How to Lose Friends and Alienate Countries
- Thread starter Trinity
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I must say though, that dozy blonde bitch would look good chained up outside my igloo with the rest of the dog team.
8)
8)
Yrys
Army.ca Veteran
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Fox News jokesters forced into retreat over Canadian military jibes
OTTAWA - They bashed the Canadian military but an American TV host and his guest were forced
into a strategic retreat Monday in the face of a national uproar. A Fox News host issued an apology
over a talk-show segment described by the Canadian government as "despicable" and "disgusting."
And one of his fellow jokesters - a comedian who quipped that he wasn't even aware Canadian troops
were in Afghanistan - was forced to cancel scheduled gigs in Edmonton.
Comedian Doug Benson had been slated to appear April 2 to 5 in Edmonton, which is home to a
Canadian Forces base, but the venue owner asked him to stay away.
Irate viewers flooded websites with thousands of comments, there were calls for a boycott of Fox
advertisers, and several new Facebook groups popped up, including one titled "Greg Gutfeld Can
Rot in Hell."
The recent talk-show segment was taped just before four more Canadian soldiers were killed in
Afghanistan, and it featured a group of pundits taking turns trashing Canada and its reliability as
an ally. They were spurred by comments from Canada's army chief that the military would need
a year's hiatus to regroup and refurbish after its Kandahar mission ends in 2011.
Swept up the backlash over that little wisecrack was a comedy club in West Edmonton Mall. Benson
had been scheduled to perform there next week. But the owner of the Comedy Strip said he received
too many angry messages - including from friends and relatives of soldiers - to guarantee Benson's
safety. One person promised to buy a ticket just so that he could throw a beer at Benson.
"We were inundated with emails and phone calls that were bordering on threatening," said club owner
Rick Bronson. "Unfortunately, (Benson) touched a nerve." The owner's wife called Benson's agent and
informed him that the show couldn't go on. The comedian apparently explained that the segment had
only been meant as a joke and that he respected Canada's military.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wasn't laughing. He requested an apology Monday just before leaving
for Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., where he attended a homecoming ceremony with the families
of the latest soldiers killed. MacKay said later that he was satisfied with the apology.
Earlier Monday, a spokesman stressed that the Canadian government specifically wanted an apology
from the panellists who made the wisecracks - and not just from the Fox network at large. "These are
despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments," said Dan Dugas, a spokesman for MacKay. "I think that
so-called comedian should stare in the camera at his first opportunity and apologize to all of the
families of people he's hurt with these despicable comments.
"And he's got to say, 'I was misinformed. I was ignorant of the truth and the contribution of the
Canadian Forces to the war on terror, and I want to take it back. I know as a comedian that I can fail
sometimes; I failed miserably at this so-called comedy.' "And his panellists should say the same."
The Fox News program aired after Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, the Canadian army chief of staff, said
the military would need a one-year break from operations once the long and difficult mission in
Afghanistan winds down.
OTTAWA - They bashed the Canadian military but an American TV host and his guest were forced
into a strategic retreat Monday in the face of a national uproar. A Fox News host issued an apology
over a talk-show segment described by the Canadian government as "despicable" and "disgusting."
And one of his fellow jokesters - a comedian who quipped that he wasn't even aware Canadian troops
were in Afghanistan - was forced to cancel scheduled gigs in Edmonton.
Comedian Doug Benson had been slated to appear April 2 to 5 in Edmonton, which is home to a
Canadian Forces base, but the venue owner asked him to stay away.
Irate viewers flooded websites with thousands of comments, there were calls for a boycott of Fox
advertisers, and several new Facebook groups popped up, including one titled "Greg Gutfeld Can
Rot in Hell."
The recent talk-show segment was taped just before four more Canadian soldiers were killed in
Afghanistan, and it featured a group of pundits taking turns trashing Canada and its reliability as
an ally. They were spurred by comments from Canada's army chief that the military would need
a year's hiatus to regroup and refurbish after its Kandahar mission ends in 2011.
Swept up the backlash over that little wisecrack was a comedy club in West Edmonton Mall. Benson
had been scheduled to perform there next week. But the owner of the Comedy Strip said he received
too many angry messages - including from friends and relatives of soldiers - to guarantee Benson's
safety. One person promised to buy a ticket just so that he could throw a beer at Benson.
"We were inundated with emails and phone calls that were bordering on threatening," said club owner
Rick Bronson. "Unfortunately, (Benson) touched a nerve." The owner's wife called Benson's agent and
informed him that the show couldn't go on. The comedian apparently explained that the segment had
only been meant as a joke and that he respected Canada's military.
