NationStates Jolt Archive

Some time ago, Rick Mercer, of the CBC, had a special called Talking to Americans. In it, he travelled south of the border, and asked Americans moronic questions about canada (e.g. "Canada, since we're entirely landlocked, has never had a navy. Lately though, we've been discussing having a navy by putting our ships in American harbours. Do you think we should do this?" or "Should we stop putting our elders on Northern ice flows to perish?"). Then he showed Americans answering, or saying similarly stupid things like "Congratulations Canada, on legalizing insulin."
Is this fantastic satire or obviously insulting nationalism?

Some time ago, Rick Mercer, of the CBC, had a special called Talking to Americans. In it, he travelled south of the border, and asked Americans moronic questions about canada (e.g. "Canada, since we're entirely landlocked, has never had a navy. Lately though, we've been discussing having a navy by putting our ships in American harbours. Do you think we should do this?" or "Should we stop putting our elders on Northern ice flows to perish?"). Then he showed Americans answering, or saying similarly stupid things like "Congratulations Canada, on legalizing insulin."
Is this fantastic satire or obviously insulting nationalism?
I think it's funny. I just hope people don't think most Americans are that dumb.

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?

Not to me. I don't get angry and usually laugh at it. If you can't laugh at your country, especially when in a (seemingly, I hope) light-hearted satire, I think you are too patriotic. Now, I'd get angry in certain cases (when veterans are trashed like after Vietnam) but overall I'm easygoing about it all. :)

It's a ripoff of Jay Leno, and not a very good one at that. You can find plenty of stupid people in any country, specifically acting like all Americans are like that is insulting.

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?
I am a little curious how many USians they must interview before they find one dumb enough to put on TV.
I'm curious to know if they have tried asking Canadian citizens questions about Canada. I'm sure you'll find dumb answers if you look long enough.

I am a little curious how many USians they must interview before they find one dumb enough to put on TV.
I'm curious to know if they have tried asking Canadian citizens questions about Canada. I'm sure you'll find dumb answers if you look long enough.

Quite a few I would imagine. It isn't funny when they give you a straight answer. But they don't do shows where they highlight their own stupidity. It is much more fun for them to poke fun at us. I would love to see the reaction in Canada or the UK if we started broadcasting the same kind of shows, Talking with Canadians! Talking with Chelseans!
They would scream bloody murder. You culturally insensitive Americans!! You're all bigoted ignorant pigs!!

What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. Probably because people in some foreign countries know more about the U.S. than many of us know about any other country. They probably don't do that because they'll find out a high school kid in Finland knows more about New York City than a high school kid from Beloit.

Probably because people in some foreign countries know more about the U.S. than many of us know about any other country. They probably don't do that because they'll find out a high school kid in Finland knows more about New York City than a high school kid from Beloit.

Sorry, I don't believe that stereotype. I have met a lot of these supposedly better educated people from other countries and have been less than impressed with their superior knowlege. Have worked with Australians, Brits, Scotsmen, Irish, South Africans, Kiwis, Japanese, Koreans and Canadians. They haven't known much more about the world than people I knew and met in the US. Have been as equally ignorant about historical and political things as anybody I have met in the US.
Just because the world chooses to highlight our stupid people in a drive to make themselves feel better doesn't prove the we in the US are stupider than they.

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?

dont make such a big deal about it:rolleyes: . its all in good fun, and no, we dont CARE all that much honestly

Any citizen of the United States even remotely insulted by this deserved Canadian skewering needs to unclench, put down the flag and take a good look around them. My country produces some of the most ridiculous things out there for public consumption (and that's just our politics -- never mind our "entertainment"). We're hypocrites, we're simpletons and we shouldn't be afraid to own up to it. Why? 'Cause we've got the guns, that's why.

