I decided to post this in the main blog because I didn’t want it to get lost in the shuffle. I recieved a comment from a Hungarian today regarding the Stephen Colbert Bridge naming (click here to vote!) I removed some of the information for privacy reasons:
Name: birogeri | E-mail: birogeri@xxxxxxx.com | URI: http://bikeblog.freeblog.hu | Date: August 11, 2006
This isn’t a joke.
I have two things to say to this response. First, he is right on some level. Maybe this isn’t a joke. Naming this bridge the Stephen Colbert bridge would be rather silly. Not as silly as naming it the Chuck Norris bridge (and certainly not as silly as naming it the Abe Vigoda bridge), but silly nonetheless. However, sometimes things being named silly names is a good thing. My favorite example? The Alferd Packer Cafeteria at the University of Colorado – Boulder. (By the way, if you haven’t seen it yet, go buy this DVD – Cannibal! The Musical starring Trey Parker and Matt Stone).
Secondly, it is my understanding that the winning nominations will be reviewed by a committee before a final selection for a name has been made. So the bridge is safe from becoming Sponge Bob bridge at least.
So basically, what I’m trying to say is that ok, it’s not a joke. But it kinda is, see? Get it? Please don’t hate Americans because of the bridge naming thing – there’s a lot better reasons to hate us. For one, we exported David Hasselhoff to Europe. I sincerely apologize for that. Secondly, we also exported dropped waist pants. We now realize that, like the Speedos so popular in Europe, the people who wear these don’t have much business doing so. We even came up with a name for why they shouldn’t – Muffin Top. At any rate, it was a mistake. Our bad. Finally, we exported the George Foreman Grill. Ok, that was a good one. Mmmmmm … tasty grilled chicken.
But we have enough hate in the world – can’t we all just get along? GROUP HUG! It’s all going to be Ok. I promise.
EDIT:
Not all Hungarians hate us. That’s a good thing.
Author : Hungirl ( nilus-97.adsl.datanet.hu)
Comment: Too bad they’ll probably name it after one of the Hungarian saints or some historical figure anyway. No sense of humor in our administrative circles :D
listen. I'm Hungarian, and when my family and I saw that the top nomination (which has thankfully fallen to 2nd place now) was Chuck Norris, we almost had an aneurism. I think that's enough to get us kicked out of the EU, on the basis that no one wants anyone that dumb hanging out in their clubhouse. Colbert bridge I could live with. It's not very patriotic, but then most of the national heros' names are already taken by some other landmark. that's what happens when you have all that history lying around.
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Hey Man,
My family is Hungarian and I don't find any of this stuff offensive. The government set itself up for something like this when they opened the competition to the public via the internet. And, yeah, it's funny. If the Hungarian Government wants to keep a good public image, if they want to seem like good sports, they should just let the bridge be named by the voters no matter what the winning name might be.
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Okay, I understand you, and I haven't said that I will hate Americans for this thing.
I just said that I can't laugh on this Chuck Norris thing anymore – as I see how dumb is the crowd.
Just for a 2 second small joke ('haha I voted for Chuck Norris') they would name bridge about him – instead of the heroes and great man…
Just one thing – don't make your audience think that all of the Hungarians are stupid and arrogant.
Thanks for the post, I like popularity :)
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Hello! I'm writing from Budapest, Hungary. I've just heard about the bridge thing in the news.
In Hungary you have to be a dead person to get a landmark named after you. The bridge will never get
the Colbert Bridge name ( or Chuck Norris ) because the final deciding commitee has the final
decision no matter of the internet vote outcome. I do have to admit that anything is better than
Chuck Norris bridge, this what the American tv shows have done to the people, very sad. It is still
a good joke, we"ll see the outcome.
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