What is your state's/country's embarrassing stereotype?

[Xifel]

Still, does Swedish really sound like the Swedish Chef to non-swedes? =P
Cuz it's not even close to real Swedish, like what you wrote (putta der chicken inna der potten), in real Swedish that would be "lägg kycklingen i kastrullen" (Put the chicken in the pot). No the (or der) in Swedish, that's added in the end of the word, En Kyckling (one chicken), kycklingen (the chicken) =P

Swedish grammar class dismissed

I don't think it really does. Although the only time I've really heard Swedish spoken is watching the Dragon Tattoo movie with subtitles. It just sounded like a European language I couldn't identify because I don't recognize any of the words. Well and listening to Movits! where I'm starting to recognize a few more words (not understand yet, but recognize.) But even with that some of it is spoken so fast I really can't recognize it. I just really dig the mixture of swing and r&b. And the cadence of the spoken/sung lyrics is really kind of hypnotic. And I don't think that really sounds like the Swedish chef either.

Just wanted to point out that Movitz! got a pretty hard regional Swedish accent which sounds pretty funny to us as well. Although awesome music, and I pretty surprised that anyone has heard of them outside of Sweden. I saw them last year in a tiny student pub here.

OT:
Sweden: A socialist utopia/hell-hole depending on who you ask. Blond, attractive women and internet pirates are the most common stereotypes. And we are pretty "closed" and do not like to talk to new people.

Since this thread is doing pretty well I going to break it down into regions of my home country as well

Småland (eng literally: Small-land)
The people from my region are supposed to be extremely cheap, and hold on to their money to death. We also had one of the nations major uprisings, and can sometimes still be seen as discontent farmers and hillbillies with a horrible accent, which is true (we do not pronounce "r").

 

[Harkonnen64]

Originally from Texas but moved when I was 6, so I don't really consider myself a Texan. Here in Missouri a lot of lower-income people are assumed to be meth-heads. Missouri held the meth-capital-of-america title for 4 years straight until those bastard Tennesseans stole our title!

 

[DeltaEdge]

I'm from Michigan, and I guess I would just mention Detroit. Nuff' said.

 

[viranimus]

Why?

Uhhhm. If someone says something like that with no hint of humor or irony, you usually wont want further prodding. However, given as its not exactly a secret around these parts, Ill simply redirect you here.

Overview

Further elaboration

And let you figure the rest.

 

[corvuscorrax]

Easily the mormons.

Many seem to think that they run the whole state but we have our mixes of all types like any other state.

 

[The Pumpkin Witch]

Easily the mormons.

Many seem to think that they run the whole state but we have our mixes of all types like any other state.

Are you from Utah, then?

 

[Jarsh82]

I currently live in Iowa. Everyone seems shocked that we would be one of the first states in the nation to legally recognize same sex marriage. This despite the fact that we were the first state in the nation to criminalize school segregation 85 years before the rest of the nation.

 

[Vanitas likes Bubbles]

Well in Australia, you're either a beer guzzling, mullet wearing bogan or a perfect blonde haired beach babe. Largely inaccurate for the most part.

 

[Strazdas]

10 years ago, whneever i said Lithuania the response was "ah, soviet union".
Now due to oru massive emigration to western europe and USA this view has changed into another.
"Ah, that russian speaking guy who always brings vodka and robs you afterwards".
So yeah, id rather take Soviet Union.

[qutoe]Hungary: gypsies. the bad kind.[/quote]
There is a good kind of gipsies? at least the ones living wherei can see are all either durg additcs or thieves. and itsn ot steretypical, all of the local ones are. thier houses were detryed by goverment 3 times nad they rebuild in a day and still sit in city center on drugs.

 

[karcentric]

Bogans... lots and lots of bogans.

Western Australia!

 

[Angie7F]

Japan.
We all wear suits, glasses and bow. Get our R and Ls mixed up.

We like anime and manga and we are all introverted perverted weirdos.

Really? I thought you were all ninjas/samurai who routinely repel incursions by Godzilla, and will commit ritual suicide if you do something dishonorable

But seriously, Japan has earned its reputation for being weird and full of perverts. The penis festival alone is scary.

That too.
Now we do this...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-cUi6bsMTxA

 

[Shock and Awe]

I'm from Georgia, from what I've gathered were basically a bunch of rednecks but not quite as bad as the rednecks to our west.

 

[Suijen]

California. Apparently we're liberal,communist,godless,sodomizing hippies.




Seems about right.

 

[corvuscorrax]

Easily the mormons.

Many seem to think that they run the whole state but we have our mixes of all types like any other state.

Are you from Utah, then?

Quite.

 

[AnarchistFish]

In reality, we are just regular americans who have a southern accent and we are not as racist as people tend to believe, i mean if we were, why does the entire south have a larger population of blacks than any where else in the country.

Because, slavery? Kinda shot yourself in the foot there.

I remember the Top Gear episode where they went across the USA and when they went through Alabama they wrote gay pride messages on their cars and got chased out of the state. Obviously I can't comment on that though cos I've never been but it was fucking hilarious to watch.

