Giampiero Nadali humorously dubbed me "Signor Ambassador of Italian Wine in America" a few years ago. Whenever I've been intemperate in my comments he's gently chided me for being unambassadorial. In light of today's micro-mini-dustup on Facebook, my rep as a provocateur has been burnished anew.
In my usual smart-alecky way, I wrote:
Strappo has to go to the dentist. Teeth cleaning. Incidentally, such dental hygiene doesn't seem to be high on the list of Italians. Just saying.
Well. It may surprise you to hear that a couple of people took umbrage at this observation. And observation it is. I tried to justify myself by writing, with habitual irony:
Strappo is sorry if he offended any Italians with sparkly white teeth.
For I have, indeed, seen a few.
I went on to explain the ur-context of this by writing:
It's no worse than observing the crying need for orthodontia in England.
This is no unique observation, of course. This is a frequent source of merriment among Americans. Everyone points to the Royal Family as examples of this unmet need.
And him
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Of course, there are plenty of stereotypes to go around. For example, maybe we can start a rescue campaign for German fashion sense (How to Manage Plaids and Stripes When You Wear Sandals with White Socks). Or the Japanese obsession with photographing every moment of their travels abroad (How to Inscribe Things in Your Heart Instead of Pissing Everyone Off by Stopping Dead in the Middle of Fifth Avenue to Take Your 118th Picture in 10 Minutes).
Hell, it's so easy to pick on my fellow Americans. But let's do it:
How to Waddle through Life Enjoying Stretchy Pants and Diabetes.
Was that undiplomatic? So what.
By the way, Strappo will be in his true homeland, the Land of a Thousand Discolored Teeth, all next week. Read of his amusing encounters with the comical natives!
Not everyone here has teeth like Powers!
Posted by: Vino Vangelist | February 27, 2009 at 07:40 AM
aha! you DO have prince i-wish-i-was-your-tampon! take that, sirrah!
Posted by: Strappo | February 27, 2009 at 08:56 AM