Thursday, November 23, 2006

Canadian Idiot

Tending, as I do, to be a little bit behind the curve on this sort of stuff I was only recently made aware of the “controversy” surrounding fan videos created using a Weird Al Yankovic parody song called “Canadian Idiot” (which is a parody of the song “American Idiot” by Green Day). “Zounds,” I muttered, slapping my knee and dislodging a small coffee that had been perched there, “this sounds totally odd! I had best check it out!” Next thing you know I’m on the computer, YouTubed up and “Canadian Idiot” jacked into the search-box. A quick click later and there’s, like, THOUSANDS of these videos just demanding to be watched. So I did.

Weird Al’s tune, which he calls “a love letter to Canada”, is quite listenable. Of course I like the original Green Day song too, but Al’s will do in a pinch. I don’t think that Al his bad-old-self has made a video for the song yet and if I were he I wouldn’t bother now since loads of young folk who are our friends to the south have more than made up for it. I watched a couple of them and it all looks like harmless fun to me. Was I offended? Nah. In fact I pretty much respect and enjoyed the imagination and creativity that went into the videos I did watch (my faves of the moment are by StupidHatPro, rahgnaraken and LeroyBeavis, all USAers.)

Some people, however, cannot take a joke and probably had their humour bits removed surgically (it’s that free health-care thing). Reading some of the comments that follow some of these videos makes me wonder. I understand that there are lots of “big men” sitting at keyboards plugged into the World Wide Web, but come on. Calling someone names just for making a funny video is just lame.

And for the record: I am not a “beer swillin’ hockey nut”, I don’t like donuts (although I do like moose meat), I do not own or know anything about guns, I don’t like Kraft macaroni, I did drive a zamboni once (for about ten seconds, backwards), I like Bob and Doug MacKenzie (and Trailer Park Boys and Corner Gas), I say ‘about’ not ‘aboot’, and curling will be a sport right after bowling is and Hell freezes over.

Anyway… Humouroceros

Here are the lyrics:

Weird Al Yankovic - Canadian Idiot Lyrics

Don't wanna be a Canadian idiot
Don't wanna be some beer swillin' hockey nut
And do I look like some frostbitten hose-head?
I never learned my alphabet from A to Zed
They all live on donuts and moose meat
And they leave the house without packin' heat
Never even bring their guns to the mall

And you know what else is too funny?
Their stupid Monopoly money
Can't take 'em seriously at all
Well maple syrup and snow's what they export
They treat curling just like it's a real sport
They think their silly accent is so cute
Can't understand a thing they're talkin' aboot

Sure they got their national health care
Cheaper meds, low crime rates and clean air
Then again well they got Celine Dion
Eat their weight in Kraft macaroni
And dream of drivin' a Zamboni
All over Saskatchewan

Don't wanna be a Canadian idiot
Won't figure out their temperature in Celsius
See the map, they're hoverin' right over us
Tell you the truth, it makes me kinda nervous

Always hear the same kind of story
Break their nose and they'll just say "sorry"
Tell me what kind of freaks are that polite?
It's gotta mean they're all up to somethin'
So quick, before they see it comin'
Time for a pre-emptive strike!

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