Beyond-Idiotic Canadian Govt. condemns Conan O'Brien show

Here's the story:

Canada Condemns 'Racist' Conan O'Brien TV Show
Fri Feb 13, 3:26 PM ET Add Entertainment - Reuters to My Yahoo!


By David Ljunggren

OTTAWA (Reuters) - Canada's government on Friday condemned a show by U.S. late-night television host Conan O'Brien that insulted people in French-speaking Quebec and seemed to suggest everyone in the province was homosexual.

Ottawa and the province of Ontario paid $760,000 to help O'Brien -- who appears on the NBC television network -- bring his show to Toronto for a week to boost the city's profile after a deadly SARS (news - web sites) outbreak last year.

But the federal government said O'Brien had gone far too far with the show broadcast on Thursday in which he went to Quebec, a province which has had separatist governments for much of the last 20 years and is a delicate political topic in Canada.

"We want to disassociate ourselves from the comments which were broadcast last night because we do not support them in any way," junior government minister Mauril Belanger told Parliament.

At one point in the show, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog -- a hand puppet that is a regular on the show -- said to a Quebecer: "You're French, you're obnoxious and you no speekay English." It told another: "I can smell your crotch from here."

O'Brien's team were also shown replacing street signs in the province with those that read "Quebecqueer Street" and "Rue des Pussies."

Alexa McDonough, a legislator for the left-leaning New Democrats, described the program as "racist filth" and "utterly vile" and demanded the government seek the return of the C$1 million subsidy.

"There may be those who would say, 'Isn't this interfering with freedom of expression?' It's not interfering to say we will not publicly fund this kind of vile, vicious hatemongering," McDonough told reporters.

Belanger did not commit to asking for the money back. No one at NBC was immediately available for comment.

The complaints over the puppet's comments come on the heels of a similar uproar following criticism of European French-Canadian hockey players on CBC television by the country's best-known sports commentator, Don Cherry.

The "Late Night" show, which taped in Toronto all this week and featured guests such as Jim Carrey (news) and Mike Myers (news), was broadcast in Canada by CHUM television, which said it regretted any offense that may have been caused.

"We offer our apology and assurance that it is never our intention to air programing that offends any of our viewers," the station said in a statement.

Triumph the Insult Comic Dog has landed in trouble before, most famously when it had an altercation with rap singer Eminem (news - web sites) at a music awards show in 2002.

I figured I'd comment- (sorry I'm pissed off now)

We, as Americans are very, very nice, lenient and generally indifferent to our Canadian neighbors, who- like much of the current world, don't like us. We tend not to say shit about them. We tend to look the other way when they talk mountains of shit on us. Like the time those Canadian soldiers were killed in Afghanistan in a training exercise and the Canadian press actually had the gaul to accuse the US military of deliberate murder. We didn't really say anything. They were saying the US military were murderers of Canadian soldiers. One of the most outrageous and blatant pieces of bullshit in the entire aftermath of the 9-11 disaster. Yet, we really didn't say shit cause we truly felt bad for the mistake that killed our Canadian ally soldiers.

But, I, now as an individual American citizen, feel the need for a change of tac.

I will now fire the first volley- The people of Canada proper are a bunch of fucking retards to put up with the Quebec- and to pander to them by calling Quebec 'bashers' racist is beyond fucking retarded.

Racist? Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.

Let me think- what does racism mean?

I was under the impression that actual Race or skin color had to be involved. I was not aware that culture was a component of racism. I was not aware that any insult on a person's culture was a racist act.

Racism my ass. Fuck you Quebec. I dislike you and your arrogant and indignant separatist ways. I hope you get sucked into a giant mid-continental fissure and crash down into Satan's eager claws. Screw Quebec. Seriously- take every Quebecois and bend him or her over and shove a rusty pipe up their ass.

Now my friends, I am a racist.

Zeig Heil!

We don't say shit about Canadians!? Hell, we insult them likw mad. It's just too fun. Candian's make bacon so crappy it does'nt even get crispy! Canada is the 51st state! Canadians are like Americans- minus technology! A Canadian dollar isn't worth 80 cents!

Wait, are there any Canadians on board? Fuck. I....uh...meant, we are totally nice to our neighbors. Wee respect and treat our Canadian neighbors well.

Shut up traitors! You should worship the queen of England, the true authority!

We don't take ourselves very seriously. We see many shows that make a parody of canadians such as South Park and we even make fun of ourselves on television.

Despite the problems we have had with quebec, the people of quebec have voted out the seperatist government and relations between Quebec and the rest of Canada are getting better. The reason behind the all this is the money the government gave. In Canada when money is given to the government or the government gives money to someone it actually means something and stands for a belief. Since the Canadian government gave him money to come here it is their right to take it back and get him out if he does something that the people see as disrespectful because it would also look bad on the government for supporting him.

