I cannot find it reported either in print or online, except for this mention at RedBlueThoughts, but I do recall watching TV footage of Jinggoy Estrada, the Senate President Pro Tempore, attacking President Arroyo’s ceaseless name-dropping during her State of the Nation Address a day after the annual rite. “Parang si Lolit Solis,” Estrada said, referring to the talent manager and TV host. Apparently, greeting a legion of people on the air is Solis’s stock in trade.
“Parang si Lolit Solis.” As the insult the Estrada scion clearly intended it to be, this is rather lame, yes? It needs to be explained, even to members of the political class Estrada belongs to. It reveals rather more of Estrada than it does of Arroyo. And it doesn’t sting.
When Cory Aquino called Doy Laurel “langaw,” after she had parted ways with her Vice President, the uncharitable characterization must have gnawed inside her Unido running mate.
On the other hand, when Miriam Defensor Santiago called all congressmen “fungus-faced,” I doubt whether anyone in particular felt alluded to. Besides, the sheer entertainment value, of her chosen words, of her manner of delivery, softened the blow of the insult, took out the sting.
Jinggoy’s failed attempt at satire falls somewhere between Cory’s putdown and Miriam’s hyperbole, and it set me thinking: What was, in our history, the best political insult ever?
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15 Feedbacks on "The best political insult?"
Insults do not affect dem pols « blog @ AWBHoldings.com
[…] John Nery asked what is the best political insult? […]
Bert
How about if he had rather called her ‘camatis’ instead of ‘Lolit Solis’, referring to the mentioning of the 2010 election in the zona, dumped her in a basket where Bedol, Garci, and Abalos are, would that somehow add some sting to it? Would that also somehow elevate his status as a little more elite as those elite politicians being alluded to?
abe
Is she has any relationship to Mura and Mahal?
Bert
The best political insult is that which would personally hurt the feeling of a politician most. And what better insult to hurt most but the truth. Would not matter whether the object of the insult react or not react, the hurt would still be there. Because truth hurts. Might not affect her or him politically, still, deep within is a gnawing torture for having committed such grievous error. In every human being is an inherent natural inclination to be good, when that inherent nature has been violated for reason of sheer stupidity the individual suffers. In the case of Doy Laurel, even as the term ‘langaw’ won’t mean so much to hurt, his political career nose-dived, never to recover ever after that insult.
maXXari
To be called congressman is the meanest political insult, considering the kinds of members in the congress today, which animals are more fit inside the zoo.
Alain
Ilang taon na yang si jinggoy sa senado?
may naipasa na ba syang batas para sa mga kapwa nya artista?
mayrun ba?
romy
The best political insult is being called an “unggoy” since it ryhme with jinggoy and connotes the lowest form of specie in the ape kingdom.
Current » Filipino political humor
[…] entry asking, the best political insult? got me […]
cvj
In hindsight, Cory Aquino calling Doy Laurel ‘langaw’ (at the EDSA Shrine) is one of the low points in her presidency. It was psychic Rene Mariano who said that after that, she lost a bit of her mandate from heaven. I don’t know Mariano’s abilities as a psychic but it seems that i should respect his views as a political commentator.
MC_90
kahit ano pang sabihin ni jinggoy na insulto sa sinomang politiko…wala pa ding tatalo sa insulto sa buong bansang pilipinas…at yun ang ang pagkahalal ni jinggoy sa senado…he is the insult…he is the joke…
Rosing
MC_90
korek ka dyan, insulto talaga ang pagkapanalo ni jinggoy as senator, akala mo kasi parang kung sinong malinis ang record, @#^\@#!! remember, anak siya ng mandarambong (plunderer) & baka nalimutan niya, siya ay may kaso pa sana ang mga voters ay magising na. idilat ang mga mata huwag pabalikin sa puwesto ang mga estrada!!! lolz
clipmaster
estradang nagmamalinis - biggest political insult……..
Fred S.
The worst political insult a politician can get is to be called TONGRESSMAN OR SENATONG! And we certainly have a lot of them in the Philippines!
ricky
maybe….”pupulotin kayo sa kangkongan” by former pres. Erap,and now he is in Tanay.
peterpan
After the hearing in the Senate pitting Abalos and Neri:
Abalos went to his the lil hole to do his thing and when Neri arrived he turned away.
Neri said: Feeling sheepish today Ben?
Abalos: Nah! Just that everytime you see this (Abalos’s lil thinggy), you ask for more!
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