September 28, 2005
New evidence uncovered about Gandhi’s assasinationHumor
A while back Jon Stewart of the Daily Show ran a clip demonstrating how often people overuse references to Adolf Hitler when talking about some political move they disagree with. I would like to forward that Gandhi references are similarly thrown about with reckless abandon. Former SM heart-throb Apul (who will be performing tomorrow night at 10p.m.) brings to my attention the latest such reference:
It’s nearly a year since Tara Reid popped out of her dress at Diddy/ Puff Daddy/ P Diddy/ Puffy’s 35th birthday party - and she’s finally spoken out about Taragate.The American Pie star promises she’s finally got her “hooters under control” and says she can’t believe the storm it caused - as if her boob “popped out and shot Gandhi”.
Tara was left blithely exposed as the cameras flashed at Sean Combs’ bash, exposing a pretty major nipple scar.
I am actually stunned that she knew Gandhi was shot but that doesn’t make the statement any less idiotic. Here is ESPN’s Dan Patrick (DP) interviewing Dallas Mavericks (now Suns) point guard Steve Nash (SN) a few years ago:
DP: Gandhi is your hero, right? Is there a Gandhi-like player in the NBA?
SN: Gandhi-like player in the NBA? I don’t know a Gandhi-like person in the world.
DP: Well, what position would Gandhi have played?
SN: He would definitely have been a point … but you can make a case for every position, because I think the man had a lot of power. He was definitely small, so probably point guard. But I think he would have been the most versatile player in league history.
Sheesh. Anyone have other examples?
abhi on September 28, 2005 03:33 PM in Humor · T·r·a·c·k·b·a·c·k address · Direct link · Email post
dan patrick's question was definitely tasteless, but i don't think steve nash handled it poorly. seems like he has some respect for gandhi.
Okay, Steve is not my b.f. anymore. lol. He should have told the reporter that was a ridiculous question rather than politely trying to answer it...somehow. But, at least he sort of acknowledged it was a dumb question with his first response. I'll forgive him for this one. I see yer point, though.
Tara, on the other hand!Aargh!
Okay, I read the full interview, and it's the reporter that is definitely harping the dumb questions:
Steve Nash is just awesome. I was so sad when the big 3(Nash, Nowitzki and Finley) here in Dallas were broken up by Nash's trade to Phoenix (and Finley starting to suck).
Man, that series with Utah, 3 years ago with the big 3 of big D firing on all cyllinders was amazing.
I always thought that Nash was smart. When I read the interview I am convinced. (More so after reading that his hero is Gandhi) Dan Patrick is the Geraldo of Sports news.
I wonder why reading news off of a teleprompter would be a "dream job" to anyone, BTW
Wow, that reporter's dense.
It's a lot easier to not be polite online or in type than in person or on the phone. People will often walk away, slightly dazed, and then all of a sudden go, dammit, I should have gotten pissed. It depends on how well socialized you are.
Abhi, I don't see Apul's name in the cast list for the performance you linked to...is it the right one?
Yeah, he probably did think WTF?!! afterwards. But he's always very diplomatic and gracious, sometimes to a fault, and did I mention he's my b.f.? tee hee. If you read the whole interview you can tell he tries to somewhat thwart the dumbass questions.
Here it is:
The French have a term for it:
l'esprit d'escalier'
I was in Buenos Aires last week and was a tad suprised to see that their largest bookstore is "The Gandhi bookstore". This in a country with lesser diversity than the Dakotas !
one thing i hate is restaurants called Gandhi. i mean, the brother didn't eat very much, and periodically refused to eat as a political gesture. yet you find greasy-ass indian restaurants carrying his name all over the place. hmmph.
Calvin, I don't know about the rest of Argentina, but Buenos Aires is pretty diverse.
There is a roti joint in Toronto called Gandhi Cuisine. Indian dishes served Caribbean style. Delish.
"The show starts at 10 p.m. in the Andy Dick Theatre, and is free. The
winning team subsequently performs on the mainstage at 11 p.m., where
beers are $2 a pop, and there's no drink minimum."
There's an "Andy Dick" Theatre somewhere?!!!
DDiA
why you gonna buick me? ;)
Diverse is relative. And their diversity (which is predominantly 'white') goes back ages, and they have all assimilated into the culture.
I was there a couple of years ago and I didn't spot one Black person. There is also probably just 1 desi in the whole of Buenos Aires, who I happened to meet...he was running an Arabic restaurant.
Having said all that, Sai Baba is big in Argentina.
