Читать книгу Let It Snow. Keeping Canada's Winter Sports Alive онлайн

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Mercer, posing as a serious broadcaster for the CBC, parlayed the Canadian identity of a winter haven to comical results. One such exchange broadcast on his special showed him telling Americans the challenges faced by Canada’s capital building. Mercer explained to his bemused subjects that this Canadian building was essentially comparable to America’s Capitol building, however, it was slightly downscaled and made of ice. Mercer’s hope was that by appearing as a legitimate Canadian reporter, and feeding on America’s misconceptions about Canada, respondents wouldn’t blink an eye at this piece of news. There was much glee among Canadians at what Canadians most enjoy, namely seeing Americans make fools of themselves on our national television. Of course none of this ever makes its way to the American media so the joke loses its ability to humiliate.

Our national capital building — “It’s an igloo.” Or so Mercer explained to the Americans he talked to on the street. “Canadians are worried about global warming so we are considering putting a dome over it, to preserve our igloo.”