Sarah Carey took the Democracy Now celebrity cabal out to the woodshed this morning.

What happened next is almost too painful to watch.

KAZAM!

“…what the putative commentator candidates did, is undermine the mandate of the elected by claiming they are there by default – that we are where we are because the electorate had no choice. That other brilliant brains are excluded by an in-group conspiracy.

If Shane Ross, Paul Sommerville and John McGuirk can run so can David McWilliams, Fintan O’Toole and Eamon Dunphy. There is no conspiracy – there are simply choices. The non-runners have made theirs.”

BOOM!

“First, spare us the “civic involvement in a new democracy” meme. We have civic involvement in our democracy. It’s called the vote. People who win that vote have a mandate. People in the media don’t. If the reformers get a mandate, we’ll get the reform.”

KAPOW!

“What does it take anyway? A graphic designer would come up with a swoosh in a day. A manifesto? No problem: if there’s one thing a journalist can do, it’s write to a deadline. Then get that profile shot on your website over to the printers. You can hire a company to put posters up.After that, the lads have what other candidates can’t buy – national name recognition and a regular platform across all media. No money could pay for the free publicity.”

KERCHANG!

“The candidates will get abuse on the doorsteps and take part in public debates where the winner is deemed to be the most abusive presenter. Many will lose the fight for the seat. But there will be honour and integrity in that loss. The runners and riders are those who make a democracy work and we have a democracy, now.”

Crikey. You go girl, etc.

Angry Men Lack The Courage Of Conviction (Sarah Carey, Irish Times)

httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D5beGShMu_w&feature=player_embedded#

Stonkin’

Phil Collins’s “You Can’t Hurry Love” performed by comedian David Armand for BBC2’s Fast and Loose.

The Greatest