I dont mind people using the Name Gandhi as a way of marketing a business...The Mahatma himself was from a community well knows world wide for their business acumen. What gets me is how easily they misspell it as "Ghandi"....
Which one the original one, or the new one :-) ??
He did try goat as a child (although he felt uncomfortable, stopped eating it, and lived to regret it).
I am sorry but I am not that offended by either of the examples. The way I see it they both reference Gandhi but are not demeaning to Gandhi. I agree there have been others references that were condescending. (Maxims Gandhi Diet?)
And Gandhi had a cheeky sense of humor. Two examples.
Interviewer: Mr. Gandhi what do you think about Western Civilization?
Gandhi: Oh I think that it would be good idea.
Interviewer: Did you make your visit to the king in only your dhoti?
Gandhi: I thought he was wearing enough for the both of us.
Anyway,I dont know what kind of player Gandhi would have been, but Jinnah is easy Scotty Pippen.
Who said any thing about being offended? It's just stupid is all. And another one.
Abhi,
Sorry careless reading on my part. Not to sound deliberately contrarian, but I don't find it that stupid either. I thought the Tara Reid quote was a bit funny.
I think meaning and significance of certain concepts/things/people keeps changing. I think it is a losing battle to want to impose a strict-constructionist approach to language or to pop-cultural references. I think those people who make "needless" references are making references to Gandhi of Attenborough. I think they are using the word "Gandhi" but referring to something else altogether different from the historical Gandhi.
In the movie Philadelphia Story, Jimmy Stewart says something complementary about the holocausts in Katherine Hepburns eyes. The movie was made before WWII. And now holocaust is used in only one sense.
I would like to say what I find most irritating and stupid is the way some Indian politicians reference Gandhi, while doing everything that he would disapprove off.
Its kind of nice to see Aniston and Nash find sustenance from Gandhi (or their version of Gandhi)
RC: The new Sai Baba.
aye DD, I am sorry I missed that post of yours. Too many comments to read, too little time.... sigh. Although, now I cannot seem to remember which book I read that from. Shantaram? Maybe.
Yes, that same one, the size of a shoebox. It sure ain't authentic, agreed. They need some khichdi on the menu.
The veggie jalfrezie roti I had was pretty good. Best eaten out on the street though.
wasn't there a post on here earlier about the family suing to enforce "proper" licensing/fair use of the gandhi name? i'm sure one of the mutineers remembers this...
The original Sai baba was actually a 'fakir' more on the 'sufi' (or Tukaram) tradition, who had and still has both Hindu and Muslim followers. In case anyone didnt know.
this proves tara's boobs are pro RSS
Oh, Godse!
Hey Ram
I think it was about the "Handi Ghandi" Aussie fast-food chain....The one where they subsequently turned the Gandhi ji into a "Punjabi rapper" in the logo....
Sorry, the "the" was a typo
Here's the Handi Ghandi post.
LOL:
Toubled Jennifer Aniston has turned to the teachings of Indian spiritual leader Gandhi to help her get over the split from ex-husband Brad Pitt says the Mirror..."Brad and Jen were always interested in Buddhism, but she's undergone a major life-change so she's got the chance to experiment."
Disclaimer: I dont read the Mirror. I saw this in Mid-Day.
I remember when Madonna released the video for her single "Ray of Light" a few years ago and she had mehndi/henna patterns on her hands, and she referred to the very visible "Om" on her palm as a "Buddhist symbol".....
There appears to be a lot of confusion over there in the US about Indian religions -- do they think that the word "Hindu" automatically means hippies, yoga, and Hare Krishnas, or is everyone just jumping on the Buddhism bandwagon because they think it's trendy ?
The answer is Yes to both. We have the legacy of the Karma Cola era, plus the fact that Buddhism has been introduced as a very "rational" religion in the west, stripped down to pure philosophy and meditation (skipping the 40,000 demons and other mythologies/rituals). (Probably due to the Dalai Lama) Imagine if Hinduism had been introduced in the West that way, rather than skipping right to rituals and many-armed deities.
Tell us more about Argentina! what's it like? what's the demographics? open to diversity? open to visitors?
I think Steve Nash handled that interview so well, it showed integrity on his part. Dan Patrick is cool in the usual sort of way but I doubt he's too interested in interviwing an athlet for ESPN about ghandhi and not making it snarky
Gandhi was short. politically i think nash is right, he would have been a point guard, because he set the table, he'd penetrate and draw the defence in, and then dish it out to others to make the bucket
tibetan buddhism has more demons not less no?
