Robin Williams Sets Off Australia-Alabama Feud

By Marc Schneider Posted Apr 1st 2010 09:30AM

With one jokey insult told on a late-night TV show, Robin Williams has set off an international war of words between Australia and ... Alabama? Speaking on 'The Late Show With David Letterman' on Tuesday, Williams zinged that the people down under are "basically English rednecks."

The comment didn't sit well with Australia's leader, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd, who told a radio show: "I think Robin Williams should go and spend a bit of time in Alabama before he frames comments about anyone being particularly redneck."

Robin Williams starts feud between Australia and Alabama

Robin Williams starts feud between Australia and Alabama

Oh no he didn't, y'all!

That dig in turn annoyed the bejeezus out of Alabama Gov. Bob Riley, who promptly released a statement defending his state. "I'm not sure if Prime Minister Rudd has ever been to Alabama," he said. "If he has, he would know that Alabamians are decent, hard working, creative people."

Still, Williams, aware that he may have ticked off some of his Aussie fans, called into a popular radio show there on Thursday to laugh off the controversy.

"Nice comeback, way to go K-Rudd," Williams said of the PM's Alabama-dissing response to his joke. "I was just there for two weeks. Every time I've been in Australia it's been wonderful. I love it down there."

He went on to apologize to Rudd and offered that perhaps he should "modify my terminology and say 'English good old boy'" next time he tells the joke, which he says he told dozens of time in Australia without objection.

"Please let me come back to Australia without a cavity search," he begged. "And if not, I'd love to go to a strip club with you in New York."

Rudd admitted during his campaign to become Prime Minister a few years ago that he had visited a "gentlemen's club" in Manhattan back in 2003. He said he didn't remember much about the night because he "had too much to drink."

Tags: robin williams

Comments

(120)

Thursday 01 April

By Wonder Wank

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Hey Austrailia !!!
Suck It while yer down there !!!!!

yeah

Friday 02 April

By Al Schrader

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The Ausies are way cool, but I'm not sure what "Crickey" means.
That crockadile guy said it a lot when he was holding venumous
things that bit him. Was he an English Redneck ? Help me out here Robin...Al-

By chaslo

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It's spelled "Y'ALL"!!! WHY do people not understand this?!

By jb

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Its slang spell it anyway you want. Man ya'll are crazy!!!

By snowmassey

Hey, I'm from Northern Michigan, we say ya!
You must be one of them there Alabama rednecks
Robin was talking about with your "Ya'll" LOL

PS This was just a joke, not an insult. Please
don't hunt me down and make me squeal like a pig. more LOL

By Laura

Yáll..............AMEN

By Tim

It is a contraction of the words "you" and "all". Therefore, it's spelled y'all.

By Mid-South BBQ

Yewens iz aktin dumm az sheeyat! Y'awls arr stoopit!

By Webb57

Because, chaslo, people are IDIOTS.

Tuesday 06 April

By J.Johnson

As a product of Alabama, I would concur that Alabama is a-washed of hardworking, decent people who will lend a hand to someone who is down.

But let's be honest. It also has more than its share of people who evolution left behind. I mean, there are far too many southern states that consider "formal" education an non-essential.

By Katherine

J. Johnson, I don't believe it was a southern state in the news recently for teens bullying a girl to the point of suicide. You might want to re-think your definition of evolved.

By Belle

"But let's be honest. It also has more than its share of people who evolution left behind. I mean, there are far too many southern states that consider "formal" education an non-essential."

J., J., J....You ARE kidding, right???

By notfarfromthetruth

I have to agree with J.Johnson, Lived in NC for 4 years and they were 49th out of 50 states education wise and SC was 50th. Moved back to PA and school was definitely much harder. PA was 13th in edcation at that time. Big difference.

By lola

Most prejudiced place I've ever been. Erie, pa

By Oracle

@lola - I'm from Erie, I totally agree 100%!!! I've lived all over the country and have to say this place is still stuck in the 1930's. It's repugnant...

By Lita

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Oh, J. Johnson. It isn't only Alabama. I have two words for you: Jersey Shore.

By pnut166

I spent the first half of my life in Chicago, and now live in Alabama. The difference? Alabama has many people who are stupid because of a lack of educational opportunities. Chicago is full of people who are stupid because they choose to be. Chicago is by far a more racist, bigoted, and ignorant city than Birmingham is.

By Abraxus

I am an Australian and I think that's a pretty funny joke, and I know Robin Williams is extremely popular in Australia when he tours - we love the guy. The prime minister is a stick in the Rudd, I mean mud. Typical of him to seek publicity for himself by acting all righteous about a simple joke. Lighten up Mr Prime Minister, we, the people, thought it was damned funny! And the governor of Alabama needs to get a life too - I am sure both these guys SHOULD have better things to do with their time!

By lovmusic635

Insulting an entire country's people is a little much, especially if you're not one of them or from that country. Keep it to America, there's a lot of fodder, no?

By whirple

Robin Williams gets paid to make jokes, and I believe it was Richard Pryor who solidified that nothing is out of bounds. Get a life, lovmusic635. you're Bach, need to get to Beatles. or to rasta, Don't worry be Happy.

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