That's also why the US has no similarly mocking program for other nations. What our foreign policy is already doing to other nations is insane enough without having to cover it in the icing of satire. The Canadian program is akin to the little brother spitting PG curses at the big brother who's got him in a headlock and is giving him noogies for all he's worth. So long as the US is in control -- and make no mistake, for now, it still is -- we'll never need to export satire. We're too busy exporting hate, cigarettes, bigotry, hypocrisy and weapons.

I love my country -- but the people in charge are complete tools. So while that means the public image of my nation takes a beating, it means nothing at all to me because my identity doesn't hinge on any flag, symbol or anything other than who I am and what I stand for. Where I can do something about the mess my country is becoing, I do. Where I can't, I shake my head and get on with life. I won't even bother to continue on to the idiocy that is judging one citizen on the stereotype of their nation -- it should be self-evident.

So let us have it, Canada. We can take all you have and more. At least we don't hang on to stupid British spelling conventions that aren't even pronounced like they should be. But hey, you've got better chocolate, beer and environmental protections, so I think it evens out.

Let the flaming commence!

What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.

There is twofold reason for this. Firstly, overall American's don't care that much about other countries. I don't mean all of you, but as a culture, American is very self-referencing. How many of you know what the capital city of Finland is? Australia? I'm not saying that to be mean, but I suspect that most Americans would enjoy a show where you poke fun at rednecks, or people from New York more thana show where you poke fun at people from a specific other country. It's easier to relate, as you know more about the culture that is being teased. And, yes, there are a lot of American tv shows that poke fun at certain American cultures and communities.

Secondly, many other countries don't take themselves so seriously. Australia has regular tv shows near elections where we poke fun at our politicians. We often are teasing ourself as a country. The Crocodile Hunter has a movie, now if that's not a bunch of Australians "taking the piss" as we'd say, I don't know what is. That's American laughing at Australians. We don't have a problem with it, we're happy to laugh at ourselves.

Quite a few I would imagine. It isn't funny when they give you a straight answer. But they don't do shows where they highlight their own stupidity. It is much more fun for them to poke fun at us. I would love to see the reaction in Canada or the UK if we started broadcasting the same kind of shows, Talking with Canadians! Talking with Chelseans!
They would scream bloody murder. You culturally insensitive Americans!! You're all bigoted ignorant pigs!!


Mostly you guys make fun of us

FINLAND = Helsinki
AUSTRALIA = Canberra

Pick something hard. (and no, I didn't look them up online...)

Next?

FINLAND = Helsinki
AUSTRALIA = Canberra

Pick something hard.
Next?

Are you naming capitals? (I think so).

Try these:
Andorra
San Marino
Seychelles

FINLAND = Helsinki
AUSTRALIA = Canberra

Pick something hard. (and no, I didn't look them up online...)

Next?


ok, whats the capital of saskatchewan? ;)

But they don't do shows where they highlight their own stupidity. It is much more fun for them to poke fun at us.

Actually, "Talking to Americans" started as one sketch in a weekly Canadian "news" show called "This Hour Has 22 Minutes", which is devoted to *highlighting the stupidity* of Canadians generally and Canadian politicians specifically, and *poking fun* at them. Talking To Americans plays on the common frustration of Canadians who feel (quite justly I would say from my various sojourns to the States) that Americans know way less about Canada than Canadians do about America, and seem to accept that as the way it should be.

Of course Talking to Americans is over the top. The whole show is like that, it's sort of Jon Stewart-esque, except more, well, Canadian. And nobody *actually* thinks that your Average American Citizen thinks we put our senior citizens out on ice flows. That isn't the point. It's SATIRE. The underlying frustration it represents, however, is not over the top, and is valid.

My real-life Talking to Americans moment: In Minnesota we had stopped for gas, and my uncle was trying to buy a soda from a machine. He had a handful of American change that he was depositing, and he accidentally put in a Canadian quarter and jammed the machine. When he called the store manager over to look at it and told him what the problem was, the fellow looked really confused. Their actual conversation:
Store Manager: "Well, I don't see what all the trouble's about, it's just a quarter."
My Uncle: "Yes, but it's a Canadian quarter. They aren't the same size."
Store Manager, shaking his head: "Oh, now, I don't see why that should be a problem. After all, we took y'all in years ago, didn't we?"