Heard lots of racist shit come from Americans though from even the short periods of time I've been there. But that was in Florida.

 

[Jegsimmons]

In reality, we are just regular americans who have a southern accent and we are not as racist as people tend to believe, i mean if we were, why does the entire south have a larger population of blacks than any where else in the country.

Because, slavery? Kinda shot yourself in the foot there.

thats the stupidest thing ive ever heard...and its a bit racist too. what black people dont know how to move to another region? oh wait...wasnt their a time alot of them moved north to detroit and moved back because of the economic downturn?
Also, slavery happened over 150 years ago...if you're defending them because 'slavery' then you are part of the problem keeping them down and excusing poor habits. Shame on you for helping perpetuate the stereotype and culture that has hindered their progress for the past few decades.
(note: i dont mean YOU specifically, im just useing you more or less as an example)

I remember the Top Gear episode where they went across the USA and when they went through Alabama they wrote gay pride messages on their cars and got chased out of the state. Obviously I can't comment on that though cos I've never been but it was fucking hilarious to watch.

saw it. and it was the biggest piece of lies and garbage ive ever seen. besides the fact reality shows script shit all the time, no one chases people out of this state for beig gay or a democrat...know why? cause we have both. and we dont care. they set that up. it was fake, everyone around that area knows it and they were pissed off beyond words.
infact, that bear grylls guy who did an alabama wood survival....faked everything...that pig he killed...nope, it was 3 and the teeth and tusk were removed. i dont care who you are, you dont tackle a pig without killing it in anyway possible.
so i award you no points and give you the 'shame on you' gesture for believing bullshit on tv.

i could only find one of santa.

Heard lots of racist shit come from Americans though from even the short periods of time I've been there. But that was in Florida.

what part of florida? florida is kind of a shit hole in a good chunk of places (not all but alot) especially around the southern tip and atlantic coast. and it isnt because of southerners. its because of tourist and the abundance of crime thats pretty much allowed to go on.

 

[AnarchistFish]

thats the stupidest thing ive ever heard...and its a bit racist too. what black people dont know how to move to another region? oh wait...wasnt their a time alot of them moved north to detroit and moved back because of the economic downturn?
Also, slavery happened over 150 years ago...if you're defending them because 'slavery' then you are part of the problem keeping them down and excusing poor habits. Shame on you for helping perpetuate the stereotype and culture that has hindered their progress for the past few decades.
(note: i dont mean YOU specifically, im just useing you more or less as an example)

wtf? Lots of reasons they might not move so I have no idea why you're suggesting that is racist. My main point was just that that was a poor example to give for showing Alabama isn't racist.

saw it. and it was the biggest piece of lies and garbage ive ever seen. besides the fact reality shows script shit all the time, no one chases people out of this state for beig gay or a democrat...know why? cause we have both. and we dont care. they set that up. it was fake, everyone around that area knows it and they were pissed off beyond words.

lmao

so i award you no points and give you the 'shame on you' gesture for believing bullshit on tv.

Huh? I didn't say I believed it. Actually I specifically said I couldn't comment on it, and everyone knows Top Gear is scripted.

what part of florida? florida is kind of a shit hole in a good chunk of places (not all but alot) especially around the southern tip and atlantic coast. and it isnt because of southerners. its because of tourist and the abundance of crime thats pretty much allowed to go on.

Miami. Actually this is the best example and I can remember it clearly cos it was only a month ago. I was coming back from South America (specifically Ecuador) to the UK and was in transit through Miami. I was in quite a large group and as we were going through security to get onto our connecting flight one of the security guards shouted out something along the lines of "can you all please take your money belts off. We know where you've just come from but you're in a civilised country now- no-one's gonna steal your stuff". I mean, fucking hell. Someone in a position of power like that would be vilified if they'd said that in the UK. Then there were other things we heard, comments about foreigners and someone who thought we'd been trekking in the desert (that one isn't racist it's just funny). And this was in the space of about 6 hours (there and back).

 

[bigdode]

Scotland here ...

1. We are all Ginger people who only wear kilts, and hunt small Ginger haired animals called Haggis' around the highlands that we all live on.

Nae Danger

 

[Randomologist]

I live in Denmark...

Spoiler: If I may offer a basic British perspective?

This is how the Danes arrive everywhere. Going to school, shopping, or perhaps to the beach.

Slightly more OT, Wales does seem to have the sheep shagging image. Human population just over 3 million, sheep population closer to 11 million. People in my area either sound as English as toffee, or have a thick Welsh accent where they apply Welsh grammar to the English language- for example "I seen him, I have". So its either a posh stereotype, or an idiot one.

 

[Innocent Bystander]

I'm from Canada, B.C. specifically, and the only stereotype I've run into so far is that we're all polite, which as stereotypes go I guess we could have worse. That said, I don't think I, or many of my friends, are overly polite. We aren't all barbarous, unshorn lunatics either, but most of us strike a good balance.