Stephen Fry in America

[cabbageweevil]

I normally love Stephen Fry (I watch QI religiously) but I didn't actually enjoy the episodes that I watched. He was in the central west and while he was very pleasant to the people he was with or who were showing him around he was a bit mocking/snide about them once he left. I thought when those people came to watch the show they would be disappointed and maybe hurt.

Perhaps I jsut caught the wrong episodes, but it was enough to turn me off.

“Making so bold” as to mention something about “Stephen Fry in America”, but not to do with cheese – I don’t watch television, but have read “the book of the series”;  a particular item in which, greatly pointed up for me the mocking / snide aspect which Iris mentions.

In the section for one of the Pacific North-West states (I think, Oregon) – Fry interviews a man who claims to have had a close and frightening encounter with the putative giant ape-man creature said by some to live in those parts, commonly called “Bigfoot”.  This is a topic in which I have an interest – as to “existence or not”, I’m basically on the fence.  Fry is an outspoken advocate of mainstream science, and hater of what he sees as unscientific / irrational notions – he very clearly thinks that the idea of an unknown-to-science giant primate roaming around the western parts of North America, is crazy. 

He has every right to hold this opinion.  However, in the book, he does an in my view totally vicious, and personal, hatchet-job, on the “bigfoot-witness” guy – heaping scorn and ridicule on him and everyone with similar notions on this matter, and expressing disquiet and alarm, about such people being allowed to breed.  Publicly proclaiming (whatever he might think in the privacy of his head) sentiments such as this, about folk who merely hold a – likely eccentric – belief (maybe supported by perceived personal experience), which does no harm to anyone else – IMO, that stinks.  Reading the just-described, caused my – hitherto quite high – regard for Mr. Fry, to plummet way, way down.  He may be clever and witty beyond description or telling; but I discern in him, a wide thoroughly-nasty streak.

[Wench]

This is probably a bit of a silly question but I was a bit that surprised Stephen Fry was permitted to visit America as he has a (albeit minor) criminal record.  I heard that you were generally not granted entry if you had any criminal record or is this just for serious crimes?  I hope this question is not appropriate I'm genuinely curious.

[Margo]

woman, I believe (based on US Gov website) that they are prepared to ignore a single offence if it was committed by someone under 18, or if the sentance was less than 6 months. I'm pretty sure Stephen Fry was 16 or 17.

It also looks as though you're only automatically barred if you've been sentenced to a total of 5+ years imprisonment - presumably in between there is some discretion.

[Snowy Owl]

According to the US Govt website if you've been arrested (regardless of whether you've been charged) or convicted of a criminal offence you can't take advantage of the visa waiver programme available to UK (and some other EU) citizens which allows visa free entry.

You can apply for a visa for the US and depending on the crime of which you've been convicted you may or may not be granted one.  Some offences are an automatic legal bar and others I think depend on the severity of the crime and how much you can convince the interviewing consular official that you do not intend to commit any offences while in the US.   I would imagine that Mr Fry would have had an interview at the embassy in London and convinced them that he ought to be allowed in. 

[bestimw]

The episodes I saw so far he seemed fairly respectful.  He does make it clear that he finds American cheese horrifying for the most part, which crakced me up.  I still have a  few more episodes to watch.

I always wonder about Europeans whining about American cheeses. I mean, yeah if you only try Kraft American okay but Wisconsin alone has 106 dairies making cheese, and many American cheeses have won International acclaim.

I expect he may have been referring to the style of cheese known as American, rather than any cheese made in this country. In that sense, I agree with him, but I do know that there are plenty of dairies in the US that make yummy cheese in other styles, many of which originated in other countries.

Aw man.  I actually like Land-o-Lakes yellow American.  I mean as a snack on it's own or rolled with Virginia Ham.  (Yum!)

Having first read, than having seen Stephen disparage it, I always hear him in my head when I go to buy it.  Which I then still do anyway.

[kareng57]

And I agree with him on the cheese. I'm sure there is some great US cheese out there but cheese in a can? Blerk!

Are you referring to Cheeze Whiz? I'm not sure that's actually cheese. :-)

Actually, Cheeze Whiz comes in a glass jar. It's Easy Cheese that squirts out of a can. 

Okay, I'd thought that processed-cheese (that comes in slices) was called (in the US, by Americans) as "American cheese".  However, we don't use that term for the same product in Canada.

Conversely, Canadians never use the term "Canadian bacon" - we call it back bacon.

[Sophia]

Glad someone explained who he is.  I thought it was a reference to a character on Futurama.

This is the most amazing comment, because Stephen is rather ubiquitous over here.

I thought Futurama too.  In fact, the title confused me which is why I read the thread.  I think he's on when we sit down to watch TV, so we get a bit of it while we find the TIVO'ed show to watch. 

[Corvid]

I'm going to stand up in support of that great food creation someimes known as American cheese.  Nothing - and I mean nothing - beats Velveeta for wonderful gooey liquidy melting into sauces, dips, and grilled sandwiches.  I've tried numerous other high-toned snob-appeal cheeses for these purposes and none of them could cut it in comparison.  If a Frenchman had created it two hundred years ago, we'd have none of this sneering, I say!   

[Sophia]

But, is Velveeta and American cheese the same thing?  Not saying it isn't.  I always think of American as the yellow cheese that comes pre-sliced or pieces wrapped in plastic.

[Sharnita]

But, is Velveeta and American cheese the same thing?  Not saying it isn't.  I always think of American as the yellow cheese that comes pre-sliced or pieces wrapped in plastic.

That sounds like velveeta to me

[jmarvellous]

But, is Velveeta and American cheese the same thing?  Not saying it isn't.  I always think of American as the yellow cheese that comes pre-sliced or pieces wrapped in plastic.

That sounds like velveeta to me

Velveeta's in a block.

[jedikaiti]

So I just looked it up on Wikipedia. Technically, American Cheese is not cheese - in the US it must be sold as "processed cheese" or "cheese product", due to the processing and additives - but is typically made from a blend of cheeses, usually Colby & Cheddar. Velveeta is a type (and brand name) of American Cheese.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Processed_cheese

ETA to fix Department of Redundancy Department. Twice.