Does Yahoo Condone French Bashing?
Editorials - Tweet this! August 11th, 2008Back in 2006, a writer for the section called “Ask Yahoo!” claimed in one his responses that “the French have 50 different words for “surrender”. When contacted by Miquelon.org and the community of French Expatriates, Yahoo promptly edited the entry and removed the offending Anti-French jab.
Fast forward two years to the 2008 Olympics and sports coverage by Yahoo’s own Chris Chase. When writing about French swimmer Alain Bernard, Chase concluded his piece with a vile little bit of French Bashing:
“To his credit, Bernard was gracious in defeat, clapping when the Americans received their gold medals and shaking the hand of Michael Phelps after the ceremony. Or maybe that was just his way of surrendering. The French are pretty good at that one too.” – Another episode in the long-tail of French Bashing?
Does Yahoo Sports condone French Bashing? We think not, or at least we should ask them again.
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August 11th, 2008 at 10:28 pm
Right wing bloggers are lapping this up. The Yahoo post however has become a pit of mud slinging with the usual jabs about Lafayette, World War II, saving asses, Anti-French vitriol and Anti-Americanism.
How low have we fallen…
August 12th, 2008 at 1:53 pm
I read the column before I found this website (thanks, Metafilter!) and the post that discusses it. Frankly, as a native American, it embarrasses me because unfortunately, too many will take it to speak universally for all Americans. It doesn’t. As a member of a family whose provenance is French (I am a part of the first American generation) I am insulted. A swimmer talked some trash, but was gracious in defeat. To me, it represents nothing more than that…but those that make noise and controversy for a living are trying to grow it into something else. Why do people even waste their time listening?
August 13th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
About that arrogant french swimmer trash tlking the US team does anyone has the original quote ?
The source are as precise as ” journalists” “some media reports that” and such ( Fox news -some people say – style .
Doid he said he would “smash” the US team in english ?
- I really don’t think so , someone would have had the audio on a constant loop .
or did he said it in French ?
I sure can’t find any trace of such a thing.
Maybe he just revealed his true nature and said it in Klingon…
The France televisions commentators who know the french team better than any US journalists just alluded to how unfair the US press was , trying to stir up emotions by totally fabricating quotes.
Bernard is not exactly the kind of big mouthed jerk he’s now portrayed in all the anglo world.
that does sounds like a total fabrication to me.
August 13th, 2008 at 2:30 pm
Bandini – I am beginning to suspect the same…I cannot find a direct quote, or where it originated. I think this should be investigated to find the origins of this story and see if it is a hoax.
August 14th, 2008 at 6:32 pm
In response to Charles Boyer, it is a little tiring! to read or hear stupid comments regarding the French surrender. I am American (French born) & i have always heard stories about French surrenders. Americans like to put people down but they are the first ones to be offended if someone challenges them. They did not accept the fact that the French government did agree with the illegal war in Iraq ( America is not the only country in the world), other countries have a right to disagree. Since that illegal Iraq war the US government has been hit in the guts & has kept insulted France & putting it down. In some ways it shows that the US ‘ ego got bruised badly. Instead of admitting to it they keep putting the French down. I am not to proud to be a US citizen right now because of the Bush administration’s ignorance as well as bullying people but they act like idiots & throw insults!. They are great people everywhere in this world & morons & it is hard for A lot of Americans & French to have to be exposed to other people stupid comments.
August 14th, 2008 at 6:35 pm
A mistake in my quote.” They did not accept the fact that the French government did not agree (instead of agree ) with the Illegal war in Iraq….
August 14th, 2008 at 8:24 pm
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August 14th, 2008 at 10:26 pm
Bonjour Marc,
I too wrote to Yahoo! I had read the comments from Chris Chase about the French and the more recent article about Alain Bernard. I must say that the comments on his blog were encouraging, a lot of Americans are telling him what an idiot he is and how shamefull his comments were. I hope what Barack Obama said will get people like that Chris Chase to think: “It’s like these guys take pride in being ignorant”.
August 15th, 2008 at 2:53 am
I wrote to Chris Chase as well & got really pissed off. I will agree with Fraderic that quite a few Americans were not too pleased about the comment. Anne
August 15th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Expect more surrender ‘jokes’ after the Llodra/Clement defeat. It was the longest game of the olympics. 5 hours.
And in the end of course, the French surrendered.