....oh my.

SASKATCHEWAN = Saskatoon

SASKATCHEWAN = Saskatoon

Nope! Regina :D(sorry, canadian saskatchewan)

Mostly you guys make fun of us

possibly we do but, who is "us"?

I have laughed and shook my head at quite a few of those programs and I don't take them too seriously. They can be funny. However, the constant insults against the people of my country do annoy me. The blanket "USians are stupid" statements happen far too often for me to believe they are just good natured ribbing.
The things I have had to deal with in meeting many of my fellow English speakers over here have troubled me many times. I have met far more loud US haters than loud patriotic USians, in fact I have met next to no loud patriots. I've met quite a few cringing US apologists, oh, I'm so sorry I am from the US. I'm so sorry we are all so stupid and evil. . .blah blah blah.

I have seen some of the ultra patriots on these threads and can completely understand why they are annoying to non-USians, so I know it is not just one sided.

Are you naming capitals? (I think so).

Try these:
Andorra
San Marino
Seychelles

Well, without looking anything up, I'd have to say:

SAN MARINO is too damned small to have a capital, and to be honest, nobody really gives a sh*t about all three of them.

Mostly kidding. I don't know any of those, truthfully, but I would put it to you that knowledge of world capitals in an age where you could get that information on your cell phone is hardly a representation of intelligence.

FINLAND = Helsinki
AUSTRALIA = Canberra

Pick something hard. (and no, I didn't look them up online...)

Next?

Um, it was a rhetorical question. I didn't doubt that there were more than a few Americans on the message board that knew the answers. That's what makes them fall into the category of "general knowledge".
My question should have been more properly phrased "what percentage of americans would know what the capital of..."

I never doubt that there are a lot of intelligent Americans who pay very close attention to the rest of the world.
I do doubt that the average American pays as much attention to the rest of the world as, say, the average European. (and I do recognize that the Europeans have more need to. Not saying they're just genetically more interested in other people)

I also recognize that Americans interested in NationStates, and other political systems are also more likely to be interested in other countries, too.

So you'd be seriously willing to argue that on average Americans pay as much attention to outside politics and situations as most other countries?

Nope! Regina :D


Dammit! I talked myself out of Regina! Okay, I shall now attempt to atone:

CANADA = Ottawa
BC = Victoria
ALBERTA = Calgary
MANITOBA = Winnipeg
ONTARIO = Toronto
QUEBEC = Paris, uh, I mean, Montreal (unless it's Quebec City)
NEWFIE-LAND = Wherever Great Big Sea is playing (okay, St. Johns)
NEW SCOTLAND = Halifax
PEI = Charlottetown (-ville? -burg?)
NEW Brunswick = I honestly forgot. Isn't it Moncton?
YUKON = Whitehorse
NWT = Yellowknife
NUNAVUT = something with a lot of Qs in it.

Close enough to not be considered an ugly American?

That sounds dumb ass hell. Why not ask Americans questions the majority is to retarded to answer like "what's you opinion on extraordinary rendition?", "What rogue nation do you think might target Canada with nuclear missiles?", "how would you feel if Mexico declared that if anyone tried to nuke them, they'd just detonate it over your country and let yo be iradiated, and then acted all upity like they were just protecting you for free?", "how would you feel if another county said that you 'gave up' some of your sovreignty by not agreeing with them?", "Who is Maher Arar?", "Was Fallujah a Sadamist stronghold?", "Do you consider Blackwater mercs civillians?", "do you think the US should increase the rate at which it is ruducing its nuclear stockpile inorder to gain credibility re:Iran(funny because were making more). Shit, that poll about wether on not USians thought Sadam was responsible for the 911 atacks(USA 2001 not Chile 1973) would be funnier than any joke questions if these retards I live among weren't armed to the teeth :headbang:

My fellow Americans: you are to freedom and security what Lenny from "Of Mice and Men" was to mice and farmgirls.

possibly we do but, who is "us"?