Defence Minister Peter MacKay wasn't laughing. He requested an apology Monday just before leaving
for Canadian Forces Base Trenton, Ont., where he attended a homecoming ceremony with the families
of the latest soldiers killed. MacKay said later that he was satisfied with the apology.
Earlier Monday, a spokesman stressed that the Canadian government specifically wanted an apology
from the panellists who made the wisecracks - and not just from the Fox network at large. "These are
despicable, hurtful and ignorant comments," said Dan Dugas, a spokesman for MacKay. "I think that
so-called comedian should stare in the camera at his first opportunity and apologize to all of the
families of people he's hurt with these despicable comments.
"And he's got to say, 'I was misinformed. I was ignorant of the truth and the contribution of the
Canadian Forces to the war on terror, and I want to take it back. I know as a comedian that I can fail
sometimes; I failed miserably at this so-called comedy.' "And his panellists should say the same."
The Fox News program aired after Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, the Canadian army chief of staff, said
the military would need a one-year break from operations once the long and difficult mission in
Afghanistan winds down.
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Wow, I don't understand how this video got so much attention. It worked, we would have been better off to leave it alone and not pay any attention to it. All that is going to happen now, is that the show's ratings are going to go up.
I don't see how this is any different than some comedian up on stage trashing our military, which happens all the time!
Russell Peters did a USO tour, when asked about entertaining the Canadians over there, his response was "He (referring to the Canadian) was busy". I didn't see people freaking out over that..
I don't see how this is any different than some comedian up on stage trashing our military, which happens all the time!
Russell Peters did a USO tour, when asked about entertaining the Canadians over there, his response was "He (referring to the Canadian) was busy". I didn't see people freaking out over that..
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Yrys said:
But no soldiers. No one has paused to ask any of the people who were the brunt of the joke if they are offended. While I appreciated the sentiment, it's becoming frustrating how many people are angrily jumping to our defense (forgive the pun) when the CF as an entity is pretty much not rattled.
Dolphin_Hunter said:
Roger that. Let this jackass' spotlight fade.
Dolphin_Hunter said:
Ha! Actually pretty funny.
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A couple of people here have mentioned that Rick Mercer did a show called Talking to Americans, poking fun at our cousins south of the border.
It's worth remembering that Mercer pulled that show off the air after 9/11, which I thought was a classy thing to do and probably cost him some $. Mercer's comment today on the Fox show I think says it all:
"They should be ignored. If you're going to do satire, three of the most important rules are you have to tell the truth, you can't be a bully and don't be an asshole."
(from today's Globe&Mail)
It's worth remembering that Mercer pulled that show off the air after 9/11, which I thought was a classy thing to do and probably cost him some $. Mercer's comment today on the Fox show I think says it all:
"They should be ignored. If you're going to do satire, three of the most important rules are you have to tell the truth, you can't be a bully and don't be an asshole."
(from today's Globe&Mail)
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kratz said:
Bruce MacKinnon's cartoon misses the point... It wasn't the Fox News channel that dissed Canadians, it was a Fox equivalent to 22 Minutes that airs at 0300.
They didn't intentionally diss our fallen.
Also, his cartoon could have at least depicted the correct rifle and helmet.
The sentiment was correct though.
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Oh my, there's flyshit in the pepper.
That's better. Now, if the sentiment is correct, how did he miss the point?
XMP said:
That's better. Now, if the sentiment is correct, how did he miss the point?
A
aesop081
Guest
The outrage is now bordering on the ridiculous.
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Michael O'Leary said:
The point is: My take on this is that it wasn't Fox News it'self that that dissed Canadians. It was a clip from a late night show that while part of the Fox News Network was not in any way regarded by viewers as a legitimate news source. Like 22 Minutes on the CBC, but far bigger assholes with bigger mouths.
Regarding my comments about the technical details of the cartoon, I admit I am a rivet counter. I felt it would have been better to show Canadian equipment rather than what looks like an SA80 rifle and an obsolete M1 helmet.
The cartoon was definitely effective though so mission accomplished.
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Kat Stevens said:
Kat you have no idea how much that just made me laugh! Milk through my nose lol. Made my day, good one lol.
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watched the clip last night because I wanted to see what had people foaming... it didn't really faze me, I've heard just as bad if not worse come out of the mouths of canadian Comedians, Citizens and worse Canadian Politicians...
my wife however was furious.
I wish this much furor was raised when members of the NDP want to have the CF tried for war crimes for handing afghan criminals to the afgan government, or some university commie tries to ban recruiting on campus.
my wife however was furious.
I wish this much furor was raised when members of the NDP want to have the CF tried for war crimes for handing afghan criminals to the afgan government, or some university commie tries to ban recruiting on campus.
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