Primetime Show Thinks Macaca is Pretty Cool

One of my guilty pleasures has gone all macaca on me. The latest instalment of Survivor will feature teams broken down by race: African-American, Hispanic, East and Southeast Asian, and White. Just what I’ve always wanted to see, a bunch of suburban whites whining about reverse discrimination every time “one of their own” is voted off the island (I’m white, before someone shrieks “reverse discrimination” at me).

In all seriousness, however, American race relations are very interesting. The country claims to be all about equality and melting pots, but episodes like Katrina and Mexican border fences show this to be very far from the truth. I think it’s a fine thing that this kind of hypocrisy is being addressed seriously by an American television network.

Hahahahahahahahaha! I could hardly type that with a straight face! I know! In know! This is major network primetime TV we’re talking here, the gang who brought us Erkel, the Nanny, has a grand total of 2 Asian stars, and situates long-running sitcoms in New York city about gangs of, um, friends, that have no black characters whatsoever..

Seriously. One half-step above Jerry Springer.

I hear rumours that the next instalment after that will be called Survivor: Jerusalem and will feature teams made up of Jewish, Muslim, Christian, and Druze players. Should be fun once they try to merge the tribes!

One Nation Under God

And speaking of American race relations, Florida politician and comedian Katherine Harris recently stated in Florida Baptist Witness that God created the United States to be a “nation of secular laws” and the the separaqtion of Church and State is “lie we have been told”. What’s more, not electing Christians to political office will permit governing bodies to “legislate sin”.

“If you are not electing Christians, tried and true, under public scrutiny and pressure, if you’re not electing Christians, then in essence you are going to legislate sin,” she told interviewers, citing abortion and gay marriage as two examples of that sin.

“Whenever we legislate sin,” she said, “and we say abortion is permissible and we say gay unions are permissible, then average citizens who are not Christians, because they don’t know better, we are leading them astray and it’s wrong . . .”
(via Americablog)

Wheeeeeeeeeeeee!She is so great! This is almost as much fun as the time she recommended kabbalah water be used to cure citrus cankers in Florida`s orange crop!

Don’t worry, Katie. Even if I lived in the States, I wouldn’t run for office. It’s much more fun to watch you explode.

Toronto Exotica

And speaking more of crazy Americans, a “U.S. State Department official in Toronto is accused of taking strippers on holidays and choosing jewellery for his wife as payment to push through visa applications”.

Behind the grey facade of the U.S. consulate in Toronto, Michael John O’Keefe Sr. was allegedly fast-tracking visa applications and reversing visa refusals for 21 people at the behest of Sunil Agrawal, the CEO of STS Jewels Inc., an international manufacturer and distributor of jewellery and gems.

As thanks, Mr. Agrawal funded luxurious trips to Las Vegas and New York for Mr. O’Keefe and two exotic dancers, sent jewellery and gift baskets, and even invited Mr. O’Keefe to attend charity functions as an honoured guest, U.S. prosecutors say.

There have been accusations from our neighbours to the south about the porosness of the Canada/US border. Hmmmm … I wonder which American border officials one has to bribe to get whomever and whatever one wants through the border?

But, dude. Taking Canadian strippers to the capital of strippers? It doesn’t make sense!

Very Pretty

American actor, Maulik Pancholy