South Park’s French Bashing Explored.
The world of cartoons is a powerful way to get out any message you could never achieve with traditional actors or more conventional means. Much like Aesop’s fables, the use of animated characters often serves as a vehicle for political and social satire that avoids serious scrutiny. After all, it’s just a cartoon right?
The Simpsons, Family Guy, King of the Hill and South Park have all achieved success through poking fun at our collective hypocrisies or our contradictions. Unfortunately, when empowered with such a potent vehicle, the creative teams behind these cartoons sometimes let their own prejudices show through.
The Simpsons famously entered the fray of Anti-French prejudice with several barbs, most notably the “Cheese eating surrender monkey” epithet spoken by Groundskeeper Willie in an episode aired on April 30, 1995. In another episode, the character Lenny is also used as a vehicle for Anti-French stereotypes: “I’m shaking like a French soldier!”. Anti-French prejudice from the Simpsons is also evident in licensed games such as “Medal of Homer” (See note 1).
Matt Groening disputed his association with that now famous Anti-French slur: “That was not the original context. It was all about Willie yelling at students in a French class. People took that expression out of context (…) Besides I adore France, to be associated with this was insulting” (See note 2). Given the Simpsons long record of Anti-French attitudes, Matt Groening’s comments can only be considered as pure hypocrisy. But enough with this antiquated series that overstayed its welcome 6 years ago.
Last Wednesday, South Park aired an episode ripped from the headlines that deals with Somali pirates. At one point a French crew surrenders to children wielding toys. In another scene, another characters exclaims: “they were French so of course they surrendered immediately”.
South Park’s late foray into the world of French Bashing is not only regrettable, it proves once more that anti-French prejudice is so entwined in American pop-culture that it will take monumental efforts on our behalf to undo the harm done by years of laissez-faire.
In the meanwhile, little can be done with our limited means. We can however let the creators of South Park know how we feel with it comes to mocking the most tragic event of our recent history or we can also share our opinions with the myriad of bloggers, writers, columnists out there who are applauding this new Anti-French jab like circus seals.
(1) Miquelon.org article on Medal of Homer
(2) Source: Interview with Erwan Cario, July 25th 2007
Related links
- South Park Episode 7, season 13 “Fatbeard”
- Entertainement Weekly by Ken Tucker who thinks this is a “funny depiction of the French as pretentious cowards”
- AvClub.com – tv.ign.com
Can we imagine a French cartoon that would mock any of the following subjects pertaining to American history?
(a) 9 /11 (b) American political and military failures in (1) Vietnam (2) Lebanon (3) Somalia (4) Iraq (5) Afghanistan (6) Tehran …
Some might mention the Guignol, but their parody of American Foreign Policy is not a mockery of the Americans as a people and a culture?
Oh Please!!!
South Park makes fun of everyone and everything! In fact the only way you should feel offended is if they haven’t made fun of you. If you think South Park has singled out the French…, you are an idiot! Try watching more than one episode before you pass judgement on an entire series. And in the meantime…, quit your whimpy, whimpy whining!
And by the way…, South Park has made fun of a) 9 /11 (b) American political and military failures in (1) Vietnam (2) Lebanon (3) Somalia (4) Iraq (5) Afghanistan (6) Tehran … and hell of a lot of other things.
Miquelon, I concur with your concern. I know young children, as well as adults, watch this junk. Their attack on French courage was unnecessary to their story and was obviously deliberate.
French courage?? Unicorns, ghosts & the tooth fairy?
Wayne, there’s a difference between treating a subject and mocking it. They deal with 9/11 truthers, but never mock the event of 9/11. They deal with Vietnam but never mock the soldiers who died there etc etc. See the difference here?
South Park made fun of the truthers. They never made fun of the men and women who died that day, where as in making fun of the “French surrender” they are in fact making fun of an event that lead to over 217,600 military casualties and 267,000 civilian deaths.
And calling people idiots is not going to help any dialogue. I have watched every season of SP since the series started airing.