You have to realize something about us. We don't gon't want to cause problems or make fun of anyone. Of course Canada would be mad that they lost soldiers on afganistan, it was the first time since world war 2 that Canada had a military casualty and to come from an "ally" makes it even worse. We don't like losing our soldiers to "accidents". It might not seem like a big deal since other countries such as the US have large numbers of casualties in war but we as a nation do not like going to war.

What you have to understand is we are not a true 100% democracy like the US. Our supreme court judges and senate are not voted in but appointed. We do not vote for our Prime Minister, he is voted by the political party that we vote in. We pay high taxes to allow the government to provide for us and to represent our beliefs. We have no problems with americans. We have no problems with anyone of any nation. Just as we show a certain respect to Americans and American media we expect the same kind of respect in return.

They can't be that stupid, our seniors are buying prescription drugs from them.

SamuraiShodownSensei said:

They can't be that stupid, our seniors are buying prescription drugs from them.

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Thats because we put people's health above making money. Hence free health care and cheap prescription drugs

isn't star wars kid from quebec? that place is fuxx0rd

Just goes to show...all the free health care in the world still can't cure retardation.

whatever, if the Smelly frenchies can't take some tongue and cheek, then maybe they should seperate from the rest of Canada after all.

kobylka68 said:

We don't take ourselves very seriously. We see many shows that make a parody of canadians such as South Park and we even make fun of ourselves on television.

Despite the problems we have had with quebec, the people of quebec have voted out the seperatist government and relations between Quebec and the rest of Canada are getting better. The reason behind the all this is the money the government gave. In Canada when money is given to the government or the government gives money to someone it actually means something and stands for a belief. Since the Canadian government gave him money to come here it is their right to take it back and get him out if he does something that the people see as disrespectful because it would also look bad on the government for supporting him.

You have to realize something about us. We don't gon't want to cause problems or make fun of anyone. Of course Canada would be mad that they lost soldiers on afganistan, it was the first time since world war 2 that Canada had a military casualty and to come from an "ally" makes it even worse. We don't like losing our soldiers to "accidents". It might not seem like a big deal since other countries such as the US have large numbers of casualties in war but we as a nation do not like going to war.

What you have to understand is we are not a true 100% democracy like the US. Our supreme court judges and senate are not voted in but appointed. We do not vote for our Prime Minister, he is voted by the political party that we vote in. We pay high taxes to allow the government to provide for us and to represent our beliefs. We have no problems with americans. We have no problems with anyone of any nation. Just as we show a certain respect to Americans and American media we expect the same kind of respect in return.

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While most of our government is votewd in, the judicial branch is in most areas an exception, many courts- including our supreme court- are also appointed, so in that we're not as different as you think. It depends heavily where you live how democratic our local level is also.

I completely agree neobuyer. I saw that segment last night, and thought it was funny, and more importantly, no less insulting than anything else triumph has ever done. Besides, even some of the people that were actually in the segment were Ok with it (that older guy who kept hugging on the translator comes to mind...).

It reminds me of how the Brazilian government demanded an apology after the Simpsons aired an episode that made fun of them.

Seriously, some countries just need to learn how to take a joke. I mean, worldwide, nobody sees a problem with making fun of Americans as being stupid and fat, yet they get all butthurt when an American makes fun of them.

Damn french canadians, I'd love to see them actually separate from the rest of Canada. I have no doubt that they'd suddenly drop to one of the poorest countries in the industrialized world, standard of living and all.

edit:

besides, if it really the money as some of you have said, He was brought in to promote Toronto and Ontario. He did exactly that. I mean, if you watched any of the shows this week, all fo his skits have been devoted to showing how great Toronto is. I'd say they got what they paid for.

I'd like to hear what Triumph has to say about this.

kobylka68 said:

Thats because we put people's health above making money. Hence free health care and cheap prescription drugs

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Socialized medicine does not equal free health care. It gets paid for by the ignorant masses.

Nothing like waiting six months in Canada to have a tumor on your optic nerve removed, when any doctor worth his salt in the U.S. would have removed it in forty-eight hours via emergency surgery. Hey, it's only your vision.

Get in line behind every gimp with a papercut, because hey, since the health care is "free," they're going to take advantage of it.

Bah, talk about hypersensitivity.

its a little bit of both. Sure countries need to lighten up a little but at the same time we americans can take Nationality jokes too far, and i've seen it time and time again. Also since when was Quebecois a race? Hmm I guess my race must be "Mississippi" then lol.

And with that said I'd like to conclude this wonderful topic with my patented phrase.

