Bedside manner

From Konrad Yakabuski’s multi-page profile of Stephane Dion in the weekend Globe:

When he appeared on the Tele-Quebec public affairs show Les Francs-tireurs last fall, interviewer Patrick Lagace asked him to prove that he has a sense of humour.

Mr. Dion replied by asking whether he was familiar with the world’s shortest bedtime story.

“Do you know Bam, the Dog?”

Mr. Lagace admitted he did not, so Mr. Dion recited it for him: “The car goes by, and bam, the dog. Now go to sleep.”

Mr. Lagace was incredulous. “It’s not funny,” he said as Mr. Dion laughed almost uncontrollably and, it turned out, viewers squirmed.