The Simpsons are blamed BY Rio.

[GIGObuster]

My first Pit rant! And I wrote this before I noticed a similar tread in Café society, and I want to see shit fly!

Simpsons in trouble in Rio:

http://media.guardian.co.uk/broadcast/story/0,7493,681296,00.html
When the Simpsons, America's favourite dysfunctional family, visited Brazil last week they made some offbeat observations.

The cartoon characters found that Rio de Janeiro is a city where all men are bisexual, where fearsome monkeys roam the streets, and tourists are kidnapped by taxi drivers and mugged by children.

[snip]

Unfortunately, the Rio tourist board did not see the funny side and is preparing to sue the producers, Fox, for damage to its international image and loss of revenue. The issue threatens to become a diplomatic incident.

The Brazilian president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, has entered the fray claiming that the cartoon "brought a distorted vision of Brazilian reality"

[snip]

A statement from the Rio tourist board said that it has recently spent US$18m (£12.5m) promoting the city abroad and that the episode will have "drastic consequences" in the US market.

Rio has severe social problems and high levels of violence, although these are generally restricted to certain areas. Attacks on tourists are rare and no one has ever been attacked by a monkey on Copacabana.
The Rio tourist board and the president of Brazil really have no fucking sense of humor. Yes, those bad things do not happen to tourists (really?), but is the absolute truth that many people in Brazil (and in many Latin American nations) are under constant treat of violence, kidnapping and extreme poverty. By golly! Roosevelt was right, how many of your citizens would be middle class and driving a dynamic economy and not giving even the time of day to extreme leftists if you and your past motherfucking felching, with a dash of margarita salt, plutocratic leaders had organized REAL social justice measures for the nation? And you spent 18 million dollars to promote the city abroad and many of the favelas (the slums in Rio) that create the biggest show on earth, (Sorry Ringling Bros, and Rams) the Carnival, get virtually shitted rum scented crumbs of nothing in exchange?

And you complain now that a cartoon show will ruin everything?
Fuck that! Go solve those problems before you complain an animated show is more powerful than your happy go orgy propaganda at changing perceptions.

But I see not all is bad news, at least you guys solved the monkey problem already, but shit! Looks like the penetrada dance will have to wait :).

[WB Looney Tunes sign:]
The board member will like to apologize to the good and honest Brazilian and other good and honest South American leaders in the audience.

Argentinan leaders excluded, that is.
[/WB Looney Tunes sign]

[Aspidistra]

The Brazilian president, Fernando Henrique Cardoso, has entered the fray claiming that the cartoon "brought a distorted vision of Brazilian reality"

no shit! Cartoon presents distorted view of reality! Film at 11...

I suppose next they're going to tell us that water swirls round the toilet the same way in both hemispheres, and the Australian PM doesn't actually have a ceremonial boot to kick snarky little boys with.

D'oh!

So, if Brazil wins, can we get a share of the loot???

[chula]

You left out another gem from the article:In January, the mayor of Rio threatened to sue a weather forecaster who predicted, wrongly, that there would be storms on New Year's Eve. The weather forecast kept crowds away from one of the biggest festivals of the year.Yeah, Gigobuster, screw the Argentinos!

[KarlGrenze]

Hmm...they don't say The Simpsons presented a distorted vision of their children's programming...maybe because the rest of Latin America has already make fun of that. :D

[Skerri]

I have to say I read this thread, and while I agree with you all, this:

no one has ever been attacked by a monkey on Copacabana.

is KILLING ME! No monkey may have attacked anyone, but I do recall Tony getting shot. :D

::wanders off, singing "Her name was Lola, she was a show-girl......"::

[matt_mcl]

I feel curiously obliged to point out that Tony didn't get shot in Copacabana, but in THE Copacabana, which (as everyone knows) is somewhere north of Havana.

[december]

Originally posted by Aspidistra I suppose next they're going to tell us that water swirls round the toilet the same way in both hemispheres, [/B]I have read that this is not actually correct. The direction of the swirl depends considerably on the precise shape of the bowl. The water can swirl in either direction in both hemispheres.

[pbrtallboy]

So, should Knoxville sue Fox over the episode that depicted the Sunsphere being used to store wigs?

Has the city been overrun by wig-seeking tourists, country singing divas and female impersonators?

What other cities have taken a jab by Matt Groening on screen?

[Rodd Hill]

¡Excrementi!

I hope the USA will not falter under the crushing shortage of Brazil nuts, soybeans, corned beef and coffee sure to ensue as a result of an embargo.

Wait a minute! Coffee shortage?! This could get ugly...

[Macro Man]

No monkey may have attacked anyone, but I do recall Tony getting shot. :D

::wanders off, singing "Her name was Lola, she was a show-girl......"::

Jeez people, can't you forget about that ugliness. That was 30 years ago, when they used to have a show.



Now it's a disco.