Two quotes for you Wayne
(a) “Cheese-eating surrender monkeys” is much in vogue in neo- conservative circles. This amusing jape will seem especially risible to those who remember the 1.4 million French soldiers who died defending their nation in World War I.” Jon Carroll
(b) “No other national or ethnic group appears to get the same continually negative treatment in print media reserved for France and the French, with the possible exception of Arabs or Palestinians, and even there, the treatment is not so much cultural as political, linked to a specific context or event.If one were to substitute, for example, “Mexican” or “Japanese” or “Indian” for “French”, what would reader reaction be?”. Edward C.Knox, May 2002
Wayne, have you been reading recent headlines? There have been 4 (thats FOUR) succesful French commando raids against the pirates, rescuing all but one hostage alive, killing several pirates, liberation captured boats and taking over 50 pirates captive, as opposed to only 1 (ONE) succesful SEAL rescue after lengthy indecision. The South Park episode was not only a slam against France, but a complete and twisted distortion of what REALLY happened.
When South Park disses the SEALS and dismisses their accomplishments in the same manner, then you may have a valid arguement to whine about, but not now.
What’s particularly unfair this time is the fact that the surrender ‘jokes’ came about in the context of the Somali Pirates.
A context in which the French military has very recently proven that it was very capable and certainly not afraid to fight
And it was all over the news in the US too.
I know that sometimes Trey Parker and Matt Stone write an episode only a few days before it airs so I cannot believe they were unaware of the French involvement with the Somalian Pirates. And yet they just go ahead and do this???!
It’s really a case of ‘damned if you do, damned if you don’t’.
A lot of Americans just plain and simple refuse to give any credit whatsoever to the French.
And seriously, aren’t even they getting tired of those jokes ?
It’s been done a million fucking times already.
More exchanges between myself and “Wayne” over at reddit. They buried the submission.
Barney, it doesn’t matter. Short of a French soldier blowing a gaping hole in the face of an American comedy writer, nothing will change the situation.
Years of do-nothing or do-little French officials (MAE, Ambassade) have led us to a pop culture acceptance of this stereotype. The French government thought the best way to deal with French bashing was to ignore it hoping it would go away. Save a few letters and a few comments by the Ambassador (to the governor of Colorado for instance), their general attitude has made things worse. I guess communication studies are not in vogue at l’ENA.
Sure, we couldn’t expect the Ambassador of France to write to Jay Leno or Howard Stern, that would have been ridiculous, but there were so many other avenues that could have been explored. It’s much too late now and it’s left to us to pick up the pieces.
“Official” French Bashing is now over, and those who still abide by it are too busy teabagging and accusing Obama of socialism. But today, we are left with deep anti-French sentiments and prejudice in the general population, no matter what.
Miquelon (10), VERY well said. Now we need to fight to minimize the damage.
I think of it this way; the medias and government have blown a hole into our hull, and now the water is gushing in. It’s time to plug the gap.
As a positive, have you noticed that Chris Mathews has been making purposely positive comments lately on France and the French. These types of people, being consistant, can go a long way to plug the hole.
^^^^
You’re right, André, but how ?
I think there needs to be some male French role models on US TV shows and in Hollywood movies. A Frenchman kicking ass and taking names so to speak.
I guess there was Jean Reno recently in the Pink Panther movies. But then again he was only playing the sidekick of a clumsy, arrogant Clouseau.
As far as US Tv shows and movies are concerned, I can think of plenty of traitors, cowards, arrogant, pompous French characters but other than that I can’t think of a single instance where a Frenchman was portrayed somewhat positively or god forbid acted heroically in the last 20 years on an American Tv show or in a Hollywood movie.
I’m really a huge consumer of American Tv shows and Hollywood movies and it’s come to the point where I cringe whenever the French are mentioned, and believe me it happens quite often, because I know exactly what’s coming. It really pisses me off.