I have laughed and shook my head at quite a few of those programs and I don't take them too seriously. They can be funny. However, the constant insults against the people of my country do annoy me. The blanket "USians are stupid" statements happen far too often for me to believe they are just good natured ribbing.
The things I have had to deal with in meeting many of my fellow English speakers over here have troubled me many times. I have met far more loud US haters than loud patriotic USians, in fact I have met next to no loud patriots. I've met quite a few cringing US apologists, oh, I'm so sorry I am from the US. I'm so sorry we are all so stupid and evil. . .blah blah blah.

I have seen some of the ultra patriots on these threads and can completely understand why they are annoying to non-USians, so I know it is not just one sided.

true enough, gut you poke canadians/australiens/other people too.
its not just a matter of saying you started it, and well, honestly, we** dont really care all that much about you guys (no offence) and really, we dont mean anithing by it(except for some, of course)



**all of the others(im canada,by the way)

So you'd be seriously willing to argue that on average Americans pay as much attention to outside politics and situations as most other countries?

Per capita? Yes I would.

CNN, NPR, PBS, NYT -- The US invented worldwide information gathering and dissemination, not to mention this internet thing we're talking on right now. Depending upon what interests the average American, I'd definitely say that per capita we're at least as well informed as the rest of the world. Now if you ask a Wal-Mart worker who's far more concerned about affording healthcare than about who the next Pope is going to be, well, I'd say that's on par with asking a Laotian dirt farmer the same question.

the first worlwide press agency was french

Well, without looking anything up, I'd have to say:

SAN MARINO is too damned small to have a capital, and to be honest, nobody really gives a sh*t about all three of them.


San Marino's capital is....San Marino. It's both the world's oldest republic and smallest country in population other than the Vatican. :p

true enough, gut you poke canadians/australiens/other people too.
its not just a matter of saying you started it, and well, honestly, we** dont really care all that much about you guys (no offence) and really, we dont mean anithing by it(except for some, of course)



**all of the others(im canada,by the way)

Yeah, lots of Canuck/US jokes. As long as you get that sense of good naturedness about it I think it is fun. Over here we do a lot of ribbing.

Dammit! I talked myself out of Regina! Okay, I shall now attempt to atone:

QUEBEC = Quebec City(and belive me, its NOTHING like paris, lol)(its not as nice as montreal, either :P)
Nova Scotia(NEW SCOTLAND?) = Halifax
NEW Brunswick = oops ummm Fredericton
NUNAVUT = something with a lot of Qs in it.(Uqualuit?i dont know!!)

Close enough to not be considered an ugly American?

yup! :)

the first worlwide press agency was french

True, but where are they now? (must...avoid...pointing...out...irrelevance...)

The point is that when it comes to worldwide information, you don't go to France. I don't LIKE CNN, but there it is, and plenty of USans watch it. Now, that doesn't mean I'm suggesting they pay attention or retain anything....

yah i've heard of that talking with americans
its not true
i think they're all actors

yup! :)

"New Scotland" is Nova Scotia translated from Latin.

Of course, I live in a border state, so Canada (and most especially, to my pre-pubescent delight, Canadian television) was a part of my household. Also, my sister married a Calgarian and they live there, so I must always try not to piss off my brother in law when it comes to knowing about things like hockey, curling and bands like The Watchmen.

CNN, last time I watched was pretty lame. I rememer them waving flags and blowing war trumpets as loudly as most US news. The first new agency was the AFP, and there bellow AP and Reuters(I think) but there still here suing google. We get cable and national news here in lil' Iowa and debate is quite limited and most criticicism if preceded my several minutes of ass kissing and flag waving lest anyone not be considered a good litle patriot.

