This message has been deleted.
-
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 05, 2011 08:53 AM)
I've seen "Texas-style" deep dish pizza at Tesco! Should I repeatedly complain to the company that it's Chicago known for their deep dish, not Texas, and there is no "Texas-style" pizza? No. It's pointless, as they don't care. The entire US is lumped into a single culture in the UK, although the 50 states are as diverse, or probably even more so, than the four countries of the UK.
If I were to complain to every British "American" or "Mexican" restaurant about their unauthentic menus, I'd be writing letters all day (vegetarian chilli con carne and chilli con queso without cheese are just two examples).
It's extremely common in the UK to encounter people that are utterly confused about the US (and other countries), too, yet you keep bringing up the prevalence American ignorance. You keep saying that you hate stereotypes, yet you keep referring to ignorant stereotypes regarding the apparently widespread stupidity of Americans. If you disliked stereotypes, you wouldn't repeatedly refer to your limited experience with Americans.
At least they didn't slap the Bandera de Mxico on the pizza and call it Mexican! Anyway, you are starting to split hairs here. Using ridiculous examples in an attempt to contradict mine. Vegetarian Chilli con Carne is for, ummm, let me see, oh that's it - people who are vegetarians! As for Chilli con Queso without cheese. Many people are not allowed cheese due to medication (such as my late Gran). And a lot more people are health conscious. They don't want to consume vast amounts of saturated fat. There is also a growing market for vegetarian black pudding and haggis. I do NOT have a problem with that. The same way I don't have any gripes with restaurants mixing food from other cultures. At least they don't lie about doing so. You were no doubt referring to my beef with Jungle Jim's. They are marketing Scottish as English!! Which is a great big lie!!
It's not just my "limited experience with Americans". Everybody I know and have spoken to say the same. It is England this, the English that. It is very seldom Britain or British. There are dozens of threads about this subject on numerous message boards. People target America more than other countries because it is more prevalent there than anywhere else. This is NOT stereotyping - it is (like it or not) FACT.
Maybe she should find smarter friends.
Finally - something we can agree on.
You haven't travelled much, have you? I'd say the countries I've been to in which the people are the most out of touch with the rest of the world would be Cambodia, Nepal and Mongolia, but I didn't call them stupid or ignorant, as you have done repeatedly, because I don't find them to be either.
They don't know any better because they have extremely poor (and sometimes non-existent) educational systems. Do tell me why, that with America having as many fine schools and universities (as you pointed out), that you will more often that not, hear England instead of Britain? You can say what you like, but based on the thousands of hours of television/films I have watched, and with my many months of travelling there, most Americans do NOT know the difference between Britain, the United Kingdom and England. Yes, I have travelled quite a bit actually. I could list all the countries I've been to, but you'll just have a go at me anyway.
Just using your policy of stereotyping entire nationalities, the British are notorious for refusing to leave their culture whilst travelling and refusing to mingle with the local people. They go on package holidays on planes full of Brits to beaches full of even more Brits, where they eat British food! How is that being knowledgeable about the world?
I am only criticizing the Americans for not being knowledgeable about the rest of the world because that is how they come across. You can say that television and film should not be a reference guide, but if writers (who have presumably gone through further education and extensive training for their chosen career) can not get things right, then what does that say about the education of the 'Average Joe'? However, I can also agree that some Brits are clueless on holiday. But, there is also a perfectly valid reason for eating British food. A friend would always take her own, but the one time she didn't (while in Turkey), she became extremely ill with E-coli. Almost died in fact. That was due to the country having (in general) poorer hygiene standards. Before you have a go at me for stereotyping Turkey, you should Google Turkey and E-coli. There are plenty of horror stories.
First of all, most Canadians (that aren't French Canadian) don't have accents. They sound the same as Americans. The ones with accents sound the same as someone from North Dakota or Minnesota. So, you want Shenae Grimes (Canadian) on 90210 to play a Canadian? How would that work into the storyline?
It would ruin the story-line in many shows and wouldn't make sense if non-American actors with non-North American accents were -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 08, 2011 07:52 AM)
Perhaps you're completely ignorant about the Spanish language - which most Americans are NOT. The carne in chilli con carne means MEAT and the queso in chilli con queso means CHEESE. Your little rant about vegetarianism and health consciousness makes zero sense. I thought you were worldly and knew everything about other countries? Most Americans who are presented with basic Spanish words, such as carne and queso, know exactly what they mean.
I know fine well what "carne" and "queso" mean. You were responding to my comments about Jungle Jim's marketing Irn Bru as English. You tried to say that British restaurants offering vegetarian and healthier options on their menus is inaccurate and akin to the situation with Jungle Jim's. They are completely different things! Your comparing of vegetarian chilli con carne and chilli con queso minus the cheese, to Irn Bru being sold as English makes no sense whatsoever. The reason I made reference to vegetarian haggis and black pudding is because those things are traditionally made with offal and blood. The same way as your examples are traditionally made with cheese and meat. You have issues with the ingredients (or lack thereof). I have issues with the fact that something Scottish is being passed off as English! Can you not see that? I can see the sense of there being vegetarian versions of meat dishes, but NOT with Irn Bru being sold in an "England" section. Also, did those restaurants have the proper dishes as well (with the meat and cheese included)?
Actually, no, that's not the case at all. There's a huge difference between Scottish and English accents. Once again, you're commenting on things you have absolutely no idea about. Yes, your sister's neighbours in Kentucky certainly sound different from Canadians, but you cannot tell the difference from my Northern/Midwest ("standard" American) accent and a standard Canadian accent. I've been asked by several Canadians where I'm from, because they weren't sure if I was Canadian or American. When I was in Cuba, every Canadian thought I was a Canadian. Why on earth would YOU be able to notice a difference between Canadian and American accents, but Canadians and Americans cannot? Unless you tell me you're a linguist that specialises in regional dialects of North America, I call BS.
