h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

From http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/entertainment/tv_and_radio/3153117.stm

"The Sci-Fi Channel in the United States has cancelled an Arnold Schwarzenegger day after the star announced his intention to run for governor of California.



Instead of Terminator 2, The Running Man and Conan the Destroyer, viewers will see a day of California disaster movies."

But as an American, I think we have the capacity to understand irony perfectly!

For instance, there's a blackout that is affecting milions of Americans and Canadians in the northeastern section of North America. In those areas they have cancelled Renaissance faires for the weekend. In other words, due to a lack of electricity, they have cancelled events celebrating a time when there was no electricity.

I think it's more sarcasm that Americans don't get.
And Lord God, once I met an American who thought people in Ireland actually believed in Lepruchauns and that we have mud floors and live in huts... I mean COME ON!

i don't believe all americans don't get irony, i think a lot of them probably do, but that stereotype of americans is always at the forefront of everyones minds

What about the stereotype of Irish people? I mean we've had electricity for quite a few years now you know...

"So I heard about the famine. That must have been awful for you guys."
Seriously.

everyone is stereotyped in one way or the other, but if a person can't see past that then they're just being ignorant and not thinking for themselves. that goes for anyone too

Well, this is one American who knows some history, understands irorny, 'gets' sarcasm, has a good sense of humor and has at least some respect for most people. Please take it to the "What's Wrong with Americans" thread if you want to keep it up, guys? Please?

Right, I've got a tale to tell about an American!
I'm half yank myself and have until recently had an affinity for our cousins across the pond.
But this morning the last tie was severed.
What happened I hear you mutter into your Baileys.
Well...
I recently posted a comment on Ain't It Cool news that basically stated that the way America was at the moment a movie of Superman (truth, justice and the American way and all that) would be slightly inapporpriate.
So, I open my mailbox (virtual not literal) this morning to discover a superman superfan insulting me all over my hotmail account. I will not repeat the language as it was truly foul, I'm a big believer in blue language but this went way too far.
Anyway, I mailed him back a couple of flippant replies, nothing serious, a bit of 'aren't you a bit old for this sort of thing...etc', his messages got nastier and nastier resulting in him accusing me of having sexual intercourse with goats!
Well,. I started to get a bit irked. Suddenly I noticed that his language was peppered with very American stylings (colour spelt wrong that sort of thing), so decided to have a bit of a poke at his homeland.
He virtually crumbled in front of my eyes. From being 'big man on campus' he turned into a whining little tosser. "Bulls*** man" he basically declared. "you're just jealous because we're the superpower. At least our leader has balls, you are jealous that 9/11 didn't happen to you!!!" (EVERYTHING I have just written came from this arse). I was unrepentant however and kept nibbling at his weakspot. In the end, he blocked me out of his account and hasn't e-mailed back. One in the eye for Uncle Sam. Proving that while Yanks may have irony (Simpsons...etc), they can't take a joke about themselves.
Sorry, this was a really long post but I wanted to get it off my chest.

No-one is going to read this are they..?
Hello?
Anyone.

...I'll let myself out.

You exchanged e-mails back and forth with an dumb, infintile, immature (probably teenaged) guy who happened to be an American. And you got him more and more upset by mocking his country until he snapped and began ignoring you.

Oh, yeah, you're a real hero.

Oh there's plenty of british people I've come across like that

Fab link though Gosho

aonemantidalwave: you may be getting some more emails, sorry

Hey, hey, hey. Hold it Han!
I didn't trade any insults with me until he went to far and then I let him have it. If you can't laugh at your own country what can you laugh at.
And he said he was 22...it wasn't you was it?

Perhaps he was just kidding with his first e-mail and it was you who took the bait.

F

If you're talking to me,

1. I can laugh at my own country with the best of them (especially the city where I live). I just get tired of people who incessantly rip the USA and when I finally start getting annoyed, suggest I have no sense of humor.

2. I'm 25 (3 months from 26).

3. My favorite superhero is Green Lantern.

4. You're supposed to be bigger than to quibble with trolls or you're no better than they are.

You have a point I guess.
Still, good story though wasn't it?
...and the main reason i can't get on with Americans at the mo is because They are going to be responsible for the end of the civilised world.

What, all 280,000,000 of us?

Yup (well, what are you doing to stop it?)
I suppose we'll see when the next Presidential election comes around

What civilised world?

F

I blame Bush and his sucsessor (thats spelt wrong isn't it?) Arnold Schwarzenegger. Americans have done some great things. Bill Hicks. John Coltrane. David Lynch. Don't get me wrong. But you have to admit, isn't it a little bit embarassing to have that jarhead as president. Particularly when he is hellbent on destruction.
Another great American, Hunter S Thompson said in an interview recently that he thought Bush jr was being controlled by Bush sr. A terrifying thought to be sure.