Nadia: Nic is a fictional charater. He is not cool, french, gay or a guy, just fictional.
And Roxanne will never be my Mrs. Robinson. Although learning French would probably improve my chances. Not being incredibly nervous when I speak to her would also come in handy.
Melissa: I know. It is dead, but at least like other English speaking nations we could create entertainment for local consuption that is an original take on American culture. Canadian Idol fails this test because it is a blatent rip-off of American Idol which itself is a poor imitation of what was a creative British idea (not that it hasn't always been American culture). Britain and Australia have their own national celebrities, films and music that are popular locally but largely unheard of in the rest of the world. The only "Canadian" entertainment English Canada cares about is what is produced for the American market by Canadians who are just as popular internationally as here. We largely ignore our entertainers and artists until they are able to succeed in the US.
The strange thing to me is that Canadian youth (particularly the Torontonians that surround me)tend to have passionate anti-american political views that often reach as far as statements like "I hate Americans" or "Americans are stupid" but all of these people allow themselves to be spoon-fed the newest entertaiment products (ie. drivel) created in New York and Hollywood for the American public. In my opinion, no fan of the OC is entitled to anti-American sentiment.
That is true. Even Quebec's attempt at this Americanized entertainment is better than what english Canada serves up. See Canadian/American Idol vs. Star Academie... which is far superior in entertainment quality and talent (They write songs and sing them, not just do bad covers.)
I'm not questioning our biases, my problem is the obvious hypocrisy of hating america/american-ness while simultaneously immersing oneself in American culture.
What I mean to say is that although I don't think we should hate America, I am a lot more sympathetic to someone that hates America AND American culture than to someone who claims to hate America but consumes its directly produced culture for leisure or entertainment.
As an American, I don't hate Canada. We just want to hang out with you guys, you know, maybe go bowling or something. But you always ignore us, so we do things, like invade Iraq, to get your attention and impress you. We just want a little recognition and acceptance, but you're all "we're too good to hang out with you."
The "Frost" Sarah refers to is a library. Any one who doesn't go to Glendon (and probably some people who do) wouldn't know that. And what did America ever do to frost? Not sure. I know that NAFTA destroyed Canada's publishing industry and has made it even more difficult for Canadian writers to get their own work into print and has flooded the Canadian book and magazine market with less expensive American products. NAFTA is as much Canada's fault as it is America's. Personally I'd prefer if you guys would play by the rules as they are written, but we probably should have known that you wouldn't have.
Nice try Nick, but Canada doesn't ignore you. Canadians may not know any more about American history or how American democracy functions than Americans know about Canada, but Canadians are accutely aware of what America does in the world and major news issues in the US. On the other hand, Americans have no clue what is happening in Canada, even if they maybe they do care. Trudeau described the relationship thusly, "Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
Anthony never said he hates America. Maybe he does, I don't know, but at least he didn't say it.
I think as Aussies we have needed to immerse ourselves in local talent because we're so far removed from what is going on up in the NH. Also, no one else cares what we're doing down here so we have to make a special effort to stay involved. We still get the mainstream American TV dramas and sitcoms and obviously we listen to some of the music but overall we have really been distancing ourselves from the US. I don't know if that's something that has been done on purpose or if it's just a positive reflection of the good stuff that we have to offer. The quality and quantity of Aussie music, TV and films has increased so much and it's now very cool to support anything Australian. So that's nice. It's like there's been this realisation that we don't need our TVs and radios to be FULL of American content - no one can entertain Aussies better than Aussies.
Anthony you can come and live down here if you want to. It's nice and warm.
I don't hate America at all. I rather like America. I don't like all the things America and Americans do, but I have to say the same for Canada. I don't fully understand why so many Canadians resent America, we have a long and complicated relationship.
Loz makes a good point. It is about proximity. In the age of radio, when lame Canada had nothing but Bach on the CBC, many Canadian teenagers were able to listen to the exciting new music coming out of independant stations in the major American border cities (because we all live hudled along the border for warmth). Today, though radio has died, and Canadian television will simulcast just about any American television show I might want to watch, I can also watch directly on American TV. Here in Toronto, the Bufalo affilites of NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox are part of the basic cable package. Canadians across the country generally have access to some American city's network TV. So if I really wanted to, I could ignore Peter Mansbridge and watch Katie Couric read America's news.
Dialect probably has something do with it as well. My linguistics prof says that English North America is moving to a single standard accent. Apparently it is TV's fault.
20 comments:
there are only 2 reasons for you to do this:
1) the cool french gay guy in CRAZY
2) your hot teacher
...a little of both?
Nadia: Nic is a fictional charater. He is not cool, french, gay or a guy, just fictional.
And Roxanne will never be my Mrs. Robinson. Although learning French would probably improve my chances. Not being incredibly nervous when I speak to her would also come in handy.
