I lived ten years in Australia. Even became an Australian citizen. Still have lots of friends Down Under. Love the country. Love the people. Love the humor. Likes and dislikes as well. That’s life. For a Septic to be accepted in Oz, many might consider that to be a life accomplishment. My wife is from Alabama. Been there, many, many times. Got many, many friends (and relatives) in the Heart of Dixie. Love the state. Love the people. Love the humor. Likes and dislikes as well. That’s life. For a Yankee to be accepted in the South, many might consider that to be a life accomplishment.
While redneck is considered a derogatory term in both Australia and Alabama, it’s plainly obvious that fuckwit truly is an Australian word of the highest political order.
Ok, I don’t get it. Is Williams the redneck, or Rudd, or both? If both do they cancel each other out? What is it you think the 2nd link is supposed to demonstrate?
Warning – it may be that I’m too much of a fuckwit redneck to understand what you’re saying.
I don’t think Duckster gets it, Kevin Rudd was talking to an Australian audience about an American calling us rednecks. If someone in Australia were to make a joke where the punchline relied on an Aussie associating “Alamaba” with “red neck” then it’d work 9 times out of 10.
It’s a stereotype that has been given to us from TV/films etc that we’ve imported from the US.
ETA : I haven’t heard Robin William’s complete comments but I’m sure they were funny in the context he used them. Likewise, I haven’t read Kevun Rudd’s complete statements but they were also funny and relevant to his purpose.
So, you are offended by Rudd suggesting that people from Alabama are rednecks but it was fine for Williams to suggest that Australians are rednecks?
I don’t think either statement was all that offensive myself, I’m just wondering why your anger is apparently directed at only one party in the exchange when both used essentially the same insult.
Still I think KRudd could follow the same advice. It was the setup line for a bit Williams was doing. Surely even K Dog knows that Williams is a comedian. And you can’t take offence in one breath and in the next make some categorical insult about an entire US state. Politician = idiot.
Isn’t Kevin Rudd missing the point of the insult? Isn’t the worst part of that not the “Rednecks” part but the “English” part? It’s not just that Williams compares Australians with ignorant Americans, but he compares them with Poms as well? That’s the sting in the joke.
Some of you American’s see it a little different to how we do down in Australia (not that it’s a “thing” here)/
But our leader hasn’t had all the personal and media security that your guy does. I think he is routinely on talk radio shows and as far as i know takes questions every Friday morning on a “Good Morning America” or “The Today Show” type show.
With all of this, you can imagine he discusses and comments on mundane things.
I imagine the only reason this came up for Mr Rudd is that a host or interviewer asked him his opinion and he gave them his (planned) answer.
If any American wants a better understanding of the casualty of Aussie politics, i suggest you sit through an ENTIRE hour of House of Representatives Question Time.