Oh Canada!

September 24, 2010 8:11 AM

FlowTV (an academic media studies web journal) revisits the Canadian Conspiracy.

First it was an '80s mocumentary that "proposes that there was a plot by the Canadian government to deliberately take over the U.S. by infiltrating Hollywood." [mlyt]

Now Jay Baruchel, Michael Cera and Seth Rogen are the third wave. (According to an interview.)

The FlowTV article proposes "Tait’s 1/5 Rule:" "Tait’s rule denotes the visible, yet hidden dominance of Canadian actors in American TV shows. Though this ratio generally differs from show to show, my guideline here is that almost every American show - from Sex in the City to Lost to Grey’s Anatomy has at least one Canadian in the principal cast (thus making the ratio equal 1/5th)."

Is Canada losing all of its creative talent to Hollywood? Is there anyone left to make Canada laugh?

posted by k8t (16 comments total)

Nathan Fillion rocks my world.

That is all.
posted by kmz at 8:25 AM on September 24, 2010

Is Canada losing all of its creative talent to Hollywood?

Well, you have all these Canadian actors going to star in American TV shows...many of which are then shot in Vancouver. (The article notes the many shows filmed in Vancouver, but doesn't seem to pick up that that kind of weakens the "OMG Canadian actors all going to the U.S.!" argument.)
posted by DevilsAdvocate at 8:26 AM on September 24, 2010

Let's not forget our coming Australian overlords -- Simon Baker (The Mentalist), Jesse Spencer (House), Yvonne Strahovski (Chuck), Anthony LaPaglia (Without a Trace), Anna Torv and John Noble (Fringe)....

We need an Australian version of Tait's rule, I guess.
posted by tzikeh at 8:37 AM on September 24, 2010

FYI we don't call each other "hoser" anymore.

Also, Tim Horton's doesn't put nuts on their donuts either. Allergies and all.
posted by GuyZero at 9:17 AM on September 24, 2010

It's not that Canadians are so talented. It's just that Americans so aren't.
posted by philip-random at 9:26 AM on September 24, 2010

Huh, didn't know Seth Rogen went to Point Grey.

The Canadian Conspiracy was a great show. John Candy in the limo, Lorne Greene / Lorne Michaels, etc. I still say "Oh-taw-wa" sometimes. But I can't see it being funny for Americans. For one, they don't have a sense of humour. Ba Da Boom!

Cañadians are pretty sensitive to the fact that Canada can never be Canada in the movies.

I've often wondered whether the CanCon rules were another way for Canadians to subsidize Brain Drain to the US, similar to getting a subsidized university education at McGill, emigrating to New York to a well paying job and never paying Canadian taxes ever again. I mean what kind of creep would do that? :)
posted by acheekymonkey at 9:28 AM on September 24, 2010 [1 favorite]

FYI we don't call each other "hoser" anymore.

We never really called each other hoser, except when goofing on the song.
posted by acheekymonkey at 9:35 AM on September 24, 2010

Rumour has it they've infiltrated Metafilter as well.

And it gets worse. The Maple Menace has been a part of Hollywood since it's earliest days, with stars like Mary Pickford stealthily infiltrating the early silent films. They're everywhere!
posted by Kevin Street at 9:40 AM on September 24, 2010

...earning a living as a tour guide at Universal Studios


we are everywere like rick steves.
posted by clavdivs at 10:09 AM on September 24, 2010

"Is there anyone left to make Canada laugh?"

I'll do it.









Oh. I guess you guys can't see me dancing around like a monkey. Too bad.
posted by clvrmnky at 10:20 AM on September 24, 2010

In Canada we’re all funny and talented. That's why we have so much surplus to export. Hell, we can spare comedians just to play detectives on your cop shows.
posted by KS at 11:14 AM on September 24, 2010

... Canadian government to deliberately take over the U.S.

Oh, please cod ... please let the Canadian government take over the U.S.

Health care, gay marriage, Labatts, CBC, Canadian Tire, Mackintosh's Toffee, that chiclet gum that tastes like detergent ... utopia!
posted by Twang at 3:16 PM on September 24, 2010 [4 favorites]

Listen, I was in Canada the first time I heard "Alley-Oop" and the first time I ever heard "One-Eyed, One-Horned, Flying Purple People Eater". And whaling songs!

I will never forget that. I will not. You may say it was coincidence, but in my heart I do not believe that.
posted by Twang at 3:22 PM on September 24, 2010

Rumour has it they've infiltrated Metafilter as well.

We are not...
posted by Alexandra Kitty at 6:31 PM on September 24, 2010

busted.
posted by seawallrunner at 9:52 PM on September 24, 2010

Rumour has it they've infiltrated Metafilter as well.

MeFi is not so much American as Cascadian.

never trust a Cascadian
posted by philip-random at 11:42 PM on September 24, 2010