about trust and puts questions about Helen's honesty directly to her. 

Since this election is supposed to be about trust perhaps TV One could have played a YouTube clip that was central to the election campaign of the Labour Party.

c Political Animal 2008

Paul Newman's death the end of an era

The death of Paul Newman today at the age of 83 brings back memories for me of a more innocent, uncomplicated and PC free world.

I remember seeing Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid on the TV as a young boy and thinking at the time, why couldn't my Dad be more like him?

Onscreen Paul Newman often played the hero or gruff outsider. The irascible chief in Towering Inferno, the irrepressible conman in The Sting, or the reprise of his role as "Fast Eddie" Felson in The Hustler in 1961 and all those years latter in the 1986 film The Color of Money.

I grew up watching all Newman's movies and tried not to miss anything he was in. 

To me his on screen persona was the epitome of cool wrapped in an American flag.

 

I most identified with the independent, "outsider" characters that he often played.

As a watcher of his movies I also knew little of his personal life, his star seemed to shine from the screen through his performances and talent rather than what foibles he might have had in is private one.

Only when I got older did one hear snippets of what he achieved behind the cameras and in one of his last interviews on the David Letterman Show the twinkle in his eyes was still apparent.

Paul Newman was a devoted husband to Joanne Woodward and his children for 50 years, not only long in Hollywood but long for any marriage and a selfless charitable individual who raised millions through his Newman's Own brand of salad dressing and oils.

He did this all under the radar, with humility, care, kindness and an obvious love for his profession and those close to him.

An answer to the question of why wasn't he attracted to the beautiful woman he often starred alongside really sums Paul Newman up for me:

"Why go out for a hamburger when you can have steak at home".

His old fashioned sensibility, manners, talent and sense of loyalty are sadly lacking, in Hollywood especially, but also in the wider community(some of our politicians in New Zealand could learn a thing or two from him, especially about honesty) and his passing, sadly seems to leave alot of those positive characteristics dead with him with some notable Hollywood exceptions.

He was above all a gentleman.

He will be sadly missed by millions and one big fan of his down in New Zealand.

Related Link

VIDEO-Coolhand Luke Famous egg eating scene

c Political Animal 2008

Brian Henry continues to Perjur

Brian Henry's statements before the Privileges Committee yesterday simply defied belief.

There was no substance, no evidence and simply no truth to be found.

Instead we found a calculated decision by Henry on behalf of his client, Winston Peters, to continue the lies that have surrounded this whole donation mess since it was uncovered many, many months ago.

We had Peter's style accusations and bluster to make up for the vacuum of evidence and what shred of credibility as a lawyer that Henry had left was wiped away in the extended lie.

The individual that came out the worst yesterday was clearly Helen Clark.

She continues to hold on to Peters, and lie herself, to protect her Labour Government from collapse.

Her greed for power seems to  know no bounds and if this is her idea of trust then I must be breathing the atmosphere of Uranus and not earth.

Must be.

c Political Animal 2008