Chirac gets punk’d

The week's news at a glance.

Paris

French President Jacques Chirac fell for a prank call from a Canadian radio DJ this week. Speaking French with an outrageously exaggerated Quebecois accent, DJ Marc-Antoine Audette pretended to be Canada’s incoming prime minister, Stephen Harper. Chirac didn’t suspect a thing during several minutes of conversation, even when the fake Harper agreed with him overenthusiastically, chirping, “Exactly, Mr. President! Liberty, equality, and fraternity! Amen!” When Audette finally told Chirac the truth, the president burst into laughter. The real Harper does speak French well, but his accent is not remotely like a Quebecer’s.

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