Is it just my imagination, or are three out of every four Financial Experts called in by PBS and NPR to comment on our current national shame ENGLISH? Has anyone else noticed this strange phenomenon?
At first I joked about it, but it's now officially spooky. I understand that the English tend to be quite well educated (and even when they're not, that accent makes them sound well educated to the American ear), but why this glut of English experts on United States finance specifically? Could it be that just as the Japanese in recent decades have sent hordes of friendly spy "tourists" to photograph every square inch of the U.S., the English have slowly been tickling us with their charms, waiting for us to giggle, roll over, and expose our soft financial underbelly?
(Maybe we can convince the world to blame them for this mess???)
And don't get me started on how all the good American characters are now being played by Englishmen and -women. I'm pleased as punch to see my beloved Hugh Laurie become a household name hereabouts, but is there truly no cranky American actor good enough to play that cranky American character? If so, 'tis sad. 'Tis burnin' Rome, circa A.D. 64.
('Tis a conspiracy???)
Do economic downturns/meltdowns/crunches/crises/recessions/depressions ultimately trigger cultural and educational renaissances*? Let us pray that they do. In the meantime, it's high time we turn a leery eye toward the English among us -- I'm not usually a lynching woman, but I think they might be up to no good.
* Is "renaissances" even a word? Help? Lena?
Thursday, March 26, 2009
Call me Paula Revere.
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6 comments:
Um. "it's high time we turn a leery eye toward the English among us -- I'm not usually a lynching woman, but I think they might be up to no good."
?
And then you ask me for help????
I can't explain the financial experts (though I can't think offhand of any American universities with a reputation like the London School of Economics, that's probably just because of my ignorance of American unis).
However, I do think that British actors have something of an advantage--there's a lot more crossover in Britain between stage and TV and screen, which I think helps build the acting chops. Also, in Britain, you still have a chance of being an actor if you aren't incredibly gorgeous, fit and tanned (compare EastEnders to Days of Our Lives)--roles seem to be given out a little more based on acting ability. We never even realised Hugh Laurie was quite that hot back when he was doing comedy with Stephen Fry minus the sexy scruff.
BUT, you Yanks have had your chance at our jobs too--Renee Zellweger as Bridget Jones? Gwyneth as Emma? They weren't bad, either.
And "renaissances" is a word, even though it sounds weird.
Don't believe her, Marie!
Dearest Lena o' my heart -- The posting was an extended joke intended just for you, but apparently that Stephen Colbert tone doesn't translate well to text. (That or I'm just not very funny -- but say it ain't so!) I'm about as big an Anglophile as anyone I know. The only serious sentence was the one about Rome -- I really *do* think I'm living through the fall (or at least the sad final decline) of the US empire, and so I'm laughing as Rome burns.....because I think it might be too late for water....
Cindy -- I don't know...have you heard how she talks? She could tell me the world is flat and I'd believe her. She could read me the phonebook and I'd ask for an encore.
Darling Marie, don't worry, I was definitely amused. As you well know, we Brits love the self deprecating humour-or the deprecation by others-it's attention that makes us feel important again, like back when we had an empire...sniff..
I'm glad you like the way I talk. I think I sound awful.
i'm totally with you - i've noticed the same thing. why aren't the experts of american finances american? perhaps because those american finance experts are CLEARLY NOT EXPERTS since we are in this mess... just a thought.
Ohh Marie, you are going to get me fired! I laughed out loud at your cantankerous posting about the Brits tickling us to expose our soft underbelly, haha!! In these crazy economic times, its nice to read a blog where we can and might even try to blame another country for our blunders. I like pointing my fingers at other people. At myself is not nearly as funny.
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