Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

No Amour for France Can France Make Us Love French Fries Again? (Woody Allen Alert!)
Good Morning America ^ | May 30, 2003 | Claire Shipman and Joy Kalfopulos

Posted on 05/30/2003 7:02:55 PM PDT by fightinJAG

No Amour for France Can France Make Us Love French Fries Again?

May 30— In an effort to win back hearts in the United States, France has commissioned a little schtick from one of America's best-known comedians: Woody Allen.

"I don't want to freedom kiss my wife," says Allen says in a new ad spot. "I want to French kiss her."

The new charm campaign from the French Government Tourist Office aims to tug at our heartstrings and employs a très français sensibility. But is this lighthearted approach, set to a soundtrack of romantic French music, enough to rekindle the romance for Americans?

France's staunch opposition to a war in Iraq soured many Americans on the longtime ally from across the Atlantic. But now, there is concern that French-bashing has gone way too far.

Jean-David Levitte, France's ambassador to the United Staes, has suddenly found himself the point man for the French image makeover. He has been crisscrossing the nation trying to undo the damage, with stops in cities such as Atlanta and Houston to try to boost his homeland's image.

But it's not just regular folks he has to try to charm. He has encountered some anti-French backlash in the top levels of American government.

"When I saw, for instance, the restaurants of the House printing 'freedom fries' instead of french fries, and the menu of Air Force One printing 'freedom toast' instead of 'French toast,' I said, Hey, stop,' " Levitte said.

French Tourism Drops Drastically

The backlash is serious business. By some accounts the drop in American tourism has cost France $500 million. Levitte says the issue is bigger than boycotts of champagne.

Levitte is up against some uncivilized behavior, including angry Americans dumping out the best French wine, à la Boston Tea Party, to make a point. A French dry cleaner's was vandalized.

Meanwhile, Americans seem to have been taking perverse pleasure in the humor of it all.

"If the French are mad at us, we must be doing something right," David Letterman joked on Late Night with David Letterman.

But Levitte isn't laughing.

"It's my job to remind that these funny little jokes are not so funny, because they are taken seriously on the other side of the Atlantic," he says. "We may differ on very serious issues — war and peace, pre-emptive war, international law, but is it a good reason to have this campaign of French-bashing?"

A Smear Campaign?

It's not just an economic issue — it's a social one, he says.

"It goes beyond calls for French products," Levitte said. "When you insult the French people, simply because they are French, then it's a kind of racist campaign."

He insists doors in Washington are still open to him — but the public rhetoric stings.

National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice has said that the French should be punished for their lack of support over Iraq, and Secretary of State Colin Powell has suggested there will be consequences.

Levitte says he doesn't know how to take such statements.

"My message is that we have better things to do than punish each other because we're not in agreement on an important issue," he said.

Levitte is so frustrated he actually wrote a letter to Congress and the Bush administration accusing the government of condoning a smear campaign against the French.

"I would say it is encouraged by some people in the government, especially in the Pentagon, the civilians in the Pentagon," he said.

Then there's the jokes of late-night comics like Letterman and Jay Leno.

"It's not funny because if fuels resentment," Levitte said. "You know, people in France see that and say, 'How can a great democracy like America be so petty, so absurd?' We may differ on war and peace, but please, french fries are french fries."

Claire Shipman and Joy Kalfopulos produced this story for Good Morning America.


TOPICS: Front Page News; News/Current Events
KEYWORDS: adultery; affairs; cheeseandwhine; cheeseeating; dairyproducts; france; frenchfries; frenchkissing; frenchmilitary; frenchvictories; hollywood; pr; publicrelations; shouldagotjerrylewis; surrendermonkeys; waaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa; waaaambulance; whiteflag; woodyallen
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-102 next last
To: Imal


Fluck France.
61 posted on 05/30/2003 8:55:02 PM PDT by SouthernFreebird
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 60 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
"It's not funny because if fuels resentment"

After what the French did to us, we're not allowed to resent them? Gimme a break. A few weeks ago, they desecrated the graves of American and British soldiers buried over there. How offensive is that? I'd say we're entitled to a little resentment.
62 posted on 05/30/2003 9:12:01 PM PDT by At a Later Date
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: annyokie
No Amour for France Can France Make Us Love French Fries Again?

In a word... NO.

In six words, not for a very long time.
And the weasels should understand one thing clearly, we Americans will decide when the French have redeemed themselves.
Forget ex-patriate perverts and American neurotic actors.

Don't call us, we'll call you.

France should now have the good manners to shut up and wait to be invited to the club of its betters.

63 posted on 05/30/2003 9:20:52 PM PDT by Publius6961 (Californians are as dumm as a sack of rocks)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
Levitte is so frustrated he actually wrote a letter to Congress and the Bush administration accusing the government of condoning a smear campaign against the French.

