Radio pranksters pose as Harper, fool UN boss

Asked top diplomat to call NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman


QMI Agency

First posted: Friday, September 28, 2012 09:43 AM EDT | Updated: Friday, September 28, 2012 04:29 PM EDT

MONTREAL - They've fooled Sarah Palin, Donald Trump and Britney Spears, but Montreal radio pranksters Justiciers Masques (Masked Avengers) might have snared their biggest fish yet — UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon.

Posing as Prime Minister Stephen Harper, the comedic duo sidestepped security protocols in less than an hour and said they actually pulled Ban out of a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama. The Avengers began their prank simply by calling the UN's switchboard number in New York City, earlier this week.

The pranksters took turns playing Harper and begged Ban to call NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman to ask him to get a hockey team back to Quebec City.

“I’m sorry I couldn’t deliver a speech at the UN assembly,” the fake Harper said on the phone to Ban, referring to the fact that the real Harper chose Foreign Minister John Baird to represent Canada at the UN this week.

“I sent my pet dog John Baird instead!” the fake Harper said. “I was too busy combing my hair with crazy glue.”

Ban responded incredulously, asking if he was really speaking to the Canadian prime minister.

“Hold on, let me get him for you,” the fake Harper said.

The second Harper then got on the line: “Mr. Ban, I’m calling because the UN has to give support to the Quebec Nordiques ... You have to speak to Gary Bettman!”

“I don’t understand what you are saying,” Ban replied. Soon after, the UN head figured out he was being pranked.

“My impression is that I’m being fooled,” Ban said.

The comedians told QMI Agency that getting through UN security was “by far our biggest coup ever," said Marc-Antoine Audette, one half of the deceptive duo along with Sebastien Trudel.

"It's an incredible security failure," Audette continued. "We've never seen it in our 15-year career. We can't believe it."

Four years ago, the Avengers hoodwinked the U.S. Secret Service into putting Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin on the phone.

Other Masked Avenger victims include former French president Nicolas Sarkozy, actor Charlie Sheen and onetime Toronto mayor Mel Lastman.

Source: Toronto Sun