The people whose sole exposure to the French is television and movies have almost no choice but to hate us. I can hardly blame them since they have literally never seen a nice and brave Frenchman in their lives.
It’s a real problem.
Barney (14), Good point, well written. Now e-mail your thought to the Writers Guild and let’s get some pressure applied.
You’re right, Barney. Jean Reno in Godzilla was the closest to a french hero I’ve ever seen in a recently produced american movie. But until some forty years ago, there were plenty of heroic french supporting characters in american movies (the cop in French Connection II) or TV (LeBeau in Hogan’s Heroes, even if he was a caricature). My best guess is that it stopped after the Vietnam War. Having lost and being humiliated like they never had been before, some americans needed a scapegoat, and we were a convenient target (as they said in the british show Ultimate Force: “Blame the French. It always works.”)
Barney,
#14 is an excellent post, perhaps the best someone has come up with on this blog.
They’ve never seen a brave Frenchman. They can’t. They really have to dig for it, dig up their copy of The Longest Day or — God forbid! — get a French movie.
I mean, heck, even in the (atrocious, let all be said) Napoléon miniseries with — gasp — Christian Clavier, did you ever see the English dubbing? They all spoke with horrible, stereotypical French accents. So, even when brave, the French get the dumbass accent.
What I find hard to believe is that, if an age where there was no internet, minority groups like German-Americans and Italian-Americans managed to make such great advances (to the point where a toy Elmo with a pizza was considered a “racist stereotypical Italian chef”), can’t we gain support and protection from the state?
I mean, we’re being bashed, actively and ruthlessly. Will the US government — now free from President Bu**sh** — let down thousands of its citizens?
Hey everyone, it’s your favorite American. I’m back. It took a little while with the time difference and everything.
I see you talked about things a little bit since I’ve last been here.
Miquelon suggested you see can more of our conversation over on reddit.com. If you had any problems finding it, here’s a link.
http://www.reddit.com/r/politics/comments/8f181/south_parks_french_bashing_explored/
The conversation got more civil and Miquelon even joked with me towards the end. I don’t want you to think I have any less respect for the French just because of the words I wrote. Believe me…, I have harsher remarks for some of the stupid ass people here in America.
But the whole thing I was trying to get you all to understand is South Park takes a entirely different approach to humor that a lot of people don’t get. They think the things they say are really offensive and they sure as hell are. But more times than not, they are bagging on the people that are bagging on other people. So some of the characters are very bigoted but they use put them in situations where they show just how stupid and ignorant their bigotry is.
I’m going to say only one thing bad about you guys, and that is you take things a little too personal. I think nothing bad about the French. I just love a good joke and a good debate. Us Americans love to hear some good American jokes but no one here is smart enough to come up with one.
You see…, I’m only joking and I’m doing it about myself.
Please send me some good American jokes…, I loved to hear some.
Send them to backpackwayne@yahoo.com. I love to hear from you all.
In the meantime…, Be happy, be well and keep laughing
Wayne I know you want absolve you favorite show, I would too if I wasn’t French. Fact is, the “surrender meme” has outlived its welcome, especially in the French expatriate community. If you would please read through the other sections of this website, you would discover that the “surrender meme” was used and abused in so many circlees it has now become a perfect example of manufacture prejudice. Unfortunately, South Park fell in lock and step with this current.
Wayne, there are consequences to this type of constant attacking of one specific people and culture: discrimination at your workplace, harassment on the job, verbal abuse, children from exchange programs being refused because of nationality, graffiti, attacks on property …
I am not joking here, each one of these occurrences happened during the height of Anti-French propaganda between 2003 and 2007 and some of these still occur today.
Back to South Park. There have been Anti-French barbs in the past, but they usually come out of Cartman’s mouth (“French people piss me off” – in response to Pip Pirrup, a British character). The purpose of this type of joke was to ridicule the anti-French attitudes of people like Cartman who view all foreigners as identical.
