The infamous New Year’s video message from the kitchen is still on everyone’s mind and a strong conversation piece. As I said last week, the main issue is the lies. People do not accept the fact that our Prime Minister was pretending to be visiting the young couple who, in turn, were pretending to be average. It was all too false for anyone’s liking.

This week the blessed video made headlines again. Archbishop Charles Scicluna, during an interview on Reporter, was asked by Saviour Balzan to comment on our two political leaders.

Mgr Scicluna has a strong sense of humour. True to his promise to express himself wherever and whenever he feels the need to do so, this was an opportunity not to be missed.

The Archbishop remarked that the Prime Minister should have been more loyal to the truth (as opposed to false) when he delivered his message from the kitchen. He said this in the context of praising the Prime Minister for his oratory and public speaking skills. In a nutshell, Mgr Scicluna said that the Prime Minister did not need the overdone video.

Naturally, this comment could have had its effect for just a few days. People would have commented on the social media that the Archbishop was right, while others would have said that he should not have passed such comments. But instead, something happened to make the matter go viral again.

Glenn Bedingfield, who happens to have a position of trust, at none other than the Prime Minister’s office (and who apparently also happens to be the brains behind the kitchen video), decided to tweet a comment which left many gobsmacked.

The tweet looked like it was intended to associate the Archbishop or the Church, or both, with paedophiles.

For somebody who is well-paid out of public funds, to give advice on communications to Joseph Muscat, and whose utterances therefore reflect directly on Muscat, one would expect total silence to be more appropriate. Instead Bedingfield chose to be totally inappropriate and offensive.

The tweet on the archbishop’s comment obviously rekindled the fire of comments and tweets on social media. A growing number of people, very clearly, have had enough of this bunch.

Chosen people in positions of trust like Bedingfield very obviously know no better and seem to be in a continuous race, blinded by arrogance, towards hitting all-time lows in standards of public life and behaviour.

In the meantime, the Prime Minister does not condemn. We unfortunately have to assume that he condones.

Comedy Knights

A big well done to the fabulous team behind this year’s Comedy Knights. I loved every minute of it. So did everyone around me, not least when I was the subject of one of the sketches.

Of course, nothing beats the rapturous laughter and applause for the Michelle Muscat scenes and the ones on the Prime Minister himself. Simon Busuttil got his fair share of teasing, too, but he is a great sport and went to watch the show, ending up on the stage for more laughter and a special ‘award’.

I have been told that nobody from the government side went to watch the show. If this is true, what a pity. Comedy Knights, and other similar theatrical events, are true eye-openers. The sketches may be very funny but, alas, they also contain a good dose of truth.