Ok, this sort of thing is specious and I suspect you could go to any country and do a “man on the street” test like this and find a bunch of dummies who have no clue about anything. Jay Leno’s Jaywalking has done this bit for a decade only he actually finds teachers and college students who seem to know nothing. Someone needs to do this in Canada. That said there is a low-level ignorance that permeates the entire country as is pointed out by people sticking a needle into Australia and saying that it’s North Korea. Cripes.
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I vote for Iran and North Korea.. both at the same time.. then Russia and China.. again.. both at the same time.. If we win that, I think everyone else in the world would get the idea.. if not.. well it probably won’t matter anyway.
Canada. First, it’s the only country that has the US surrounded, i.e., it’s east, west, north and south of us! Second, they’re fricking spying on us man! And third, one word. One utterly horrific word (women and children should avert their eyes!): Loverboy!
I’m going to have to agree on Canada also.
I say we invade Rome. The right-wing neo-con conservative religious wackos are always harping on what the Pope Hat disctates. NUKE THE POPE!
As a Canadian I feel safe. Most Americans have no idea where we are.
5. “Most Americans have no idea where we are.”
Marge: It took the class 40 minutes to locate Canada on a map.
Homer: Oh, honey, anyone could miss Canada. All tucked way down there.
Long before Jaywalkers, the riotous Canadian TV satire “This Hour Has 22 Minutes” (a double entendre joke which any Canadian aged 50 or up gets immediately) had a frequent segment hosted by Rick Mercer, entitled “Talking with Americans”. Over the years, my reaction to this segment evolved: first it was really funny; later, disgust at how ignorant the Americans were about the world outside (in this instance, Canada); finally, doubt that Harvard professors (inter alia) could actually be so ignorant combined with thoughts that they were put up to it. Maybe Rick said to them, here’s a Franklin, I’ll give it to you if you say this incredibly stupid thing to the camera. So in the end, I couldn’t bear to watch it. Mercer and Mary Walsh have their own shows now. 22 Minutes is still funny, even without them.
Ever notice how few world geography questions there are on Millionaire?
Anyway, in the video, at least one of the interviewees was deadpan joking. I hope.
2,
Everyone’s watching, to see what you will do
Everyone’s looking at you, oh
Everyone’s wondering, will you come out tonight
Everyone’s trying to get it right, get it right
Everybody’s working for the weekend
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go
Everyone’s looking to see if it was you
Everyone wants you to come through
Everyone’s hoping it’ll all work out
Everyone’s waiting they’re holding out
Everybody’s working for the weekend
Everybody wants a little romance
Everybody’s goin’ off the deep end
Everybody needs a second chance, oh
You want a piece of my heart
You better start from start
You wanna be in the show
Come on baby lets go
8. I’m not listening! I’m not listening! Na na nana na!
The US should drop a bomb on Crawford, Texas the next time Dumbya is there cutting brush!
Lets invade Mexico! At least 50% of the highly edumacated citizens of the USA should be able to find it (if we include the latino population), their army sucks, and they want to be here anyway.
They should welcome us with open arms and dancing in the streets, just like they did in that other country…
Of course, maybe we should make even the slightest plans for what happens after the “Mission Accomplished” banner goes up… my idea? We make them pay for our invasion with their petroleum… it worked so well in the other place…
And while we are at it, we can put all Mexican Catholics in Guantanamo since they would be a security risk…
11. “Lets invade Mexico!”
Heck, we should at least take southern California back first!
9,
You’ve read it… you can’t unread it!
Maybe moving the USian border north of Cali would be easier?
I say, invade two places at once: 1600 Pennsylvania ave,and Number One Observatory Circle…
Should we talk about the billions spent on the war against terror or the trillions spent on public education in the US?
#7 – I feel almost like breaking into a song & dance routine –
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blame_Canada
need I say more?
It doesn’t surprise me that most people in America are willfully ignorant. I see it every day. I have come to expect it as normal. [heavy sigh]
17,
It’s not just the US… It’s everywhere. Brave new world is here. We just need Soma.
13. “You’ve read it… you can’t unread it!”
I didn’t read it, I was lucky enough to be able to shove two pencils in my eyes after only reading the first three lines!
19,
And I KNOW you’re humming the tune and just gagging on it…
(i am… CURSE YOU for mentioning their most hallowed name!)
20. “And I KNOW you’re humming the tune and just gagging on it…”
Actually, I’m playing it safe and am only humming Mr. Bungle‘s version of it.
Andorra… they’ve been asking for it for a long time…
Im not sayign these folks are rocket scientists, and they *should* know better, but this whole thing is a setup. The countries are labeled incorrectly.
At least Leno doesnt set folks up for the fall. He may point out their stupidity, but he usually doesnt really trick them.
23. Come on, even though the countries are leabeled wrong, you’d have to be a complete numbskull pointing out Australia as Iran or Korea.
8. Thanks for ruining my day, I can get that fucking song out of me head now, I’ll have to listen to some Tool to counteract the effects.
IS this open mic at a comedy club?? Sheesh.
Now you know why guys like Bush make it to office and then get re-elected. These people represent the bulk of American simple minds that can be persuaded to support ,say, an invasion of North Korea because “… they have a bad attitude..”.
The same people have no idea they end up paying for it. They think money is just ‘printed’ when you need more. I say, there should be a minimal level of education to earn your ability to vote. Let’s start small – like you need to know where your country is on a globe.
Bulgaria.
Apparently 9/11 was just a big mistake. They were using an amusingly doctored map and thought the building they were flying into was was in Brazil.
The same people have no idea they end up paying for it. They think money is just ‘printed’ when you need more.
I thought that was the cornerstone of US fiscal policy.
24. See, thats why I prefaced my comment with “Im not saying these folks are rocket scientists”
Yeah its a bonehead thing to do. No they arent going to win the geography bee.
My point was that its a setup meant to cause confusion. This is much meaner spirited than the typical “Jaywalking” segment