LoadingReadyRun: Canada is Sorry

[Zealous]

I'm canadian, and I'm sorry. For what you ask? I'm canadian: I don't need a reason.

 

[Matt_LRR]

But unlike so many other groups, Canadians never get the qualification of "Well, you did do [X]". Americans get credit for past accomplishments of their nation, as do the Japanese, Germans, and Russians, but with Canada, it's all stereotype, no history. Outside of the Netherlands, you don't hear too many people talking about Juno Beach. No Vimy Ridge, but plenty of Normandy and Stalingrad, you know?

It's very grating going two decades hearing very little in popular media about your nation's accomplishments.

That is a point well made, and with which I agree... to an extent.

I tend to think of Canada rather as the Silent Bob to The US's Jay. They're the visible, outspoken, rowdy one, and we're quieter, compsed, wiser, and we only really speak up when we have something goddamned important to say. They may get all the chicks, but we know we're the more likable one of the duo.

As long as we Canadians know of our own accomplishments, and don't let them slide into obscurity, it's ok if everyone else just sees us as a stereotype. We can take the ribbing.
-m

A large part of the problem is youth ignorance. Canada is so saturated with American media, our young care more about their history than ours. A young man in America, even if he hasn't lifted a history textbook in his life, probably knows about a great deal of his country's past, just because of how much media is based on it. Here, we had one film about Canadian history (Passchendaele), and it performed horribly because people didn't care.

Rather than piping up after somebody else talks about how great they are with: "Well, we did this and that.", we should instead take a more active role in educating our young, as they will then educate the rest of the world. Canada Day would have been a perfect opportunity to do that.

Maybe next year, your Canada Day skit could be more about entertaining things from our history, like, well, anything Pierre Trudeau ever did.

By and large I agree - there's a reason for the Can-con requirements imposed on canadian networks, for example - but getting kids interested in learning history is an uphill task at the best of times, especially when it's being drowned out by the noise spilling across the border from our southern neighbours.

That said, our mandate as comedy preformers is to entertain not educate, and the prime target for canadian humour that appeals to audiences outside of canada is national stereotypes. However, there's loads of territory left for us to cover, and we've touched on everything from the history of our national anthem to the canadian heritage minutes that used to air on TV in our canada day episodes, so who knows what we'll do when the time comes next year.

Thanks for the input though - it warrants consideration. Just understand that we don't produce these videos with the intent of making any great political or cultural statement. They're -srtictly- intended for fun.

-m

 

[Jubeii]

excuse me, but where'd the Omsk reference come from?

 

[Escapefromwhatever]

William Shatner, the only Canadian who needs no apology.

I saw your Easter egg, sorry.

 

[nick n stuff]

it's funny cos it's true

 

[Serafis]

Sorry I came from Canada.
Oh sorry, our national holiday is 3 days before Independence Day.
Sorry I wasn't trying to bump into you.
Sorry, but are you ok?
Sorry we discovered insulin and saved millions of lives everyday.
I'm sorry I like our national anthem more than the American one (Beh, peacekeepers and our "no bombs or rockets").

And many more.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

lol "Its not called a Beanie"

and hilarious, heh, nothing like being able to take the fun out of ones own country.

Great work guys

I would have never known it wasn't a beanie as that is the only thing I've ever heard it called.

 

[Eclectic Dreck]

Easily one of my favourites.

Especially apologising for James Cameron. >.>

The man made the Terminator and Aliens. Even if those moves are nearly three decades old it more or less excuses him from any wrongdoing in my book.

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

But unlike so many other groups, Canadians never get the qualification of "Well, you did do [X]". Americans get credit for past accomplishments of their nation, as do the Japanese, Germans, and Russians, but with Canada, it's all stereotype, no history. Outside of the Netherlands, you don't hear too many people talking about Juno Beach. No Vimy Ridge, but plenty of Normandy and Stalingrad, you know?

It's very grating going two decades hearing very little in popular media about your nation's accomplishments.

That is a point well made, and with which I agree... to an extent.

I tend to think of Canada rather as the Silent Bob to The US's Jay. They're the visible, outspoken, rowdy one, and we're quieter, compsed, wiser, and we only really speak up when we have something goddamned important to say. They may get all the chicks, but we know we're the more likable one of the duo.

As long as we Canadians know of our own accomplishments, and don't let them slide into obscurity, it's ok if everyone else just sees us as a stereotype. We can take the ribbing.
-m

A large part of the problem is youth ignorance. Canada is so saturated with American media, our young care more about their history than ours. A young man in America, even if he hasn't lifted a history textbook in his life, probably knows about a great deal of his country's past, just because of how much media is based on it. Here, we had one film about Canadian history (Passchendaele), and it performed horribly because people didn't care.

Rather than piping up after somebody else talks about how great they are with: "Well, we did this and that.", we should instead take a more active role in educating our young, as they will then educate the rest of the world. Canada Day would have been a perfect opportunity to do that.

Maybe next year, your Canada Day skit could be more about entertaining things from our history, like, well, anything Pierre Trudeau ever did.

