Doesn't sound like such a bad idea

You may have seen this already, but the Brits are ready to bring the court jester back! I mean, they actually posted an ad!

But maybe it isn't so silly, really. The jester would serve as a distraction from bad news, a tension breaker. A "safe" distraction, rather than leaving leaders to provide their own with questionable government boondoggles. Perhaps the press would focus more on the antics of the man in bells than trying to unearth the most remote scandals possible.

To think of it, we probably already have some jester-like characters in Washington (depending on your political leanings, you can pick yours) - they just lack the outfit with bells and bladder on a stick.