There's no transcript available, so this is all from memory. The quotes and descriptions below are merely how I recall it, making no claim as to strict accuracy. OK?
Anyhow--
Tonight's Fox News Watch had a brief segment on the BBC program "What the World Thinks about America." I haven't seen the BBC show, but this description of it by David Carr makes it sound pretty interesting, in a boring sort of way.
The panel was discussing what they construed as the main thrust of the program, which was that much of the world thinks that Americans are arrogant. To underscore this, they displayed a BBC graphic depicting a map of the world with the word "arrogant" plastered over each country.
The panelists each weighed in with tepid, unremarkable comments, most of them dismissive but not heatedly so.
Cal Thomas then said something like "well, you know, most Americans don't give a [quaint grandpa euphemism for 'rat's ass'] what the rest of the world thinks, and they're sick and tired of hearing about it, because we know that when there's any trouble in the world we're the ones who are going to have to go in there and sort it out..."
Like I said, that's only how I vaguely remember it, and I'm sure that's not anything like the literal quote (though I believe that it more or less captures the spirit of the thing.)
But what is crystal clear in my memory is that it was absolutely impossible to tell whether he was kidding or not. If so, it was deadpan brilliance, satire worthy of Steven Wright. If not, it was a classic case of inadvertent hilarity. Either way, it was worth a snort.
No idea which, though. I report, you decide.
Posted by Dr. Frank at June 22, 2003 09:40 AM | TrackBackYou can watch the show here. If you can stomach it.
Posted by: Jackie D at June 22, 2003 06:22 PMDr. Frank!
This has nothing to do with your blog. I just wanted to ask if you're still a praciticing Catholic? I ask as a punk who is. Also you should blog on the trials and tribulations of finding new band members as you've gone through so much of this.
You're not alone
Check this out
http://www.canoe.ca/Columnists/woodcock.html
Posted by: Lyn at June 23, 2003 10:03 PMHere's the Canadian version of that story:
http://www.cbc.ca/news/america/index.html
Posted by: Shannon at June 24, 2003 03:15 AMI suppose "we don't care what the world thinks of us" qualifies for arrogance, but for Christ sakes, this coming from Brits and Frenchmen. I thought arrogance was a virtue to these people.
Besides, "self-importance" isn't much different from "arrogance" than "greed" is to "envy". There should be something strikingly ironic about saying "you guys are arrogant, you won't even listen to what *I* have to say! Me me me me me!!!" (stomp foot).
I'd like our country to be thought of as swell, and I'm all for listening to as many opinions as possible. I just think we reserve the right to hang on to our principles at the expense of popularity and we also reserve the right to ignore raving lunatics or people who are WRONG.
Posted by: Matt from Vegas at June 24, 2003 07:45 PM