Post by Ace on Mar 17, 2006 9:28:09 GMT -5
It's the traditional wearing of the green and drinking Guinness day. Alas, I do not look good in green and don't drink but I can salute my favorite Irishman. *salutes*
And this little bit from the Canadian Star Poenix:
Nick Lewis, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, March 17, 2006
Canadians love to point out to Americans that some of their biggest celebrities are, in fact, Canadian. I'm thinking of celebrities such as Jim Carrey, Salma Hayek, Roberto Benigni and Hugh Grant. Anyway, it seems Irish people like to do the same thing.
In honour of St. Patrick's Day, we thought it was worth a look at Ireland's greatest contributions to pop culture. No, Guinness beer doesn't count. But Guinness World Records does.
U2: It's maybe the world's best-kept secret, but yes, U2 is Irish. I don't know why they don't mention it. Maybe they're embarrassed. You know that introvert Bono, always embarrassed about something.
Bob Geldof: Bob Geldof could be a complete wanker for the rest of his life and still be a better person than you or I. This guy's done more for Africa than half the countries in the UN.
Pierce Brosnan: I'm just going to say it. Pierce Brosnan is the best James Bond ever. Sorry, Sean Connery. Sorry, Roger Moore. But you should have seen it coming, Timothy Dalton.
Liam Neeson: You know, Mark Hamill and Samuel Jackson are the only American Jedis across six Star Wars movies. Liam's Irish, Ewan's Scottish, Alec's British, Hayden's Canadian, and Yoda, clearly, is from Azerbaijan.
Bram Stoker: Yes, the guy who provided the story that would become the screenplay of Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula is also Irish. Dracula himself is from Pennsyl, er, Transylvania.
Daniel Day-Lewis: If Julia Roberts deserves an Oscar for Erin Brokovich, then Daniel Day-Lewis should have a (expletive) shrine built for him for My Left Foot.
Peter O'Toole: OK, next to Day-Lewis's shrine, we should build another one for O'Toole. And any mention of him in 1984's Supergirl should be struck from the record. Starting now.
Van Morrison: Maybe Ireland's greatest pop singer, Morrison influenced U2, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Jeff Buckley, and singlehandedly makes up for the country's whole "Michael Flatley" debacle.
Elvis Costello: Inspired Weezer's Rivers Cuomo to wear glasses and play rock music. Or maybe that was Buddy Holly, I forget.
Jonathan Swift: The author of Gulliver's Travels couldn't have possibly known he would inspire a 1996 miniseries of the same name starring Ted Danson. If he did, he may have become an accountant instead.
The Cranberries: The Cranberries belong here because they've sold 35 million records, making them the secondbest-selling Irish act of all time. Incidentally, Westlife is No. 3 and The Corrs are No. 4.
James Joyce: Yes, the guy who wrote that book you were supposed to read in high school is also Irish. He inspired a chain of pubs we recommend going to tonight.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2006
And this little bit from the Canadian Star Poenix:
Nick Lewis, CanWest News Service
Published: Friday, March 17, 2006
Canadians love to point out to Americans that some of their biggest celebrities are, in fact, Canadian. I'm thinking of celebrities such as Jim Carrey, Salma Hayek, Roberto Benigni and Hugh Grant. Anyway, it seems Irish people like to do the same thing.
In honour of St. Patrick's Day, we thought it was worth a look at Ireland's greatest contributions to pop culture. No, Guinness beer doesn't count. But Guinness World Records does.
U2: It's maybe the world's best-kept secret, but yes, U2 is Irish. I don't know why they don't mention it. Maybe they're embarrassed. You know that introvert Bono, always embarrassed about something.
Bob Geldof: Bob Geldof could be a complete wanker for the rest of his life and still be a better person than you or I. This guy's done more for Africa than half the countries in the UN.
Pierce Brosnan: I'm just going to say it. Pierce Brosnan is the best James Bond ever. Sorry, Sean Connery. Sorry, Roger Moore. But you should have seen it coming, Timothy Dalton.
Liam Neeson: You know, Mark Hamill and Samuel Jackson are the only American Jedis across six Star Wars movies. Liam's Irish, Ewan's Scottish, Alec's British, Hayden's Canadian, and Yoda, clearly, is from Azerbaijan.
Bram Stoker: Yes, the guy who provided the story that would become the screenplay of Francis Ford Coppola's Bram Stoker's Dracula is also Irish. Dracula himself is from Pennsyl, er, Transylvania.
Daniel Day-Lewis: If Julia Roberts deserves an Oscar for Erin Brokovich, then Daniel Day-Lewis should have a (expletive) shrine built for him for My Left Foot.
Peter O'Toole: OK, next to Day-Lewis's shrine, we should build another one for O'Toole. And any mention of him in 1984's Supergirl should be struck from the record. Starting now.
Van Morrison: Maybe Ireland's greatest pop singer, Morrison influenced U2, Bruce Springsteen, Elvis Costello and Jeff Buckley, and singlehandedly makes up for the country's whole "Michael Flatley" debacle.
Elvis Costello: Inspired Weezer's Rivers Cuomo to wear glasses and play rock music. Or maybe that was Buddy Holly, I forget.
Jonathan Swift: The author of Gulliver's Travels couldn't have possibly known he would inspire a 1996 miniseries of the same name starring Ted Danson. If he did, he may have become an accountant instead.
The Cranberries: The Cranberries belong here because they've sold 35 million records, making them the secondbest-selling Irish act of all time. Incidentally, Westlife is No. 3 and The Corrs are No. 4.
James Joyce: Yes, the guy who wrote that book you were supposed to read in high school is also Irish. He inspired a chain of pubs we recommend going to tonight.
© The StarPhoenix (Saskatoon) 2006