Eddie Izzard to run as London Mayor?
Action man comedian Eddie Izzard has revealed he would like to mix comedy with politics after announcing plans to run as the next mayor of London.
While some voters may argue there is already enough entertainment at City Hall under the stewardship of current floppy-haired incumbent Boris Johnson, more laughs are always welcome given the current economic doom and gloom.
A political face-off between BoJo and Izzard, two national treasures, would certainly be a fight to the finish, but who would get your vote? Metro is on hand to help you decide.
British stand-up Eddie Izzard is arguably the king of comedy on these shores having risen from performing tiny gigs at clubs in south London to sold-out shows at the country’s biggest venues.
His ability to work freely without a script and jump seamlessly between various subjects and topics will also be to his advantage should he face a grilling on The Andrew Marr show.
David Cameron famously said only Boris could turn getting stuck on a zip wire, which he did during the Olympics, into an ‘absolute triumph’.
Whether he is making us laugh with his famed ‘back of the scrum’ analogies or though his numerous gaffes and blunders, the current London mayor certainly knows how to make us smile.
In 1999, Izzard was accused of ‘recycling jokes’ after he released a DVD of the American leg of his tour before it had reached the UK.
Following a BBC Watchdog investigation, the Department of Trade and Industry issued Izzard with a warning, yet the scandal had little impact on his popularity in Britain.
New York-born Johnson was branded a ‘nasty piece of work’ by broadcaster Eddie Mair last week as he was grilled about alleged past misdemeanours in an uncomfortable BBC interview.
He was questioned over claims he had lied about having an extra-marital affair, made up a quote while working as a journalist at the Times and supplied an address to a friend who wanted someone beaten up.
Charity runner Izzard has raised thousands of pounds for good causes and in 2009 began seven weeks of back-to-back marathon runs to raise money for Sport Relief.
He received a special BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after completing 43 marathons in 51 days and his get up and go drive would certainly help him in the demanding political arena.
Boris is a keen sports fan and is regularly seen on his bike as he attends meeting and events across London.
‘I’m probably more industrious than almost anybody else I can think of,’ he said recently. ‘I get up pretty early and work pretty hard.
Politics is so ‘very dry so you need comedy to make it palatable’, Izzard said this week.
As an outspoken financial supporter of the Labour Party, Izzard has made no secret of desire to take up politics by 2020.
Downing Street could be in the sights of BoJo who has been widely touted as the prime minister David Cameron’s successor as the leader of the Conservative Party this week.
‘Obviously if the ball came loose from the back of the scrum - which it won’t - it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at it,’ he said recently. ‘But it’s not going to happen.’
Quotes
Eddie-
‘If you’re choking in a restaurant you can just say the magic words, “Heimlich maneuver,” and all will be well. Trouble is, it`s difficult to say “Heimlich maneuver” when you’re choking to death.’
‘The National Rifle Association says, “Guns don’t kill people. People do”. But I think the gun helps.’
‘I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from.’
Boris-
‘If I am a mop then you are a broom. A broom that is cleaning up the mess left by the Labour government and a fantastic job you are doing.’
‘I don’t see why people are so snooty about Channel 5. It has some respectable documentaries about the Second World War. It also devotes considerable airtime to investigations into lap-dancing, and other related and vital subjects.’
‘My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.’
‘Voting Tory will cause your wife to have bigger breasts and increase your chances of owning a BMW M3.’
Verdict
Boris Johnson v Eddie Izzard is a fight to match last year’s clash between the current mayor and his arch rival Ken Livingstone in a London lift.
Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/03/26/boris-johnson-v-eddie-izzard-who-would-get-your-vote-to-become-londons-mayor-3560074/
OP: How mega would this election campaign be? But it seems Boris wants to be Tory Party leader rather than London Mayor after 2015. So Eddie Izzard would be a shoo-in.
While some voters may argue there is already enough entertainment at City Hall under the stewardship of current floppy-haired incumbent Boris Johnson, more laughs are always welcome given the current economic doom and gloom.
A political face-off between BoJo and Izzard, two national treasures, would certainly be a fight to the finish, but who would get your vote? Metro is on hand to help you decide.
British stand-up Eddie Izzard is arguably the king of comedy on these shores having risen from performing tiny gigs at clubs in south London to sold-out shows at the country’s biggest venues.
His ability to work freely without a script and jump seamlessly between various subjects and topics will also be to his advantage should he face a grilling on The Andrew Marr show.
David Cameron famously said only Boris could turn getting stuck on a zip wire, which he did during the Olympics, into an ‘absolute triumph’.
Whether he is making us laugh with his famed ‘back of the scrum’ analogies or though his numerous gaffes and blunders, the current London mayor certainly knows how to make us smile.
In 1999, Izzard was accused of ‘recycling jokes’ after he released a DVD of the American leg of his tour before it had reached the UK.
Following a BBC Watchdog investigation, the Department of Trade and Industry issued Izzard with a warning, yet the scandal had little impact on his popularity in Britain.
New York-born Johnson was branded a ‘nasty piece of work’ by broadcaster Eddie Mair last week as he was grilled about alleged past misdemeanours in an uncomfortable BBC interview.
He was questioned over claims he had lied about having an extra-marital affair, made up a quote while working as a journalist at the Times and supplied an address to a friend who wanted someone beaten up.
Charity runner Izzard has raised thousands of pounds for good causes and in 2009 began seven weeks of back-to-back marathon runs to raise money for Sport Relief.
He received a special BBC Sports Personality of the Year award after completing 43 marathons in 51 days and his get up and go drive would certainly help him in the demanding political arena.
Boris is a keen sports fan and is regularly seen on his bike as he attends meeting and events across London.
‘I’m probably more industrious than almost anybody else I can think of,’ he said recently. ‘I get up pretty early and work pretty hard.
Politics is so ‘very dry so you need comedy to make it palatable’, Izzard said this week.
As an outspoken financial supporter of the Labour Party, Izzard has made no secret of desire to take up politics by 2020.
Downing Street could be in the sights of BoJo who has been widely touted as the prime minister David Cameron’s successor as the leader of the Conservative Party this week.
‘Obviously if the ball came loose from the back of the scrum - which it won’t - it would be a great, great thing to have a crack at it,’ he said recently. ‘But it’s not going to happen.’
Quotes
Eddie-
‘If you’re choking in a restaurant you can just say the magic words, “Heimlich maneuver,” and all will be well. Trouble is, it`s difficult to say “Heimlich maneuver” when you’re choking to death.’
‘The National Rifle Association says, “Guns don’t kill people. People do”. But I think the gun helps.’
‘I grew up in Europe, where the history comes from.’
Boris-
‘If I am a mop then you are a broom. A broom that is cleaning up the mess left by the Labour government and a fantastic job you are doing.’
‘I don’t see why people are so snooty about Channel 5. It has some respectable documentaries about the Second World War. It also devotes considerable airtime to investigations into lap-dancing, and other related and vital subjects.’
‘My chances of being PM are about as good as the chances of finding Elvis on Mars, or my being reincarnated as an olive.’
‘Voting Tory will cause your wife to have bigger breasts and increase your chances of owning a BMW M3.’
Verdict
Boris Johnson v Eddie Izzard is a fight to match last year’s clash between the current mayor and his arch rival Ken Livingstone in a London lift.
Source: http://metro.co.uk/2013/03/26/boris-johnson-v-eddie-izzard-who-would-get-your-vote-to-become-londons-mayor-3560074/
OP: How mega would this election campaign be? But it seems Boris wants to be Tory Party leader rather than London Mayor after 2015. So Eddie Izzard would be a shoo-in.