Your two claims don’t jive here. There’s a world of difference between enjoying This Hour Has 22 Minutes (yes, many of us Americans in border cities watch it) and proclaiming that “making fun of Americans is the national pastime”. The latter is specific–why, it’s little different from the skits on “Candid Camera” and similar shows. But if I was in a job where I dealt with X group a lot, I wouldn’t make comments like, “Oh, we love to make fun of X.” I’m free to take my business to a place where such comments are frowned upon.
Well said.
I believe you and will get my shit straight before I call.
News flash. No matter where you are and who you are, customer service people make fun of you a lot. It’s a thankless job most of the time, and the best way to ease the stress is to poke fun at the people you encounter. They don’t normally do it to your face, though. That’s just not conducive to continued employment. That doesn’t mean it does not happen.
Look at these pathetic attempts to take the anti-American attitude of the OP and defend it, by attacks on the ones who are tired of being the butt of jokes since 9/11.
Typical Americans are stupid? They know nothing other than boorishness and are insular toward the rest of the world? It’s the national pastime in Canada to bash Americans, lets mug a few tourists and blame them for it, being stupid Americans! They brought all their problems on themselves, they should just cave in to the rest of the world and die now so that they don’t use up all the world’s resources.
See? I’m just generalizing like the rest of the US opponents. You don’t know me from Adam but you know what I’m thinking, how I feel about things and what I’m about to do. I’ve made no claims about the US being better or worse than anyone- I’m just incensed at the ease that throw-away jokes and snide comments are accepted by those who should know better.
News flash. I’ve been involved in customer service, and I never did this. It’s called respect. I don’t need to make fun of other people to make my own life more fulfilling.
OK, the whole “national pastime” thing was kind of a throw away line meant to show that even though we like to poke fun at you, you are no stupider than any other nationality (Canadians included). That is why I ended the statement with, “Americans are just as stupid as everyone else.” Don’t read too much into it. We also make fun of Newfies; Maritimers make fun of Upper Canadians; everyone else makes fun of Maritimers. It is not like I am going to treat you any differently because you are American. Humour is about generalities. Rick Mercer’s bit works beause a large number of Canadians find it funny that even your political leaders seem to know dick all about Canada. If a broad base of people didn’t like making fun of Americans, then the bit would fall flat, be shown once and die.
Of course, you are free to do with your business what you will. If you find it offensive that Subway workers make fun of everybody once they are in the back room because a large % ask how long a 6" sub is, you can choose not to go there.
I posted a bit of a rant in a semi-anonymous forum to let off some steam. I tried to make it a little entertaining, but it seems to have fallen flat on some people. Whatever.
I will just end with:
NO! A 250 sq. ft room will not be big enough for you and your 2 kids. You will have to take the 2 double beds or pay extra for 2 queen sized!
Ahhhh, and now back to your regularly scheduled rants…
Um, neither have I. If you read the OP closely, I say specifically that they are just as stupid… this implies that the rest of the whole frickin’ world is stupid as well. There we have it, equality! Yay!
Um, neither have I. If you read the OP closely, I say specifically that they are just as stupid… this implies that the rest of the whole frickin’ world is stupid as well. There we have it, equality! Yay!
I’m an equal opportunity basher. 
Oops, double post. Sorry.
Stupid Canadians!
Point taken, Cyros. I do tend to get miffed at people who say that “making fun of X group is just harmless fun.” I thought it was funny myself, 'till I moved to other countries and found myself on the wrong end of it. But if I laugh at South Park, I suppose Canadians are more than entitled to laugh at This Hour….
One thing I’d keep in mind though, and this is a serious comment. I have a vendor contract here on my desk from a Canadian company. Our price quote is listed at the bottom of the contract. You’d assume it’s in Canadian dollars, right? Actually, it’s in US dollars, although this is not written anywhere on the contract. I just got off the phone with the vendors confirming that. Apparently, they send out US-dollar contracts to all their US clients.
I can figure that if some people were calling a hotel, and had already given a US address, they might think they would get a quote in US dollars.
See, if you Canucks can’t even be bothered not to double post, why should we learn anything about you or your Queen?
Daniel