By and large I agree - there's a reason for the Can-con requirements imposed on canadian networks, for example - but getting kids interested in learning history is an uphill task at the best of times, especially when it's being drowned out by the noise spilling across the border from our southern neighbours.

That said, our mandate as comedy preformers is to entertain not educate, and the prime target for canadian humour that appeals to audiences outside of canada is national stereotypes. However, there's loads of territory left for us to cover, and we've touched on everything from the history of our national anthem to the canadian heritage minutes that used to air on TV in our canada day episodes, so who knows what we'll do when the time comes next year.

Thanks for the input though - it warrants consideration. Just understand that we don't produce these videos with the intent of making any great political or cultural statement. They're -srtictly- intended for fun.

-m

I can accept that you're here to entertain, but if Air Farce and 22 Minutes proved anything, it is that you can add the Canadian sense of humour to higher-tier subject matter and still make it funny.

 

[Mycreativename]

"you're supposed to start dumbass."

 

[TheScottishFella]

I think Canada is pretty awesome I visit once a year you guys are lucky, you bastards have TIM HORTONS

Ha, I'm sitting here with an ice cappuccino from Tim Horton's right this very second!
*slurp*

Personally I am more hot chocolate and timbits I love it when I visit in the winter with that combination but I also take those huge tubs you get of the powder to take home never as good as the one you get in store but still you guys are lucky

 

[Random Argument Man]

I want to say sorry to the Escapist. Sorry that Justin Bieber is now everywhere. Sorry that the results of his presence was a million hate threads.

 

[Le_Lisra]

Am I the only one who's sick of these lame-ass repetitive jokes? They even lifted a bit straight off of Jon Stewart.

Back in the War years, it was Japanese (but really any non-Middle Eastern or Indian looking person from Asia), Germans, and Italians who were "totally acceptable" targets, then it was the Russians and Chinese (again, really anybody from East of Burma), and now it's the Irish, Canadians, French, Americans (funny enough), and still East Asians.

This was not funny, nor has it been the 95 other times I've heard the exact same bits.
Learn some material that isn't old, unfunny, and offensive

given that we, as canadians, spent the entire video taking the piss out of ourselves, you can class this video squarely in the "self-depricating" category, rather than that of "attack based on nationalism"

yes, the ground is well trodden. such is life when having fun with stereotypes.

Sorry to hear you didn't enjoy it.


-m

It doesn't matter if it's self-depreciating, in fact that makes it worse. Why would you want to perpetuate pathetically old "jokes" at your own expense? Many people use that bullshit excuse, but the Canadian nationality is so depreciated, it would have almost no resale value. Especially less than a week after Canada Day. Garbage like this is just like Blaxploitation: It reaffirms negative stereotypes, and it is willingly participated in by the people who should be outraged by it.

You've definately lost most of your real Canadian viewers.

Thats just so much silliness. If a joke reaffirms stereotypes, than the people affected are hopeless anyway.

The ability to make jokes about yourself is an important social skill. Being offended by this is silly.

Yes, as a half-german I'm somewhat weary of all the war jokes STILL being done on foreign and domestic TV, but if its a good joke I'll laugh.

So.. shame you didn't like it, that happens, but being offended? Dude.. you might want to think about relaxing? Just a thought.

Sorry.

 

[Dora]

I had no less than eight people e-mail me a link to this, all with some variation of "IT'S YOU."

There's, uh. There's not really much that I can dispute about this.

 

[Solnai]

Oh Canada, we forgive you. Except for Justin Beiber... and Nickleback.

 

[The Random One]

Ha, that was awesome. The baguette skyline had me in tears. I never thought I'd be able to use the words 'baguette skyline' in context, but I just did.

That last bit offers an unique insight into LRR's inner workings. Doo bee doo bee doo, doo bee doo.

 

[Jonathan Wingo]

I loved that ending!

 

[Guilen-]

LAME. I'm Canadian and I'm not sorry. What a boring, old joke. Way to lean on it!

 

[Graham_LRR]

Maybe next year, your Canada Day skit could be more about entertaining things from our history, like, well, anything Pierre Trudeau ever did.

Our first ever Canada Day special was about legitimate Canadian inventions.
We mix it up from year-to-year, we can't all be Air Farce all the time. Also, Air Farce got baaaaaad.

 

[KAPTAINmORGANnWo4life]

Maybe next year, your Canada Day skit could be more about entertaining things from our history, like, well, anything Pierre Trudeau ever did.

Our first ever Canada Day special was about legitimate Canadian inventions.
We mix it up from year-to-year, we can't all be Air Farce all the time. Also, Air Farce got baaaaaad.

The three originals were good, as were Park and Lauzon. Holmes was...OK, but that other woman was just like "The other guy" on Whose Line Is It Anyway?, you know, there was Colin, Ryan, and Wayne, then a few irregulars like Greg, Chip, and Brad, and then they'd have complete failures like Kathy Griffin and Stephen Colbert.