Melissa: I know. It is dead, but at least like other English speaking nations we could create entertainment for local consuption that is an original take on American culture. Canadian Idol fails this test because it is a blatent rip-off of American Idol which itself is a poor imitation of what was a creative British idea (not that it hasn't always been American culture). Britain and Australia have their own national celebrities, films and music that are popular locally but largely unheard of in the rest of the world. The only "Canadian" entertainment English Canada cares about is what is produced for the American market by Canadians who are just as popular internationally as here. We largely ignore our entertainers and artists until they are able to succeed in the US.
The strange thing to me is that Canadian youth (particularly the Torontonians that surround me)tend to have passionate anti-american political views that often reach as far as statements like "I hate Americans" or "Americans are stupid" but all of these people allow themselves to be spoon-fed the newest entertaiment products (ie. drivel) created in New York and Hollywood for the American public. In my opinion, no fan of the OC is entitled to anti-American sentiment.
You said Australia!
Burn on Canada.
That is true. Even Quebec's attempt at this Americanized entertainment is better than what english Canada serves up. See Canadian/American Idol vs. Star Academie... which is far superior in entertainment quality and talent (They write songs and sing them, not just do bad covers.)
So how hot is this teacher?
I'm not questioning our biases, my problem is the obvious hypocrisy of hating america/american-ness while simultaneously immersing oneself in American culture.
What I mean to say is that although I don't think we should hate America, I am a lot more sympathetic to someone that hates America AND American culture than to someone who claims to hate America but consumes its directly produced culture for leisure or entertainment.
I think you're missing the point, which is; exactly how hot is this teacher?
what did america ever do to Frost?
and i like how nick stays on subject.
As an American, I don't hate Canada. We just want to hang out with you guys, you know, maybe go bowling or something. But you always ignore us, so we do things, like invade Iraq, to get your attention and impress you. We just want a little recognition and acceptance, but you're all "we're too good to hang out with you."
*sob*
You'll see, one of these we'll show you all!
days. I'm so upset.
The "Frost" Sarah refers to is a library. Any one who doesn't go to Glendon (and probably some people who do) wouldn't know that. And what did America ever do to frost? Not sure. I know that NAFTA destroyed Canada's publishing industry and has made it even more difficult for Canadian writers to get their own work into print and has flooded the Canadian book and magazine market with less expensive American products. NAFTA is as much Canada's fault as it is America's. Personally I'd prefer if you guys would play by the rules as they are written, but we probably should have known that you wouldn't have.
Nice try Nick, but Canada doesn't ignore you. Canadians may not know any more about American history or how American democracy functions than Americans know about Canada, but Canadians are accutely aware of what America does in the world and major news issues in the US. On the other hand, Americans have no clue what is happening in Canada, even if they maybe they do care. Trudeau described the relationship thusly, "Living next to you is in some ways like sleeping with an elephant. No matter how friendly and even-tempered is the beast, if I can call it that, one is affected by every twitch and grunt."
I hate reasonably priced magazines and books!
That is an over-simplification Nick. The flood of cheap American publications destroyed Canadian jobs and printed cultural content.
what the fuck is this "canada" you speak of?
your face is an over-simplification of someone who is ugly.
By "hate America," does that mean me, too? Because that really stings.
Anthony never said he hates America. Maybe he does, I don't know, but at least he didn't say it.
I think as Aussies we have needed to immerse ourselves in local talent because we're so far removed from what is going on up in the NH. Also, no one else cares what we're doing down here so we have to make a special effort to stay involved. We still get the mainstream American TV dramas and sitcoms and obviously we listen to some of the music but overall we have really been distancing ourselves from the US. I don't know if that's something that has been done on purpose or if it's just a positive reflection of the good stuff that we have to offer. The quality and quantity of Aussie music, TV and films has increased so much and it's now very cool to support anything Australian. So that's nice. It's like there's been this realisation that we don't need our TVs and radios to be FULL of American content - no one can entertain Aussies better than Aussies.
Anthony you can come and live down here if you want to. It's nice and warm.
I don't hate America at all. I rather like America. I don't like all the things America and Americans do, but I have to say the same for Canada. I don't fully understand why so many Canadians resent America, we have a long and complicated relationship.
Loz makes a good point. It is about proximity. In the age of radio, when lame Canada had nothing but Bach on the CBC, many Canadian teenagers were able to listen to the exciting new music coming out of independant stations in the major American border cities (because we all live hudled along the border for warmth). Today, though radio has died, and Canadian television will simulcast just about any American television show I might want to watch, I can also watch directly on American TV. Here in Toronto, the Bufalo affilites of NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox are part of the basic cable package. Canadians across the country generally have access to some American city's network TV. So if I really wanted to, I could ignore Peter Mansbridge and watch Katie Couric read America's news.
Dialect probably has something do with it as well. My linguistics prof says that English North America is moving to a single standard accent. Apparently it is TV's fault.
Is your lingustics professor hot?
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