SASHA NAGY
Globe and Mail Update Published on Friday, Nov. 07, 2008 4:50PM EST Last updated on Tuesday, Mar. 31, 2009 9:11PM EDT
Imagine for a minute you are Sarah Palin. It's the dying days of the Campaign to Nowhere, but things are looking up, at least for you. Some suggest you should take a run for the U.S. presidency in 2012. As proof of your growing stature, world leaders seem eager to speak with you. In fact, French President Nicolas Sarkozy is holding on Line 1. What to do? Refuse the call? Heck, no. It's Maverick time!
Right. It must have made so much sense at the time, but one wonders what on earth Ms. Palin's handlers were thinking when they put the call through.
Of course, the results were disastrous for the McCain campaign. The call was a prank perpetrated by Quebec's Masked Avengers. After six or seven excruciating minutes of small talk and cringe-worthy exchanges, the Avengers gave up the ruse and told Ms. Palin that she was being pranked. They might have also mentioned that her bid for office had officially become a joke. The initial news reports on the call became public last Saturday and the video posted to globeandmail.com quickly became 2008's most viewed. Needless to say, it led the weekly video views list.
1. Quebec Duo Pull Prank on Palin (Canadian Press) 46,752 views
See above. The Masked Avengers strike again. The Quebec duo scored with their classic crank-call gag. The highlight of the call came early, when the eager Ms. Palin came to the phone before "Mr. Sarkozy" was on the line. She can be heard laughing to her handlers, "I always DO that...." Yes, Ms. Palin. We are sure you do.
2. McCain and Fey on SNL (Associated Press) 26,168 views
The same night Ms. Palin skewered John McCain's campaign, the Republican presidential candidate tried to boost his campaign with a last minute appearance on SNL doing, among others , a skit that involved hawking knives on a television shopping network. Good thing he didn't know about the faux-Sarkozy call at the time, it could have been messy.
3. Ben Mulroney Ties the Knot (Canadian Press) 20,751 views
Closer to home, Canada's answer to Ryan Seacrest got married to fashion designer and stylist Jessica Brownstein on Oct. 30, 2008. Ms. Brownstein and the Canadian Idol host, son of former Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, were married at a private ceremony at St. Patrick's Basilica in Montreal.
4. Obama's Speech (Associated Press) 19,554 views
Barack Obama repeated his signature phrase, "Yes we can," and it echoed over the more than 100,000 people in attendance for his victory speech in Chicago early Wednesday morning. The speech was eloquent and inspiring and was a fitting signpost to mark a new political era in the United States, not to mention the official end to the Bush years.
5. Footage From The Crash Scene (Globe and Mail) 14,042 views
A semi-trailer tumbled from a Toronto freeway off-ramp onto traffic below during rush hour Wednesday morning killing one person and injuring several others. It's the type of freak incident that is a commuter's worst nightmare.
6. Watch Jennifer Moore Get Suitable (Globe and Mail) 11,011 views
The second finalist in the Globe Life's makeover contest gets the Verner treatment. The result? Jennifer Moore, a Toronto-based financial planner and mother of two, gets a new look. Ms. Verner's stylists ask the question pondered by web site editors every single day, 'When you've got it, why not flaunt it?' Check out the video to see the results.
7. Palin Prank, Part 1 (Associated Press) 10,766 views
The Palin Prank audio clip, part one. The Masked Avengers in all their glory. It never gets old. Not as many people listened to Part 2, which was too bad because some of the best exchanges took place on that tape.
8. McCain's Concession Speech (Associated Press) 9,433 views
John McCain made a classy exit late Tuesday night after it was clear his run for the White House was over. Unlike the angry, impatient person that many saw during the dying days of his campaign, this McCain was gracious, kind and more than anything else, sincere. Calling on Americans to embrace Barack Obama as their new president, and his promise to support him, he reminded many that he indeed has been a faithful public servant to his country over the years. A classy exit from the stage.
9. Obama on The Daily Show (Associated Press) 7,163 views
Obama was still running for President when he appeared on Jon Stewart's show. The host mentioned many of the stereotypes that the McCain camp had tried to label him with; terrorist, chief among them. A good time was had by all, and the laughs did not come at McCain's expense, though in the end, they probably did.
10. Spotlight on Palin Pranksters (Canadian Press) 6,160 views
The Masked Avengers take New York. The comedy duo appear on The Early Show and talk about their prank on Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. The most interesting revelation that surfaced in the interview? The Masked Avengers have only had to reveal their identities twice when the victims of their pranks failed to clue in to the joke. Those occasions were calls to Sarah Palin and Britney Spears. Nice company.
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