GET YOUR HAND OFF IT

These famous words uttered in the Aussie comedy classic The Castle could well apply to the state of affairs today, The Informer argues

LAST Saturday, while awaiting a summons to collect Mrs Informer from an evening out with friends, Informer watched Crocodile Dundee and The Castle on telly.

Crocodile Dundee remains funny and sweet and you can understand why the world embraced it so gleefully. However, it is terribly dated.

The Castle, on the other hand, still has plenty to say about fairness, kindness and togetherness.

To quote the film’s hapless lawyer Dennis Denuto, “the vibe of it” continues to resonate, even if those aforementioned qualities seem in ever dwindling supply.

What resonated most for Informer was a scene in which Darryl Kerrigan, played by Michael Caton, joins neighbours Evonne, Jack and Farouk to mount a battle plan to fight a government hellbent on taking their homes.

When Darryl’s enthusiasm goes over the top, Evonne clips him: “Get your hand off it, Darryl.”

Immediately it struck Informer that here was a mantra for the thinking masses currently searching for reason in an increasingly moronic age. Get your hand off it, Darryl. Could there be a more telling riposte to the drivel being spouted by the numbskulls, the proselytisers, the extremists, the self-styled gurus, the sycophants and the would be’s if they could be’s?

Informer’s been watching Donald Trump quite a bit, and the leader of the less free world provides any number of “Get your hand off it, Darryl” moments.

Consider the following examples and frankly you might think that the bloke has his hand on it so much it’s surprising he bothers wearing pants at all.

The press is the enemy of the American people: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

There were more people at my inauguration than Obama’s: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

My administration is running like a finetuned machine: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

My hair is real: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Perfect, isn’t it? And it translates just as effectively to Australian politics.

Whenever any politician says the party leader has their full support: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Whenever Pauline Hanson, Cory Bernardi or any of their benighted ilk say anything: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Election campaigns might assume a refreshing lack of rhetoric should all candidates undertake a compulsory, pre-ballot and public “Get your hand off it, Darryl” test of character, credibility and conscience.

Outside politics, “Get your hand off it, Darryl” could be applied across all sectors of society, always with the aim of bringing complete tossers to heel through the withering dismissal inherent in those six simple words.

Rugby union is an exciting game: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Australia embraces the larrikin spirit and supports a fair dinkum fair go for all: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

The Church has your best interests at heart: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Neil Diamond is good: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

Informer can’t wait to get back to work on Monday: Get your hand off it, Darryl.

While fans of The Castle might object to using a lovely soul such as Darryl Kerrigan as the one to underpin identification of another’s idiocy, in the film it is Darryl’s essential goodness that always shines.

Informer would suggest this offers hope for those who, going forward and for whatever reason, stand accused in his name.

It won’t always work. Some people have thicker skins and thicker heads than others, and these halfwits will always be ignorant to all but their own self-gratification.

But Informer reckons the cause is worthwhile, so come on, let’s roll out the Darryls.

All I need is a hand.

THE PRESS IS THE ENEMY OF THE AMERICAN PEOPLE: GET YOUR HAND OFF IT, DARRYL