Stephen Fry on America

[almostwitty]

For those on my LJ list who like/love Stephen Fry, he recently spoke at length about America, his thoughts on it, Britain vs America, and all that.

Be warned, it's very very long. But as charming and clever as ever.

But don't call him quintessentially English. He's Hungarian for a start.

Comments

[davywavy.livejournal.com]

Blimey, he does go on, doesn't he? I got sufficiently bored I stopped skiving and went and did some work.

[anivair.livejournal.com]

I'm not sure that being Hungarian makes him any less British. At least not in practice. He certainly seems to be very British at a glance. Or an extended listen.

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

What?! I thought he was British.. Hm. learn something new everyday. So how long has he been a resident alien.. ?

[almostwitty]

Depends how you define it. He was born in London and raised in the UK, but his grandparents were Jewish emigrants from Slovakia. So genetically, he's not "British" and the British National Party would probably quite like to kick him out...

*SHOCKED*

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

ANDREW! for shame. He's a British citizen by birth. That's like saying YOU aren't British because your parents might have been born elsewhere - even though you were born in Wales.

Re: *SHOCKED*

[almostwitty]

Some people say I'm not. and then some people say I'm Welsh by dint of having lived there for 10 years.

It's never about the reality - it's about perception...

I think I'm British. But then I also think I'm wise and witty.

Re: *SHOCKED*

[kiri-l.livejournal.com]

Not when it comes to that. That is why there are laws and legal guidelines regarding citizenship.

the wise and witty.. ok you can have your perception, but
ok I'm going to stop. We have a sigifigant amount of a@@hattery going on over here with those idiot "birther" people and I'm going to write the FCC today and demand Faux News be prevented from airing.

*pissed off*

Re: *SHOCKED*

[almostwitty]

Laws can be changed.

Some people will never accept that I'm British. *shrug* Not much you can do about it.