Cardinal Biggles talking to Ramsay about Western Civ? What could possibly go wrong?
Assaulted! ANU chancellor Gareth Evans and vice-chancellor Brian Schmidt, The Australian, yesterday:
On June 1 (ANU) announced it was withdrawing from negotiations … with the Ramsay Centre for Western Civilisation … We anticipated attacks … (not a) protracted media firestorm that has continued daily … ANU has been constantly assaulted ...
Not always averse to assault. Senate Hansard, November 11, 1992 :
Senator Gareth Evans: I think the risk Senator Bishop runs, if I might put it gently, is ... that one of these days I will quietly, deliberately walk across the chamber and garrotte her.
Seemed like a good idea. Michael Gordon, The Sydney Morning Herald, January 1, 2012:
Gareth Evans … (was) nicknamed “Biggles” after he authorised the RAAF surveillance flights over the ... Franklin … Evans says the … furore would probably never have happened had there not been some spectacular miscommunication … (it) “turned into a lunatic close-to-the-ground quasi-strafing run that frightened every living creature in the vicinity’’. … Asked about Evans’ use of “the streaker’s defence’’ — that “it seemed, your worship, like a good idea at the time’’ — (former Labor PM Bob])Hawke said … “ I think all of us who know and love Gareth know that he’s got a rather dramatic and compulsive streak ... it’s not something I would have ... done.”
Don’t call me that! Troy Bramston, The Australian, October 3, 2017:
“Don’t call me Biggles,” (Gareth Evans) joked to journalists (in 1983) ...
Kind of hard not to, if the mitre fits. Monty Python, September 22, 1970:
Reg: Trouble at mill …
Lady Mountback: Pardon?
Reg: ... Mr Wentworth just told me to come in here and say that there was trouble at the mill, that’s all — I didn’t expect a kind of Spanish Inquisition. (Jarring chord) (The door flies open and Cardinal Ximenez of Spain enters, flanked by … Cardinal Biggles … (with) goggles ... (on) his forehead.
Ximenez: NOBODY expects the Spanish Inquisition! Our chief weapon is surprise … surprise and fear … Our two weapons are fear and surprise … and ruthless efficiency … and an almost fanatical devotion to the Pope … Our four … weapons … weaponry … You’ll have to say the bit about ‘Our chief weapons are …’
Biggles: (horrified) I couldn’t do that … Er … Nobody … um … Expects … um … the Spanish … um …
Ximenez: Inquisition.
Biggles: I know, I know! …
Ximenez: OK, stop. Stop … our chief weapons are … blah blah blah.
Biggles: Now, how do you plead?
Lady Mountback: We’re innocent.
Ximenez: Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha! Ha!
(Caption: “Diabolical laughter”)
Biggles: We’ll soon change your mind about that! (Caption: “Diabolical acting”) … (Biggles produces a plastic-coated dish-drying rack … (and makes a) pathetic attempt to tie her … (to it)
Ximenez: Right! How do you plead?
Lady Mountback: Innocent.
Ximenez: Ha! Right! Cardinal, give the rack (oh dear) give the rack a turn.
(Biggles stands … awkwardly and shrugs his shoulders) …
Ximenez: (gritting his teeth) … Iknowyou can’t. I didn’t want to say anything. I just wanted to try and ignore your crass mistake … It makes it all seem so stupid … just pretend for God’s sake. Ha! Ha! Ha! (Biggles turns an imaginary handle on … tdish-rack).
Ximenez: Now, old woman … Do you confess?
Old Lady: I don’t understand ...
Ximenez: Ha! Then we’ll make you understand! Biggles! Poke her with the soft cushions! … Confess! Confess! Biggles: I confess!
Ximenez: Not you!