NAME COULD DO WONDERS
THAILAND is holding elections next month and I read that 25 candidates have changed their names to those of previous Thai prime ministers to attract support.
I can’t see this catching on in the UK where politicians have been vilified for decades unless hopefuls widen the scope and pick genuine icons like Winston Churchill, John F Kennedy, Robin Hood or Elvis Presley.
Some chap choosing the latter could give rise to new rumours that Elvis never died. In the past he has been seen in a Burger King in Kalamazoo and as an extra in Home Alone. He was last spotted taking the Graceland tour on his 82nd birthday last January 8.
Changing your name works in show business, so why not politics? Just ask Jennifer Anastassakis who hit the big time when she became Jennifer Aniston. It was also a success story for Van Diesel (Mark Sinclair Vincent) and Judy Garland would never have been take seriously as Frances Ethel Gumm.
Stevie Wonder benefited from switching from Steveland Hardaway Judkins, although his talent would have shone through no matter what he was called.
Politicians have, in fact, tried it before and Josef Djugashvili changed his name to Stalin because it meant Man of Steel. This could work for an aspiring politician in the north of England where voters might confuse the name with the Rugby League player of the year award.
“He must be a right ‘un if he plays League. We’ll vote for him.”
It could be on such margins that careers are built.