Groundskeeper Willie in the News

[g koch]

This from The Scotsman.com:

Groundskeeper Willie is the classic Scot for Americans

A HOT-headed school janitor from The Simpsons inspired by a herbalist from Leith has been named the Scot most Americans associated with the country. A survey found that grumpy Groundskeeper Willie from the TV cartoon is the character they most believe personifies the Scottish temperament. The finding emerged in a report commissioned to gauge the impact of efforts to promote Scotland in the US.

It found that Americans see Scotland as “backward and oldfashioned”, with most of those surveyed unable to name a single Scottish city.

Simpsons creator Matt Groening has admitted he got the idea for Groundskeeper Willie from an “angry Scot” character who appeared in a 1980s sitcom and was played by comedian Dave Thomas.
The character was inspired by the actor’s real-life grandfather, William C. Muir, from Leith.

http://news.scotsman.com/scotland.cfm?id=1501312007

[mudd]

The commenter's don't seem to like us Americans much, do they?

[Bryan]

Please, average Americans don't even know where the USA is on a map, much less a city in Scotland....so depressing...

[ccga3359]

Please, average Americans don't even know where the USA is on a map, much less a city in Scotland....so depressing...

Just tell 'em it's Canada's basement.

[auld argonian]

Does anybody get the concept that it's a CARTOON? It's a satire...a parody.

I sure hope that the Mexicans don't find out about Bumble Bee Man...

Best

AA

[demobud]

Just tell 'em it's Canada's basement.

Actually we're Mexico's attic.

It is sad though that so many Americans have no sense of global direction.

[MacWage]

Actually we're Mexico's attic.

It is sad though that so many Americans have no sense of global direction.

NO! NO! NO!
Mexico is our basement, where we hide the illegals.
Canada is where we stick the grumpy old uncle that is always telling us to do something else-> The ATTIC!
Everywhere else is "over there!"

(THAT is all a parody, a satire, a joke if you will)

[Arlen]

You know, I have to admit, for a long time I was just such a xenophobic, bigoted idiot as some of those commenter's. I just thought all Americans were like the ones we saw on T.V and as such they must be full of themselves and hate everyone else.

Then I actually met some Americans.

Now I'm not such an idiot.

[arrScott]

This from The Scotsman.com:
It found that Americans see Scotland as “backward and oldfashioned”, with most of those surveyed unable to name a single Scottish city.

Granted, all Americans should know more about Scotland. But I would like to see whether the majority of Scots could name a single city in, say, Idaho.

Then again, I doubt a majority of Americans could name a single city in Idaho, so perhaps we still wouldn't come out even on the comparison.

[ccga3359]

Then again, I doubt a majority of Americans could name a single city in Idaho, so perhaps we still wouldn't come out even on the comparison.

Potato, the capital of Idaho. Population - 3. What do I win?