Do you like Beyoncé? That was a trick question; of course you do. No one actively dislikes Beyoncé; we just appreciate her with varying degrees of intensity, from “a large amount” to “a disturbingly large amount.”
Still, politicians are weird, fucked-up people. Do they like Beyoncé? It’s a question worth asking, almost a stress test to gauge if these people are still, in fact, people. Amy O’Connor, of the Irish pop-culture site Daily Edge, decided to ask all 166 members of the lower house of the Irish Parliament three questions:
- Do you like Beyoncé?
- If you answered YES, what is your favourite Beyoncé song?
- If you answered NO, why don’t you like Beyoncé?
A shocking 37 of them replied, and their responses were encouraging. The vast majority responded with an easy, unforced yes, followed by a pick of “Halo,” “Irreplaceable,” or “Single Ladies.” (The correct was “Crazy In Love,” but whatever.) There were a hell of a lot of Destiny’s Child fans hidden in there, too, apparently. But many representatives understood that this was a real opportunity to connect with the Irish people on a level outside of politics, and so got more ambitious with their answers.
Declan Breathnach hit Wikipedia for this elaborately sourced screed:
Like most people I’m a huge fan of queen B, to paraphrase Kanye she’s “one of the best of all time”. After a long day in the Dáil, putting my feet up and treating myself to some old school Destiny’s Child is one of my favourite ways to unwind. “Survivor” would have to be my favourite song of hers, what an anthem! It almost describes the life of a politician “I’m not gon stop, I’m gon work harder, I’m a survivor”
Jonathan O’Brien aimed even higher, working several of her lyrics into a stump speech.
I am republican, but Beyoncé is the only queen I have time for. Of course I like Beyoncé.
If I had to pick just one (which is unfair) it would be “Irreplaceable.” Apart from the general good advice from Beyoncé that we should move “to the left, to the left,” it would behove us all as elected members of the Dáil that we should never for a second get to thinking we’re irreplaceable.
That said, I always felt “Bills, Bills, Bills” from Beyoncé’s days in Destiny’s Child was a good allegory for what has faced the Irish working class. Enda Kenny really is a good for nothin’ type of brother.
Alan Farrell, on the other hand, really screwed the pooch, saying, “I neither like her nor dislike her,” then citing “At Last,” by Etta James, as his favorite Beyoncé song. This was a layup, Alan. Just say “Single Ladies” and keep moving.
It is, in total, an informative dive into the thinking of elected representatives, and would be an instructive calculus for understanding the American Congress. It is only a matter of time before someone gets on the same question for them. That sound you hear is hundreds of D.C. interns furiously skimming I Am…Sasha Fierce in search of the dopest Bey deep cut. (Hint: Try 4 instead.)
You can read the whole illuminating post on The Daily Edge here.