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Covering One’s Ass
Despite Canada’s love-hate relationship with the CBC, we’re big fans of York theatre grad Barbara Budd. Budd has co-hosted CBC Radio One’s venerable As It Happens since 1993, and the Toronto-based show is known across Canada and satellite radio for its off-the-wall take on current events.
Probably the show’s most cringingly infamous clip is from 1976, when Barbara Frum is goaded into profanity, trying in vain to interview a hard-of-hearing British farmer about the world’s largest cabbage. As it often, er, happens on the show, the interviews have hilariously unexpected results.
This week, Barbara Budd interviewed a Texan lawyer about a court case which found his donkey taking the stand. Budd and defendant Greg Shamoun couldn’t resist the obvious opportunity for humour.
BB: Buddy is, of course, the name of your donkey.
GS: Buddy is my ass. That’s correct.
BB: Can you describe your ass for us, please?
GS: My ass is about 300-pounds and it’s three-and-a-half feet tall and my ass is kinda furry…and very well groomed. And he’s housebroken.
…
BB: Now, what was the point in bringing him in?
GS: The best evidence of my ass’ behaviour is looking at my ass face-to-face. I mean, if they’re gonna talk about my ass, don’t you think maybe they ought to be able to see it as opposed to seeing pictures of my ass?
BB: So did the jury get a pretty good look at it?
GS: All six jurors got a face-to-face picture of my ass right in the courtroom…I gave them the opportunity to pat my ass or talk to my ass, and then after they observed, my ass went back home.
It’s moments like this when we heart the CBC all over again. Barbara Frum would be proud.
CORRECTION: It seems like the interview was actually conducted by Carol Off. We still love us some Budd, though.
Photo: CBC (left); Dallas Morning News (right)