Some interesting information about Governor General David Hurley has emerged in the Sydney Morning Herald about his family’s pre-dinner rituals and there’s enough fuel here to kickstart season one of Australian Horror Story.
According to the publication, Hurley has become known in government circles for making guests visiting Government House in ACT’s Yarralumla sing to each other before meals.
His song of choice is reported to be “You Are My Sunshine”, but sometimes the final chorus will have the words changed by his wife (Linda Hurley) with the new lyrics written on the back of guests’ menus.
This sounds like a really bad setup for a murder mystery. Or like the first scene of a horror movie about a cult. Either way, I would rather chew on my dinner plate like Baby Grinch than sing along.
“Guests were alerted to the expectations of their hosts by (Hurley’s) wife, Linda, who would announce: ‘I believe that singing is a gift we give to one another’,” journalist Niki Savva wrote.
“Guests were told to face the person next to them to sing the final chorus.
“No one had an excuse not to sing along. Hurley was punctilious about this ritual he had initiated, even though some guests found it awkward or embarrassing.”
These incredible revelations come from Savva’s book “BULLDOZED: Scott Morrison’s fall and Anthony Albanese’s rise”.
Thing is, “Her Excellency” Linda Hurley has a habit of sharing her gift of song with the world.
The official YouTube page for the Governer General released a video last year in which Mrs Hurley lifted up her voice to God to sing an original song about the COVID-19 pandemic.
“She often writes songs to thank volunteers of the organisations that she and the Governor-General meet and encourages guests at Government House to sing together,” the video’s caption read.
Lots of chatter about the Governor General’s habit of making guests at Yarralumla sing to each other.
Let me draw your attention to Linda Hurley singing a song she wrote about the pandemic:https://t.co/5RoinrS5DH— Jamie Cummins (@jc_cummins) November 24, 2022
I yearn for Mrs. Hurley’s confidence. https://t.co/QT1ps3eF4I
— Blake Erickson (@Blake_Erickson) November 24, 2022
Not gonna lie, I’m going to need Linda Hurley to drop a spicy mixtape of Christmas carols pronto.
Get Mrs Hurley on the phone, I simply need to hear her rendition of “Santa Baby” so I can play it during my Italian Christmas dinner and shock my nonna to her core.