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return.


no....but you occasionally do it to yourselves.

As for attention retention and recall you'd be better off with lab rats. Bush went from promising to get Osama dead or alive no matter what to actually saying it didn't matter anymore. Kerry voted for something before he voted against it. The flip flopper? Kerry. The heroic defender of freedom who will get that Sadam basterd who bombet the trade center no matter how many civillians need to be posthumously awarded the honour of "insurgent"? Bush. Go red states. For the record Kerry was a twat.

True, but where are they now? (must...avoid...pointing...out...irrelevance...)

AFP? Irrelevant? Only someone from the US could say something like that. I bet you don't read any newspapers.

Anyway, back to topic. It's not like Canadians can answer many questions about Greenland, their neighbor, or even Mexico, their second largest trading partner.

Most think that North America is made up of only two countries.

Are you naming capitals? (I think so).

Try these:
Andorra
San Marino
Seychelles

Andorra - Andorra la Vella
San Marino - San Marino (same name)
Seychelles - This one I am not certain of, the ony city I know of there is Victoria. That could be it.

Andorra - Andorra la Vella
San Marino - San Marino (same name)
Seychelles - This one I am not certain of, the ony city I know of there is Victoria. That could be it.

Yes, Yes, and Yes! Wow, that's impressive. I tried to pick the most obscure I could.

Wow, I didn't think the third one was right. What can I say, I'm pretty damn good with the obscure. :D

Dammit! I talked myself out of Regina! Okay, I shall now attempt to atone:

ALBERTA = Calgary
NUNAVUT = something with a lot of Qs in it.

Close enough to not be considered an ugly American?

You did pretty good after you corrected yourself. But the capital of Alberta is Edmonton, and the capital of Nunavut only has 1 q. (Iqaluit)

Still you did a better job than me. There are a lot of state capitals I don't remember. For example, I find it hard to remember that the capital of Texas isn't Dallas or Houston but Austin. And that the capital of Louisiana isn't New Orleans, but Baton Rouge.

At least we don't hang on to stupid British spelling conventions that aren't even pronounced like they should be.

Lol, it IS their language and they get to make the rules about how to spell it correctly.

Bravo on the rest of your post though, you seem a very sensible chap. *cheer*

Rick Mercer not only draws the line, he puts one foot across it and dares us to tell him he's wrong.

For that, and nothing else, I admire him.

Lol, it IS their language and they get to make the rules about how to spell it correctly.

Bravo on the rest of your post though, you seem a very sensible chap. *cheer*

Good point, and thanks!

You did pretty good after you corrected yourself. But the capital of Alberta is Edmonton, and the capital of Nunavut only has 1 q. (Iqaluit)

Still you did a better job than me. There are a lot of state capitals I don't remember. For example, I find it hard to remember that the capital of Texas isn't Dallas or Houston but Austin. And that the capital of Louisiana isn't New Orleans, but Baton Rouge.

Thanks. US captials are superfluous, though. Especially since the "states rights" party (Republicans) seem to be picking and chosing when they'll exercise the 10th Amendment to the Constitution and when they'll just let it slide. So if this continues, shortly it won't matter whether it's New Orleans or Baton Rouge -- it'll all be Washington, DC.

Of course, that's just my opinion -- I could be wrong.

I love my country -- but the people in charge are complete tools. So while that means the public image of my nation takes a beating, it means nothing at all to me because my identity doesn't hinge on any flag, symbol or anything other than who I am and what I stand for. Where I can do something about the mess my country is becoing, I do. Where I can't, I shake my head and get on with life. I won't even bother to continue on to the idiocy that is judging one citizen on the stereotype of their nation -- it should be self-evident.

So let us have it, Canada. We can take all you have and more. At least we don't hang on to stupid British spelling conventions that aren't even pronounced like they should be. But hey, you've got better chocolate, beer and environmental protections, so I think it evens out.

