What do American tourists do that offend people in Britain?

[Beyond Birthday]

What do American tourists do that offend people in Britain? This idea came up when I realized that our view of Britain doesn't go outside of The Office, Monty Python, Red Dwarf, Wallace and Gromit, Harry Potter, Fawlty Towers, Hitchhiker's Guide, Doctor Who, Terry Pratchett, award-winning comic books and Torchwood.

It seems like if an American tourist tried to speak about British entertainment they'd probably get their teeth punched in or an eye-roll (kind of like how most people view Texas as nothing but a bunch of open plains and cowboy hats).

So I'm just wondering how often things like that have happened there. Like how Australians hate Staeve Irwin etc. etc.

 

[mystmoon]

Mispronouncing Monty Python, and yeh, assuming that British comedy is all really OLD stuff like Fawlty Towers and Blackadder (I like those shows but we have other comedians as well!)

 

[Teppic]

To be fair, if your impression of us comes from these programmes, it's probably better than the reality. Nothing wrong with being known for things like Red Dwarf, W&G and of course TP.

 

[SpideyGirl]

To be fair, if your impression of us comes from these programmes, it's probably better than the reality. Nothing wrong with being known for things like Red Dwarf, W&G and of course TP.

Totally agree with that one Teppic!

Personally, I don't find American tourists offensive at all. But then we live up North. x

 

[Doughnut Jimmy]

Haven't come across many offensive ones, but there are lots who are innocently entertaining, especially when they explain something about britain at great length and are completely wrong.


(See - we're far more offensive in what we think of them)

 

[Beyond Birthday]

It seems like America never gets any TV shows imported from Britain anymore except for anything by Ricky Gervais and Doctor Who. Maybe I'm just not surfing the right channels or something.

British comic book writers and Harry Potter are still huge here, of course. Especially Grant Morrison, whose writing for Batman right now.

Maybe I should have named this thread something else. Like "America's narrow view of British entertainment" or something like that.

Anyway, I'd be interested to know what kind of shows are considered good and bad there at the moment. The new stuff that America never gets to see except via desperate searches on YouTube.

 

[Tonyblack]

I don't know about that. PBS (Public Broadcast Service) often have British TV shows. The updated version of Sherlock was on when I was there last time. Prime Suspect, Wallender (the Brannagh(sp) version), and a whole bunch more. Mostly mystery series I think.

 

[mystmoon]

Oh! Think I misunderstood you! These are some good British programmes, dunno how many made it across the pond
Being Human
IT Crowd
Mighty Boosh
Sherlock
Horrible Histories
QI

 

[Penfold]

Haven't come across many offensive ones, but there are lots who are innocently entertaining, especially when they explain something about britain at great length and are completely wrong*.


(See - we're far more offensive in what we think of them)

*Like warm beer, for example
My only real experience comes from my old drinking days when the American tourists were extolling the virtues of American beer (Budweiser normally) over what they thought was English beer (lager normally). This lasted until they were taken to a traditional Real Ale Pub (CAMRA recommended normally) rather than some poncy wine bar where they became hooked and extremely inebriated after a couple (normally) of what I would call proper pints. (waits for the argument to break out yet again on which country makes the best beer)

I have to think very hard to remember an offensive American tourist, there really aren't many*. The closest I can come up with is when I worked on the cruise ships in the eighties and, even then, I didn't directly witness his behaviour. I returned from a rest break and was sent to a fairly busy Blackjack table to give the female dealer her break. As she left, the American passenger said, in a loud voice, something along the lines of;
"at least you're better looking than that last bitch!"

Unaware of what had gone before and thinking he was joking around, I replied in my gayest, campest voice, "Oh thank you."

Unfortunately, with my southern 'Almost-London' accent I often pronounce my 'th' as an 'f', thus actually saying fank-you. This was misheard and the customer thought I had said to him "Oh f*ck you!" He was about to really go into one, having been so badly insulted by mere staff, when all the other customers burst out laughing and cheering (they had also misheard me) and making comments like "well done" and "its about time someone put that asshole in his place!" The customer chose that moment to leave at speed, never to return to the on-board casino. It transpired that the previous dealer and other customers had put up with something like 45 minutes of his rude and obnoxious behaviour and they had just about had enough of him.

*I have, however, met plenty of offensive English tourists!

 

[poohcarrot]

**I have, however, met plenty of offensive English tourists!

Have to agree with Pinflod. English tourists are a million times more offensive than Americans. :twisted:

 

[mystmoon]

Yes, American tourists aren't that annoying, they're just loud sometimes (and attempt to see everything worth seeing in York in one afternoon...I think those tourists may have regretted that though!)

 

[Beyond Birthday]

You didn't misunderstand me mystmoon. I was just talking about myself when I said that.

I don't think we get QI or Horrible Histories here. The Mighty Boosh is on Adult Swim here (I've only seen bits and pieces of it though).

Great story by the way, Penfold.

