Mary (hen) out of Rab C Nesbitt

I'm sorry to sound schnide, I have relatives in Scotland and I'm very fond of them, but.........Elaine C. Smith's stand-up act is truly crap. She's got practically no material - all it is is her going "I support the SNP!" *huge cheer from audience* "I don't like the English!" *another huge cheer from audience* "...er, that's it."

She's very popular up here, and has been in loads of bits and pieces, but that doesn't mean that she's any good.

She sometimes sings throughout her show, which is fairly brutal.

They televised a couple of her stand up things on (I think) BBC Scotland, although I think it's unfair that you lot south of the border should be allowed to escape...

Well, you lot wanted devolution, now you have to live with it...

Sadly she was around long before that...

>Well, you lot wanted devolution, now you have to live with it...

Yeah, but the majority of Scots don't want independence. Devolution is different.

>Devolution is different.

Yes.
Please continue to financially subsidise us. It is very much appreciated.

Scotland: basically a vast pub that we all pay for but few of us drink in. Fair comment?

No.

Okay, how about - Scotland: Land of unbridled athleticism combined with temperence and good humour in equal measure?

Pete: try for the middle ground between offensiveness and fiction.

Okay. So then - Scotland: Land of bouncy castles run by paedophiles?

England is not without problems, Peter.

But hopefully we can get them shipped back to Mcland.

Anonymous, you obviously have problems of your own, which I'd wish upon no one.

No I don't.

Did you put the tart back in to tartan?

I resent your comments.

What I said about England having problems was a perfectly fair comment and I stand by what I said in relation to your anonymous posting.
Your views on sending problems to Scotland is one of the many reasons why there is animosity between the Scots and the English.

Even if I ment them as humorous comments, does that make them alright?

Thought not.

Just banter, Ailie, just banter.

>Your views on sending problems to Scotland

Sending money to scotland, shurely?

But you're right, England has it's own problems. The off licence near me shuts at 9 o'clock for Christ's sake!

Sorry, MM.

My reaction to what you said was totally over the top, but it's a bit of a touchy subject at the moment, as I had a fairly major row with a 'friend' about it recently.

It just pisses me off that the English view the Scottish (and vice versa) in such a tainted way.

Scots don't *all* eat deep fried mars bars, spend our lives drinking Special Brew and getting into fights. I promise!

I am proud of my nationality despite the many problems we have had and continue to have, but I'm in position where most of my friends are English and I see very clearly the way Scots are generally perceived.
It's horrible and it's all so silly.

Anyway, I digress...
I could have been nastier, but I'm sorry I even bothered to react.

I know it's all banter, but please excuse me if I sit this one out...
Like I said, it's a touchy subject. :0/

>Scots don't *all* eat deep fried mars bars, spend our lives drinking Special Brew and getting into fights. I promise!

I doubt if any of your English friends believe that. They've just noticed that you will take the bait if they wind you up over it.

Don't forget that most English people (apart from the genuinely insane skin head types and Daily Mail readers) are amazed at the very idea that someone could feel proud of the place they come from, given the dump we live in.

If there is any general perception of Scotland from down here, it's that you all have very nice telephone manners.

I think we should all join Jon in a shandy and relax.

I do think that potrayals of stereotypes from within the british Isles seem to be particularly viscious and insulting.

As it has become "politically incorrect" to express animosity to others through lampoonery* (rightly so, in many/most/all cases), the fun-poking at other British people seems more obvious. i'm not saying its more exaggerated than it used to be (probably less so), but it is more evident.

Well, I know what I mean...

So, cheer up Ailie! Don't let it get you down, and all that!

Ailie

>I doubt if any of your English friends believe that. They've just noticed that you will take the bait if they wind you up over it.
>
>Don't forget that most English people (apart from the genuinely insane skin head types and Daily Mail readers) are amazed at the very idea that someone could feel proud of the place they come from, given the dump we live in.
>
>If there is any general perception of Scotland from down here, it's that you all have very nice telephone manners.

Peter is absolutely right on this one. Though I have no accent (have lived in England since 1975) I have the most Scottish name imaginable (apart from Hamish MacTavish) and have often experienced a little gentle ribbing about my origins. But on the whole, in my experience, English people like the Scots. Scots are seen as trustworthy and as having integrity - look at Blair and Brown - their politics are virtually identical, but it is Blair the Englishman who is seen as arrogant and smarmy, while Brown is seen as solid and dependable. Scotland is also seen as a beautiful and civilized country - there was considerable shock down these parts when Souter launched his anti Clause 28 campaign in Scotland - I think, if anything, Scotland is seen as nobler and more liberal than it is.

Most of the comments on this thread - like so may elsewhere on the forum - are people engaging in the (rather silly) practice of winding someone up because they know they'll get a reaction. And if deep fried Mars Bars are the worst indictment anyone can come up with then Scotland can't be doing too badly. Just remind people about the telephone, the television, the Enlightenment, etc. etc.

Tulach Aird

Al

Hear, hear!

Oh, what have I started? Nothing, as usual...

Thanks guys. Consider me well and truly pacified!

The arguement I had with my friend started out as a discussion of Scotland's history and rapidly turned into a verbal attack.

At the time, Mars Bars were not the attack he went for, but rather he harboured several points about Scotland being a 'savage nation' tamed by English invasion.
Ordinarily I would have been happy to discuss it all, but he pissed me off because he got very personal.

Lets forget it, eh?