GENEVA (AP) — Switzerland’s finance minister has sparked hilarity in the Alpine nation by collapsing into giggles while answering a parliamentary question about imports of cured meats.
The video showing Hans-Rudolf Merz convulsing with laughter at the unintelligible bureaucratic language in his script have created popular sympathy for the outgoing finance chief.
Merz was widely criticized in recent years for signing away much of Switzerland’s banking secrecy and failing to secure the release of two Swiss citizens held by Libya.
His speech has been viewed by more than 300,000 people on YouTube and other websites since Monday and prompted one maker of air-dried meats to advertise their wares with the slogan: “Never lose your sense of humor.”
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Online:
Swiss TV clip at http://bit.ly/biK4kU
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Comments (59)
TulsaTruth
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:48pmHmm, I wonder what the English translation would be?
Report Post »Can you imagine the translation of “I Wish I Were An OSCAR-MAYER weiner!” ??? LOL!
kidkolt
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 5:10pmI speak pretty good German, and can absolutely attest to the fact that this is unintelligible. Mostly because he’s giggling, but also because it is the densest load of bureaucratic horse manure that I have ever attempted to translate.
Report Post »MommyPatriot1
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 3:39pmWay funnier than Colbert or Stewart! This man’s laughter is infectious :)
Report Post »cbs71
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 1:52pmGood stuff.
Report Post »Mary M. Tebbe
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 1:17pmLaughter is good medicine! :) Something tickled his funny-bone as my Mother used to say!!!
Report Post »Kelly Eden
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:34pmPoor Guy. At least the people didn’t boo him. Nice to know that not all was serious LOL.
Report Post »southernpatriot
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:08pmActual translation:
Report Post »US president Obama thinks he can win a second term!! LOL
sbenard
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 12:06pmLaughter is infectious. I was laughing too, and I don’t understand a single syllable he said!
Report Post »DonnyBeGood
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:30amHere is the correct translation:
Report Post »“I can’t believe how stupid some Americans are! They actually think that Obama is doing a good job and that he really cares about the American people. Furthermore, those same ******** believe that they will win in the upcoming election in November. They are so blind that they can’t see that Obama and the Dems are trying to turn the USA into a Communist Nanny State like Switzerland and the rest of Europe. Wait, I should not be laughing, I should be crying, please turn off the camera now!”
unionrockstar
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:20amThat’s OK Mr. Merz,
Report Post »We Americans have laughed and cried for the last two years.
Star Spankled
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:14amI remember Red Skelton ! I loved his show !! The whole family would sit and watch it together and laugh and laugh . Good memories !
One of my favorite moments wasn’t funny , it was touching when he said the pledge of allegiance . I know I’ll never forget it .
Report Post »http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZBTyTWOZCM
Contrarianthinker
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:57amEliminating bank secrecy laws that have distinquished Swiss Banking for many years is NOT a laughing matter but is to those who don’t understand how important secrecy is in a wolrd where Big Govt is looking now at every transaction. Sure call me a person without a sense of humour
Report Post »Prospero
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:44amHumorless Troll writes: “NOT a laughing matter”
Yeah, we’ve already determined that you lack any capacity for humor lol! It’s one of the hallmark signatures of every liberal alive. Uptight, filled with venom and hatred, permanent chip on both shoulders, etc.
Ya’ll are like the most tight-sphinctered church ladies imagineable lol!
Contrarianthinker
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 6:46pmWhat can I say. Gutter homour is NOT to my liking.
Report Post »Prospero
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:50pmUh, what gutter humor?
Report Post »White Cracka
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:53amA cheerful disposition is good for your health;
Report Post »gloom and doom leave you bone-tired.
mara123
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:27amI dont know what he said but i was laughing, makes you want to take him home lol
Report Post »cranberry
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:56amSo cute! It doesn’t matter what he was saying but was giggling myself. Good start to a Friday!
Report Post »veritas51322
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:44amThanks for the translation. I think he is laughing at how ridiculous government regulations sound on paper. This must be a universal problem.
Report Post »Rugnuts
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:56amthe fact our politions dont break down with giggles during debate, proves the level corruption it takes to hold a straight face. if CSPAN was candid camera there would be many laughfests!
Report Post »LRC
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:46pmThat is exactly what he’s laughing at. too bad our dopes in Washington can’t see the silliness of some of the crap they put out.
