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Sometimes the best jokes are found in the background—small Easter eggs designed to reward those who appreciate that it’s not all about what’s happening at centre stage.
Think of the entirely out-of-place “Plate O’ Shrimp” sign when the goddamn dipshit Rodriguez gypsy-dildo punks hit the takeout joint for sodas in Repo Man. Or the fact that there’s a Mexican restaurant in Anchorman called Escupimos En Su Alimento, which roughly translates to, “We Spit On Your Food”.
Someone in the David Eby camp clearly understands the brilliance of strategically placed covert messaging.
A couple of days ago, the NDP leader held a news conference where, as savvy trainspotters on Reddit noted, the best part of the presser didn’t come from his time at the microphone. Instead, sneakily placed in the background, was a sign designed not for the majority of people who probably missed the joke, but instead for the 10 people out of 100 who got it.
It read as follows:
David Eby has a plan for 300,000 homes the middle class can afford. John Rustad will give tax breaks to billionaires and speculators. That is why they are making signs.
Of note here was the way that parts of the sign were in black type, and other parts in red. Consider that a direct nod to a round of amateur sign-making that’s being going on in Vancouver as the NDP battles the Conservatives and its leader John “McRib” Rustad this provincial election.
Over past few weeks, a certain Vancouver billionaire has been busy erecting signs out front of his Point Grey mansion. You might know him best as the guy who probably thinks the Red Hot Chili Peppers actually enjoyed playing his private 40th birthday party for reasons other than the paycheque. Or, if you prefer, as the founder of Lululemon.
Wildly successful yoga-wear entrepreneur Chip Wilson has erected three signs, all of them partly in black type, with what he clearly feels are the salient points in red. These signs include such messages as:
Eby will tell you the Conservatives are “Far Right”, but neglects saying that the NDP is “Communist.”
Proving the armchair anarchists of East Van know how to use public transit, said sign was promptly spray-painted over with “Fuck you Chip you’re a POS,”; his house was also tagged with “Fuck you Chip” and “Selfish billionaire loser.” Um, seriously folks: signs are open season, but save that other shit for Instagram and X—do you have any idea what Goodbye Graffiti charges for house calls?
Eby’s October 15 press conference, complete with a Wilson-esque sign placed in the background, proved that both sides on the political spectrum can play the same game. It’s worth noting, however, that no one spraypainted “Fuck you David” on Eby’s sign in the background, or suggested that he was odious piece of shit.
In a Reddit post titled “David Eby prints his own sign in response to Chip Wilson’s,” users chimed in with praise such as: “Between this, the bee/wasp joke, and the Chohan trucking quip last year, he’s killing it with snark”; “Fuckin A! You sir have been elevated to legend class”; and “You know you are on the right side of things when you’re trolling Vancouver’s own Monty Burns”.
Score an Easter egg victory for the man who—unlike Rustad—understands that no one wants to see the return of the McRib sandwich. Or Chip Wilson in yoga pants of his own making.
https://twitter.com/richardzussman/status/1846251558037827912
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