Jay Leno's 'Tonight Show' mocks Brian Cowen following famous interview - SEE VIDEO
Posted on Monday, September 27, 2010 at 10:51 AM
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Following Irish Prime Minister Brian Cowen's disastrous radio interview Jay Leno created a sketch mocking the controversy.
On September 14th Brian Cowen was interviewed on one of Ireland's most popular morning radio shows, "Morning Ireland". His voice was gravelly and nasal and he fluffed names and seems out of sorts. Politicians and public alike thought that he might have been drunk.
He later admitted that he had been out and drinking the night before but that he was sober during the interview. However, he did admit that he had drunk several pints of beer the night before and had only had five and a half hours sleep.
Seeing prime ammunition Jay Leno, on his internationally syndicated NBC "Tonight Show", created a game during the stand-up slot of the show. The game was called "Bartender, Politician or Comic?" He showed a photo (see above) of Cowen and asked the audience to guess his profession.
He ended the sketch by saying "So nice to know we're not the only country with drunk morons."
The show was originally aired on September 22. It is now available on YouTube (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gRZvERI5nf8).
The Prime Minister's behaviour during the interview on September 14 brought major international interest. The BBC ran the story with the headline “Irish premier denies being hungover during interview”. The New York Times website linked to an Associated Press report with the headline, “Irish premier denies being drunk, hung over on air”.The Fox News website featured the headline: “Ireland’s embattled prime minister denies being drunk, hung over; opposition demands election.”
Mr Cowen has since apologised for his performance and stated he he had the full support of the party amid speculation over his leadership.
19 Comments
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edmundburke | Sep 29, 2010, 11:30 AM EDT
...Another reason to tune in to Conan O'Brien!!
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judygaffey | Sep 28, 2010, 05:27 PM EDT
Jay Leno is an idiot. Why do people even bother staying up late to watch him????????
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jamieLM | Sep 28, 2010, 12:13 PM EDT
Americans will even PAY to listen to comedians making fun of us at comedy clubs and on pay-per-view TV. We have black, white, Hispanic, & Asian, comedians making jokes about our racial and cultural differences, stereotypes, and lifestyles. Anyone in the news who "messes up" becomes fodder for the comedians. SNL routinely lampoons everyone in the public eye, including our presidents & First Ladies, regardless of ethnic origin. Irishimport: millions of Americans don't have a clue about where the term "paddy wagon" originated, let alone what the term means. Probably half the population thinks it's "patty wagon." Most Americans don't know who Brian Cowen is, and don't care, so not to worry. Intelligent people don't form their opinions of people based on the jokes, written by a staff, and told by comedians who get paid to tell them or from films made in la-la-land known as Hollywood.
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kateomprint | Sep 28, 2010, 10:41 AM EDT
It is true what ians007 says he was not the choice of the people just stepped into the role after Bertie Ahearne stood down after he created the majority of the mess we are in. Yes Brian Cowen is a drunken moron, everybody in this fair isle knows what a person sounds like after a good feed of beer the night before and that is exactly what he was hungover and still half drunk when he did that interview so instead of trying to cover it up why not just admit it and get on with the job in hand it is getting too much airtime. Also Mr. Cowen is believed to be a great mimic of other people and may be this is karma coming back to bite him on the arse. Mr. Cowen is from County Offaly which is a rural area in Ireland and is affectionately known here as B.I.F.F.O which means "big ignorant f**ker from Offaly so if the shoe fits Brian wear and hopefull you get blisters
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ians007 | Sep 28, 2010, 08:58 AM EDT
OK as an Irishman i think a few things need to be cleared up. Personally i don't see this as racist and i don't think many Irish people do. Cowen was a fool for doing what he did and deserves to be ridiculed BUT Leno was inferring that Ireland is a country of drunks and this is wrong. The image that was used from from years ago (when Cowen wasn't Taoiseach). In the past there was an issue with excessive drinking but this is no longer. I would consider myself to be an average Irishman - I am highly educated and skilled and i would go to the pub maybe once every 2 months (probably less). I hate the stereotypical view that we are a country of drunks. If a foreign chat show host did a sketch about Americans being thick and ignorant, I am sure there would be uproar (this is not an opinion, just an example)
Secondly, Brian Cowen was never elected as Taoiseach (Prime Minister). His predecessor Bertie Ahern was elected and stepped down and Cowen took over - there was no re-election. In saying that, if there was a re-election he probably would have gained power as a lot of people in Ireland seem to vote for the party, rather than the individual and this is passed down from parent to sibling - its especially prevalent in the rural communities.
To be honest this entire debacle has been overplayed and overhyped. The real problem in Ireland is not Brian Cowen being hungover, its cleaning up the mess that his party has left the country in after years of mismanagement. I wouldn't care less if he was drunk 24/7 as long as he and his party were doing their jobs correctly. The problem is they aren't and they have made a mockery of the government and the dynamic young people of Ireland wouldn't touch a political job with a bargepole.
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Applejuice | Sep 28, 2010, 06:21 AM EDT
Cowen and his FF cronies deserve to face a firing squad for bankrupting Ireland.His level in life is that of a small town solicitor/attorney.He only got elected because he inherited a seat from his father, like so many Irish politicans.Fat and useless, a disgrace.
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Ajreaper | Sep 28, 2010, 12:38 AM EDT
My Lord some of you need to get over yourselfs- Jay Lenos a comedian, he makes fun of people or the situations they create for themselves. It's not personal it's just a joke- relax, laugh and move on to something really truly important.
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maryemoore | Sep 27, 2010, 11:48 PM EDT
Come on people, it's a comedy show! Jay makes fun of everyone. If Cowen was stupid enough to present himself in such a manner then he is wide open for ridicule.
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laff1948 | Sep 27, 2010, 11:38 PM EDT
You know whay really bothers me is that the same celebs who preach tolerance and support for the downtrodden(even illegal imigrants) make their living belittling people. Leno is a has been who doesn't know it. His humor is gone so he has sunken to this type stuff.
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irishimport | Sep 27, 2010, 10:38 PM EDT
Well said Kilgara thats exactly why the term "paddywagon" is still used throughout North America
even on national news casts. This type of stereotyping would not be tolerated by any other community or group.
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irishimport | Sep 27, 2010, 08:41 PM EDT
Typical Leno will critize anyone whether true or not just for a story for his very second rate tonight show
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hyattsville | Sep 27, 2010, 03:01 PM EDT
It’s embarrassing to see the Taoiseach perpetuate the drunken stereo-type, there’s also a ‘Brian Cowen Lost in Europe’ British satirical clip on YouTube. It might be easier to shrug off were he and his cronies doing a decent job. They’re not. It’s definitely time for new leadership in Ireland. Oh and Leno is a plonker anyway.
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IrishAndProud | Sep 27, 2010, 02:34 PM EDT
I'm not making a case for or against Brian Cowen, here...but of what relevance is Jay Leno -- to this or anything else, really? Why is this even worthy of mention?
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plasticpaddy | Sep 27, 2010, 01:52 PM EDT
They did elect him Irishfez
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