# Interesting Article About the Muppets' Swedish Chef
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [August 28, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922 "2012-08-28T13:54:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@HeyHomie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HeyHomie)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 1:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/1 "2012-08-28T13:54:58Z")
Back in 2008 I posted a [thread](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?t=463772&highlight=swedish+chef) about the Swedish Chef. The consensus was that Swedes regarded him as Norwegian, and generally didn’t “get” his appeal.
Now a much better writer than I has written a much more thorough [article](http://www.slate.com/articles/arts/culturebox/2012/08/swedish_chef_what_do_swedes_think_of_him_they_think_he_sounds_norwegian_.html) about TSC. The general idea is that Swedes regard him as Norwegian, and generally don’t “get” his appeal.
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/2 "2012-08-28T14:10:37Z")
This was news to me. I have never heard before that we would regard him as Norwegian (and definitely not Swedish).
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/3 "2012-08-28T14:31:39Z")
Now I know exactly how to annoy the next Swedish person I meet. Just ask was “Bork! Bork! Bork!” means.
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### Author:  [@Alessan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alessan)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/4 "2012-08-28T14:37:19Z")
Back when my wife was a sous-chef in the Russian Tea Room, her boss, the pastry chef, was Swedish. Every so often she would sneak up behind him and murmur “Bork bork bork.” Used to drive him crazy.
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/5 "2012-08-28T14:47:19Z")
Even though we’re not unfamiliar with the expression we are not offended by it as it has no relevance to us.
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/6 "2012-08-28T14:49:13Z")
> [@Floater](#):
>
> This was news to me. I have never heard before that we would regard him as Norwegian (and definitely not Swedish).
For what it’s worth, this Norwegian can’t understand a damned word he says. He also acts like he has a habit of visiting the wine cellar maybe a bit too often. Both of which clearly conspire to mean that he’s neither Swedish nor Norwegian, but Danish.
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/7 "2012-08-28T14:49:39Z")
> [@Floater](#):
>
> Even though we’re not unfamiliar with the expression we are not offended by it as it has no relevance to us.
The OP links to an entire article in which Swedish people are quoted as saying that they are annoyed when people keep asking them about the Swedish Chef. Now, that might not be your personal experience, but are you purporting to speak for the entirety of Swede-dom?
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### Author:  [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/8 "2012-08-28T15:00:22Z")
In **[Jim Henson: The Works](http://www.amazon.com/Jim-Henson-Works-Magic-Imagination/dp/0679412034/)**, someone (probably either his son Brian or wife Cheryl, I’ll have to check) mentions that in the pre- **Sesame Street** days, Jim loved riding around in his convertible listening to a tape on how to speak “mock Swedish”. The voice of the character grew from that foundation. Identifying the Chef as Swedish rather than Norwegian is very likely the fault of whoever created that tape, if fault is to be laid anywhere. Cultural sensitivity wasn’t exactly a thing in the early 60s.
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### Author:  [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/9 "2012-08-28T15:08:03Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> … but are you purporting to speak for the entirety of Swede-dom?
I am not, but the Swedish chef is a definite non-issue in Sweden, although perhaps not among Swedish expats who are being bugged about him all the time by non-Swedes.
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### Author:  [@LavenderBlue](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderBlue)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/10 "2012-08-28T15:16:36Z")
Great. Now what I really want to know: What do chickens think of Gonzo? How do frogs feel about Kermit? Pigs about Ms. Piggy? Comedians about Fozzy Bear?
😃
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### Author:  [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/11 "2012-08-28T15:17:53Z")
> [@Martian Bigfoot](#):
>
> For what it’s worth, this Norwegian can’t understand a damned word he says. He also acts like he has a habit of visiting the wine cellar maybe a bit too often. Both of which clearly conspire to mean that he’s neither Swedish nor Norwegian, but Danish.
Aha! A very useful stereotype is uncovered. Danes are drunks. I’ve also heard it said that Danish pronunciation is extremely difficult to understand. Perhaps the two are connected.
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### Author:  [@AHunter3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AHunter3)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/12 "2012-08-28T15:34:24Z")
I would have thought that these days the first question Swedes would get from Americans would be “What do you think of Stieg Larson?”
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### Author:  [@Diceman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Diceman)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/13 "2012-08-28T15:55:19Z")
> [@LavenderBlue](#):
>
> Great. Now what I really want to know: What do chickens think of Gonzo? How do frogs feel about Kermit? Pigs about Ms. Piggy? Comedians about Fozzy Bear?
>
> 😃
Didn’t they eventually decide that Gonzo was an alien? 😉
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/14 "2012-08-28T16:05:36Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> Aha! A very useful stereotype is uncovered. Danes are drunks. I’ve also heard it said that Danish pronunciation is extremely difficult to understand. Perhaps the two are connected.
Danes also ride bicycles everywhere, possibly even into their bedrooms. I don’t believe they would know a good wine if they were hit over the head with a bottle, but their criteria for a “good beer” is a volumetric measurement.
Or so I heard.
(Purveyor of outdated stereotypes since 1972)
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### Author:  [@DrFidelius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DrFidelius)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/15 "2012-08-28T16:07:34Z")
> [@Diceman](#):
>
> Didn’t they eventually decide that Gonzo was an alien? 😉
He might not be an alien, but he is a chicken fucker.
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### Author:  [@Beware\_of\_Doug](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beware_of_Doug)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 4:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/16 "2012-08-28T16:16:25Z")
The Chef attempts to boil a [löobster](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GWGh1YYT4vI).
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### Author:  [@Don\_t\_Panic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Panic)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/17 "2012-08-28T16:38:34Z")
> [@Acsenray](#):
>
> Aha! A very useful stereotype is uncovered. Danes are drunks. I’ve also heard it said that Danish pronunciation is extremely difficult to understand. Perhaps the two are connected.
> [@DrFidelius](#):
>
> Danes also ride bicycles everywhere, possibly even into their bedrooms. I don’t believe they would know a good wine if they were hit over the head with a bottle, but their criteria for a “good beer” is a volumetric measurement.
>
> Or so I heard.
>
> (Purveyor of outdated stereotypes since 1972)
OK, I’m sorry, and I won’t do it again. I guess I just thought that with all the “Norwegians only eat lutefisk” jokes around here, I could get away with one small cheap Danish stereotype. 😛
(I love Danes, though, honestly.)
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Bravo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Bravo)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 5:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/18 "2012-08-28T17:22:42Z")
I didn’t find the linked article terribly interesting, but I did want to mention that I was highly entertained by the Order/Chaos Muppet article that’s linked to in the article.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_Angel)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 6:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/19 "2012-08-28T18:07:11Z")
I liked the article, particularly the discussion of language tonality. But what I was thinking about it on my walk this morning is that while I myself find the Swedish Chef funny the Swedes have every reason to be annoyed by the Swedish Chef. It’s not even an accurate stereotype, and is the first thing that comes to Americans’ minds when discussing their culture, with the possible exception of meatballs. But, but, but… I actually find the news that Swedes are annoyed by this pretty funny in itself. Is that terrible of me?
So… how do the Swedes feel about being called Squareheads?
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### Author:  [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)
#### Post date: [August 28, 2012, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/interesting-article-about-the-muppets-swedish-chef/632922/20 "2012-08-28T18:36:27Z")
> [@](#):
>
> I guess I just thought that with all the “Norwegians only eat lutefisk” jokes around here, I could get away with one small cheap Danish stereotype.
It’s my understanding that Norwegians don’t actually eat lutefisk at all, and that the substance exists only so that Norwegians can laugh at how gullible drunk foreigners are for trying it.
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