We were listening to our pal Doug Arellanes deejaying in the early hours of Saturday, from Radio 1 in Prague, and then somehow we figured he should file a dispatch regarding What’s His Name, the Muslim president, and his visit to the Czech Republic to talk to some out-of-work politicians about ending nuclear bombs or something. Ha, and then another pal in town offered to send in some reports, and what the hell, they both did. How do you say “Truck Nutz” in Czech, anyway? YOU WILL SOON FIND OUT.
Here, in handy bullet-point format, is the stuff from Doug:
- Barack Obama made great efforts to refer to Czech cultural sensitivities, namedropping the father of the nation, Tomáš Garrigue Masarýk, for example, and even trying his hand at a longstanding tradition among American presidents: Mangling some Czech phrases.
- There were other interesting items of cross-cultural protocol, such as introducing Michelle as Paní Obamová. The Czechs do like their -ovás.
- My favorite nod to local cultural sensitivies, though, was the fact that there were stands selling beer at the speech. At 9 am. On a Sunday morning.
- After the speech, and after the informal EU-US summit (although the Czech government fell last week, the Czech Republic still holds the European presidency until the end of June), Obama had a private meeting with Václav Havel. Havel warned Obama about getting people’s hopes up too high. This was a topic Havel had personal experience with as the guy who led the Velvet Revolution, saw hopes go sky-high, served two mostly ceremonial five-year terms as president, and lost a lung.
- Havel’s a funny guy, by the way, and I recommend “Občan Havel (Citizen Havel),” a behind-the-scenes documentary covering his 10 years in office.
- Oh, one last bit of cross-cultural trivia for you: Truck Nutz translates as “Kamionové koule.” So.
{ 27 comments }
Ich bin ein Checker.
…and 5 vterin s Obamou translates as “5 seconds with Obama” and temer jsem so ho dotykal translates as “I almost got to touch him.”
Blesk is basically the National Enquirer. Today it’s Obama, but tomorrow they’ll be back to two headed bat babies or lesbians from outer space. It is by far the biggest selling newspaper in the Czech Republic.
HOW DO YOU SAY TELEPROMPTER IN CZECH?
I DON’T KNOW, WHY DON’T YOU ASK “THE ONE”!!!
KAMIONOVÉ KOULE!!
Guaranteed, Frank Zappa is doing whatever the opposite of whatever “spinning in his grave” is, right about now. Czechs and ‘camaro miss you, Frank!
Alt text awesome, also.
Inadequate black male: nedostatečný čerň mužský!
Everything is better in Czech.
[re=281634]Pilate[/re]: after much pivo, yes.
What I want to know is if Kamionové koule taste the same as the American ones? Yes,no?
Yeah, yeah, whatever.
The real question is: Did Hopey jam out some toonage with Plastic People Of The Universe?
[re=281630]bitchincamaro[/re]: Canuckistanis, too, ‘camaro. Can you imagine the colour commentary Frank mighta provided during the Dubya regime?
[re=281621]gurukalehuru[/re]: “Blesk is basically the National Enquirer. Today it’s Obama, but tomorrow they’ll be back to two headed bat babies or lesbians from outer space. It is by far the biggest selling newspaper in the Czech Republic.”
Thanks. That explains their president, Vaclav Klaus Nomi.
Ah, Prague. I remember being on a crowded trolley near the the Charles Bridge when this gorgeous girl backed up and began rubbing up on me. i thought i fell in love until i found my wallet and passport missing when i “got off” the trolley. good times, good times.
“My favorite nod to local cultural sensitivies, though, was the fact that there were stands selling beer at the speech. At 9 am. On a Sunday morning.”
Beer on Sunday, AM: one of those freedoms Americans must do without.
Zhu Bajie
Yawn, let me know when Barry manhandles one of the female leaders, throws up on some Chinese dude or pushes on a door that should be pulled.
[re=281649]zhubajie[/re]: Not if you live in Collie-Forn-Ya, the Golden State. Liquor for sale 7/24!
[re=281656]Texan Bulldoggette[/re]: You just summarized the Bush Legacy in a sentence.
Just what Prague needs, more American hipsters.
Beer at 9:00 AM on a Sunday just might make attending church bearable. Why has Homer Simpson not been to Prague?
Remember, if John McCain had been elected president, he would’ve gaffed his way through the ‘Austro-Hungarian Empire’.
[re=281649]zhubajie[/re]: “Beer on Sunday, AM: one of those freedoms Americans must do without.”
Impossible – America is the mostest freest place in the world. Dubya told me so!
Just WHO IS this Obama? Dark rumors of the anointed one hanging out with shape-shifting, exoskeletal BOHEMIANS and FRENCH ex-girlfriends of skeletal, partially-emballed rock stars. Coincidence? Real Americans WANT TO KNOW!
In ‘murican english, does that sound roughly like “comin’ ovah, coolie!”?
If so, that is awesome.
Prague, birthplace of Socialism with a Human Face. Then off to a Muslin country. Start your conspiracy engines now gentle-tards.
big sale on přejímaný varlata!!!!!!!
[re=281620]grevillea[/re]: That makes this Barry’s “Checkers Speech”, right?
[i]My favorite nod to local cultural sensitivities, though, was the fact that there were stands selling beer at the speech. At 9 am. On a Sunday morning.[/i]
Wonketeers have already begun demonstrating for this fundamental right.
Hi friends, I’m Czech and I feel I must respond to what I read here above. Your comments on US President’s visit to Prague (pls excuse my poor English). Though I don’t understand some comments written in slang (e.g. Truck Nutz), I’d like to explain the most Czechs’ opinion. We ARE very happy that your fantastic president Obama arrived in our small country. As our countries differ in size, history, and location, it’s logical there are different angles we’re watching things. I was born in 1967, therefore I remember the times of the cold war. All official information about the world behind the iron curtain was distorted. However, the communist regime did not succeed in washing peoples’ brains. Most people were communists, and had to formally enter the party if they wanted to become a CEO or get any managerial job. Their membership was not genuine (in private they laughed at communists). In private we were always admiring the rich and free world, which we called “The West” (officially such an admiration could lead to restrictions). When I was a boy, I remember we used to say “American” if we wanted to express “cool, excellent, up-to-date”. As to current politics scene in the Czech Republic, no ordinary Czech is happy about the guys in the local government. I just want to say the Czech nation IS NOT against you Americans, as I can feel from some articles and comments on this webpage. However, there are still lots of misinformation about our countries, in both directions. We don’t know much about you and you don’t know about us. But we really respect you, no matter what Klaus and Topolanek say. Hope you’ll understand and believe. Thank you, Mat.
Comments on this entry are closed.