Say what you want about Republican gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie, but he knows a little something about the good people of New Jersey. In Texas, they may like candidates who strongly defend the right to bear arms. And in Wisconsin, a fine knowledge of dairy issues might secure you votes. But in New Jersey, it's all about referencing vintage British comedy.

Why else would Christie's campaign have produced a spot lifting old Monty Python footage wholesale while attacking Senator Corzine's alleged plans to hike tolls? It's all about giving the people what they want. And in a rough and tumble state like Jersey, you can't be sweating the small stuff like copyright laws either. That's why Christie apparently posted the spot with no authority from the Pythons. Because, y'know, that's what the kids are doing.

And now Christie's plan's all coming together. Just listen to the press he's getting from New Jersey's favorite adopted sons: Michael "hearts Trenton" Palin and Terry "Jersey City Rocks" Jones…

"I'm surprised that a former U.S. Attorney isn't aware of his copyright infringement when he uses our material without permission. He's clearly made a terrible mistake."

Monty Python's Terry Jones says that the troupe is strongly considering suing the Republican for his copyright infringement:

"It is totally outrageous that a former US Attorney knows so little about the law that he thinks he can rip off people. On the other hand — another of Bush's legal appointees was Alberto Gonzales and he didn't seem to know much about the law either…," Jones said.

With press like that Christie probably doesn't even need to run that second spot about Corzine's liberal agenda over images of Benny Hill patting the old guy on the head.

Last night on The Countdown with Keith Olbermann, John Cleese pretty much lost his shit to one of the only comedy groups funnier than Monty Python… the McCain campaign.

And he introduced me to my new favorite word…

Monty Python's John Cleese gives his thoughts on the new "funniest Palin"…

"It's like a nice looking parrot. Because the parrot speaks beautifully and kinda says, "Aw shucks!" every now and again, but doesn't really have any understanding of the words it's producing, even though it's producing them very accurately…

"I'm sorry, Michael Palin, to say you're not the funniest Palin anymore. But you're not."

See also, John Cleese's "Ode to Sean Hannity."

(via Andrew Sullivan)

Last night, on The Countdown, Keith Olbermann recited a special poem for Sean Hannity that was written by none other than Monthy Python's John Cleese…

Ode to Sean Hannity
by John Cleese

Aping urbanity
Oozing with vanity
Plump as a manatee
Faking humanity
Journalistic calamity
Intellectual inanity
Fox Noise insanity
You're a profanity
Hannity

You can see Olbermann's reading here on MSNBC's site (at about the 2:40 mark).

You know, it's kinda funny. Just the other day, I wrote a poem for Sean Hannity, too. It just came to me while I was watching Fox News after the last debate…

Poem for Sean Hannity
by Dennis DiClaudio

Hey, Sean Hannity
Fuck you

Mine's got more of a beatnik feel to it.

Cleese's is better.

Update: Your poems are already waaaay better than mine, so I'm gonna open this up. Drop your own Hannity-inspired poems in the comments, and I'll pick out a few of my favorites to post. Thanks.

I would love to know how many self-described liberals have shame-bated to this way-too-photorealistic rendering of Ann Coulter in panties and high heels from the new My Wall Street Journal, the parody paper that News Corp CEO Rupert Murdoch has reportedly been trying to make disappear.

Just like the real Wall Street Journal's credibility.

"This guy comes by all the time to bring promotional stuff for The Wall Street Journal — bags, coin trays, stickers," [newsstand worker] Mr. Laurence said.

Sure enough, they found what he was looking for. "He grabbed them all, said, 'I need to buy all of these,'" Mr. Laurence said. "He had been going around to different stands, buying them."The man paid with a corporate American Express card. "

At first he's saying they have to make a correction or it's not supposed to be out yet," Mr. Metz said. "But then he said these are not published by The Wall Street Journal."

Aw, that's sweet. Sounds like Rupert Murdoch's trying to support this journalistic upstart, which includes contributions from The Onion's Todd Hanson, Andy Borowitz, Monty Python's Terry Jones and Indecision 2008 contributing writer Jeff Kreisler.

Or he just really likes that picture of Ann Coulter.