Check out this video of Irish people taste-testing American junk food:
It’s rather entertaining, but I especially like one pair’s take on Tootsie Rolls: “looks like poo,” and tastes like “not fudge.”
In fairness, here are Americans trying out some Irish snacks (note the momentary concern over the source of the blood sausage):
If you’re going to get smacked down, it really should be by someone with an Irish brogue. On May 28, 2010, American right-wing radio host Michael Graham was in Galway, Ireland, and had a debate with then-Labor Party Deputy Michael D. Higgins. If I may be permitted to stereotype a people with whom I have fairly recent common ancestors, Michael Graham picked a fight with an Irishman. Bad idea.
Graham wasn’t about to go gently into that good night. He took to his own blog a few days later, and said things like this:
Specifically, Deputy Higgins accused me of being “a wanker who’s just whipping up fear.” Fear of the massive debt the US has added since Obama took office, fear of our inability to pay for the monstrous ObamaCare system that’s already failed the “won’t add a single nickel to the deficit” test, fear of whackjob Islamists who use murder to pursue their aims, etc. etc.
***
Personally, I found Deputy Higgins’ weak logic and unwillingness to acknowledge facts far more bothersome than the name calling. But once again, I’m a conservative talk host in America, so I’m used to being insulted by government officials.
I’ll leave it to the Irish to decide if the Deputy’s comments were out of line. Regardless, I am grateful for those who’ve risen to my defense.
And a proud, American “wanker.”
Reading that June 1, 2010 blog entry today, I am heartened by the number of people recommending that Graham just admit he got schooled and move on with his life.
I do sort of wonder what else happened in the debate. The YouTube video only has Higgins’ florid tirade, with the occasional “yeah, but” coming from Graham. Graham had an opportunity to offer a counterpoint, and you can see what he came up with.
In case you are wondering what Michael D. Higgins is up to now, he is the President of Ireland. I guess most Irish did not think his comments were “out of line.” He received more than one million votes in the 2011 election, in a country of 4.6 million people.
In case you are wondering what Michael Graham is up to now, I guess he is still on the radio, but I’m not going anywhere else on his website to check. I can say that this encounter with Michael D. Higgins is the last event mentioned on Graham’s Wikipedia page.
