Canada Condemns "Racist" TV Show (Conan O'Brien)

Reuters via SwissiInfo ^ | February 13, 2004 | David Ljunggren

[quidnunc]

Ottawa – Canada's government has condemned a show by U.S. late-night television host Conan O'Brien that insulted people in French-speaking Quebec and seemed to suggest everyone in the province was homosexual.

Ottawa and the province of Ontario paid C$1 million (400,000 pounds) to help O'Brien — who appears on the NBC television network — bring his show to Toronto for a week to boost the city's profile after a deadly SARS outbreak last year.

But the federal government said O'Brien had gone far too far with the show broadcast on Thursday in which he went to Quebec, a province which has had separatist governments for much of the last 20 years and is a delicate political topic in Canada.

"We want to disassociate ourselves from the comments which were broadcast last night because we do not support them in any way," junior government minister Mauril Belanger told Parliament.

At one point in the show, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog — a hand puppet that is a regular on the show — said to a Quebecer: "You're French, you're obnoxious and you no speekay English." It told another: "I can smell your crotch from here".

O'Brien's team were also shown replacing street signs in the province with those that read "Quebecqueer Street" and "Rue des Pussies".

-snip-

[billorites]

I hope they liked the Masturbating Bear.

[FlJoePa]

All the more reason to love Conan. If he's pissing off these jagoffs, he must be doing something right.

[Mr. Mojo]

Conan O'Brien that insulted people in French-speaking Quebec and seemed to suggest everyone in the province was homosexual.

What does this have to do with race?

[EggsAckley]

LOL!! Wonder how they like the South Park movie where the whole town sings "Blame Canada?"

That must REALLY get their goat.

[billorites]

The whole topic of identity politics needs to be lampooned and skewered.

[cyborg]

Who knows? All I care about is pooping on liberals.

[Phantom Lord]

Or when Saddam became the new Prime Minister of Canada.

[DeFault User]

I have no love for Quebec, but it does seem rather poor form to insult your host when you're in his house.

[mountaineer]

seemed to suggest everyone in the province was homosexual.

Only the French speakers, I believe.

[CaptainK]

The greatest Triumph skit ever:

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/video/nerds.html

Click the top entry of Star Wars on the right column.

[mseltzer]

Screw the weenie french. I think they have WMD's. Let's invade.

[finnman69]

At one point in the show, Triumph the Insult Comic Dog — a hand puppet that is a regular on the show — said to a Quebecer: "You're French, you're obnoxious and you no speekay English." It told another: "I can smell your crotch from here". O'Brien's team were also shown replacing street signs in the province with those that read "Quebecqueer Street" and "Rue des Pussies".

Oh lordy I wish I could have sene this.

[Servant of the 9]

Kanukistan Ping!

So9

[Servant of the 9]

Kanukistan Ping!!!

So9

[Blue Screen of Death]

What is it with liberals? First they praise and encourage homosexuality, but if someone calls them a homosexual, they have a fit.

[thecellardoor19]

And its funny how half of his canadian guests took little jabs at their own country themselves. It seemed to me the reception Conan got was warm and welcomed during his shows.

[Peter Libra]

Working class French Canadians that I know are the Salt of the earth. Generous to a fault, happy go lucky. Kind to an English lad. They can give and take a joke with the best of them. Having said that, I could cheerfully pelt the neurotic intellectuals of French and CBC sycophantic variety- with marshmellows.

[Freemyland]

Well, Conan did help turn in Terrence and Phillip.

[Oztrich Boy]

Is there no place that will name a street after the author of All Quiet on the Western Front

I want a Rue De Remarque