Humor in speeches. How bad can it go? Real bad!

We Americans used to be able to rely on Canadians for having good sense. (The old joke being, “How do you get 100 drunk Canadians out of a swimming pool? Say, ’Guys, get out of the pool.’”) But speaking of jokes, they went all the way bad for Canada’s Green Party Leader Elizabeth May, who tried to be edgy but wound up being only offensive and profane and mystifying, at the annual Ottawa Press Gallery Dinner last weekend.

How bad? She was forced to apologize afterward, according to the National Post: “My jokes weren’t working at all. What people need to know is that it’s an attempt at something that I’m obviously never going to try again."

Sounds like a good idea.. —DM