There’s a new politician in town, looking to sock it to the status quo.
Melvin the Sock Monkey is running for premier, and he’s not hiding any of his dirty laundry.
Melvin – who is running on a shelf, not a platform – can be spotted campaigning every day on Instagram and has a website that features his platform.
Melvin, a be-spectacled monkey who sports a bowtie, might be just who disenchanted voters are looking for.
Unfortunately, Melvin is a stuffed animal. Also, his campaign manager Kevin Malinowski wasn’t able to get his nomination forms in on time.
Malinowski, who purchased Melvin at the St. Albert Farmers’ Market, started posting photos of his sock monkey every day on social media in January with a new quip in a comic thought bubble.
He found out coming up with a witty remark every day is tougher than it seems.
“I’ve got a lot of respect for a comic who writes a comic strip every day,” Malinowski said. Melvin’s been everywhere from the orchestra pit at the Arden to a cockpit of a WestJet plane.
The election quickly became fodder for Malinowski, who is one of the founders of the St. Albert political discussion group Poliwings. While on a trip to Ontario, after posting a couple of election-related photos after the writ dropped, he decided to whip up a website.
“It’s not meant to be a shot at any political party, it’s just having some fun ’cause the election’s going on,” he said.
Melvin’s got a shelf instead of a platform because in the photos, he is usually perched on a shelf.
Melvin’s campaign – he’s shooting straight for the premiership – features the Instagram feed, a website and even lawn signs, which are proudly on display at Malinowski’s Grandin-area home.
The signs, which attracted some odd glances from neighbours even during the interview, feature a pair of rainbow socks. Malinowski said that’s because Melvin is pro allowing gay-straight alliances in schools.
The monkey’s political shenanigans have attracted a following online.
“I’m getting tweets from people in the States that are asking how his campaign is going,” Malinowski said.
Melvin’s platform is largely based on the Prentice plan, just now laced with sock puns.
The platform features bullets like “Create more Alberta jobs by producing socks here,’ and “Sock more money away in the Heritage Trust Fund.”
With the election mere days away, those looking for a laugh can check out Melvin’s political commentary on Malinowski’s Instragram feed, which is mac__daddy.
One thing’s for sure – Melvin is ready to tell other politicians to put a sock in it.