Yes, I believe so, but that's not the face of Buddhism the Dalai Lama presents to the West.
(Don't get me wrong, I like the guy.)
[troll comment deleted by Admin]
prepare to be slammed, di**weed.
Puppy Power!!!
I've read this in a number of places with Gandhi being referred to as a Spiritual leader. Was he really a Spiritual leader? Wasn't he more into gaining freedom for India and resorting to non-violent means to do that?
"I've read this in a number of places with Gandhi being referred to as a Spiritual leader. Was he really a Spiritual leader?"
Most of his life was spent on a spiritual quest, right from the childhood. You might agree or disagree with him on various aspects. However, spirituality was his core. He himself thought of himself more as a political leader with a spiritual bent, and that he was. In a classical sense, he was not a guru or religous leader.
Also, he did have a sense of humor. Therefore, as others have pointed out he would have not mind - Steve Nash and Tara Ried.
In fact, they were phases in his life when India's freedom (or related) struggle took a back seat with respect to a spiritual quest.
Read "My Experiments with Truth".
Another Gandhi mention.
I saw today morning on Good Morning America, teen actor Shia LeBouf promoting his new movie The Greatest game ever played A Disney sports movie !!!
LeBeouf, describing the main charactor of the movie said : "He (Francis Ouimet) was a spokesman of immigrants in 1920s .. a sort of Gandhi for the immigrants"
In some way, Gandhi has become a standard of sorts - granted it is not the most informed standard. Look at MLK & Hitler (sorry). Let's face it, Americans have a "thing" about old, wise colored people & their wisdom.
Case in point, how many times have you heard "it takes a whole village to raise a child"?
When you hear someone reference Gandhi, put your 2 cents in.
Let's not forget the biggest example of Gandhi trademarking from the "Think Different" campaign conducted by Apple a few years ago.
I find the comments about Ghandi humorous, since they're predictably in line with a modern myth which, if squeezed, oozes just about anything you might need, from spirituality to marketing. From what I've read, I think he was a very complicated, very flawed individual (who isn't, right?). His historical impact and his guilt-soaked neuroses make for an interesting biography, if you suspend personal qualms but concerning cursory psychological exegesis.
Koestler's "The Lotus and the Robot" contains compelling, though brief, journalistic bits about Ghandi, if any of you browns are interested.
cool Deepa, point taken....
i ask bc i just saw a talk by a tibetan buddhist. he purposelly pointed out the Sardarji who was part of the Dalai Lama's guard to the audience
cool Deepa, point taken....
i ask bc i just saw a talk by a tibetan buddhist. when showing a picture, he purposelly pointed out the Sardarji in the picture who was part of the Dalai Lama's guard to the audience
Why should you people care what tara reid says? Everybody cant always say things you like. How on earth are these comments affecting you as a person and your thoughts? When people reference something, i.e. holocaust or ghandi, they are simpling trying to relate to something everyone knows about. How does this sound.
It was a horrible act much like the norman conquest of 1066. Kind of vague isnt it?
Anyways I am a man of peace much like Ancus Marcius, you know the guy who resotred peace to the Roman empire for a short while, so please take kindly to my words.
Raju,
Why did he do that ?
i think it was to take an opportunity to educate people on who Sikhs were and associate the Sardarji in the picture with a man of peace like the Dalai Lama. i thought it was a very class act. it was a small, modest gesture
I think its the sign of the times.
2 idiots discussing what position Gandhi would have played (Does anyone imagine he would have played this game? or any other game? Its not the future we're trying to conjecture, its about a person that lived in the past and we already KNOW what he did which was - not play the NBA). I mean, talk about filling time with noise. Sorry if calling them idiots offends people but that's what they look like to me with that discussion.
To Siddhartha's point, yeah it annoys me too that food places will call themselves Gandhi chicken shit or whatever. I guess there are multiple identical word combinations of delhi, darbar, india, palace, tajmahal etc. that appear on desi food places, they are looking to expand their reportoire. So the next stop is Gandhi. I think they need to move on to names like India "BPO" Palace, or Call Center Darbar or IT Tandoor etc. now that these words must have some co-recognition with India.
U.S. TV series "Buffy the Vampire Slayer" had two references to Gandhi>two references to Gandhi in Season 3. In "Anne", Buffy says, Hey, Ken [the evil guy], wanna see my impression of Gandhi? She then kills Ken and says to her completely confused friend, Well, you know, if he was really pissed off.
In "Consequences", after Faith killed Alan Finch, she said, The guy I offed was no Gandhi.