Title: A Sandburgian Rant
Author: Medie
E-mail: [email protected]
Feedback: oh yes yes yes yes yes! (that answer your question? *G*)
Rating: G
Summary: Blair gets a little peeved about a tv show and a racial joke.(The
joke really happened by the way and yes as, a Newfoundlander, I did find it
offensive)
Disclaimers: The Sentinel belongs to UPN. Not me. Otherwise, *happy
sigh* I'd be filthy stinkin' rich! *G* and the boys would be on the air!
A Sandburgian Rant
by Medie
---------
"Aw that really sucks man!!!" Blair announced from his computer.
Jim looked over the paper at him with one eyebrow raised. "What sucks Chief?"
The anthropologist turned and looked at his Sentinel. "Remember that show
Ellen?"
Jim nodded. "Yeah. It was ok."
Blair nodded as well. "Yeah I thought so to."
"Thought...past tense?" Jim frowned then, noticing the angry look in his
Guide's blue eyes. "Out with it Blair, what's got you so riled?"
"Well I just got an email from an old friend, she's an archaeologist and she's
in Lance Au Meadows doing some research on the Vikings that lived there."
"Lance au where?" Jim said with raised eyebrows.
"Lance Au Meadows." Blair repeated with a smile. "It's in Newfoundland, Canada.
It's a Viking archaeological site. The first - and only confirmed - Viking
settlement in North America."
Jim nodded. "Newfoundland...don't think I've heard much about it."
Blair raised one eyebrow. "I'm surprised. They've got a history with the American
military that goes back to World War II." With that he launched into a ramble
about Newfoundland's historical connections to the United States.
"Chief?" Jim interrupted with a smile. "You were saying something about your
friend, Lance Au Meadows and the Ellen show?"
"Oh right." Blair's voice went flat again and Jim almost felt guilty about
interrupting him. Almost. "That."
"Well?"
"Well, according to my friend the Newfoundland family she's staying with are
the sweetest people imaginable..." Blair paused then grinned. "Hell, she says
the entire province is like that." He hesitated then glanced back at his
computer screen and remembered what got him so mad. "Anyways, she got to
talking with them a few nights ago about Newfoundland's culture and the like
and one of the family, the mom I think, mentioned something like 'contrary
to what Ellen may think Newfoundlanders aren't stupid or crazy.' Of course
my friend wanted to know what that meant and the woman..." He paused to check
the name. "Margaret, said that they'd seen en episode of Ellen where one of
the characters had told a very insulting joke. A slur about Newfoundlanders,
their intelligence and even their sexual habits."
Jim blinked. "And that got past the network's censors?"
Blair nodded vigorously. "And aired internationally."
"What'd the Newfoundland people think of that?" Jim was getting mad himself.
"They were pissed as anyone would be. They raised hell about it."
"And she apologized?" Jim prompted.
"Not per se. Her producer sent a blurb to the main television station in
Newfoundland apologizing for her but nothing actually made it onto the show
about the insult. Ellen never made a single public statement. And according
to my friend the producer had the guts to say they were only going for a
laugh and didn't think it would offend anyone!" Blair frowned. "That is so
unfair man!"
Jim exhaled loudly. "You're telling me. I'm surprised the Newfoundland
government didn't get involved."
"So were the Newfoundlanders." Blair returned. "From what my friend told me
they're an ok bunch. She said in the small towns up there you can walk up to
someone's door and ask to use the phone or the bathroom and they'll just
smile and let you in."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that asking for trouble?"
Blair rolled his eyes. "Naw man, that's the cool thing about Newfoundlanders,
they put the Australians to shame when it comes to being relaxed. Their crime
rate is actually pretty decent. Anyway back to the show...they had their
little fit of temper and went on. Not a second thought. Well most of them.
But mentioning that particular Ellen episode in earshot of some Newfoundlanders
is asking to get your head taken off."
Jim nodded. "Wanna move to Newfoundland?" He asked casually.
"Huh?" Blair's eyebrows shot up.
"Well it seems like such a cool place to live maybe we'd fit right in." Jim
teased.
Blair stared at him for a moment trying to figure out if he was serious or
not then laughed. "You're nuts man."
Jim grinned. "I know. I let you live here don't I?"
Blair stood and grabbed a pillow. "That's it Ellison. Time for payback." He
pounced on the Sentinel and began thumping him on the head with it. "Take
that! And that! How'd you like that one eh!!" He said as Jim laughed and
tried to shield himself.
"Ouch! Hey Sandburg ease up will ya!!!" Jim managed to get out between
thumps from the pillow.
Blair finally sat back. "You know that's not a bad idea."
"What's not?" Jim said sitting up.
"Going to Newfoundland."
"Chief... I was joking!" Jim said exasperated.
"I don't mean to live!" Blair countered with a roll of his eyes. "On vacation!
They've got great fishing so you'd love it and they've got a ton of archaeological
digs going on up there so I'd be occupied. Plus there's a bunch of war museums
and stuff that you'd want to see."
Jim grinned. The kid was on to something. "You know Chief. That doesn't sound
like a half bad idea."
