Comedian burns US flag on live TV

Aftenposten ^ | 14 Feb | Jonathan Tisdall

[Eurotwit]

Comedian burns US flag on live TV

Controversial Norwegian humorist Otto Jespersen may have topped his already incendiary career exploits when his closing monologue on a popular comedy discussion show Torsdagsklubben (The Thursday Club) ended with the US flag in flames.

Comedian Otto Jespersen has not yet noticed that his candle for a war in Iraq has ignited the US flag.

PHOTO: TV2 Last year Jespersen's biting satire resulted in death threats after he ridiculed Prime Minister Kjell Magne Bondevik, and the comedian regularly sparks heated debate with his cutting humor which has offended parties from the state church to Crown Princess Mette-Marit's father Sven O. Hoeiby. Jespersen's closing rant, which has become the high point of the program, ended on Thursday with a pro-war tirade. Jespersen then said: "I would like to light a candle for a long and bloody war, and may this flame inspire the USA to turn Baghdad into the world's biggest crematorium."

Turning to see that an American flag behind him had caught fire, Jespersen said: "Sorry, sorry, that was a mistake, that wasn't supposed to happen. See you in Baghdad - Let's kick some ass!"

The show's closing had been cleared both by TV2's program director Nils Ketil Andresen and station chief Kåre Valebrokk, newspaper VG reported.

According to Norwegian law, Jespersen now risks a prison term for mocking another nation's flag. All it will take for the stunt to become a criminal case is a complaint, but the US embassy in Oslo was not immediately available for comment.

Legal experts agree that the flag-burning is clearly illegal and that precedence exists for jail terms for similar acts.

Amanda Batt, a spokeswoman for the US state department in Washington DC, told Norwegian news agency NTB: "Norway is one of our close allies and we are extremely concerned when we hear things like this."

Aftenposten English Web Desk Jonathan Tisdall

[egarvue]

No, I don't think they do...



(actually, one of the funniest books I've ever read)

[Fresh Wind]

No more goat cheese for me, thanks.

[CSXT]

He needs a lutefisk enema

[Corin Stormhands]

That's it. No more lutefisk.

[Mr. K]

You're right. Maybe someone will just give this buffoon a good ole' fashioned ass-kicking and we'll call it even.

[Eurotwit]

We one of the worlds largest exporters of oil :-)

[Eurotwit]

I think it doesn't matter, but in my opinion: Why even give this man any attention.... His political views should just be ignored. Not worth bothering with...

His "attacks" usually goes every which way....Sometimes he seriously means it, other times it more for fun... In this case I believe he really is very anti-US, and has a past as a radical leftie..

[Eurotwit]

I think it was very much on purpose.......

Hi's pro-war speech was very ironic, and he clearly meant the exact opposite and was inntending to riddecule anyone who supported war.... His pro-war speech was vert much over the top along the lines of "...a good arab is a dead arab... Some say Arabs are people too? I say so what! Let's make Bagdad into a parking lot... Let's revieve the long lost viking spirit and bomb Iraq tonight...We'll make the US happy, and I am sure they'll join us by the weekend." etc etc.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

They import them from Finland.

[Norman Conquest]

This from the home of Vidkun Quisling, whose name is synonymous with collaboration with the Nazis.

[Tennessee_Bob]

BOYCOTT LUTEFISK!

[Eurotwit]

I do think that our immigrants to the USA is guilty og giving us an unfair bias on this issue...BEing all puritans and such... But, then again I am quite biased...

BTW. I think this particular comedian sometimes is quite funny. But his playing with taboos is getting a bit old.. He used to do "shocking" interviews with for instance people from the immigrant communities...Asking this pakistani guy with four wifes: When you wanna give your wife a real traditional Islamic mauling, doesnt' it get tiresome to have slap over four fat pigs at the same time?"
etc etc...

[Sloth]

According to Norwegian law, Jespersen now risks a prison term for mocking another nation's flag.

He may be a jerk, but any such law is wrong. He shouldn't go to jail.

[Protagoras]

Norwegians have humorists?

Well, they don't have that whimsical, wacky sense of humor that the Finns have, but they are a riot in their own way.

[Protagoras]

Oops, beat me to it. :^}

[Not just another dumb blonde]

This really makes me embarassed to be of Norwegian ancestry. I could expect this of the Swedes, but not the Norse

[skeeter]

Norwegians have humorists?

Apparently not.

[geedee]

I agree...then I get so angry I just want to...to...

By your tagline, I assume your hubby is going after Saddam. Please pass along my thanks to him. And to you. I'll be praying for both.

Veteran's families are every bit as courageous as those who carry weapons. I salute you. I'm old now, and maybe I'm just too damn patriotic, but I get teary-eyed every time I think of the sacrifices families like yours are making for OUR country. Y'all are the best of us.

[geedee]

I'm with you, STREETGANG. This was no accident. Bashing us in that part of the world is becoming habitual.