What does the WWF and the Taiwanese legislature have in common?

Ruuuumble!

Just what I've always suspected.

Politicians know how to put on a good show.

But the brawling and histrionics in parliament that have put Taiwan politics on the world map for the past 20 years are staged acts, legislators and political observers say.

They are planned in advance to generate media attention and garner favor with voters who like to see their representatives fight as hard as they can on tough issues.

Lawmakers even call up allies to ask that they wear sports shoes ahead of the choreographed clashes. They have been known to meet up afterwards for drinks.

There's a video of the incident in the above photo, by the way. It's a blast from the past from January.