[Skerri]

Now it's a disco.

But not for Lola!

[furt]

Cut it out, or I'll lose my mind.

[Big Kahuna Burger]

IIRC the city of New Orleans got pissed at their song about "rotten, stinking New Orleans" in the Streetcar Named Desire musical and they had to make a cash settlement, so there is precedent.

[The Bad Astronomer]

Originally posted by Aspidistra


I suppose next they're going to tell us that water swirls round the toilet the same way in both hemispheres

Um. Heh. (http://www.badastronomy.com/bad/misc/coriolis.html)

[auntie em]

Originally posted by furt
Cut it out, or I'll lose my mind.

Well, shit, you've lost your youth and you've lost your Tony...

[mobo85]

Originally posted by Big Kahuna Burger
IIRC the city of New Orleans got pissed at their song about "rotten, stinking New Orleans" in the Streetcar Named Desire musical and they had to make a cash settlement, so there is precedent.

New Orleans! Land of pirates, drunks, and whores!
New Orleans! Tacky overpriced, souvenir stores!
If you want to go to Hell, you can take a trip
To the Sodom and Gommorah of the Mississipp'!

They did get angry, but I never heard about a cash settlement. Bart himself, however, was punished to apologize in one opening sequence:
I WILL NOT DEFAME NEW ORLEANS
I WILL NOT DEFAME NEW ORLEANS
I WILL NOT DEFAME NEW ORLEANS
I WILL NOT DEFAME NEW ORLEANS
I WILL NOT DEFAME NEW ORLEANS

I wonder if this case will go through, and, if so, if Fox will have to pay Rio all those pinks and purples. (Their money sure is gay.)

[Caffeine.addict]

Gigobuster saidYes, those bad things do not happen to tourists (really?), but is the absolute truth that many people in Brazil (and in many Latin American nations) are under constant treat of violence, kidnapping and extreme poverty.

While Extreme Poverty is a fact of life for many in Brazil, I don't think that many people are living under the threat of violence and kidnapping in Brazil.

Yes, Rio is a large city and like many large cities it has a crime problem and you would not feel safe walking in the favelas at night. However, I would not feel safe walking in parts of Washington D.C and New York either.

BTW I enjoyed the Simpsons episode although their was one Scene I do have issues with. When they were eating in the churrascaria, they had the skewers on their plates. In real life, the waiters come around and slice the meat onto your plate.

[Cosmopolitan]

Jeez people, can't you forget about that ugliness. That was 30 years ago, when they used to have a show. Now it's a disco.

Huh? Who? I know I'm young, but at least I know the song *shudder*. Sort of. I've heard it, anyway. Something about Lola. She was a showgirl, right?

:p

[chula]

Let's get this straight: the Copacabana is in New York, which is, of course, north of Havana. It is a salsa club with live music, not a disco.

[Ferrous]

Originally posted by Cosmopolitan
Something about Lola. She was a showgirl, right?
Indeed. With yellow feathers in her hair, and a dress cut down to there.

[Kaitlyn]

And she talked with a dark brown voice.

[Aspidistra]

Originally posted by december
I have read that this is not actually correct. The direction of the swirl depends considerably on the precise shape of the bowl. The water can swirl in either direction in both hemispheres.


But....but.... The water-swirly-thing MUST be true! They SAID it was! In The Simpsons! Now tell me, would Bart ever lie to us?

Oh, and by the way, some kid seems to have left a few trillion cane toads lying around our backyard. Would someone mind coming and picking them up? Or we'll let the koala get ya.

[Biggirl]

Originally posted by chula
Let's get this straight: the Copacabana is in New York, which is, of course, north of Havana. It is a salsa club with live music, not a disco.


The last time I was there it was a disco. But they didn't call it that because it was the '90s. They called it a "dance club".

[scout1222]

Originally posted by auntie em


Well, shit, you've lost your youth and you've lost your Tony...



(Ah, crap, it won't quote furt's set up as well.)

This had to have been the world's best set up. I'm dyin' over here!

I love you guys. :cool:

[chula]

Originally posted by Biggirl The last time I was there it was a disco. But they didn't call it that because it was the '90s. They called it a "dance club".I turned up this (http://www.justsalsa.com/newyork/clubs/copacabana/) evidence of live music. Perhaps they stopped having live music for a while - apparently it recently closed. Either way, Lola's screwed.

[Redboss]

Originally posted by Big Kahuna Burger
IIRC the city of New Orleans got pissed at their song about "rotten, stinking New Orleans" in the Streetcar Named Desire musical and they had to make a cash settlement, so there is precedent. Oh really?

Sorry BKB, but I find that hard to believe. Any evidence?


Redboss

[Macro Man]

They called it a "dance club".

I can definitely vouch for that. I know firsthand that they merengue and do the cha-cha.

[gobear]

Well, music and passion were always in fashion at the Copa, Copacabana.