But episode 7 of season 13, the joke is radically different in nature and purpose. The French are portrayed as cowards, readily surrendering to children. This is a very different type of joke as it paints an entire people and culture with a despicable character trait. This is what we are focused on, and we will not accept this from South Park any more than we would from anybody else. This was a lazy, pathetic and cheap shot, pure and simple.
” Us Americans love to hear some good American jokes but no one here is smart enough to come up with one.
You see…, I’m only joking and I’m doing it about myself.
Please send me some good American jokes…, I loved to hear some.
Send them to backpackwayne@yahoo.com. I love to hear from you all.
In the meantime…”
I’m French and I don’t know any American jokes. Never heard any, really.
What would be the American joke equivalent of “How many Frenchmen does it take to defend Paris ? Don’t know . Never been tried”
The actual answer to that question would be about 1.6 million Frenchmen. That’s the number of Frenchmen who died defending Paris last century.
So tell me, “Wayne”, how many dead Americans would I have to spit on to make a good American joke ?
A few months ago, I saw thousands of Americans getting violently outraged at a simple French poll, published in France in a French newspaper, about which Presidential candidate the French people would rather see in the White House so I can only imagine what would happen if the French suddenly came up with American ‘jokes’ distorting American history to make Americans look like an eternal bunch of cowards.
Of course, I’m sure you’d all take it with good humor. Your sense of humor is much more developed than ours after all.
Maybe we should make a South Park parody of animated GI soldiers running away from Vietnam, Somalia, Beirut … But the idea of mocking any dead soldiers of any army is simply too disgusting for me to bear.
It would behoove French-bashers to create self depreciating jokes about the painful aspects of their past, only to prove that they do understand the full meaning of making fun of everyone, thus offending no one, if we’re to believe them. It’s not at all a question of whether or not the French can come up with demeaning American jokes sine this is really a cop-out for the French-bashers.
The onus is on you Wayne, not that you are a French-basher per se, because I don’t think that you are. However, if as you maintian, the South Park episode in question is supposed to demonstrate all-encompassing and depreciative humor, which I would add, completely distorted what really happened, then can you yourself give us a demonstration of a depreciative joke about Americans, perhaps a Pearl Harbor joke, or a 9/11 joke? Are the Americans who died on the Bataan Death March also fair game in such case?
Actually, it’s not the first time South Park has made French surrender jokes.
In episode 1008 – Make Love, Not Warcraft.
Cartman: “if you had the chance to go back in time right now and stop Hitler, wouldn’t you do it ?[…]When Hitler rose to power, there were a lot of people who just stopped playing. You know who those people were ? The French. Are you French, Clyde ?”
In episode 805 – You got F in the A.
Stan: “Otherwise you might as well move to France with all the other pussies”.
Thanks Barney, I was not aware of these comments.
Face it, the only way South Park can overcome this transgression is to make an episode where the French are heros. Maybe Yorktown or WWI or the Free French on the right flank of Patton. They could simply make a charactor that is French and the hero in an episode. The don’t need to make Americans look foolish, just stop insulting the French. Since the writers are very creative, they should have no problem making up for this display of very poor taste.
Miquelon — I could animate that. I’m pretty busy at the moment, but as soon as I have time, we’ll have’em running out of Vietnam like rats.
To be fair, they were two french characters who were portrayed as heroes (one even gave up his life) in the South Park movie.
Gérard, that was in 1999, ten years ago ! Besides, giving the French a positive role model is not a license to trash us ten years later.
On that point, you are right. But it’s still better than what the Simpsons have given us.
True – I get physically ill when I hear the Simpsons intro music. Can’t believe I used to watch it years ago.
Hey guys…, it’s the antagonist American back to say hi. Before I say anything that might piss you off I just wanted to say how fun it is to debate you guys. We obviously disagree on some things but we can do it on a civil level.
Over here in America it’s hard to have a rational back-and-forth on the internet. People get viscous. I think since they can say anything they want without any chance of reprecussions, they let it all out. See…, Americans are the real pussies.
