Lazy and Rude (And I Don't Mean the Waiters)

A few days ago Reuters wire carried a story about three waiters fired from the New York restaurant "21." They filed a $5 million lawsuit claiming they were fired because they're French. Two claim they were falsely accused of drinking wine on the job. One was accused of making an obscene gesture at a chef. Television commentator Tucker Carlson used the story as a spring-board for a dialog. (A transcript of this segment of the program is available on the Miquelon.org web site.)

I don't know about the merits of the lawsuit, but Carlson had his brain set on auto pilot, stringing together cliché upon stereotype upon cliché. The dialog included such insightful statements as "it's the restaurant's fault. You hire French waiters—and you should—you know you're going to get people who drink on the job and who make obscene gestures habitually." And this gem of wisdom: "They should have known. The idea that you hire French waiters with the expectation that they will stay sober, be polite, and work hard is silly from the very beginning." He belabored the idea that the waiters had probably been pained by having to serve hamburgers (albeit $30 ones) to Americans.

The exchange with his guest was a best unoriginal. Worse, it sounded insincere. Intuition tells me Carlson really knows better, but that he continues to cash in on this sophomoric vein of humor, based on dismissing other cultures due to their "otherness." I would not be at all surprised if Carlson enjoyed a meal at a French dining establishment on a regular basis, or if he vacationed in France. Carlson’s lines give off a whiff of pandering. Maybe it takes a lot of pandering to be able to afford that fine French dining, eh, Tucker? Saving up for a country hideaway in the Lubéron?

Nah!--Tucker's not THAT cool.

Comments

[Michele]

I expect these kinds of attitudes from high school students who don't know any better, but on the national news? What a pain, you're completely right. Especially since the French view being a waiter as a very respectable career -- at least much more than we do here in the states.

[Jack]

I totally agree. Hasn't this sort of commentary played itself out yet?

[nosoupforyu]

What would you care what Tucker thinks, he's been ridiculed months ago already:

http://politicalhumor.about.com/library/bljonstewartcrossfire.htm

Jake.

[Jack]

And yet, MSNBC still pays him to (lamely) pander to francophobes.

[Jean]

Loved the link to the transcript, Jake. Jon Stewart did a superb job of skewering Tucker Carlson for partisanship on "Crossfire". My rant was more in response to his monoculturalism. (Some would say the two are linked.)

[Jake]

If Tucker cannot hold fire to the feet of politicians on both sides and feels that Crossfire should be comparable to a comedy show, why would you expect him to do a better job when he is pandering to anti-french sentiment largely developed by right wingers. He is just a talking heads, but don't worry he is laughing all the way to the bank.

Jake.