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

[new cruelty]

For Sale: A bridge over the East River, slightly used, in good condition. Cheap!

[July 4th]

So, this moose walks into a bar...

[Eurotwit]

I agree with you..... It's smells a bit too totalitarian...

[Fighting Irish]

Well.......actually, there is NPRs A Prairy Home Companion.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Where you don't just move to Edina. You achieve Edina.

[RightOnline]

Hey look..........I didn't see the damned show, ok? I'm trying to interpret intentions from a poorly written article.

[new cruelty]

so... you're not interested in the bridge? : )

[A2J]

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

Even if he meant to burn the U.S. flag, it's ridiculous to imprison a person for it.

Obviously, they have no First Amendment.

[Billthedrill]

YAWN.

Screw 'em.

[A2J]

This really makes me embarassed to be of Norwegian ancestry.

I'm of French descent but I'm not embarassed at all because I'm an AMERICAN.

[Wondervixen]

Yeah, he looks like a real funny guy...What international funny man followed him on-stage, Vladamir Zhirinovsky?

[rogue yam]

February 14, 2003


Janne Julsrud, Consul General
Royal Norwegian Consulate General, San Francisco
20 California Street, 6th floor
San Francisco, CA 94111-4803

Dear Consul General Julsrud:

Today I read an article from a Norwegian news source that described an American flag being burned on Norwegian television (article enclosed). I find this to be shocking and disgraceful.

As you must know from living here in the United States, and especially here in San Francisco, we Americans have a vibrant tradition of free political debate and artistic expression. Yet while the burning of a flag is perfectly legal here in America, I have never seen or heard of anyone burning another country’s flag on our television no matter what that country has done to us. The United States of America has done nothing to deserve having this expression of disrespect and enmity broadcast on Norwegian television.

I urge you to communicate to your countrymen that the people of the United States of America love our flag just as we love the Republic for which it stands. No good can come from this despicable act of desecration of our beloved national symbol.


Sincerely,