Report Post »thecommish58
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 6:31amAgreed – it finally occured to him that his life had finally come down to advocating for the correct wording on rubbed on spices for meats…I would love to have a beer with this guy (and a translator)!
Report Post »Linda Vigliotti
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:41amNeeded that this morning
Report Post »30moves
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 2:17pmMe too – I spent the morning watching the testimony of Christopher Coates on SPAN – really explosive stuff and then I noticed that everyone was talking about Colbert! I think the Colbert idiocy was to be a distraction.
Spiced meat actually can be very funny. The man is precious – made me laugh.
Report Post »RUMBAROCK
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:18amDONT KNOW WHAT HE’S SAYING…but it sure sounds funny!!
Report Post »DanSt
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:12amTimothy Leary clearly has had an impact on this guy in the past…
Report Post »alegretea
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:07ampriceless, made me lol and didn’t understand a word… the shared power of a giggle
Report Post »Areyoukiddingme
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:06amThe odd thing is nothing was really funny about what he was reading:
translation:
Referring to addition 6a in capter 2 of the KN (?), the customs administration has additionally published the so called Swiss explanations about the customs tariff.
According to that, certain products, that have spices added during the production, are added to chapter 2, if he character of a product of this chapter ist not changed (for example ‘Bündnerfleisch’). Meat, that has spices on the whole surface of the product and that is noticable with the eyes, is excluded by the chapter.
Report Post »GEW
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:53amit most like was not what he was reading but what he was thinking about the spices on the meat.
Report Post »This is funny, because we all need a laugh these days. I know I did, And this worked for me this morning.
kidkolt
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 5:11pmTry reading it in German. It’s a little bit of a tongue twister.
Report Post »Eternal Lucy
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:13pmThanks so much for the translation, AREYOUKIDDINGME. (I basically speak/understand German but needed a little help here, both with the dialect and the vernacular!) (not to mention cutting thru the giggles)
Something about “Bündnerfleisch” really had him going. (think I’m gonna find out where I can buy ME some…… ;-) )
Report Post »rocktruth
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:05amI have no idea what he is saying but the human giggles can cheer almost anyone up. LOL
Report Post »WaltzingMtilda
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 5:55pmI was thinking the same thing…isn‘t it funny how even though we have no idea what he’s saying, the sight of another person cracking up can make us laugh as well?
Report Post »Highland
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:48amIf he tried reading Obama’s health “reform” bill he’d simply explode.
Report Post »kfjackson
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:12pmHIGHLAND the man seems to honest to go throuth that, I think he,d pee hiss pants. Then Obama would charge him with a pee crime.
Report Post »flsunnygirl
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:40amOMG…..with all of the bad things going on I SO needed that!
Report Post »Marylou7
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 8:39amReminds me of Red Skelton, he never could speak for laughing.
Report Post »GreatAmerican
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 9:31amMarylou7,
It sure does remind me of Red Skelton also. Just watching Red and laughing more at his reaction to his jokes than his jokes, which were hilarious. A really funny man. May he rest in peace.
Report Post »Hugh Williams
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:19amSo true…. I loved to watch his show as a child. I bet over half the people here aren’t old enough to know who Red Skelton was. lol
Report Post »FreedomMissMeYet
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 10:23pmBbbbbbbwwwwwaaaaaahhhhhhaaaahhhhaaaaa….
Report Post »Libertarian Infidel
Posted on September 24, 2010 at 11:11pmHe was reading Obama’s speeches and then the GOP pledge. Both these things make me laugh as well.
Report Post »staythecourse
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 1:03amI don’tknow. Reminds me of a person ready to have a breakdown. I don’t know what the words are that were spoken…but …it is unsettling in an odd sort of way.
Report Post »Dale Nick
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 8:12amAre we dating ourselves here? I loved to watch Red too when I was a kid. I think mostly I love his rendition of the Pledge of Allegiance.
Report Post »Oh Sure! Now I have to dig out some of his DVDs and watch them again. But not a bad way to pass the morning.
Jack007
Posted on September 25, 2010 at 11:40amYup, now that you mention it Red often cracked up when doing skits; he was a good man that never had a harsh word to say about anyone; I’m sure if Glenn Beck was up and running back then Red would have been one of his biggest fans.
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