July 14, 2009 - Are the French Arrogant?

They say the French are arrogant, conceited, and self-centered. Not individually but nationally. I haven’t experienced any of this personally. In fact, the friends that I’ve made and the strangers that I run into, all make an effort to understand my “franglais” and gently correct my faux pas. Sure, some people break into a broad smile but I am sure they are thinking that I am a great guy for making an effort to speak French and not what a freaking moron I am…..I could be wrong.

But to my point. Unlike the British, the French haven’t realized that the sun has set on their empire. So it is no wonder that the only thing that seems to make the news or TV, is French-centric items…almost to the exclusion of anything else. You have to be an extraordinary person to make the French news for more than one day. For example, we had the 60th anniversary of the D-Day. Dignitaries and world leaders from everywhere attended. But the only sound bites or photo-ops that made the papers or TV were of Obama [yes, he is extraordinary over here], but always include Sarkozy, in one form or another. Which is amazing since the French don’t like Sarkozy.

First of all, he married a very pretty singer-model from Italy, Carla Bruni. Second of all, they both don’t drink wine!! Sacrilegious. Apparently, they prefer coke [the white powdery kind]. Third, the State dinners and the French art of food and eating, has been reduced to a 45 minute affair instead of the generous 3 hour ordeals the French are famous for. A quick Sarkozy toast [with club soda], followed by 8 courses in 45 minutes, and a closing toast [again with club soda], the dinner is over and don’t let the door hit you in your bum on the way out. Presumably, the Sarkozy’s need a few more lines….

And of course, Michael Jackson dominated both sides of the Atlantic for weeks but did anybody expect anything less? So let me continue. Two weeks before Wimbledon; perhaps the most famous tennis tournament in the world, there was the French Open. There was 24-7 coverage of it. Every serve, volley, game, set, and match, was televised. I mean, there were some people playing that I swear, I could beat [okay, maybe that is an exaggeration]. But every men’s and women’s singles, doubles, and mixed doubles match was televised. Two week later, comes Wimbledon. All I got on TV was a 30 second chart of the day’s results.

Want more? Okay. Five weeks ago, Air France 447 goes down with all aboard off the coast of Brazil. 24-7 coverage ensued. Even today, we still get updates. But Yemini flight 626 crashes off the coast of Grand Comore with all 153 people dying save one 14 year old girl….and nothing except for 1 day of news. And this flight originated from Paris [with an aircraft change in Yemin] and all the people on the plane were French or at least, French speaking.

Now we have the Tour de France. Every race, every kilometer, from the race’s start until the last man crosses the finish line is televised. Six to 9 hours of road racing every day and then the highlights! Anybody ever hear of the Tour d’Italie? It was run in May. Or the Tour de Belgique? Not even a mention of who won!!

More? British Open. Not a peep. US Open. Tiger Woods. Not even a highlight. My feeling is that if I was lucky [or unlucky] to have been here for the Olympics, I would have thought it was a France-only tournament. And you want to hear a real prediction? I bet that when Jerry Lewis dies, he will garner almost as much press as Michael Jackson! They love him here. I went by a puppet/doll shop very close to Notre Dame. Guess what? Sure they had dolls of Snow White, the Seven Dwarfs, Pinocchio, but Jerry Lewis?!?!?

Oh well, maybe this is more of a rant than an eJournal. At least the French know how to make wine. They can be as arrogant about that as they want….until I learn enough French to talk about California wines…