To which I can only reply with Flanders and Swann (from the Song of Patriotic Prejudice):
The Irishman now our contempt is beneath / He sleeps in his boots and he lies in his teeth / He blows up policemen, or so I have heard / And blames it on Cromwell and William the Third.
What Americans have done with “Irish” as an identity/marketing/pseudoethnic set of images and products should a warning to the rest of the world, sentimentality and made up tripe about horror almost parallel to the Scots ‘tartan’ marketing in Great Britain. Just go to any ‘Irish’ pub in the States, or get a recent immigrant to tell you about their experience.
And most rock drummers I know are in fact animals..
I’m sure there are lots of intelligent comments I ought to make to some of the other posts (The Economist, open access academic publishing) – somebody even invited me to a FB group promoting the freedom of photographers – but as my brain is completely and thoroughly blitzed right now, all I can say is:
Just about every Irish pub I frequent in NYC or Brooklyn are owned, run by and staffed with nothing but Paddys. The same effin Paddys who have led the way in “identity/marketing/pseudoethnic set of images and products” of all things Irish. So if you want to blame someone, blame yourself.
I’ve always known that Beaker contained huge, untapped reservoirs of emotion within him; he just needed finally get rid of that damn faker Honeydew and let his soul be known. I can’t believe I didn’t remember this bit from years ago. Bravo, Kieran. And yes, Chuchundra and Geo: the Muppet Show is up there with the very best that broadcast television has ever offered.
For a not nearly as soulful or authentic, but still reasonably adequate, bit of seasonal music appreciation, try here.
This is very funny, but it made me wonder…. Do you think this might have been the inspiration for the running bit on Saturday Night Live running with Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein’s Monster singing holiday songs….?
{ 4 trackbacks }
{ 23 comments }
Kieran Healy 03.16.08 at 2:47 am
I have to say that the Chef unmistakably evokes the spirit of Tommy Makem.
Chris 03.16.08 at 2:57 am
Beaker has never been so soulful. I love it!
Delicious Pundit 03.16.08 at 5:13 am
I understand all the other tags, but is this what “Irish Politics” are like?
Dave Maier 03.16.08 at 5:45 am
That is brilliant. As Kermit likes to say: it ain’t easy bein’ green.
Tsmoss 03.16.08 at 7:14 am
@3: Irish politics doesn’t make quite this much sense.
magistra 03.16.08 at 8:20 am
To which I can only reply with Flanders and Swann (from the Song of Patriotic Prejudice):
Scott Hughes 03.16.08 at 9:45 am
What a sad song! I think I’m going to cry.
:)
Chuchundra 03.16.08 at 10:39 am
I think it’s arguable that The Muppet Show is the best thing that’s ever been broadcast on television.
Guy 03.16.08 at 12:02 pm
My god that is wonderful.
P O'Neill 03.16.08 at 12:32 pm
Back whenever we watched that the first time, did we ever imagine that the muppets’ cousins would be doing this?
Righteous Bubba 03.16.08 at 1:44 pm
There’s a muppet wiki.
Beats Wikipedia.
David W. 03.16.08 at 2:23 pm
They should have had Eric Bogle as a guest on that one:
Plastic Paddy
MR. Bill 03.16.08 at 2:25 pm
What Americans have done with “Irish” as an identity/marketing/pseudoethnic set of images and products should a warning to the rest of the world, sentimentality and made up tripe about horror almost parallel to the Scots ‘tartan’ marketing in Great Britain. Just go to any ‘Irish’ pub in the States, or get a recent immigrant to tell you about their experience.
And most rock drummers I know are in fact animals..
MR. Bill 03.16.08 at 2:29 pm
Beaker also gives the canonical rendering of “Feelings”….
Jacob Christensen 03.16.08 at 3:18 pm
I’m sure there are lots of intelligent comments I ought to make to some of the other posts (The Economist, open access academic publishing) – somebody even invited me to a FB group promoting the freedom of photographers – but as my brain is completely and thoroughly blitzed right now, all I can say is:
Mahnamahna!
mq 03.16.08 at 7:59 pm
The purple one sounds a lot like Shane MacGowan.
geo 03.17.08 at 2:32 am
#9:I think it’s arguable that The Muppet Show is the best thing that’s ever been broadcast on television.
I think it’s inarguable.
Tired 03.17.08 at 4:01 pm
Re: Mr. Bill’s moronic comment at #14.
Just about every Irish pub I frequent in NYC or Brooklyn are owned, run by and staffed with nothing but Paddys. The same effin Paddys who have led the way in “identity/marketing/pseudoethnic set of images and products” of all things Irish. So if you want to blame someone, blame yourself.
Russell Arben Fox 03.17.08 at 4:31 pm
Chris (#2),
Beaker has never been so soulful.
I’ve always known that Beaker contained huge, untapped reservoirs of emotion within him; he just needed finally get rid of that damn faker Honeydew and let his soul be known. I can’t believe I didn’t remember this bit from years ago. Bravo, Kieran. And yes, Chuchundra and Geo: the Muppet Show is up there with the very best that broadcast television has ever offered.
For a not nearly as soulful or authentic, but still reasonably adequate, bit of seasonal music appreciation, try here.
Uncle Ira 03.17.08 at 5:32 pm
This is very funny, but it made me wonder…. Do you think this might have been the inspiration for the running bit on Saturday Night Live running with Tonto, Tarzan, and Frankenstein’s Monster singing holiday songs….?
Mary Catherine 03.18.08 at 2:24 am
21 puts it rather strongly, but I have to agree it’s a bit of a two-way street.
For example, in addition to the green beer and the Hallmark greeting card leprachauns and etc., there’s the Irish PM’s ‘traditional St Patrick’s Day visit’ to D.C.
mr. steven crane 03.19.08 at 6:25 am
what about the South Side Irish song?
Patrick 03.20.08 at 1:05 pm
That is what O’Niell’s pub sounded like 11:45 pm March 17
Comments on this entry are closed.