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Muntadhar al-Zaidi

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Commentator

The Resume

    (circa 1980- )
    Born in Iraq
    Reporter for al-Baghdadia TV
    During a press conference in Baghdad, threw his shoes at US President George W. Bush, yelling 'This is the farewell kiss, you dog!' (December 14, 2008)

Why he might be annoying:

    Press secretary Dana Perino was struck in the eye by a mic stand during the ensuing scuffle.
    Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki called the shoe toss 'a shameful act' that 'damaged the reputation of Iraqi journalists.'
    News accounts of the incident emphasized that shoe throwing is a grave insult in the Arab world, as if it was some sort of compliment elsewhere.
    He received an award for bravery from a group headed by Muammar Qaddafi's daughter.
    He wishes Saddam Hussein were still in charge.
    He faces up to seven years in prison for chucking shoes at Bush; does he think he would have gotten off easier for hurling one at Saddam?
    The incident lends itself to endless bad puns. ('The shoe-thrower was booted from the press conference.' 'Bush's security detail were caught flat-footed.' Ad nauseum)

Why he might not be annoying:

    Bush successfully ducked both shoe tosses.
    Afterwords, Bush said, 'I didn't feel the least bit threatened by it' and 'That's what people do in a free society, draw attention to themselves.'
    He was kidnapped on his way to work (November 16, 2007), beaten unconscious, then released three days later.
    He had been detained twice by US armed forces in Iraq.
    Thousands of Iraqis marched to show their support for him.

Credit: C. Fishel


Featured in the following Annoying Collections:

Year In Review:

    For 2024, as of last weekly ranking, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2023, Out of 15 Votes: 93.33% Annoying
    In 2022, Out of 1 Votes: 0% Annoying
    In 2021, Out of 15 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2020, Out of 5 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2019, Out of 3 Votes: 66.67% Annoying
    In 2018, Out of 14 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2017, Out of 8 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2016, Out of 4 Votes: 100% Annoying
    In 2015, Out of 48 Votes: 54.17% Annoying
    In 2014, Out of 76 Votes: 47.37% Annoying
    In 2013, Out of 88 Votes: 68.18% Annoying
    In 2012, Out of 210 Votes: 76.67% Annoying
    In 2011, Out of 151 Votes: 79.47% Annoying
    In 2010, Out of 291 Votes: 68.04% Annoying
    In 2009, Out of 572 Votes: 72.03% Annoying
    In 2008, Out of 457 Votes: 74.62% Annoying