By the way, did anyone catch that puff piece before the Opening Ceremonies, in which a possibly inebriated Tom Brokaw attempted to introduce Canada to Americans, who apparently have never heard of it?

No? Picture this. For five minutes, you are treated to a series of stock footage shots of Canada and Canadians, while an incredulous Brokaw slurs his speech with fragmented comments like:

“Canada is a huge country. Most Canadians live within ten feet of the border as they try to come across. Canadians are taller than you think. They speak almost no Spanish; it’s hard to imagine they are a foreign country. Their road signs feature numbers that make no sense because they fell for the metric system. I’m not even sure the phones work the same way. Although they do have area codes.

Gormogons Spotlight On: Canada“They eat things, like Americans do. They are not apparently all Eskimos. Did ya know that a lot of Chinese people live there? Apparently by choice. It gets dark there pretty early. Michael J. Fox is Canadian, but he doesn’t talk weird. A lot of them do. You know who else is Canadian? That guy who sings. Canadians seem to sing a lot. Not sure why.”

Nice work. By underscoring Canadian stereotypes for five minutes, NBC convinced Canadians that every stereotype about Americans is painfully true.

The Czar has never been to Canada, actually. But he feels he could write a much more interesting, informative, and colorful piece on Canada than NBC. The Mandarin described Canada as “America, but the road signs are in clicks and the flags are red and white. Other than that, it’s McDonald’s, Home Depots, and Starbucks everywhere.” That says a lot more in fewer words by far.

By underscoring Canadian stereotypes for five minutes, NBC convinced Canadians that every stereotype about Americans is painfully true.The Czar has met and gotten to know hundreds of Canadians in his life (probably thousands). You want some stereotypes? They are a smart, funny, and practical people who like to have a good time, earn a dollar (either kind), and really like to talk about their country not in a superlative way, but in an appreciative way. A lot of Americans—and to be fair, a lot of Canadians—tend to dismiss Canada as AmericaLite, or as a 51st state. But there is a definitely distinctive and unique Canadian fiber, composed of so many different people from so many different cultures synthesizing in a beautifully diverse landscape.

Talk to a European, you get a lecture. Talk to a Canadian, you get a pal. And Americans are not as woefully ignorant about Canada as NBC’s staff writers think. Or are.

Update: Mark at Small Dead Animals has an interesting Canadian perspective on American coverage. —ŒV

Americans, at least seen via their media, are a lot more generous in spirit than Canadians. NBC Nightly News–their Olympic Network–this evening (Eastern Time) had on two Canadian members of their crew to speak about what the Vancouver winter games signify for them. As Canadians.

Can anyone imagine a Canadian network, covering an Olympics in the US, doing something similar? That is if a Canadian network would actually acknowledge employing Americans. Our pathetic chattering class. God bless America.

Just watched (1945 roughly ET) on NBC about five minutes of the best boost-Canada propaganda I’ve ever seen. Including being in WW II well before the US and fighting strong in Afstan. Just so’s you know. Will try to find the video, let us know if you do.

The Czar of Muscovy

Божію Поспѣшествующею Милостію Мы, Дима Грозный Императоръ и Самодержецъ Всероссiйскiй, цѣсарь Московскiй. The Czar was born in the steppes of Russia in 1267, and was cheated out of total control of all Russia upon the death of Boris Mikhailovich, who replaced Alexander Yaroslav Nevsky in 1263. However, in 1283, our Czar was passed over due to a clerical error and the rule of all Russia went to his second cousin Daniil (Даниил Александрович), whom Czar still resents. As a half-hearted apology, the Czar was awarded control over Muscovy, inconveniently located 5,000 miles away just outside Chicago. He now spends his time seething about this and writing about other stuff that bothers him.