On the TV program Top Gear, the hosts spoke in derogative terms about a car and compare its design to a Mexican tortilla. Normally, they praise a car if it´s potent and with a nice design or ridicule it if it´s the opposite. There was a huge reaction towards what they said, but the fact is that they talk in sarcastic terms not only about Mexicans but almost about everything. In the beginning of the video, they do the same to Australians, referring to them in the same way. This time, mentioning the origins of the country which began with convicts that were carried in ships to that place in very bad conditions. I disagree with the overreaction to their comments because the way they speak is what makes the program funny. It´s like when we make jokes, there´s something or somebody who is ridiculed. The Top Gear´s presenters´ aim is to entertain and they do it appealing to cheap stereotypes and extend the joke to make people laugh. Their chit chat should not be taken seriously. On the other hand, Anthony Bourdain´s program is presented in a serious way, but the content and images are almost offensive. I strongly disagree with his way of presenting Mexican food. He does it talking about street food and the story of a guy who is a cook in New York. The treatment of immigration is stupid. They (Anthony and the people who write the script -because believe it or not all the stupidities we hear on TV are written beforehand-) still refer to the American dream as if we were in the pioneers´ time or in the 60s. (the implication of his comments is that being a TV presenter –even if he´s the most ignorant person- or a cook –even if he works in New York- is the ultimate result of success). Currently, the issue of immigration is much more complex, because immigrants are not welcomed. In fact, there´s too much abuse against them. For example, the anti-immigration law in Arizona. The content of the whole program is done from a very prejudiced point of view. It seems as if we were used to eat on the streets all the time and as if we eat lots of grease. We know that eating on the streets and that kind of food is not healthy. If I want to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, I go to a proper restaurant and eat a proper meal. In Mexico City there´s a wide variety of restaurants. There are the ones that are unexpensive and the food is clean and tasty. There are franchise restaurants and expensive ones. And this happens almost in every major city of the country. Since the beginning of the program the tone of the content was derogative because it starts with a trip in Xochimilco, and instead of presenting positive aspects of the place, they began with a spooky spectacle: ragging heads of dolls that some lunatic has hanged there. If the program is unbiased why didn´t they start with those splendid buffets that are served in luxurious hotels of Riviera Maya, Cancún or Los Cabos. That´s really an example of Mexican food. And yes we Mexicans eat there, not just on the streets.
On the TV program Top Gear, the hosts spoke in derogative terms about a car and compare its design to a Mexican tortilla. Normally, they praise a car if it´s potent and with a nice design or ridicule it if it´s the opposite. There was a huge reaction towards what they said, but the fact is that they talk in sarcastic terms not only about Mexicans but almost about everything. In the beginning of the video, they do the same to Australians, referring to them in the same way. This time, mentioning the origins of the country which began with convicts that were carried in ships to that place in very bad conditions.
ReplyDeleteI disagree with the overreaction to their comments because the way they speak is what makes the program funny. It´s like when we make jokes, there´s something or somebody who is ridiculed. The Top Gear´s presenters´ aim is to entertain and they do it appealing to cheap stereotypes and extend the joke to make people laugh. Their chit chat should not be taken seriously.
On the other hand, Anthony Bourdain´s program is presented in a serious way, but the content and images are almost offensive. I strongly disagree with his way of presenting Mexican food. He does it talking about street food and the story of a guy who is a cook in New York. The treatment of immigration is stupid. They (Anthony and the people who write the script -because believe it or not all the stupidities we hear on TV are written beforehand-) still refer to the American dream as if we were in the pioneers´ time or in the 60s. (the implication of his comments is that being a TV presenter –even if he´s the most ignorant person- or a cook –even if he works in New York- is the ultimate result of success). Currently, the issue of immigration is much more complex, because immigrants are not welcomed. In fact, there´s too much abuse against them. For example, the anti-immigration law in Arizona.
The content of the whole program is done from a very prejudiced point of view. It seems as if we were used to eat on the streets all the time and as if we eat lots of grease. We know that eating on the streets and that kind of food is not healthy. If I want to have breakfast, lunch or dinner, I go to a proper restaurant and eat a proper meal. In Mexico City there´s a wide variety of restaurants. There are the ones that are unexpensive and the food is clean and tasty. There are franchise restaurants and expensive ones. And this happens almost in every major city of the country.
Since the beginning of the program the tone of the content was derogative because it starts with a trip in Xochimilco, and instead of presenting positive aspects of the place, they began with a spooky spectacle: ragging heads of dolls that some lunatic has hanged there. If the program is unbiased why didn´t they start with those splendid buffets that are served in luxurious hotels of Riviera Maya, Cancún or Los Cabos. That´s really an example of Mexican food. And yes we Mexicans eat there, not just on the streets.
Sorry! The title of this post is My opinion about Top Gear and Antohony Burrodain
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