Will Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/pages/live/articles/news/news.html?in_article_id=513322&in_page_id=1770Should British children be brought up with the idea that Frenchmen are impolite and can fart to order?Or maybe this is a reasonable representation of the average monsieur... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Le Petomane was French after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 He could also blow out a candle from several yards whilst looking the other way! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted February 11, 2008 Share Posted February 11, 2008 Unfortunately, brainwashing kids as the media does, allows British xenophobia and myths a continuum.One notes the programme is already sold to the US market: if anything, their anti-French sentiment and propogation of various core myths about France and French people has never ever been more alive. Programmes such as this will simply reinforce and perpetuate such views.And all because France, sensibly, refused to support Geo W Oil-'Ngas Warmonger in his quest to infamy.AFter Mrs GS and I this afternoon, took time out in order to drive into town, fight for a parking place and walk over pavements covered with a mosaic of dead chewing gum and visit (at their request) our main branch of HSBC, to be "greeted" by a young oik, who thought he was a TV entertainer, perhaps and be addressed as "Guys"!!! I do find it rather strange to be told the French are "Rude"!I am treated in France with utmost respect and civility: comparing my treatment by Credit Agricole to that accorded me by HSBC and that of our local Champion to that of "Up Asdas", as I now refer to it, wherein I was addressed by yet another spotty young oik, last week as "Mate"!! I find it most difficult to wonder where makers of such programmes source their role models....................................One can only surmise, as is often the way, that the writers journeyed to la belle France and greeted French subjects with their usual panoply of "Mates: John; Squire" and other quaint honorifics and received their coin returned. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groslard Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 [quote user="woolybananasbrother"]Le Petomane was French after all.[/quote]Didn't he come to a sticky end when he foolishly went on stage one day when his tummy was upset? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Re "mate" GluestickThere is a "screwfix" direct branch near to my UK house that I use to stock up when I return. It is actually quite well organised and run despite the juvenile employees, oh for a retired bricoleur as in B&Q but I digress, the most infuriating thing is they all adress you as "mate".I am not in the least bit stuffy and would be happy for them to call me that if we had built up some sort of rapport beforehand, so I always ask them politely if we have met before? do they remember me etc?They genuinely cant see the distinction, perhaps I am, (or manners are) old fashioned or maybe I appreciate too much the Totuyer Vousvoyer culture, in any case they usually reply "I call everyone mate - innit" to which I respond "even your mother?" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Ignorance, I fear, JR, continues to be bliss................................... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Patf Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 I've never put this on the forum before, and apologise in advance to french members, but my mother had a strong prejudice against french people. She said they didn't wash properly or change their underclothes. She wouldn't let my younger sister have a french penpal to stay. I don't know where she got this from but it wasn't something I bothered about, as I wasn't so particular myself in those days, though I am now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gluestick Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Don't worry, PatF, I am still "informed"about the French by "knowledgable" English idiots............The French, like all Europeans, are dirty: they smell; the women have huge tufts of underarm hair. The men stink of garlic and Gauloises.The food is inedible. French lavatory facilities are based around pissoires located in the streets.The streets are foul: and any place selling food serves smelly, oily garlic soaked rubbish!And these English experts, waddle off, along a pavement covered in a mosaic of dead chewing gum, past hoards of graffiti, wading through ankle deep litter, to their nearest supermarket in order to stock up on greaseburgers and chips and boxes of chemical lager. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 [quote user="Patf"]I've never put this on the forum before, and apologise in advance to french members, but my mother had a strong prejudice against french people. She said they didn't wash properly or change their underclothes. She wouldn't let my younger sister have a french penpal to stay. I don't know where she got this from but it wasn't something I bothered about, as I wasn't so particular myself in those days, though I am now.[/quote]Patf, how could one be offended, it is very funny! But isn't it a bit like the myth that Frenchwomen do not shave their armpits?I remember being asked by some French people, in all seriousness, whether "les Anglais" ever washed their private parts, given that they didn't have bidets!!! That was, of course, a very long time ago.... and on the subject of washing, I will never forget my first incursion in a bathroom in London, when I started to share a flat with 3 other young women (all English) and after I'd used the bath, I cleaned it with what I thought was a rag.....and it turned out it was one of the girls' facecloths!!! I had never, ever seen a square piece of towelling used as a facecloth - having been raised with the "gant de toilette" type that you put your hand in...... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
