Via Climate Progress: Funniest Denier Punking Ever: Lord Monckton Isn’t An Act by Sacha Baron Cohen, Is He?

Is climate science denier Lord Monckton really just another act by Sacha Baron Cohen — creator of Ali G, Borat and Bruno?

That is the “mistake” Australian satirists make in this must-see video — which the UK Guardian calls “buttock-clenchingly embarrassing and hilarious in equal measure” – already seen by 800,000 Australians and now more than 300,000 viewers on YouTube:

In their post, DeSmogBlog puts in the disclaimer “(just to be absolutely clear here folks, he isn’t!)”

In the real world, the science-based world of “facts,” I suppose that is a reasonable statement.  But what about in Monckton’s world of pseudoscience?


The Viscount Monckton of Brenchley (TVMOB) is not merely a shameless purveyor of hate speech and anti-science disinformation (see Lord Monckton repeats and expands on his charge that those who embrace climate science are “Hitler youth” and fascists).

In his world, he is a Nobel Peace Prize laureate and a member of Parliament — who has cured HIV (see here).  None of those things are true.

So, if we were to apply TVMOB’s “logic,” then I think we should say the burden of proof is on TVMOB to show he isn’t Borat. After all, the video makes a strong case that he is, and no evidence has ever been provided to the contrary.

So until he appears in the same room at the same time as Cohen, I’ll reserve judgment.  And, no, a video of that would not constitute proof —  you can do amazing things with CGI these days. The ball’s in your court, TVMOB.
Related Post:

• Irony-gate: Viscount Monckton, a British peer, says his paper was peer-reviewed by a scientist.
• Monty Python Upperclass Twit of the Year [that probably isn't Monckton either]