"EVERYBODY IN HERE LIKES COCK EXCEPT ME".

thank you for your time

BioMotor_Unitron said:

Socialized medicine does not equal free health care. It gets paid for by the ignorant masses.

Nothing like waiting six months in Canada to have a tumor on your optic nerve removed, when any doctor worth his salt in the U.S. would have removed it in forty-eight hours via emergency surgery. Hey, it's only your vision.

Get in line behind every gimp with a papercut, because hey, since the health care is "free," they're going to take advantage of it.

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But if you're a baby your chance of surviving in this country is far worse than any other country, BMU. I know these expensive medical procedures is often cited as the triumphs of our health care system, but to have health care that ensures healthy citizens means it will prevent them from ending up in the hospital later on and consequently subject the health care system to undue stress.

And don't think there's no waiting line in the U.S. either BMU.

I try to tell other people that we're not the only ones doing stupid shit - but nooooooooo ...... .

SPINMASTER X said:

And with that said I'd like to conclude this wonderful topic with my patented phrase.

"EVERYBODY IN HERE LIKES COCK EXCEPT ME".

thank you for your time

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I had no idea you started that phrase, you're tops in my book

bokmeow said:

But if you're a baby your chance of surviving in this country is far worse than any other country, BMU. I know these expensive medical procedures is often cited as the triumphs of our health care system, but to have health care that ensures healthy citizens means it will prevent them from ending up in the hospital later on and consequently subject the health care system to undue stress.

And don't think there's no waiting line in the U.S. either BMU.

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You're welcome to your own beliefs, however ignorant they are.

I never said there was no waiting line in the U.S., but if you've experienced it in a country with socialized medicine, it is a breeze by comparison. As I said, every fucktard with the sniffles or a papercut is ahead of you.

galfordo said:

I try to tell other people that we're not the only ones doing stupid shit - but nooooooooo ...... .

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The only constant in this world is stupidity.

BioMotor_Unitron said:

You're welcome to your own beliefs, however ignorant they are.

I never said there was no waiting line in the U.S., but if you've experienced it in a country with socialized medicine, it is a breeze by comparison. As I said, every fucktard with the sniffles or a papercut is ahead of you.

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Oh dear, BMU calls me ignorant, whatever shall I do?

Give it up BMU, you don't know what you are talking about and you know it. You think people go out to get paper cuts to take advantage of a free health care, because wow, free health care sure will put the bread on the table to support one's family. We live in a country in which people will often forego health care because they don't want to lose their pay check, worse, their jobs for becoming absent, as well as forego the opportunity to collect favorable prospects for promotions.

bokmeow said:

Oh dear, BMU calls me ignorant, whatever shall I do?

Give it up BMU, you don't know what you are talking about and you know it. You think people go out to get paper cuts to take advantage of a free health care, because wow, free health care sure will put the bread on the table to support one's family. We live in a country in which people will often forego health care because they don't want to lose their pay check, worse, their jobs for becoming absent, as well as forego the opportunity to collect favorable prospects for promotions.

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I knew a guy that lived in quebec and had cancer, for him to get treated it was an ordeal. huge waiting periods, poor treatment, not good at ALL.

This is silly...this is such good stuff...FOR ME TO POOP ON!!!

Damn, its not like the first time the dog screwed up, Who remembers the Enimem incidite? With the body gaurds got really pissed and pushed him out of the way.


He's an INSULTING DOG for godsakes, that's what he does! Well I tell ya that episode will be deemed a "classic" in his "contraverisonal" speeches and then I bet you he will have to kiss ass to the Canadian government in a long ass apology.

Thank god I'm AMERICAN. Bow to the queen of England? the Bitch kicked us out for being "Different"!

Can't say I'm for state-run health care, but to even try and claim in 2004 that the US health care system is superior to ANY other first world country is near idiotic. In 1994, the arguements held. Those same arguements no longer take hold whent he majority of Americans do not recieve health care, while a minority of Americans gets their medical plan to pay for presciption acne meds with no fuss.

I knew a guy that lived in quebec and had cancer, for him to get treated it was an ordeal. huge waiting periods, poor treatment, not good at ALL.

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I've seen our system fail people just the same way, bub. A good friend of mine had a disease that can be 100% treated by Glucophage, and couldn't get doctors to lookat her for 3 years while her health spiraled downward. Thankfully, a patron finally helped her, because the system was willing to watch her die one day at a time.

The irony is of course that as a medication, anyone can afford glucophage without health coverage, it was just getting it diagnosed and a few basic tests. Even those tests took 6 months, when they were doable in one. They refused to treat her promptly even though she had the money because she was lower priority than people who had their "plans" pay for them. If you can't get health coverage, you're fucked, even if you're making ok money.