A few weeks back I wrote about the official gift that Barack Obama made of 25 classic American movies on DVD to the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. I didn't think it was as bad as other people made it out to be, because I'm film buff; but this hadn't occurred to me.
Alas, when the PM settled down to begin watching them the other night, he found there was a problem.So I guess I can officially admit the gift sucked. Hopefully when Obama visits England in April his people will have had time to come up with something just as American but a little less problematic, like a monster truck with the steering wheel on the right side. Or George Clooney and Julia Roberts.
The films only worked in DVD players made in North America and the words "wrong region" came up on his screen. Although he mournfully had to put the popcorn away, he is unlikely to jeopardise the special relationship – or "special partnership", as we are now supposed to call it – by registering a complaint.
A Downing Street spokesman said he was "confident" that any gift Obama gave Brown would have been "well thought through," but referred me to the White House for assistance on the "technical aspects".
By the way, if someone at 10 Downing is willing to break the law, multi-region DVD players are pretty common in Europe. Don't give up on seeing VERTIGO, man! It's a little difficult but damn fine movie-makin'.
5 comments:
Be honest now.
If Bush had done this, what would be written in the editorial pages tomorrow around the Country?
I can see the headlines if Bush had done it...
"Idiot in WH Is Big Stupid Head, Destroys US/Brit Relations, Starts End of World Early"
Or always their great standby...
"ChimpBushhitler Worst President Ever"
My guess, though, is this time the same type will say:
"Obama brings world together by eliminating pesky region style DVD players"
Or
"Messiah Heals DVD Rift"
Or
"Shut Up About Obama or you're a Racist"
...you know, the normal lefty talking points.
;)
The great thing about you two is you truly believe you saw "Bushitler" in NYT headlines a half dozen times.
And yet you don't answer my question Piker..
what would be written in the editorial pages around the country? I imagine most people's opinion would be that Bush gave a boorish gift. In some people's opinions the impact of it would be worse than others.
Look, I'm sorry, but most editorial writers, like the rest of America, thought Bush was a sub-optimal president who did a poor job. Would you want people to express an opinion other than the one they held?
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