I must say after reading yesterday’s comments, I was a little dissapointed in you guys. I thought I was getting through to you about some stuff. If I could get one thing through to you is that you take this stereo-type you think exist of you over here, much too seriously. I remember a couple of years ago someone made one of the first French jokes I had ever heard and I didn’t get it. This notion that everytime we hear something French over here we think of surrender is proposterous. When I hear French I think of wine, Captain Picard on Star Trek TNG, fries and kissing. Not an accurate view of the French, but not a negative one either.
You know I will defend South Park to the death. It’s a very clever show and just because many don’t get the message it sends, doesn’t mean it’s bad. This show has done more to make bigotry look foolish than any other show I’ve seen.
Anyway…, I want to thank you for allowing me to debate you guys. I love getting different views; especially from somewhere other than some of the redneck cultures that exists here. Please continue to write and feel free to direct your comments and questions my way. If you want to know anything about some of the misconceptions about life over here, I’d be happy to share them with you.
Your American friend,
Wayne
Well, reading this mademe feel kinda guilty for laughing along in that south park “Fatbeard” episode…
But still, South Park HAS dissed on a lot of others at well…and on a more personal level. Take for example the episode of “D-Yikes”. In it, Mexicans were stero-typed to be poor and a bunch of unemployed migrants willing to do anything for cash…and this didn’t came out from the mouth of cartman, they actually showed it as if it were the norm. That wouldn’t be the last time too…in and another episode, Mexico was depicted to be a poor, backwards nation and described to be as “hell” by kenny…
I could also name you a couple of other episodes where countries were insulted on the level that France was based. Example, Japan (the “chinpokomon” if i remeber correctly)
But laughing at France or mexico doesn’t make me stereotype them. France has always been a wonderful place rich in culture to me and the little jokes South Park crack doesn’t make me think of the french as a bunch of “cheese-eating surrender monkeys”. The main point is making sure people still know the difference between jokes and reality…
I don’t know about Jay Leno or the other sources you pointed out but South Park has never struck me as a stereo-typist programme or a show which “bashes” the French…
“The main point is making sure people still know the difference between jokes and reality…”
That is our main concern as well, I believe…
And unfortunately, it would seem that the French being cowards has become reality for many and it is in part due to those ‘jokes’. You people must think we are deaf and blind…
“I must say after reading yesterday’s comments, I was a little disappointed in you guys. I thought I was getting through to you about some stuff.”
It never occurred to you that our points may be valid as well ?
Hey guys…,
Interesting points have been made in response to my last comment. But before I get into that I wanted to give kudos to Miquelon for the drawing of the South Park Vietnam Character. That’s supposed to be an American, right? I loved your rendition. Do you draw those yourself? If so…, you should consider getting a job with the show.
On to other things…, I start by addressing Gabster’s comments:
“BRAVO” Gabster!
I see you understand what I’ve been talkin about. If anyone thinks South Park has been rough on the French, I can only conclude they haven’t seen many of the other episodes or they don’t get the style of humor. The whole basis of the show is to show idiot and ignorant behavior (such as bigotry) and then expose it for what it really is; all in an entertaining and hilarious way. They have been merciless to Canadians; even making a full-length motion picture about them. That movie, by-the-way has to hold the record for most cuss words ever in a single motion picture.
They also have, like you say poked fun at Germans, Iranians, Iraqis, Mexicans, and every aspect of the American culture. They have tore apart many of the current and pat fads that come in go in this country. On almost every episode they burn rednecks, Catholics, Christians, gays, straights, and of course jews. True they have people saying riduculous untruths and prejudicial statements about almost everyone. No one is safe! But they do so to show just how ridiculous those views are. Some people don’t get that and of course are offended.
And Barney, of course I consider your points valid. I wouldn’t be writing back and forth to you this much if I didn’t. In fact, this debate with you guys had been some of the most intellectual and entertaining I’ve had with people on the internet. It seems you Frenchmen are open-minded and actually take the time to consider what the other person says. American conversation is much more pig-headed and much of the time seems a waste of time to me.
