About Me
- Kevin Elstob
- In my interests below, I list French language, cinema, theatre, politics, art, and wine. And while French brought me to a lot of these things, I also like all of them in a more general way. I really love languages and their connections. I also have a thing about how theatre and cinema, art, politics and wine all hook up in some way. As I think of these ideas, I can hear the thwonk of the cork coming out of the neck of the bottle, and the gentle squeak as the cork is twisted off the tire-bouchon. Ah, that oakey, musty, acidic aroma wafting, wafting and people talking and talking and talking. And, oh they found out we have some sets of boules and they want to play pétanque. "Let's pick teams and play in the shade of those plane trees." The sounds of summer resonate: the crunch of the terrain under foot, the click of the iron bocce knocking in the players' hands, and the soft kiss of the wooden cochonnet as it hits the ground scuttling down to its resting point where it will await the arrival of each team's battle-worn aggies.
Sunday, March 17, 2013
I am quite fascinated by Carla Bruni and her relationship with Nicolas Sarkozy. She seems so much more of a playful and warm personality compared to his cantankerous and belligerent manners. She shows her playfulness once again, as the Huffington Post reports on a cut from her new album. The track is entitled the Penguin and it seems to be poking fun at France's new president, François Hollande. Read the article; watch a French report with excerpts from the song.
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8 comments:
This seems like a fun little article. I believe I would understand the insult like term of "Penguin" better if I lived in France. As such, it appears that Sarkozy's wife did intend to sway her lyrics towards Hollande because although she didn't say they were directed at Hollande, she didn't deny the allocation either...Maybe she inadvertently took a small lunge at him and didn't know it until the media reported on it. I think that if I had unknowingly insulted someone not found of and someone else publicized it it, I don't think I would have done anything different at her. By neither denying the fact or admitting it, the media seemed to make more of an impact with the article and probably received more attention which in turn lead to more readers hear that Hollande is a "Penguin" .
*not fond of
*different than her
I don't know anything about French politics but I agree with your sentiment that an ambiguous answer from Bruni's seems to suggest Hollande may be targeted. The president may not be the only one attacked but given their past history, suggestive context of lyrics, and Bruni's comments may infer intent.
Regarding Bruni and Sarkozy, it may be a good image boost for the former president if he is as cantankerous and belligerent as you suggest. Differences do complement! :)
By the way, I'm having trouble getting the video link to work. It's probably not uploaded anymore.
I had no idea that the word "penguin" in the french language was an insult. I find it amusing that a singer especially the former first lady of France Carla Bruni indirectly makes fun of the current President elect. Bruni used her singer position to her advantage. She claims that the song is intended for other types of people but i believe the President knew it was meant for him. This song would fit perfectly with the former Louis XIV; since had a mean and self-righteous personality.
The French have always been known as the most relaxing people. They live to work not work to live. They enforce their philosophy by not working as hard in at their jobs and demanding more free time. They make the best tires Firestone and the Michelin which are the top manufacturing producers worldwide. Even though the unions protect the workers the owners of the processing plants are going to soon outsourced the jobs to another country paying lower wages. For example, in Italy they pay their workers in the Fiat car assembly plants so they can not work. This way the company keeps more of their profits.
I thought that this article was pretty funny. I'm not too sure where she gets "The Penguin" from when referring to the new president. It really does sound like she is talking about him though, especially when it said "He takes on the air of sovereign." How else can that be more obvious? Just like Brett said, the media makes things way more dramatic than things are. Maybe she really did mean to talk about someone else.. who knows. But to me, that sounds like she's definitely talking about him.
I had never heard the word "penguin" being used as an insult. Perhaps if i were french and lived there i would find the "offensiveness" in that word. I find it quire interesting that the former first lady of france is also a singer who is making fun of the current president. its like if Barack Obama was a singer and later makes fun of a future president, i find that very amusing. I dont know mch about french politics, but if the rumors are true then i believe it is very disrespectful for a former first lady to be making fun of the current president. Wheter or not the song was intended for the president, the lady didnt do anything or say anything to deny it.
I had never heard the word "penguin" being used as an insult. Perhaps if i were french and lived there i would find the "offensiveness" in that word. I find it quire interesting that the former first lady of france is also a singer who is making fun of the current president. its like if Barack Obama was a singer and later makes fun of a future president, i find that very amusing. I dont know mch about french politics, but if the rumors are true then i believe it is very disrespectful for a former first lady to be making fun of the current president. Wheter or not the song was intended for the president, the lady didnt do anything or say anything to deny it.
Jocelyn Alvarado French 120 tuth 530
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