IRB pulls Key's awkward handshake: The cult of NZ self censorship

IRB pulls John Key handshake from YouTube
The International Rugby Board (IRB) has apparently clamped down on video footage showing Prime Minister John Key's bumbled attempts to shake Richie McCaw's hand following the Rugby World Cup final.

Key's awkward and desperate 'me too' RWC handshake is just another eye rolling foible that our Optimist Prime has busted out in public.

Let's not forget his cannibalism joke after suddenly ending Tuhoe settlement negotiations based on opinion polls from angry white voters from Auckland's North Shore after an inflammatory piece on TVNZ that threatened Maori world domination if the deal went through.

Let's not forget the embarrassing beat down handed to him by BBC's HardTalk that tore into his position on scientists and his inability to retain the 100% pure brand we've invested so very much money and time into, for a world increasingly becoming polluted and will be willing to pay a premium for our product. That was cringe worthy.

Let's not forget his impersonation of mincing on the catwalk at a Rugby World Cup volunteers launch.

Let's not forget his stilted performance on Letterman that actually made the role of PM look exactly like that portrayed in Flight of the Concords.

Let's not forget his whole, 'it's your fault you're getting food parcels' comment and his belief to Church leaders that if he cut the benefit that bugger all would die.

Look, we have to accept our PM is a bit of a gormless dick at times and he brainfarts ill conceived and vile ideas. We should be forgiving, the All Blacks have won after all.

But what we can be contemptuous of, is the gutless self censorship gagging the NZ Mainstream Media at the moment. From denying the Herald access for 10 days after publishing a legitimate news story, to banning me on RNZ for criticizing John Key too harshly, the IRB's decision to remove John's awkward triple handshake is the sort of needless deference to power that should rankle every NZers sense of egalitarianism and fairness.

John was a clown, it was on Youtube, removing that content is an over reaction and level of self censorship that isn't healthy in a Democracy. We value debate and I think as a nation hunger for it, but this type of behaviour is a deference to power that should be noted and challenged.

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