Trek fans might find this funny: one BBC America commercial said that TNG has a British captain. Incorrect: Picard is a French captain that's played by a British actor...although in the 24th century I guess France and Britain had some kind of cultural pact since Picard only reads British literature and speaks with a British accent.

There is another thing I noticed, though. It seems like made-for-TV movies in Britain are much more popular there than in America. In America made-for-TV movies are usually treated as complete crap while in Britain I've heard of people giving interviews for theirs. Is this true or is it more or less the same?

 

[raisindot]

Well, speaking as one of the very few born and bred Yanks here on this board, I can 100% reassure that I have never offended any British as a tourist, since I've been never been fortunate enough to travel overseas, much as I'd like to.

(Now offending people here is a totally different thing! )

My total anglophilia alas doesn't from direct experience of the UK but from my experiences having befriended and worked with many British people from childhood on. I can't think of a one of them who wasn't charming, funny, and cultured.

As for British TV, yes, like many Yanks I grew up on all of the classic Brit comedies and dramas of the 70s and 80s. I tend to prefer the more intelligently written shows (Python Fawlty Towers, Yes, Minister, Red Dward) over the more mundane nudge-nudge wink wink stuff (Are You Being Served and all that).

But I'm also an avid reader of British and Irish authors, from the classicists like Swift, Fielding, Hume and Johnson to the 20th century comic writing greats like Woodhouse, Waugh, both Amises, and of course that great half-American, Winston Churchill.

Personally, if I ever went to England I would be the antithesis of the obnoxious Yank tourist because I'd be too much in awe of just being there.

In terms of who gets what shows, it amazes me that you Brits get so many of our (mostly terrible) TV shows almost as quickly as they're broadcast. In the "olden days" it tooks several years for our shows to cross the ocean, and you'd only get the good ones. When I hear Brits talking about Two and a Half Men and How I Met Your Mother, well, frankly, I'm astounded. Here, the shows are considered to be middlebrow puffery. Highly rates middlebrow puffery.

Yet, the same flow of shows from Britain doesn't come here. Other than BBC America (which broadcasts mostly reality shows and very few new comedies) you might occasionally see a British comedy airing on a public station, but mostly it's the middle of the road shows like AYBS and shows about retired people. I really wish there was a dedicated cable channel here that would broadcast the newest and edgiest British comedies. I feel we're missing out on the real good stuff.

 

[poohcarrot]

I can't think of a one of them (British people) who wasn't charming, funny, and cultured.

Gosh! J-I*b.
I never knew you cared so much.

 

[Tonyblack]

Jeff, people of my age grew up on American TV series. Anything that was on your TV in the late fifties and early sixties, was probably on ours. I've often remarked to Sharlene that it's probably easier for me to understand American culture than for her to understand British - I certainly know more American slang than she does British.

 

[DaveC]

I love How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, and to an extent, Two and a Half Men, and because I find them edegier than currnet similar British stcoms.

I do like the much sharper US stuff like Arrested Development too

 

[mystmoon]

Ooh! Ooh! Misfits is good too! If only for the line "What if there's loads of people like us all over town?" "No, that kind of thing only happens in America."

Yeh, one of the reasons my list is so short is because there's a lot of American shows that I like as well, like Big Bang Theory and Glee. I like the shinyness and the humour in them.

 

[deldaisy]

Australians do NOT hate Steve Irwin!!!! We loved him. He was exactly in real life like he was on TV. Very enthusiastic. He hated that he got treated differently in the states though. Here he was very hands on.... the kids would serve in the gift shop, etc.

I don't think Texas is all horses, etc. either. I think alot of other nationalities travel alot more than Americans do. And if you DO travel from Australia.... its such a long way from anywhere you tend to stay away for a really LOOOOONG trip and get in as many countries as you can. And as far a TV goes, we tend to get a more diverse range of programmes from America than YOU get from Australia or Britian.

I have seen some obnoxious Yanks overseas (loved the ones who thought they should have relocated some of the tourist attractions in Rome for the tourist flow to be better!)

But sadly I have seen alot of obnoxious Aussies too..... those who suddenly develop a REALLY broad accent and use "slang words" that come out of an old Barry McKenzie movie... UGH. But once you leave London it gets better and they calm down mostly.

I tend to judge people as they come..... no matter what the nationality. And its not fair to judge a whole country by one bad tourist. (God knows WE have our fair share).

 

[Tonyblack]

Agreed! There's a real danger of stereotyping a whole nation from a few individuals. Judge as you find, not by stereotype.

 

[raisindot]

I love How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, and to an extent, Two and a Half Men, and because I find them edegier than currnet similar British stcoms.

Wow...talk about your cultural divide. Here those shows are considered to be rather pedestrian and middle of the road compared to, as you said, edgier shows like Arrested Development and (when at their best) 30 Rock, Parks and Recreation, The Office and some of the more 'adult' comedy shows like Californication, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and Weeds.