(Village By The Sea) - Popeye the Sailor Man briefly caused an international furor when he made insulting remarks about former Prime Minister Benazhir Bhutto into an open microphone before his weekly radio address. “It’s about time. I’ve been praying for this for sixty years. I only hope that Bhutto suffered,” he said, before tapping the microphone. “Is this on?” he asked.
Bhutto was killed by a suicide bomber while leaving a political rally in Rawalpindi, Pakistan last week.
Popeye later disavowed his comments, claiming he thought the victim of the assassination was his long-time arch-rival for the affections of Ms. Olive Oyl, a local woman recovering from anorexia. “I misunderstood. I thought I heard Bluto.”
A spokesman for Mr. Popeye said he had recently undergone surgery for cochlear implants, and was experiencing some difficulty with his hearing. Late yesterday, Popeye issued a statement which read, in part: “As anyone who has followed my career knows, I have nothing but respect for the accomplishments of former Prime Minister Bhutto. I speak for all animated sea-going men in expressing my grief at her passing, and I urge the authorities to bring the person, or persons responsible for this dastardly crime, to a swift and vengeful justice.”
Popeye added that he was sending a case of spinach to the people of Pakistan as a “symbol of solidarity” during this time of mourning.