Now on a different subject (kind of), I wanted to recommend a movie I think all you would enjoy profusely. It’s made by the same guys who do South Park. It’s Called:
“Team America: World Police.”
Now this is one of those cases I was telling you about where they make fun of everyone. But no one more than America itself. Well they do pretty heavy satire on Kim Jong Ill too. If you haven’t seen this movie, please go out of way to see it. It appears on Comedy Central every few months or so or you can rent it.
THIS IS THE FUNNIEST MOVIE I HAVE EVER SEEN!!!
It’s all done with marionettes and quite well I must add. The opening seen is in France. Please see this one. You will love it.
Well I’ve rambled on too long, but thank you again for the pleasure of being able to debate with some wonderful people.
You’ve got a great site here Miquelon.
Wayne,
I’ve never watched the show nor even know what it is all about so could only rely on what’s been written here.
I believe you are trying to describe the show’s format as satire. Problem with satire is the thin line that separates it from the crass and the vulgar.
And as Miquelon said above, “… the idea of mocking any dead soldiers of any army is simply too disgusting ..”
Heheh! I like the Miquelon’s version of GI Joe in Vietnam — how extraordinarily real!
Airplanes fly over Manhattan, scares the crap out of people, hundreds come running out of buildings…
Can you imagine the pant-wetting hilarity in the US media if this happened in Paris ?
Looks like Manhattan has surrendered to the Grand Duchy of American Airlines, effectively becoming a vassal state, the People’s Republic of Manhattan, and proclaiming its secession from the United States. The Electorate-Archbishopric of Andrewernessonia has withdrawn its ambassador from the newly constituted state as a consequence.
The U.S. Government has opened relations with the PRM, with President Obama paying a casual visit a few hours after the surrender.
The Hotdog-Eating Panicky (and Excitable) American!
Now, you understand why the first casualties among the coalition of the willing forces in Iraq were victims of American panic fire…
Hillblogger – I LOL’d at that.
How about garbage-eating fear junkies? Strategic retreat at its finest — as the knights of the Holy Grail once said, “Run away!!!”
How many Americans does it take to defend a skyscraper? No idea, it’s never been tried!
OK, OK, now, before everybody starts jumping on me, it’s just an illustration. The above are simply inverted French-bashing jokes. But I bet more than one American found them distasteful, right? Same the other way round.
“How many Americans does it take to defend a skyscraper? No idea, it’s never been tried!”
Lol! I bet Americans will go amok if that sort of ‘joke’ is circulated in cyberspace.
Let’s get offensive! It’s easy when you laugh at yourself — but can you take it when others laugh at you?
I think of it as someone pinching himself. He’ll never, ever hurt himself as much as if he’s pinching someone else.
So let’s start…
Here’s a painting by Rubens; we can call it “An American in Iraq”, with the alternate title of “the American-hunt”.
http://cgfa.sunsite.dk/rubens/rubens8.jpg
Nostradamus also predicted the arrival of the United States, and their fancy for air combat:
De nuict soleil penseront avoir veu,
Quand le pourceau demi-homme on verra:
Bruict, chant, bataille, au ciel battre aperceu:
Es bestes brutes á parler lon orra.
Need I say more…? Oh yes, a parting shot. How many Americans does it take to bomb a wedding? Three: one to crash his Apache into some high-voltage lines, one to get shot down by random AK-47 shots in the air, and one to be so stoned off his ass as to think it’s a concentration of militiamen.
Hey guys…, I would have written sooner but I was too busy running from low flying airplanes. Well I see you have regained your sense of humor. But it seems that airplanes aren’t the worst problem around here. You should hear this news media created panic being caused by pigs. You’d think the black plaque had returned.