I am not a linguist. Just someone who can differentiate between very subtle sounds. Such as knowing a CFM56 from an ALF 502R-5 turbofan engine. Thus, I can usually tell what type of aircraft is flying over the house without seeing it. Or when I worked at stables, I always knew which horses/ponies were whinnying without looking at them. So, picking up on accents is easy for me. As for there being a huge difference between Scottish and English. Why is that I am more often than not asked if I am English while in America. If most Americans (as like you say) know the difference, then why is this the rule and not the exception?
Who gives a flying beep if American shows have foreigners playing American characters? I don't. You're the only one that seems to care if an British actor puts on an American accent for a pay cheque. You must be torn over whether or not you can accept Sons of Anarchy as a credible show - the lead is a Geordie putting on an American accent, but another actor on the show is from Glasgow and is playing a character from Glasgow. You must be really pissed off at Outsourced, which has Canadian and British actors playing Indian characters with Indian accents.
Canadian television shows a great deal of American shows on their main stations during primetime. Their nightly line-up looks nearly identical to that in the US. Apparently Canadians enjoy American shows and aren't pissed off that their countrymen are living down south and playing Americans. But, for some reason, you are?
Because it would be exactly like shows made down south, hiring Scottish and Welsh actors only to have them play English characters. It used to happen a lot, but after thousands of complaints, English productions stopped doing it as often. Not all Canadians have such a high opinion of American series'. I most certainly am NOT alone in getting annoyed at American shows for Americanizing foreign actors. There are scores of people who think the same. A lot of actors think it too. They are only in America for the money. I know this to be true through my friend who is an actor and several other sources. And do some research on Google. There are numerous sites that discuss this subject. Never seen Outsourced, so can not comment on it. And thanks for the info on Sons of Anarchy. That is another American show that couldn't possibly have a regular foreign accent. -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 05, 2011 09:04 AM)
You are NOT an expert on America simply because you've visited the US a few times, your sister lives in the backwoods of Kentucky and you've visited a few states. I was in Scotland for FAR longer than you were in the US, so I'm more of an expert on where you come from than you are on where I come from. Get off your high horse and accept the fact that although you claim to "hate" stereotypes, you're nothing more than a disgusting, ignorant fool who stereotypes entire nations of people! I've come across uneducated chavs in pubs that decide they need to insult the American and have made the same comments about Americans that you have made. What does that say about you?
You will NEVER know how much I know about your country. You also do not know where my sister lives in Kentucky, but you make the assumption that it is a place overrun by hillbillies. And you have been in pubs frequented by "uneducated chavs"? Oh, and at least I have not resorted to personal insults. What exactly does that say about you? -
CavalorCumano — 15 years ago(January 07, 2011 06:13 AM)
You said my sister lives in the "backwoods", so what exactly were you implying? It was as if you were saying it is an area which is culturally backwards. Plus, the noun "backwoods" is used to describe a place where hillbillies live. Hence my assumption that you meant it was overrun by hillbillies. Or were you meaning a heavily wooded area or a sparsely populated town? I also wondered why you go to pubs knowing there is a strong possibility you could encounter a bunch of "uneducated chavs". A group of people you seem to hate. I NEVER go to pubs. I don't drink and hate having to share space with drunks. I have had too many bad experiences with them. How dare you say I am uneducated!! If you had paid more attention to my posts, you would have seen that my MAIN problem with Americans is that they simply do NOT know the difference between Britain and England. I have NEVER said they are across-the-board dumb, but you keep on insisting that I have. Where exactly? I will re-post if you like. You have clearly not spent enough time in Scotland to know that most people here are sick of it. You get into a discussion about what most Scots hate most about Americans, you will get the exact same response. The reason I keep on going back to America is not solely because I have family there. It is because people are in general friendly and offer great hospitality. I do NOT hate Americans. Just the FACT that they continually insult the Scots, Welsh and Northern Irish when they call the UK England. You must be living on another planet if you can not see how widespread it is. From tourist attractions, books, and stores, to countless websites, TV Shows and films. You say that most Americans do know the difference. But, how can you possibly know that? Have you been to each and every state and spoken to the majority of the population? In fact, I used to really like American actress Kate Mulgrew. I even went to several conventions down south to meet her. The last convention was the final straw. It was a weekend affair and she did a talk each day. The first time, she kept on referring to the English (meaning British) in the audience, even at one point saying "the English Army during World War II". This was after meeting me several times before and talking earlier that afternoon about my flight from Prestwick. There were several others from Scotland and a really nice girl from Wales who had also met her. It was enough to put me off going the next day and I told convention organisers to tell her it was Britain and the British. I got a transcript from the following day and Mulgrew said she'd always been taught it was England! I can also remember Alan Alda on the red carpet (I think at the Golden Globes) being asked to say hello to viewers in the UK. He said "A big hello to everyone in England". It may offend you, but many people from around the world DO think that Americans are insular. You said you have not seen much coverage of Australian current affairs here, but I saw precious little regarding the rest of the world on American news programmes. My sister and American friends say the same. We get blanket coverage of US elections here, but David Cameron's being elected PM barely got a mention on American news. The bulk of "international" news was about the second Gulf War. Even then, it was mostly regarding American troops. There was next to nothing about the allied forces who were also fighting and dying. That is what I call disgusting.
I did not delete my posts out of embarrassment. It was only after you resorted to taking it to a personal level (calling me a disgusting fool - which was downright nasty by the way) that I deleted them. These types of threads (where name calling is present) are usually deleted by the IMDb. I would much rather delete them myself instead of somebody else doing it. As I said earlier, I will re-post them if you wish (as they have been saved - not something an embarrassed person would usually do).