CALGARY – Only a few weeks after Stephen Harper retired from his seat in Parliament, local lookalike Leonard Furlong has landed work as a lifeless corpse.
“I knew he was leaving office and I was worried about what I would do next”, remarked Mr. Furlong who had spent the last decade regaling retirees, senior citizens and the infirmed with his pitch perfect Harper Impression. “But it turns out there is plenty of work in this country for those whose facial expressions range from empty to rigor mortis.”
Mr. Furlong landed his first gig as a practice body for medical students at University Calgary. “They actually thought I was deceased. It wasn’t until one of them tried to give me an orchiectomy that I revealed the charade.”
Since that first job Leonard has also found work in the film and television industry, most recently being cast as the body of a dead taxidermist in CBS’ hit show Criminal Minds.
“What can I say, I love showbiz. And if the talents I have honed playing one of our most indistinct Prime Ministers can get me in front of the camera I say, I’m ready for my close up of a rotten carcass, Mr. DeMille.”
Mr. Furlong has also performed at “live theater” including wakes, funerals and the Liberal Party Christmas party.
“It’s just more fun to play a likeable character for a change.”
