The land down under sure knows how to have a good time…
In case you’ve somehow missed it, Australians love chugging beer from a shoe. They call it a shoey. It’s disgusting, but more importantly, it’s insanely fun, at least to watch, and 100% of the time gets the crowd fired up.
Every time an artist goes across the pond, there’s an expectation that they will participate in the local tradition. In the past year or so we’ve seen Zach Bryan, Lainey Wilson, Megan Moroney, and Riley Green knock down a Foster’s from a used boot, though Chris Stapleton got out ahead of it before his tour, putting down a firm anti-shoey stance that he stuck too despite the external pressure.
There’s also UFC fighter Tai Tuivasa, who borrows a fan’s shoe and beer after his knockout wins, most notably after dominating former NFL star Greg Hardy in the first round and pretty much any time a camera gets put on him…
Well, Kyle McGinn was a member of parliament (MP) but recently was retired after two terms in the upper house. To commemorate his time in office he gave a speech on his final day and ended it as only a true Australian man could: With a shoey on the floor of parliament.
Before cracking a brew and chugging it from a shoe, he said the following:
“I thought so long and hard about how I would finish this speech and my constituents in the Goldfields I think will be particularly appreciative. There’s only one way to do it and I’m used to getting told off, so we might as well get this over and done with, but, I would like to say to the members and constituents across WA, thank you for two fantastic terms, cheers.”
Immediately there was a bolt of energy in the crowd and although one presiding woman tried to keep things in check, it was all over; everyone was enthralled with Mr. McGinn and began applauding, laughing, and yelling in support.
And an action shot from the bleachers:
What a legend. Can you imagine Ted Cruz calling it a career and shotgunning a beer in the Capitol to commemorate it? Or AOC finally says it’s enough and pulls out tequila, salt, and a lime as the stamp on her run? It would be incredible!
When asked why he did it, McGinn said:
“I think parliament can often seem inaccessible, I know when I first went into parliament I thought it was just about politicians but there are normal people up there. Sometimes you just celebrate your own way and that has been me the whole way through.”
While I don’t know if people will view government as more accessible in the wake of this, especially since the guy who actually did the “normal” action was leaving, it will certainly make him a legend in Aussie circles for years and I guarantee he will not need to buy himself a beer for the foreseeable future.
Cheers to the honorable Kyle McGinn.
