Janet CollinsRed Faces Over Rednecks
April 2nd 2010 08:30
Redneck: a white person regarded as having a provincial, conservative, often bigoted attitude. – the American Heritage Dictionary;
You would be a redneck if:
You need one more hole punched in your card to get a freebie at the House of Tattoos – from Urban Dictionary.com
It all started as a joke of course but the jibes about rednecks this week that have put one of the most politically incorrect terms in the international headlines began on a late night entertainment show. I could be wrong but I sense the start of a new trend globally. The stage has been set for the next big cult trend – “the redneck”.
If you don’t believe me just look at how much attention this word has had since it was used as a throw away line on late night television.
It’s all been a bit of fun of course but for those of you who may have missed the whole thing it started like this. Actor and comedian Robin Williams spiced up his appearance on the David Letterman show this week relating his views, in the only way Williams knows how, about Australia and Australians following his recent trip here.
His jibe that “Australians were basically English rednecks” got tongues wagging. Talkback radio was talking about it. Newspapers were reporting it. And in no time our own Prime Minister Kevin Rudd hit back on air with a jibe of his own.
Rudd’s suggestion that Williams should look at his own countrymen in the south such as Alabama before throwing such insults at us made it all the way back to Williams and even down to Alabama where their own Birmingham News website reported the whole story as some sort of turf war calling it Australia vs Alabama.
Governor of Alabama, Bob Riley then leapt to the defence of his state and things started to get really serious.
“I’m not sure if Prime Minister Rudd has ever been to Alabama,” he said. “If he has, he would know that Alabamians are decent, hard working, creative people. That’s why Alabama is home to Australian companies like Austal which employs more than 1000 Alabamians at the world’s largest aluminium shipyard.”
It has all been very amusing to watch and to read. The Birmingham News article attracted 244 comments, some of which were in support of Australia but most were the usual spats including one that said we would all be speaking Japanese if it hadn’t been for the men of Alabama who fought for us in the war!
I have some difficulty deciding whether or not some of this commentary is for real or in jest. I would hope it is the latter because I really think we are a lot more thick skinned than to take a comment like the one made by Mr Williams really too seriously.
There is one thing I am much more sure about though. We can all watch out for the invasion of the redneck in our streets.
| 95 |
| Vote |
Add To: 
subscribe to this blog
Comment by Chris Champion
Vyoos
Zoomies
Bloggercises
The Blog of Lists
Newly Old
Money Whither
I just wish K Rudd had stopped to think before opening his mouth.
What Williams said was meant to be amusing, and it's pretty easy to choose to see it as such. If he'd used the word larrikin instead of English redneck, he'd have meant exactly the same thing and no-one would have thought twice about it.
What Rudd said wasn't amusing, witty or clever. It's tantamount to an ethnic slur, and he has done far more to foster the image of bogan Australians than anything Williams said.
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
Thanks for dropping in. Happy Easter.
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
LOVED the subtle heading..."redfaces"....tee hee!
And, I disagree with Champion's take on it; larrikin is not a substitute for redneck, neither is bogan necessarily.
However, I didn't see the Letterman show, nor KRUDD's response, but, I would suggest KRUDD leave it to the real wits to indulge in repartee, I am a bit anoyed with his leadership of late, as I see all the usual lies and manipulation, anyway, I doubt Williams will be coming down here for a show anytime soon...
But, it is always the plight of the smaller nation. trying to be recognized as an equal, that offense is more easily taken at borish, lazy, comedic jibes.
cheers
fog
Comment by Mountain Fog
Infognito
Screen Trek
QUOTE ME NO QUOTES!
Always been a Laborite, couldn't be anything as I and my family knew too many of the Federal pollies in those days!
So, no budgie smugglers for PM in my book!
cheers
fog
Comment by Janet Collins
Acceptable Etiquette
The Social Critic
Janet Collins Blog
I thought this was a really a very silly situation that some journos tried to turn into a serious issue. I really don't think they managed to.
Thanks for the comments and I hope you had a really good Easter break.
Janet