Some
Crikey readers boycott Miranda Devine as a matter of principal. This is silly.
They may miss gems like this from yesterday:

As the
World Wrestling Entertainment superstars flew to Sydney for a sell-out show at the
SuperDome last month, Peter Costello was regaling a Business Council of Australia
dinner with tales of Scotty 2 Hotty and Hulk Hogan.

The
federal Treasurer reminisced about an APEC meeting in Brunei in 2000 when he struck up a
rapport with 26-year-old Crown Prince Haji Al-Muhtadee Billah, a fellow wrestling fan.

‘I
said, “Your Royal Highness, you’ll never believe what Steve Austin did last
night at Melbourne Park. He did a flying hammerthrow from the
turnbuckle and brought down Scotty 2 Hotty in one shot … Mr Wonderful did the jackknife and the crab
claw.”

‘I saw
him do that at Madison Square Garden,’ said the prince.

They talked
on and on like this and the next day the Brunei Post had the photo on the front
page: ‘Crown Prince and Australian Treasurer, discussing oil prices,’ which Costello still finds most amusing.

Speaking
on the phone on Friday the Treasurer, 48, admitted to a lifelong wrestling
obsession. As a boy he loved Mario Milano and Big Chief Little Wolf.

Then his
son Sebastian, now 18, became a fan: ‘Being the good father I thought I should
be, I had to take him to all these bouts.’ A bookcase at home is full of Royal
Rumble and King Of The Ring videos.

‘It
does remind me of Parliament a little – it is a little stage-managed.’

Costello’s favourite wrestler is Steve ‘Stone Cold’ Austin, whose
nickname is Texas
Rattlesnake. My 10-year-old wrestling consultant says Austin is a
beer-swilling, swearing
redneck and ‘complete bad ass’. Costello guffawed when asked which
wrestler could be John Howard’s favourite, but agreed Scotty 2
Hotty might fit the bill. ‘Yes, he’s quite little and well mannered’.

That’s
all there is, folks, there isn’t any more – but it should be more than enough
for some more impressive entertainment in Question Time than Wrestlemania. Over
the ropes – or over the top? We look forward to an answer with keen
anticipation.

But what
should the Treasurer’s wrestling name be? Dollar Sweetie won’t do. The WWE
Divas have tougher names. Suggestions to Vince McMahon – sorry – to
christian@crikey.com.au.