Saturday 15 November 2008

A Pompous Ass on his travels








Stephen Fry presents his series on America during Sunday evenings on BBC1. I am in spite of Fry's commentary really enjoying watching this on Sunday nights on BBC1. Basically Fry travels America and meets people and goes to interesting places across America. I have one criticism, the supercilious nonsense that Fry continually comes out with. This is in keeping of course with the BBC's and Fry's anti-American prejudices. For instance he makes off hand comments when he meets a group of sophisticated Americans here. He says supposedly to himself 'if only their foreign policy was as sophisticated'. This seemingly innocuous piece of arrogance is off course recorded and broad casted. I do not mind off course except it would be great if someone would mention to Fry 'How is British foreign policy more sophisticated'. Of course the BBC love this sort of cheap politicking.




Later in Montana Fry is eating at a German American diner. His hosts like most Americans are of course friendly and indulge their guest. That does not stop fry making plain stupid comments along the lines of 'Invading Poland' etc. Such comments are of course jocular but where is the fun in such a stupid comment that demeans Fry. Again if this programme was actually meant to inform the viewing public about America it would have been fair to point out the unqualified support German Americans such as these gave in world war one/two to the allied cause. It is a fact of history that the last US soldier killed in 1918 was a German American Private Gunther. As for world war two names such as Eisenhower and Nimitz spring to mind. Of course Fry for ever the conceited buffoon he is never mentions this.




I feel this is a shame as generally people in the UK do not understand America. This series with Fry hosting it in such a stuffy and condescending manner represents a missed opportunity to actually tell a great story.




2 comments:

Organized Rage. said...

"Eisenhower and Nimitz"

Oh dear I fear it is game set and match to Paul.

I to watched this program and also became irritated with Fry, like a lot of these celebs he seems to have no small talk unless it is scripted and then he comes across as wooden and ridiculous.

I probably should not have been but I was surprised, as some years a go he had a column in the Daily or Sunday Telegraph, I forget which, and it was well written. Now I wonder if he actually wrote it.

I just wish we could have a travel, nature or whatever documentary in which the presenter is not the center of attention and thus portrayed as more important than the subject.

Paul said...

'I just wish we could have a travel, nature or whatever documentary in which the presenter is not the center of attention and thus portrayed as more important than the subject.' Some hope Mick.

A very notable recent exception was that of Nick Bailey narrating on BBC4 the story of Walter Tull. Bailey was superb and completely unpretentious. Of course he is an actor so will probably never seriously consider taking up presenting which is a shame.