Finis
Author: Medie
E-mail: [email protected]
Feedback: oh yes yes yes yes yes! (that answer your question? *G*)
Rating: G
Summary: Blair gets a little peeved about a tv show and a racial joke.(The
joke really happened by the way and yes as, a Newfoundlander, I did find it
offensive)
Disclaimers: The Sentinel belongs to UPN. Not me. Otherwise, *happy
sigh* I'd be filthy stinkin' rich! *G* and the boys would be on the air!
A Sandburgian Rant
by Medie
---------
"Aw that really sucks man!!!" Blair announced from his computer.
Jim looked over the paper at him with one eyebrow raised. "What sucks Chief?"
The anthropologist turned and looked at his Sentinel. "Remember that show
Ellen?"
Jim nodded. "Yeah. It was ok."
Blair nodded as well. "Yeah I thought so to."
"Thought...past tense?" Jim frowned then, noticing the angry look in his
Guide's blue eyes. "Out with it Blair, what's got you so riled?"
"Well I just got an email from an old friend, she's an archaeologist and she's
in Lance Au Meadows doing some research on the Vikings that lived there."
"Lance au where?" Jim said with raised eyebrows.
"Lance Au Meadows." Blair repeated with a smile. "It's in Newfoundland, Canada.
It's a Viking archaeological site. The first - and only confirmed - Viking
settlement in North America."
Jim nodded. "Newfoundland...don't think I've heard much about it."
Blair raised one eyebrow. "I'm surprised. They've got a history with the American
military that goes back to World War II." With that he launched into a ramble
about Newfoundland's historical connections to the United States.
"Chief?" Jim interrupted with a smile. "You were saying something about your
friend, Lance Au Meadows and the Ellen show?"
"Oh right." Blair's voice went flat again and Jim almost felt guilty about
interrupting him. Almost. "That."
"Well?"
"Well, according to my friend the Newfoundland family she's staying with are
the sweetest people imaginable..." Blair paused then grinned. "Hell, she says
the entire province is like that." He hesitated then glanced back at his
computer screen and remembered what got him so mad. "Anyways, she got to
talking with them a few nights ago about Newfoundland's culture and the like
and one of the family, the mom I think, mentioned something like 'contrary
to what Ellen may think Newfoundlanders aren't stupid or crazy.' Of course
my friend wanted to know what that meant and the woman..." He paused to check
the name. "Margaret, said that they'd seen en episode of Ellen where one of
the characters had told a very insulting joke. A slur about Newfoundlanders,
their intelligence and even their sexual habits."
Jim blinked. "And that got past the network's censors?"
Blair nodded vigorously. "And aired internationally."
"What'd the Newfoundland people think of that?" Jim was getting mad himself.
"They were pissed as anyone would be. They raised hell about it."
"And she apologized?" Jim prompted.
"Not per se. Her producer sent a blurb to the main television station in
Newfoundland apologizing for her but nothing actually made it onto the show
about the insult. Ellen never made a single public statement. And according
to my friend the producer had the guts to say they were only going for a
laugh and didn't think it would offend anyone!" Blair frowned. "That is so
unfair man!"
Jim exhaled loudly. "You're telling me. I'm surprised the Newfoundland
government didn't get involved."
"So were the Newfoundlanders." Blair returned. "From what my friend told me
they're an ok bunch. She said in the small towns up there you can walk up to
someone's door and ask to use the phone or the bathroom and they'll just
smile and let you in."
Jim raised an eyebrow. "Isn't that asking for trouble?"
Blair rolled his eyes. "Naw man, that's the cool thing about Newfoundlanders,
they put the Australians to shame when it comes to being relaxed. Their crime
rate is actually pretty decent. Anyway back to the show...they had their
little fit of temper and went on. Not a second thought. Well most of them.
But mentioning that particular Ellen episode in earshot of some Newfoundlanders
is asking to get your head taken off."
Jim nodded. "Wanna move to Newfoundland?" He asked casually.
"Huh?" Blair's eyebrows shot up.
"Well it seems like such a cool place to live maybe we'd fit right in." Jim
teased.
Blair stared at him for a moment trying to figure out if he was serious or
not then laughed. "You're nuts man."
Jim grinned. "I know. I let you live here don't I?"
Blair stood and grabbed a pillow. "That's it Ellison. Time for payback." He
pounced on the Sentinel and began thumping him on the head with it. "Take
that! And that! How'd you like that one eh!!" He said as Jim laughed and
tried to shield himself.
"Ouch! Hey Sandburg ease up will ya!!!" Jim managed to get out between
thumps from the pillow.
Blair finally sat back. "You know that's not a bad idea."
"What's not?" Jim said sitting up.
"Going to Newfoundland."
"Chief... I was joking!" Jim said exasperated.
"I don't mean to live!" Blair countered with a roll of his eyes. "On vacation!
They've got great fishing so you'd love it and they've got a ton of archaeological
digs going on up there so I'd be occupied. Plus there's a bunch of war museums
and stuff that you'd want to see."
Jim grinned. The kid was on to something. "You know Chief. That doesn't sound
like a half bad idea."
Finis