Baba Booey’s Poulter-Geist

Himself

Most golf observers are aware of the mashed potatoes phenomenon (see my earlier post, Pass The Mashed Potatoes!, here).  And you golf aficionados who watch tournament broadcasts are also likely to be aware of the new smash hit, yelling Baba Booey after a shot is hit.  All of you should be familiar with Baba Booey.  His real name is Gary Dell’Abate.  He’s the executive producer of the Howard Stern Show, and you all know who Howard Stern is.  His followers have been famous for years for interrupting serious moments, calling in to radio shows pretending to be others, and then saying “Howard Stern” at the end of the bit.  Now this funny scheme has extended to the deadly serious domain of professional golf.

And the pillars of the golf establishment are pushing back to this malevolent threat with all the force that righteousness can muster, to protect that most sacred aspect of the professional game,  i.e., its utter lack of a sense of humor.  (When the time-has-past-him-by Gary McCord and the too-droll-for-words David Feherty are your paragons of your game’s funny bone, you are in deep trouble).  

Ian Poulter in particular is extremely upset by the Baba Booey Phenomenon.

Tazer the Plus Fours!

Following the PGA Championship several weeks ago, Poulter unleashed a flurry of tweets showing his anger toward the Baba Booey calls from fans on the course.

“We should be allowed to take 10,000 volt tazers onto the course and tazer every muppet who shouts out something stupid. I would laugh then.”

“This baba boo s--- & mash potato crap shouting wouldn't happen at Augusta, The Open, nor would it happen at Wimbledon. Tazer the thrushes.”

“I'm calling for @PGATOUR to step in & stop this shouting out right after shots. Message in to @PGATOUR with your thoughts. Tazer them?”

“I have no problem with this Baba Booey it's simple. @pgatour have said they will remove the few that spoil it for the real golf fans.”

“Is this the atmosphere we are asking for in golf. Golf is a game of respect and honesty . Not stupid outbursts. BA Boom.”

“I find it an issue when someone shouts out on impact miss it when your putting. Or when some calls Get in the rough. Simply Disrespectful”

“If you need to be heard on TV at golf tournaments. Can I suggest. Work hard on your game you will be seen & heard at same time. #Simple”

Right.  That’s the simple solution, Taser the bloody hooligans, er, muppets, and then have a good snigger!  Leave it to a Brit twit to tweet that violent punishment for a harmless bit of behavior by golf fans is appropriate.  This in light of the fact that the news division of golf’s premier network (sorry, Johnny Miller and NBC) CBS News has reported in the past that a United Nations committee has indicated  that the use of taser weapons can be a form of torture, in violation of the U.N. Convention Against Torture, and that tasers appear to have the ability to kill people, see here.  Consequently, this suggestion is, well, to be kind, twisted, and certainly not funny.  Just like Poulter’s taste in haberdashery.  See Ian Poulter's Fashion Disasters, here.

Doesn't hurt Donut a bit

Now the establishment’s reaction to this harmless phenomenon has taken a dark turn.  First, a fan was removed from the Barclays’ Fedex Cup golf tournament three weeks ago.  A PGA Tour official confirmed that "A fan was removed for disrupting play as he yelled during Ian Poulter's backswing."  Poulter tweeted that evening “The good news of today was only 1 donut shouted out Baba Booey and he was swiftly removed from the premises.”  Donut??  Presumably this pernicious pastry, this dastardly dunker was taken to the nearby Hudson River and waterboarded within an inch of its life for this serious crime.

So, in honor of Poulter’s British roots, let’s have a sing-along with Monty Python, one of Britain’s greatest creations and the anti-Poulter  when it comes to a sense of humor.  Insert the words “touring pro” for “lumberjack’, think of Ian wearing a nice fur trapper hat and red flannel shirt and have a blast.

_AMDG^TM

© 2012-13 R.E. Kelly