Sarah Palin proves a flop on the lecture circuit

Business leaders and the Washington elite have not been inspired by the prospect of listening to the wit and wisdom of the ‘pitbull in lipstick’

FIRST POSTED SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

Evidence continues to mount in support of the theory that Sarah Palin - the scourge of the "Washington elite" - simply doesn't have much to say.

After delivering her memoirs in just three months - a stunningly short period of time for a political biography - it has now been revealed that Palin, beloved of ordinary, common sense Republicans, is a flop on the lecture circuit.

The Washington Speakers Bureau, an elite lecture agency which counts Tony Blair, George W Bush, Condoleezza Rice - and now the former governor of Alaska - among its star after-dinner speakers, is believed to be touting her services for $100,000 per speech.

An 'insider' told the New York Post: "The big lecture buyers in the US are paralysed with fear about booking her, basically because they think she is a blithering idiot."

Because many venues sell their lectures as a series, they are worried that if Sarah Palin is on the line-up, subscribers could cancel en masse. The harsh reality for Palin is that even if she can live up to the WSB's billing as "a groundbreaker who speaks on her vision for energy independence, national security, fiscal responsibility, health care and small government", she is a turn-off for the agency's best customers, because universities are generally left-leaning and corporations do not like controversy.

The news comes as a surprise after the generally positive comments she received following her debut foreign speech to an audience of businessmen in Hong Kong. Now it turns out they were in all likelihood just being polite to their American guest – who they apparently got for a bargain "low six figures".

Perhaps the WSB should consider downgrading Palin from their "Call WSB for fee" section to their "$15,000 and under" section - with the likes of Durwood Fincher, "America's Funniest Surprise Speaker" and Jim Larranaga, head men's basketball coach, George Mason University.

FIRST POSTED SEPTEMBER 30, 2009

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Yes, she has a lot to say, and can say it without teleprompters and a staccato performance. Some people are just so envious. I say to Sarah , love them that hate you, pray for those who despitefully use you and persecute you.; feed your enemy if he is hungry, give him drink if he thirsts, for in so doing you will heap coals of fire on his head. Overcome evil with good. God bless you and grant you peace and success.

Posted by myrna smith at 1:22am on October 1, 2009

"The big lecture buyers in the US are paralysed with fear about booking her, basically because they think she is a blithering idiot." If she is an idiot, they're not paralysed with fear, they're merely being sensible.

Posted by Ian Onions at 10:26am on October 1, 2009

I suggest myrna raids her piggy bank and hires Sarah to deliver a lecture. I reckon its probably the fastest way to skid row, but I might be wrong. Do tell us how it goes.

Posted by Horshamite Sussex at 7:03pm on October 1, 2009

A flop? Who are you trying to convince? Palin spoke to a standing room only group in Hong Kong and her book to be out in mid November is a #1. Liberals are so afraid of a strong, intelligent, successful woman. They have lied, edited interviews and in general done anything to harm her and it has backfired...Americans who love their country also love Palin.

Posted by Y Lewis at 9:52pm on October 1, 2009

Does this mean that leaders are not impressed by quitters?

Posted by John Doe at 10:46pm on October 1, 2009

Today I learnt that Sarah has received some 1700 requests to deliver lectures. You losers. Nobody was going to pay to have dinner with her and her husband as auctioned on e-bay. Someone paid in excess of 50,000 to do just that if I remember rightly. And do not for a minute forget the $7 million for her book, and this book has made history. It is No. 1 on Amazon and Barnes and Noble for pre-issue sales, and the book has not yet been released. Good for you Sarah.

Posted by myrna smith at 2:39am on October 2, 2009

Saeah Palin, GW Bush??? If they represent the best that the US can muster to lead the country then no wonder their economy is tanking and infrastructure crumbling etc etc. The US had some very powerful and inspiring leaders such as John(Jack) Kennedy, Dwight Eisenhower, Teddy Roosevelt and while none of them were complete standouts Kennedy was the epitome of what the US was all about from its inception but progressively morphed from the New World to an 'Old World' clone of Europe with all its excesses and wars and leaders whether Princes, Kings, Kaiser, Tzar, Prime Minister etc. The stupidity that was shown by Sarah was an embarressment to those cognitive enough to see that she was chosen to make the pre-ordained win by Obama more realistic. I still remember John Stewart having one of his staff interview the new mayor of the city that Sarah was once the mayor of and it turns out she quite literally does nothing significant and merely a form of titular head. Oh for the halcyon days of JFK.

Posted by Rob Burns at 3:23pm on October 2, 2009

Here in the states this is not news. It is said every village has an idiot. Palin come from one in Alaska. To roll her out into the mainstream shows the Republicans how desperate they were to find a simpleton to run(and lose) with McCain. The fix was in long ago for Obamanation. Bush had trashed the country so bad, the masters of the plantation had to switch puppets to give the appearance of "change". Much as you did when you got rid of Blair(soon to EU Prez?) Nothing really changes...does it?

Posted by robertsgt40 at 6:30pm on October 2, 2009