Let the flaming commence!
thumbs up.

eh... nothing special about it...

I think it's funny. I just hope people don't think most Americans are that dumb.


They did a study and *most* americans really are that dumb.

51% to be exact.

They did a study and *most* americans really are that dumb.

51% to be exact.
Can you back up that claim?

Can you back up that claim?


http://www.whitehouse.gov

http://www.whitehouse.gov
And you realize that's a joke site? (just checking)

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?

Let me answer your question with a question. Actually screw that, the answer is yes.

Any citizen of the United States even remotely insulted by this deserved Canadian skewering needs to unclench, put down the flag and take a good look around them. My country produces some of the most ridiculous things out there for public consumption (and that's just our politics -- never mind our "entertainment"). We're hypocrites, we're simpletons and we shouldn't be afraid to own up to it. Why? 'Cause we've got the guns, that's why.

That's also why the US has no similarly mocking program for other nations. What our foreign policy is already doing to other nations is insane enough without having to cover it in the icing of satire. The Canadian program is akin to the little brother spitting PG curses at the big brother who's got him in a headlock and is giving him noogies for all he's worth. So long as the US is in control -- and make no mistake, for now, it still is -- we'll never need to export satire. We're too busy exporting hate, cigarettes, bigotry, hypocrisy and weapons.

I love my country -- but the people in charge are complete tools. So while that means the public image of my nation takes a beating, it means nothing at all to me because my identity doesn't hinge on any flag, symbol or anything other than who I am and what I stand for. Where I can do something about the mess my country is becoing, I do. Where I can't, I shake my head and get on with life. I won't even bother to continue on to the idiocy that is judging one citizen on the stereotype of their nation -- it should be self-evident.

So let us have it, Canada. We can take all you have and more. At least we don't hang on to stupid British spelling conventions that aren't even pronounced like they should be. But hey, you've got better chocolate, beer and environmental protections, so I think it evens out.

Let the flaming commence!

Wow, so are you an idiot for spelling phone with a 'ph' "fone mi now or cum ova and nock on my door!"

Mmm so intelligent. Man your little rant was going well until that last shitty paragraph.

And you realize that's a joke site? (just checking)


Wow, went over somebody's head.

Let me explain.

http://www.whitehouse.org is a joke site.

http://www.whitehouse.gov (cited above) is a national digrace.

Wow, went over somebody's head.

Let me explain.

http://www.whitehouse.org is a joke site.

http://www.whitehouse.gov (cited above) is a national digrace.
Duh. Like I said, a joke...

When I was stationed in Germany, I used to videotape a "show" on Friday nights at a popular bar that I called the "Rate the Whore" show.

I was videotaped interviewing US soldiers and their German girlfriends, while they were drunk.

Still have the tapes. It only proves that there are stupid people everywhere.

There's not only stupid people everywhere, this kind of show (going out in the street, asking people stupid or simple questions and presenting the dumbest answers) is international as well. I know for a fact that a number of shows like that exist in Germany, but then they don't normally bother Americans, they talk to fellow-Germans. With incredibly funny results.
The thing is, if you want to entertain people, you don't air the correct and smart answers, you show the dumb ones. and I'm guessing that it is a lot of work to get enough funny stupid answers, even when interviewing Americans.
I've met stupid people from all over the world, yes. But the two dumbest things I ever heard were said by Americans...

1) "The Germans built the castle of Neuschwanstein 'cause the wanted to have something just as great as Disneyland"
2) "Darwin was the guy how invented the relativity theory, right?" - when asked who he thought Einstein was : "I know him, he came up with gravity, the guy with the apple, right?"

Now, beat that, anyone

Now, beat that, anyone

Maybe you should read Bild. They have something stupid in there every day.

Maybe you should read Bild. They have something stupid in there every day.