groslard Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Even now I have visitors who ask me 'Can ou drink the water?' Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 [quote user="5-element"][quote user="Patf"][/quote] I cleaned it with what I thought was a rag.....and it turned out it was one of the girls' facecloths!!! I had never, ever seen a square piece of towelling used as a facecloth - having been raised with the "gant de toilette" type that you put your hand in...... [/quote]I couldnt get used to those silly gants, no use after a full day of building work (yes I know that an "unclean" French man would have taken a shower instead). Finally I found what I was searching for, a proper bloke sized flannel and 6 for 3 Euros en plus!My French girlfriend (whose armpits were shaven I was dissapointed to discover) went ballistic and told me that they were "serpilliers" "Oui ils sont magnifique!" said I, "No! No! you are supposed to clean the floor with them" she told me.I still use them but they do turn the sink water and the laundry a funny colour.Perhaps I am doing my bit to perpetuate another myth about unclean Johnny Etrangers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 J.R. This is so hilarious![:D]To think of you, washing yourself with serpillieres!!! I must remember to tell my (French) mother, she will kill herself laughing!So really, it could be that personal hygiene habits is one of the areas where there are most Franco-British differences....Fascinating....Anything else I should know?[:D] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kitty Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 Is our stereotypical response because of the British media? See:http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/main.jhtml?xml=/portal/2007/10/12/nosplit/ftfrench112.xml Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chancer Posted February 12, 2008 Share Posted February 12, 2008 5 Element.It gets worse! I have just bought another job lot to take to my UK address so impressed am I with their efficacity.Once my occasional visitors use them and I tell them I brought the "proper bloke flannels" from France maybe all the gite owners will start to find theirs mysteriously appearing in their bathrooms! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
5-element Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 J.R.[:D] J.R. the trendsetter......Special man-size face flannels for British guests, they should be in all French gites.It sounds like a definite business opportunity here....Now even I am beginning to wonder what type of serpillieres you mean. You couldn't post a photo, could you? Or you could even make a video showing their efficacy and how to use. In fact, I feel possibilities for a sketch or two.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wendy Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Aahh Will, my guy could take an olympic gold medal in the farting-to-order stakes. He is British born and bred. His parents bathe once a week - to save water; they flush the toilet just once a day - to save water; his mother buys one bar of toilet soap and cuts it into quarters...they are coming to France again in June...anyone want to host them to conserve my sanity?...[:'(] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mint Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Jura, they can stay in our house whilst we move out for the duration. Will cost you though! Or are they expecting to stay for free? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgina Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 You know it is really sad, that we do not give credit to our children for having any intelligence, to be able to distinguish between a ficitional character and a real one, and as if they learn that all French people are like this. Really, our children are not that stupid. My children loved Mr Men, but all the characters are exaggerated for gawd's sake.Georgina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
woolybananasbrother Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Not really Georgina, not really if you look closely. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Perhaps you can stereo type the Brits from their holiday choice. France - Bearded men in socks and sandals. Frumpy women in big skirts and clompy sandals: Benidorm - football shirts with big bellies and tatoos for the men and for the women, short denim skirts revealing cellulite, flip flops, vest tops and ponytails. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TWINKLE Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 What about the French on holidays? Look what this lot got up to in London!http://fr.youtube.com/watch?v=KeXjvzx0FqkThey would have got a few more in there but it was 12.30pm and they had to go and have their lunch[:P]Cue Clair[;-)] Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Just Katie Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 Gawd, they know how to have fun though dont they! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LEO Posted February 13, 2008 Share Posted February 13, 2008 [quote user="Just Katie"]Perhaps you can stereo type the Brits from their holiday choice. France - Bearded men in socks and sandals. Frumpy women in big skirts and clompy sandals: Benidorm - football shirts with big bellies and tatoos for the men and for the women, short denim skirts revealing cellulite, flip flops, vest tops and ponytails.[/quote]A very accurate picture, Katie. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Georgina Posted February 14, 2008 Share Posted February 14, 2008 Okay if there is meant to be some truth in the characters Woolybb, how about a 'Mr Asbo", Miss Teen Mum and a Mr Lager lout" for British characters.[:)][:)][:)]Georgina Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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