Last week a story came and went which I felt the international media should have devoted a little more time to. French President, Nicholas Sarkozy lashed out at two American journalists who were taking pictures of him on his vacation, hopping into their boat and screaming at them in French. This brought French aggression towards the US to a level not seen since the Quasi War of 1798-1800. Hmmm…it is…how you say…le Ridiculous.

The President of France was in the states but dealt himself with all the class of a Parisian cab driver by insulting a couple of journalists in his native tongue? He’s setting the perfect example for his people. They get mad when others are in their country and don’t make an attempt at French. Understandable. But, he’s the leader of the whole damn place visiting the US, and what does he do, he goes on a tirade without bothering to try it in the local language, which we all know he really speaks. He has given vindication to so many French cafe workers, you have no idea. They would take note if they weren’t too busy smoking cigarettes. He has proven to them that even when the tables are turned, it is still appropriate to pretend like you don’t speak English while being as rude as possible given the circumstances, and he only validates the reasons why people should still learn English.

The guy is the President of a country that matters little now militarily or economically, but has a great history and some nice museums, and he pulls a Britney Spears because people were taking pictures of him on vacation? Maybe Lindsay Lohan should sit down with him and have a little chat. I’m telling you though…if it would have been German reporters on that boat, he’d have thought twice.

France is like the fat kid who is your buddy that you pick like 3rd or 4th on your team for dodgeball. For some reason, you let them play along and try to make them feel important even though they only hurt your chances of having a winning team. But, you feel a little sorry for them, and they have good stuff for lunch which they sometimes share with you. That’s France, we let them play along cause there’s a  couple things we need them for like Tony Parker and a certain style of coffee roasting. Honestly, it just feels good to be able to cap on another country’s president for a change.

Don’t get me wrong, I can sympathize with celebrities that lose it because photographers won’t leave them alone, but a president doesn’t usually get much time away from the camera. The hilarious thing is that none of the other people in Sarkozy’s boat responded when the American journalists told them they didn’t speak French, and didn’t know what he was saying. It must have been like asking for instructions at the help desk in Gare du Nord which may be where they all worked before helping out Le President. They speak to you in French, you let them know you don’t speak French and they continue speaking French. It’s a great little system they have all worked out.

Read the official story as reported by the Washington Post here.