Ok, true. But nothing I ever saw in there ever came close to either of those - rather surreal - moments mentioned above

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?
I kind of think that the US assumes everyone knows all about them...and to a certain extent, they are right. I think most countries learn about you a bit, and most certainly are exposed to you through your media and through Hollywood:). Short of going to some isolated Peruvian village with no television, I don't think you'd be able to fool people all that much to the extent that Rick Mercer did. I mean...Christ...a lot of the people he talked to were University or College students and profs.

By the way...I LOVE that you say USian instead of America...and I thank you for it. :)

I am a little curious how many USians they must interview before they find one dumb enough to put on TV.
I'm curious to know if they have tried asking Canadian citizens questions about Canada. I'm sure you'll find dumb answers if you look long enough.
I don't think they'd have to look all that long...but it wouldn't be quite as funny for some reason.

Insulting, sometimes funny. What I find interesting though is we USians never feel the need to do it to other nations in return. I have never seen a show where a USian journalist asked people in other countries stupid questions about the US and then we in the US all laugh at the funny answers they recieve.
I wonder why that is? I wonder why USians don't feel the need to humiliate our supposed friends on national tv? Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?

Actually, a couple of local American broadcasters went across the border to do similar spoofs. The problem was, they never could find enough Canadians ignorant about the US fo the spoofs to work, so they never aired.
It has nothing to do with Americans not feeling the need to humiliate their neighbours.

It's a ripoff of Jay Leno, and not a very good one at that. You can find plenty of stupid people in any country, specifically acting like all Americans are like that is insulting.

Mercer said afterward that he was amazed how many people fell for it . . . including Gore, Bush and various university profs. One part of the show showed a ten year old American correcting Mercer on his assertion that Canada had states (Canada has provinces! he said).
Also, I believe Mercer did this before Leno did, so he's not the one doing the rip-off.

Plus, I don't think the point was to show that Americans are stupid. Not knowing 'facts' about things is not a measure of intelligence (or else reading an encyclopedia would make you a genius). I think it was an attempt to highlight how insular the education in the US is (very inward looking), and how little (to rip off a term) USians care about their closest neighbour...much less the rest of the world.:(

Hey guys

Truth is, I'm a USian, but I'm sick of being here. Our policies are driving me nuts. I can't stand our president (who shouldn't have been elected in the first go!) But I actually agree that most USian's haven't got a clue. I think that has to do with the fact that we have never had a foriegn war on our soil (Pearl Harbor was a single battle, not a war. Don't get me started with that.) and our country is just too damned big for its own good. Since we only have two neighbours and they're friendly to us, we (stated loosely) don't understand the value of learning foriegn policy. But look at some of the European countries that don't rival the size of our smallest states, but are world powers. (Germany, England, France, Spain for sure) Their populace almost has to know what's going on. A good example: Germany, 1935 - 36. No one was paying attention (or at least didn't take action) and all of a sudden Poland and half of France is conquered by the Nazi army.

Well, this is getting REALLY long, so I'll end now.

Does it make our supposed friends feel big about themselves to embarass USians in that way?
yes.

but I would like to point out that we realise these programs speak only to a select few and do not represent the majority - if nothing stupid is said, they'd cut it.
why do USians never do it? maybe being so huge a country you're less insecure? who knows? feel free to come to the UK and take the piss. lol just remembered article during the Foot and Mouth outbreak where a journalist questioned american tourists in london about it and offered them gas masks. my favourite quote was "foot and mouth... is that the one where you have to burn your shoes?"

why do USians never do it?

They do. After Mercer's show, various American broadcasters came north to do similar-style shows. They didn't get enough material, so the shows never aired.
I don't think it was Mercer's intention to humiliate Americans. I think he was simply showing that the common American could stand to be a little more informed about the world around them (Congratulations, Canada, on getting FM radio?!?)
On 22 Minutes Mercer frequently mocked Canadians as well.