Now the airplane thing to me is funny because that was caused by actual people panicking over something they saw. But the swine flu thing is all media! Like 40 people get a cold and they are ready to start burning corspes. Slow news days are the most dangerous times around here because the irresponsible media has to create something to report on. If you are ever looking for something to laugh at the Americans about, just look at our news. It’s something I’m truly ashamed of. In order to get an accurate account of anything around here, I have to watch about five news programs daily and attempt decipher one truth from all of them. Never in all my years has 40 people getting a cold been considered a pandemic. Hey but leave it to the U.S. media. One reporter on CNN just said…,
“…the one CRUCIAL thing we DON’T want to DO is PANIC!”
AHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!! We’re All Going To Die!!!!!!!!!
Anyday now they should start pig burnings and people will start looting and hording food. Well at least the pharmacutical stocks should go up.
Well it’s good to see you guys laughing. You see there are some Americans who can take a joke. My take on the life basically goes like this:
There are two kinds of people:
1. Those that can take a joke
2. Those that are a joke
Keep smiling and watch out for pigs and planes!
Wayne
By the way, the how many Americans does it take to defend the a skyscraper joke was great. I told it to a few people here and it cracked them up. But Andre, I’m not sure I get your joke. Believe me I’m trying. Your poem was in French so I’m not sure what you were saying and have no idea what the Rueben’s painting had to do with anything. Explain a little further for me, will ya. You know around here sophistication is on the level of somewhere around Dancing with the Stars. Or maybe you gotta work on your delivery a little more. 🙂 Anyway…, keep the jokes coming but watch out…, I have some doozies. I just don’t want to piss any of you off too much…, yet 🙂
Re: “But Andre, I’m not sure I get your joke. Believe me I’m trying.”
Dontcha worry! Maybe if André tells you the joke after 10x you might get it!
OK, don’t think I believe you’re dumb Wayne but heck, we hear a lot of the dumb American story…
Here’s a sample: the story of John an American and his business partner Pablito from Mexico story about…
John and Pablito were walking through Central Park discussing and ‘strategising’ about the next day’s meeting with some big shots.
John, your typical American, was visibly animated and could hardly control his excitement while Pablo calmly listened who tried to put in a word from time to time but John would have none of it as he went on and on excitedly about how he’d beat the hell out of those big shot businessmen.
They’d been walking for a while when all of a sudden John just stopped; turned around livid with rage, cussing and cursing as he stomped repeatedly on a snail, it caught Pablo off-guard.
Pablo finally found his words and asked, “What did you do that for? It’s done nothing wrong to you!”
John screeched, “You gotta be fxxxing kidding! Didn’t you see that it’s been following us for the last half hour? It could’ve been carrying a frigging microphone for all you know!”
Dang! Lemme get these 2 lines slightly less skewed…
OK, don’t think I believe you’re dumb Wayne but heck, we hear a lot of stories about the “dumb and loud American” in the UK, so it’s sometimes difficult not to wonder if there’s truth to the stories…
Here’s a sample: the story of John an American and his business partner Pablito from Mexico…
Mr. Hillblogger,
There is no need to be condescending. I think I have been a good sport here and have done my best to have an open-minded conversation. I believe it has been fun and enlightening for all.
But what started this whole conversation, was a few of you thought someone from America was wrongly making a joke at your expense. I invited you to share some American jokes and a couple were quite funny.
But this joke just isn’t funny:
How many Americans does it take to bomb a wedding? Three: one to crash his Apache into some high-voltage lines, one to get shot down by random AK-47 shots in the air, and one to be so stoned off his ass as to think it’s a concentration of militiamen.
I realize you are saying Ameicans, especially our military, are stupid. But bomb a wedding? What’s that about?
I’m not in the least bit offended, but I don’t see any coherent humor in it either. You could tell it to me twenty times and it still is not going to make me laugh.
Regardless…, even if the joke is totally obvious and I didn’t get it…, is no reason to be a condescending asshole about it. That is one stereo-type that exist about the French. I don’t buy into it, but you are not helping .
Please.., in the future, say anything you want. But be civil and respectful.
Wayne