by John H. Gamez
Without a doubt, one of the greatest techo-miracles (or techno-curses) is cable and satellite television. With it we can get the latest weather information, 24 hour sports, movies galore, and the current state of the latest media circus.
One of my favorite channels is Comedy Central, the 24 hour comedy network. On Comedy Central you get more than just slapstick, pratfalls, and sight gags. You also get sketch comedy and stand up routines that touch on the relevant issues of the day - even flags.
One of my all time favorite comedy shows was The Kids in the Hall. Being Canadian, with their show recorded at the CBC studios in Toronto, they touched on issues that were relevant to to Canada. They also addressed broader issues that would appeal to to an American audience. Occassionaly, they would make light of their neighbors to the south.
When the debates on reforming healthcare in the United States turned it's focus on the Canadian health care system, many Americans were quick to ridicule it. The Kids responded with a sketch concerning a Canadian man divorcing his foreign born wife. As the divorce proceedings continued, the wife finally admitted that she married her husband in order to move to Canada because of the superior health care there. It was at that moment that litigants, court officers, and court spectators came together in a touching patriotic moment and expressed their pride in the Canadian health care system as the scene slowly disolved and switched to a view of the Canadian flag proudly blowing in the breeze.
In one of his many monologues as the gay bar owner, "Buddy Cole", Kids member Scot Thompson touched on the flag issue. In this particular monologue, he not only extolled the virtues of being gay and Canadian, but also that just being Canadian makes one sexy.
According to "Buddy", Canadians don't have the same hang ups about their flag as Americans do. Having said that, he pulled out a handkerchief sized Canadian flag and prompltly blew his nose with it. No douby he was commenting on the Canadian flag desecraction issue which made news at the time.
Another flag related piece was a hockey skate commercial. Nike had produced a series of commercials about hockey goalies who had quit the sport because the opposing playes (who, of course, wear Nike ice skates) are too good to stop. They go on to other occupations, such as janitor, gardener, bank robber, or baby sitter while continueing to wear full goalie gear.
One commercial concerened a French-Canadian goalie wearing the uniform of the Montreal Canadiens, who had quit hockey to become a gardener. the sequence in which he plows his riding mower inot a pile of maple leaves is quite funny. He yells with glee as he mulches, "I hate maple leaves! They are the worst leaves in the world!" this of course can be taken two ways. It could be a jab at the rival Toronto Maple Leafs or a veiled stab at the Canadian flag. Most Americans probably missed that one.
Of course, Canadian comics don't have a monopoly on flag comedy. the long running sitcom Seinfeld, had at least one flag related incident. The bumbling "Kramer" had a starring role in this sequence.
It began innocently enough at a Puerto Rican Pride Day parade. Kramer was outside enjoying the festivities and a cigar. He made the mistake of leaning against a platform which was draped with a Puerto Rican flag, With no malice inteneded, he accidentally touches his lit cigar to the flag and sets it on fire. Shocked by the sight of a burning piece of cloth next to him, he throws the flag on the sidewalk and begins stomping on the flag to put out the fire. That's when a group of Puerto Ricans just happened to turn around and see an Anglo-american male stomping on their burning flag!
Although the fire was clearly an accident, as well as a comedic vehicle with which to illustrate the silliness of flag desecration laws, it caused an uproar among the Hispanic community!
BILL: "Well, I bought mine at K-Mart. It costs three bucks. You go in, you go out. There's no violence involved."
BILL: "What a coincidence, my flag was made in Korea!"
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