Tuesday, February 14, 2006
Life imitates The Simpsons
If only...
(To be clear, I don't begrudge a reporter asking any damn question he pleases; surely the ritual of asking a question you know for 99.9%-certain will not be answered, but rather draw a snicker and a head-shake, is sufficient humiliation.)
Wayne Gretzky, Team Canada men's hockey boss, addresses a group of reporters.
Gretzky: ... but I'm sure that once girls get to know the real you, you'll get plenty of dates. Next question. [hands go up. He picks a Reuters reporter.]
Reporter: Yes, over here, n'hey, n'hey. The Newark Star-Ledger is now reporting that your wife bet $5000 on the Super Bowl coin flip, and tens of thousands on the game itself. How did this happen without you knowing anything?
Gretzky: Ah, yeah, well, whenever you wonder about something that seems to contradict my direct statement, 5 minutes ago, that I didn't know anything, a wizard did it.
Reporter: I see, all right, yes, but now the Las Vegas Review-Journal is reporting that...
Gretzky: Wizard!
Reporter: [under breath] Aw, for glaven out loud.
(To be clear, I don't begrudge a reporter asking any damn question he pleases; surely the ritual of asking a question you know for 99.9%-certain will not be answered, but rather draw a snicker and a head-shake, is sufficient humiliation.)