.jpg)
The other day I was perusing Le Reve de Gagnon on Facebook and came across a clip that kind of made me do a double-take. Reve, as the kids call it, is a place where Québécois, Franco-Americans, Franco-Canadians, and Acadians gather. It’s a great spot for our North-American family to keep in touch and work together.
So, the post that I stumbled upon was a YouTube video where Tucker Carlson acknowledged his favorite Canadian province is Quebec. Not the typical post I expect to see in Reve, but I decided to check it out. I mean what could it hurt, right? It’s only a minute or two.
Small disclaimer here, this blog is a-political. We’re aware Tucker makes some wild claims for his political entertainment show, but we’re not here to judge that.
That.
Being.
Said.
We are 100000% here to judge someone’s comments about Québec and our Québecois cousins. Join me now as I review some of Tucker’s claims and “stories” from his extensive encounters with the “French” so you don’t have to listen to him.
On why Québec is Tucker’s favorite province:
"Because the French, super annoying obviously, impossible to deal with, oh, you must speak our language, your language nobody speaks, your language, like nobody cares about French anymore it's no longer the Lingua franca, it’s like you’re an empire no longer in decline, it’s vanished your Rome, like you don’t exist. Ok. So, there’s that. But.."
This is off to a rough start, this is a guy who likes Québec? He likes Québec, but he is shocked they want you to speak French. That makes the “French” hard to deal with apparently. It already feels to me like he is talking about France. Like your Rome? Bro, what does that even mean?
There is no Québec empire and Montréal is always under construction. This is clearly a rude shot at France.
Tucker’s thoughts on French Self Respect
"The good news about the French they actually have, what do they call it, self-respect like they actually believe they have something worth preserving that’s why they are so silly about their language oh you must say it in French. Like subtitles in Eng (interrupted while speaking) the whole thing is insane but it suggests they really care on some level they’re not bitches like a lot of, no offense, a lot of the anglos in Canada like ok you can invade us."
I mean thanks for the backhanded compliment. “Hey you guys suck, but you're tough.” Sweet. Also, Canada is cool with being invaded?
"The French are like No we’re French you can only invade us if you speak French."
Yea this isn’t true. I’m not sure where he pulled this one from. Who is invading?
Tucke’s journey through the Francophone Maritimes
"I’ve flown all through the Maritimes, ya know I fish so I’ve flow in little planes all around."
Congrats
(Asked if he went to Newfoundland)
"Ya and Labrador ya know and northern Ontario and a bunch of your states which I think you call provinces I don’t participate in that."
Yes, you’re an American: we have states.
"But um with your kilometers and millimeters. Like These are fake measurements I can't even measure anything, (blogger dude chimes in "I agree") no those are pounds and miles but whatever,"
Honestly. The metric system is delightful, it’s all based on 10. Simple and easy to understand. Pounds and Miles? I mean we’re used to those, but they aren’t super accurate.
"But I've flown all over in these little planes very sketchy planes and if you get an anglo pilot, "I can't fly today because the weather eh ya know the weather."
Canadian pilots have safety standards. Whew, they are so dumb for doing that…
"French pilots are like (makes a smoking motion takes a puff) tossing the cigarette out the window throwing on the scarf throwing on the scarf, they’re like we are not afraid of the weather. The weather is transitory."
Let me get this straight, you found a French pilot in Newfoundland? Not only is he a Québecois pilot, but he also dresses and acts like a Parisian stereotype from the 1970s. I’m going to go out on a limb here. This guy doesn’t exist and this never happened.
Tucker’s thoughts on French Alpha status:
"The French are more alpha in their weird more ass-backward French way. In the French mind everything is inverted it’s like a dyslexic culture. They see everything backwards."
What does this even mean? Backward compared to what? He’s clearly doing this for shock, but what a hack. This is a very old American way of viewing francophone culture.
Tucker’s speech on Charles de Gaulle
"So, like the most famous French quote from de Gaulle, which may or may not be true, who was, of course, the president of France, was we know it works in practice but the question of course is does it work in theory."
Here we go back to France. This dude (zero shock by the way) is willfully ignorant of the differences between Québec and France. I’m going to again go out on a limb and say the Tuckster made this up on the fly. I mean it's impressive to lie in such a free-flowing manner.
"That’s like how the French think so I'm kind of turned on by that so I defend the frogs every time I go to your country"
I kinda defend them, but first I aggressively insult them and everything they stand for. Thanks, Tuck, you're a swell guy.
Charles de Gauelle making his famous (same say infamous) speech on his visit to Montréal in 1967
Those are the highlights from Tucker’s deep thoughts on the French. I’ll again state that we know this guy goes for shock value, but these comments are complete trash.
It’s frustrating that some Americans think they can just take unchallenged shots at the “French.” It's especially bad when they have a nationally televised show.
He’s so arrogant that he loosely just lumps all Francophones together in what he views as a backward group of “frogs.” Don’t worry though he respects us. Get out of here with that.
Explaining to someone like Tucker that he is wrong would be a waste of air, but the days of attacks like this going unchallenged are over.
I am very against pleading victimhood for our culture, the best way to stick it in the face of people like Tucker is to succeed.
If you see these quotes and it makes you mad do something about it, here are some quick ideas:
1) Take a French class
2) Support your local and National French organizations
3) Send a note to a French teacher and thank them for all they do
4) Welcome new francophone immigrants to your community
5) Pronounce French words correctly (especially croissant, looking at you Dunkin’)
6) If you’re an elder PROUDLY pass down traditions and stories
7) Americans visit francophone Canada and Franco-Canadians come to support the Franco- American Renaissance in the United States.
Alright enough Tucker for one day, now where are my scarf and cigarettes?