Sorry, I’m a Brit originally… Which means I was actually born and raised in the land of roast beef and Yorkshire pudding. Unlike a lot of Americans who claim to be Irish, Polish, Cherokee, fucking Vulcan, whatever. To which, after I’ve had a few drinks too many, I am forced to ask… “So, are you ashamed to call yourself American? That has resulted in some serious fucking ugliness… But, moving on. Thanksgiving has fuck all to do with the Pilgrims sitting down for dinner with the future owners of New England’s casinos… Or even about eating enough to build up their strength, before slaughtering 99.9% of New England’s future casino owners. Thanksgiving is all about the day after… Otherwise known as “Black Friday.” The day of big sales… Something of an oxymoron, ‘cos as far as the US retail business is concerned, every day is a sale. And if you don’t believe me, ask an auto dealer, ‘cos every fucking hour is a sale. President’s day, anyone?
Kate and I are spending the day with family!
yer an arsehole
Posted by: weeny | November 25, 2009 at 07:01 PM
What the hell was that about?
Posted by: pawn | November 25, 2009 at 07:52 PM
Why don't you try saying you're "A Brit" in Scotland, Ireland or Wales?
They'll do more than call you a douchnozzle.
;-)
Posted by: Big Jim Slade | November 25, 2009 at 08:01 PM
@Big Jim...
The Scots, Irish (Northern) and Welsh are all Brits... You're getting confused with "English."
@weeny & pawn... You're missing the point here... I'm not knocking the original idea of the holiday, I'm talking about how commercialism has corrupted so many holidays, to the point were they are all just about shopping. And we in advertising share a good deal of the blame.
Cheers/George
Posted by: George Parker | November 25, 2009 at 08:11 PM
Fuck, George, don't do that to Kate!!!
Posted by: Kypar | November 25, 2009 at 11:03 PM
@GP
sorry about what happened to the Colonies and all...you know, and that independance thingy ;-)
Posted by: Oy | November 26, 2009 at 12:16 AM
You know what they say about the British? They're Americans, Australians, New Zealanders (take your pick) who missed the boat.
Posted by: Vic Norman | November 26, 2009 at 04:06 AM
i got it
Posted by: englishmaninnewyork | November 26, 2009 at 04:14 AM
you're right, thanksgiving certainly lacks the traditional links to it's roots… boxing day, guy fawkes night, the day remembering wellington kicking napoleans arse… nothing like having england show the way with socially upstanding and politically correct days off…
and what's with all the bank holidays over there? there's even and unofficial st george's bank holiday. what did he ever do for the bank of england?
Posted by: the lower depths | November 26, 2009 at 05:32 AM
George, here's a fascinating little exercise for your readers. Pick up a US atlas sometime and take a look at how many states, cities, counties, rivers (everything geological it seems), have been given Indian (First Nation) names in this country of ours.
So we accorded this high honor to the original people and cultures of this land, but we really thanked them by nearly eliminating them from the North American continent.
Thanksgiving, indeed.
Posted by: Tom Turkey | November 26, 2009 at 08:12 AM
not sure a brit holed up in idaho should be lecturing americans on their holidays. just sayin.
Posted by: pawn | November 26, 2009 at 08:21 AM
Go back to bloody England, land of people in dire need of dentistry, you asshole.
Posted by: Bo | November 26, 2009 at 09:44 AM
as another long time expat, you made me laugh out loud with this one....
Posted by: Linda | November 26, 2009 at 11:20 AM
the brits did a lot in 1620
the first thanksgiving
the first slave brought to the colonies
the first legislature filled with babbling baboons
Posted by: John Smith | November 26, 2009 at 02:07 PM
and let's not forget the powdered wigs!
Posted by: the lower depths | November 26, 2009 at 03:01 PM
George-- you have inspired me to start a movement to rebrand Thanksgiving as-- "Thanks for Giving us Massachusetts-- oh you didn't mean to?"
Posted by: scott Silverman | November 26, 2009 at 11:11 PM
@tom turkey "original cultures" had it so easy, they didn't get round to much culture making. Fuck, they didn't even manage to figure out the wheel.
Posted by: winky wanker | November 27, 2009 at 12:04 PM
so… who was it made the wheel?
Posted by: the lower depths | November 27, 2009 at 01:06 PM
LD...
Peter Arnell.
Cheers/George
Posted by: George Parker | November 27, 2009 at 01:10 PM
Your contempt for just about anything original is now just desperately boring. Do us all a favor and quit raging against the dying of the light, already. It is inevitable.
Posted by: Boredwithgeorge | November 27, 2009 at 02:43 PM
ha! i knew Arnell was around at the very beginning of it all! THAT explains that Pepsi brief…
Posted by: the lower depths | November 27, 2009 at 04:58 PM
Get the ef out of the USA if you do not like it ass-wipe
Posted by: USA #1 | November 30, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Thanksgiving was originally the last Thursday in November, but sometimes that turned out to be the fifth Thursday in the month putting it too close to Christmas for retailers to rake it all in. That's why FDR changed it.
I'll bet all these flag waving lunatics are really just one or two people, not very bright people at that. But hopefully they got a deal on a Chinese made flatscreen this weekend at Walmart on their way home to grandma's in their Chevy with 56% foreign made content.
Posted by: Auntie Christ | November 30, 2009 at 09:48 AM
you should get the ef out too. phonies like you are all over the poor people "causes" EXCEPT when it comes to them maybe being in your neighborhood. You know, the "gated community/door man" scenario where you can sit in your tower and observe - but again, "Not in my neighborhood!" By the way, can we send some gitmo folks your way -- I am sure you sympathize with those poor old souls.
Posted by: USA #1 | December 01, 2009 at 07:41 AM