Maybe the US and Europe are so far apart that it's best to simply part as allies. He doesn't even understand that the government doesn't control or have the authority to silence our comedians.

"It's not funny because if fuels resentment," Levitte said

Well, I've already posted this one, and haven't thought up anything new, but here goes:

What's the most famous French battlefield speech?

I think we can escape while they're raping the women.

64 posted on 05/30/2003 9:39:22 PM PDT by Richard Kimball
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
Not me. I used to buy $20 a month in L'Oreal products. Not anymore. I know it's not much, but every little bit adds up. And the occasional bottle of Beaujolais is also a thing of the past. The President can kiss all he wants, I'll not bow to them.
65 posted on 05/30/2003 9:51:25 PM PDT by ETERNAL WARMING
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Paul Atreides
As far as I am concerned, their losing $500 million is just a drop in the ocean.

And let's make that permanent. I don't intend to go back.
66 posted on 05/30/2003 9:53:29 PM PDT by ETERNAL WARMING
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: Paul Atreides
I wasn't aware that she had much of anything from which to retire.

Actually she does. She reinvented herself as a country singer and did rather well.
67 posted on 05/30/2003 9:56:40 PM PDT by ETERNAL WARMING
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 31 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
"I don't want to freedom kiss my wife," says Allen says in a new ad spot. "I want to French kiss her."

Seeing as how his current wife is his former wife's adopted daughter (and was his "stepdaughter" at the very least) when he began his affair with her (at age 17, I think)... I just don't think that it's a good idea to run a PR campaign in a way that will bring up images of him with his "wife".

68 posted on 05/30/2003 10:53:56 PM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: annyokie
LOL!
69 posted on 05/30/2003 11:00:04 PM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Paul Atreides
How much of that $500million was just on contracts with Saddam alone?
70 posted on 05/30/2003 11:02:20 PM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 14 | View Replies]

To: ETERNAL WARMING
Wasn't she a nun and an actress and a mother in there somewhere too?
71 posted on 05/30/2003 11:07:37 PM PDT by weegee (NO BLOOD FOR RATINGS: CNN let human beings be tortured and killed to keep their Baghdad bureau open)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 67 | View Replies]

To: annyokie
The French newspapers and government just "don't get it". Do they?
72 posted on 05/31/2003 1:23:52 AM PDT by Dakota gal in Seattle
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
>"I don't want to freedom kiss my wife. I want to French kiss her." - Woody Allen

Is anyone else repulsed by the idea of this horny geek french-kissing his adopted daughter? What happens when Woody has kids with his wife/daughter? Is he going to date his daughters (grand-daughters) as well? And why would France want an avowed child molestor to represent their country...well I suppose I can see why after all.
73 posted on 05/31/2003 1:38:29 AM PDT by jagrmeister
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: jagrmeister
All of the above. Eeeeewwwww.
74 posted on 05/31/2003 3:16:11 AM PDT by fightinJAG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: Richard Kimball
Yes, just because they have a state-run media doesn't mean Karl Rove writes Leno's jokes.
75 posted on 05/31/2003 3:21:29 AM PDT by fightinJAG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 64 | View Replies]

To: katnip
Go Thrasher's!

2 signs how deep the "resentment" is running against France:

1. People in SOUTH DAKOTA are boycotting French wine.

2. On That '70's Show, I saw a scene where Fez is contemplating where he should move if he gets deported. He says, "Hmmm, France . . ." ((thinks a second)) Then he says, "&%$# France!"

No laugh track needed. Live laughter will do.
76 posted on 05/31/2003 3:25:34 AM PDT by fightinJAG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 44 | View Replies]

To: jagrmeister
We need Woody photos, donchathink.

I can't help. Don't know how. :(
77 posted on 05/31/2003 4:12:27 AM PDT by fightinJAG
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 73 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
"I don't want to freedom kiss my wife," says Allen says in a new ad spot. "I want to French kiss her."

Didn't Woody get into some trouble for Freedom Kissing his wife's daugher?

78 posted on 05/31/2003 4:36:57 AM PDT by 11th Earl of Mar
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: fightinJAG
I had some trouble grabbing this. I hope it shows up.

Mr. and Mrs. Woody Allen:


79 posted on 05/31/2003 4:40:34 AM PDT by Miss Marple
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 77 | View Replies]

To: Miss Marple
Thanks for the picture. This is the first time I have seen them together. Woody Allen is NOT funny.
80 posted on 05/31/2003 4:59:43 AM PDT by Carolinamom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 79 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-20 ... 41-6061-8081-100101-102 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson