Most excellent:
China’s top-ranking UN diplomat embarked on a drunken rant against the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, telling his boss he’d “never liked” him, and adding for good measure that he didn’t like Americans either.
The outburst by Sha Zukang at a retreat for top UN officials in the Austrian ski resort of Alpbach left senior UN officials cringing in embarrassment as others tried to convince him to put down the microphone, according to Washington-based Foreign Policy magazine.
“I know you never liked me Mr. Secretary-General – well, I never liked you, either,” said Mr Sha as Mr Ban looked on, smiling and nodding awkwardly during the 15-minute toast attended by the UN’s top brass.
I’d pay to watch the crowd reaction.
Poopyman
That sounds awesome! Surely somebody there must have gotten a few minutes of video on their cell phone. Might take a while for it to get passed from person to person to get “sanitized” so nobody loses their job, but we can still hope, yes?
Maude
At least he kept his shoes on.
Redshirt
Wonder if this helps/hurts his political career in China; I could see it going both ways.
Face
Nearly all the Chinese I know cant drink al-kee-haul, as they lack the enzymes to break down the ethanol (alcohol dehydrogenase? Acetaaldehyase?) and turn bright red after one drink. Perhaps this guy was an outlier, or a virgin drinker.
Poopyman
@Redshirt:
Oh, he’ll be recalled to China and sternly lectured. Then in a couple of years he’ll be named ambassador to the US.
GregB
I’m holding a Chinese calendar burning in protest.
Hugin & Munin
Sounds like he and Bolton would get along famously.
Poopyman
@Hugin & Munin:
“Mr Sha, who was appointed the UN undersecretary general for Economic and Social Affairs in 2007…”
I’m thinking that’s how he developed his dislike of Americans.
Betty Cracker
I’ll never forget the epic Hugo Chavez rant at the UN about Bush, wherein Chavez called Bush the devil and claimed he could still smell the brimstone from Bush’s earlier appearance. The funniest thing about it was watching the woman behind him try to suppress her giggles.
MaryJane
Where Mr. Zukang and I differ is I only like Americans when I’m drinking. Then I can tolerate anyone.
Bobby Thomson
@Hugin & Munin:
LGRooney
Wish there was video?
It’s the UN, you’ll get some mouths over hands in surprise, a couple of suppressed gasps, maybe… just maybe, if we’re lucky, some eyebrows will seriously arch. Beyond that, I don’t see much being revealed in a video.
Sounds like a joke gone wrong. As someone who speaks fur’n languages and has traveled extensively, I can tell you that humor in the personal attack vein can be exceedingly difficult when not in one’s own tongue. Intonation is the most important piece of this type of joke and one needs to be able to marry it to facial expressions that indicate the good-humored nature of the speaker. Without a nativist’s knowledge of the appropriate intonation, these jokes can go very wrong.
Rosalita
Hey John, clean up any tinsel droppings yet?
RedKitten
@LGRooney: I don’t think it was a joke…as the article states, this isn’t the first angry rant he’s delivered.
I’m guessing most of the crowd was basically looking at each other like, “Um, what the fuck is he doing? Is he serious?” They were probably embarrassed for him, like when you hear someone singing badly in public and are mortified on their behalf.
El Cid
He should get together on a campaign with staple-thrower John Bolton and that screaming Florida guy who wants to be the Treasurer and help advance the UN’s diplomatic abilities.
JustMe
Sounds like Mr. Sha should fill out one of these.
JustMe
Sounds like Mr. Sha should fill out one of these.
eemom
It’s a funny story, but I doubt the Chinese government thinks so. Hate to think what might happen to this guy when he goes back to China.
Sad_Dem
Ban Ki-moon is a jerk. He borrowed my hedge clippers and never returned them.
Legalize
I think think this is the link you’re looking for.
Steve
@Sad_Dem: You think that’s something? Let me tell you a story about Kofi Annan and his paper clips…
JohnR
Oddly enough, that’s the kind of diplomat I can respect! Personally speaking, there are an awful lot of Americans I can’t stand, along with most other nationalities. People are, for the most part, jerks (although I’m willing to give most women a pass because they’re so darned cute). I think Sha and I might get along, as long as we had enough beer.
p.a.
see! PNAC was right about China being the big threat before they were wrong about Osambama bin Husseinaden being the big enemy. The Chinese Ambassador saying nasty things about Americans is much worse than Chavez or Lulu or whoever. China is much more dangerous. They almost kicked VietNam’s ass back in the ’80’s.
Quaker in a Basement
Drunks and microphones–was there ever a more entertaining pairing?
Persia
Did he then use the safety chute to exit the retreat?
DonkeyKong
It could have been worse……much worse.
http://failblog.org/2010/09/10/epic-fail-photos-probably-bad-news-good-idea-fail/
HyperIon
I’m thinking you would also be a dedicated watcher of “Ow, My Balls!” Do you have the app?
ricky
I am sure somewhere John Bolton is stroking his moustache,
secure in the knowledge that if they had just let him lop of those floors in that building in Manhattan, none of this would ahve ever happened.
binz
What a fucking bigot. There are only two things I really really hate: Bigots, and the goddam Chinese.
EdTheRed
I believe it went down something like this…
AxelFoley
@Betty Cracker:
That shit was hilarious. LOL
AxelFoley
@Persia:
LOL, I see what you did.
Steve
Pass the sweet and sour shrimp.
Seonachan
In the absence of video, here’s a decent substitute: Nigel Farage harangues EU President Herman van Rompuy