"...I find the language of George W much more offensive,"

February 21, 2001 5:18 AM

"...I find the language of George W much more offensive," (did I miss a memo about W releasing an album?) Anyway, let's see... 'I was a made man at fifteen years Cuz momma didn't raise no faggotty queer' or 'Even stupid people in Britain are smarter than Americans'.
posted by tiaka (17 comments total)

did I miss a memo about W releasing an album?

That's exactly the point, Tiaka. As offensive as Eminem is (and man, is he offensive), he's a performer, and there's at least some suggestion that his records are works of fiction. The stuff that Junior spouts is real.

Plus, she was using hyperbole.
posted by jpoulos at 6:46 AM on February 21, 2001

'Even stupid people in Britain are smarter than Americans'.

I couldn't possibly comment on the offensiveness of that statement, apart from to suggest that if "better informed" were to replace "smarter", I'd find no fault with it.

Anyway, I'm waiting for Eminem to draft the first GWB State of the Union address.
posted by holgate at 6:49 AM on February 21, 2001

Perhaps we should all be bearing in mind that "Eminem" is a fictional character, one whose words and actions are designed (very, very carefully) to sell recording and concert tickets (very, very successfully). Junior, on the other hand, is unfortunately not a fictional character, and his words and actions have potential ramifications that far outstrip his ability to even spell, let alone comprehend.

To put Eminem's ability to influence people and events on a par with Junior's is a gross oversimplification that amplifies Eminem's purported importance (and from what I've read, he doesn't need anybody to do that when he's doing such a good job himself) and diminishes Junior's (as if he were going to have any trouble living down to our expectations over the next four years...)
posted by m.polo at 7:03 AM on February 21, 2001

wait, I'm not all that familiar with Eminem's lyrics... are the quotes at the top of the thread him, or Dubya? Seems ambiguous given what I know about each.
posted by Vetinari at 7:09 AM on February 21, 2001

Not sure how Britons are "better informed." Aside from the cliche of schoolboys repeating Latin exercises.
posted by argybarg at 7:40 AM on February 21, 2001

It's the accent--they just sound smarter.
posted by MrMoonPie at 8:17 AM on February 21, 2001

I guess Madonna would be the exception that proves that particular rule.
posted by Optamystic at 8:42 AM on February 21, 2001

...in the States, people just shrug, "whatever", and do it anyway, even if they don't understand.

I would argue that trying to comprehend something simple and failing is "smarter" than not even bothering.
posted by dithered at 8:45 AM on February 21, 2001

If British people are so smart how come they can't cook for shit?

I wont even get into the whole silliness of "royalty"


posted by bondcliff at 9:01 AM on February 21, 2001

This is simply a convenient way of getting one's panties in a twist over Our Continuing Slide Into Cultural Pandemonium without bothering to worry about any of the real causes of our real problems. It's hilarious that there's any kid of brouhaha over the Grammys, which are perhaps matched only by the Emmys in their half-nelson on irrelevance.

And as far as sweeping generalizations go, the whole "Smart Brits vs. Dumb Yanks" thing is no more stupefyingly idiotic than any other.
posted by Skot at 9:25 AM on February 21, 2001

bondcliff: at least we're up front about the hereditary principle...
posted by holgate at 9:35 AM on February 21, 2001

Someone from "hollywood" taking shots at a conservative president.

I'm shocked!
posted by gtr at 10:46 AM on February 21, 2001

'Even stupid people in Britain are smarter than Americans'.

I couldn't possibly comment on the offensiveness of that statement, apart from to suggest that if "better informed" were to replace "smarter", I'd find no fault with it.

If you replaced "snobbier" with either of those, I'd agree. They figure Hollywood = America, we're all alike, and we're all definitely obsessed with Jim Carrey.
posted by dagnyscott at 3:17 PM on February 21, 2001

Half-nelson on irrelevance. That's a beauty.

My favorite line: "'And after all, he's just a boy,' [Madonna] said of the 28-year-old." The average Brit can run dry-humor rings around slack-jawed 'Merkins.
posted by dhartung at 3:24 PM on February 21, 2001

George Michael is behind Eminem.

I won't make a comment about that...

As for Madonna's views...who the hell cares? The only relevant person that they talked to was Elton John because he's in the minority that Eminem slams. And most people, at least a few years ago, would have said that Madonna 'could devalue the ceremony's "moral credibility".' So why again are they asking her if she thinks Eminem would?
posted by crushed at 6:31 PM on February 21, 2001

crushed: because she has entered the saintly calling of motherhood, and has thus become respectable.
posted by Mars Saxman at 7:12 PM on February 21, 2001