Posted on 03/25/2009 11:40:10 AM PDT by LibWhacker
EDMONTON - The Comic Strip at West Edmonton Mall has cancelled an appearance by comedian Doug Benson after the club received threats in response to his remarks on an American TV show about Canada's military.
Greg Gutfield, the host of Red Eye, which airs on Fox at 3 a.m. weekdays, has since apologized for comments that caused a firestorm in Canada as the country mourns the recent loss of four soldiers in Afghanistan.
On the show, Gutfeld mocked comments from Canada’s commander of land forces, Lt.-Gen. Andrew Leslie, who said on March 10 that the military would need a year to recover from its Afghan deployment because of the wear and tear on its equipment and personnel.
Gutfeld suggested the Canadian military would use the year to "do some yoga, paint some landscapes and run on the beach."
"Isn’t this the perfect time to invade this ridiculous country," Gutfeld continued. "They have no army."
"I didn’t even know they were in the war," said Benson, a panelist on the show. "I thought that’s where you go if you don’t want to fight."
Gutfeld said his comments were meant to be satirical.
"For the safety and security of The Comic Strip's patrons and staff, Doug Benson's shows have subsequently been cancelled," reads a press release from The Comic Strip.
The bodies of Canada’s four most recent Afghan casualties were due to arrive at CFB Trenton on Monday. The soldiers were killed Friday in two separate IED blasts.
Canada has lost 116 soldiers and one diplomat since the war in Afghanistan began in 2002.
Jean Chretien and the Quebec-loving Liberal party were to blame for that. He would have tried to avoid Afghanistan but for two things; the Canadian public supported the Afghan mission, and Canada was obliged by NATO Treaty obligations to participate.
Hell, in WWII, Quebecois didn't want to fight in Europe. There were draft riots all over Quebec.
Same with France after all the guys we lost at Normandy. Still there are French who are grateful to us, they just don’t get a microphone shoved in their face by the MSM. One only gets that if he is critical.
Yeah, Canada once “punched above it’s weight”. With half the population it could field a number of divisions, air wings and ships. Not anymore. Thanks to decades of neglect Canada can field a few elite troops, a couple of helicopters and a mine sweeper or two. Canada should be ashamed.
Also, you might want to check out the activities of the Princess Pats in Korea. Your congress was very impressed by their performance.
Only liberals can make jokes about anything!
And as for all the comments here on FR complaining about the jokes, ...
What a bunch of whiny bi#@$es you all are!
I've trained with Canadian paratroopers! Finest kind of men!
I bet they can take a joke better than all you pu$$ies crying over a comedy routine!
I'm shocked at all the thin skinned blathering, especially from a site that praises South Park all the time.
Blame Canada!
The fought well and bravly in WWI, WWII, Korea and now in Afghanistan. It’s a small country with a small military, but when called, they put up a big fight.
umm, I thank Nathan Z for his spirited defence of the Canadian military but he is slightly mistaken. At the end of WW 2 Canada had the third largest Navy and the third largest Air Force in the world. The Canadian Army basically liberated Holland and Belgium and eliminated the V 1 and V 2 sites that were bombarding London.
We are not taking a year off to recover!!!!!!!!
Gutfield took it out of context!!
Our mission in Afghanistan was to end in 2007, our MINORITY conservative government has managed to get it extended twice—first to 2009, then to 2010.
Lt. General Leslie was simply warning our government that when our mission winds down there, we may need time to regroup and make neccessary repairs to equipment. You need to read between the lines and realize that he was warning our government (current or otherwise) that our soldiers should not be immediately re-deployed to other war torn countries, oh, and don’t cut our budget!
Our entire army is not going on vacation to Hawaii for goodness sake-—which is what Gutfield indirectly suggests.
Our soldiers have been doing back to back tours. They are in one of the most dangerous places in Afghanistan, and are fully engaged in combat. We have suffered the highest (per capita) casualty rate of any ally in Afghanistan including the U.S.—In other words, 100 of ours = 1000 of yours, and we’ve lost 116.
When you are in the middle of a war, and there are only a few NATO countries actually pulling their weight in Afghanistan, you insult the military of the country who has been doing a lot of the fighting and dying?
Hearing the comments made by these moroons, after losing 8 soldiers in a week and a half (remember, that would be 80 of yours) is what would account for the outrage being expressed.
Not to worry, we will be there for you regardless of how we are treated, because we are your allies.
..and since Gutfield seems to know so much about military service, perhaps he can laugh his way to the nearest recruiting office.
...And my husband doesn’t own any “gorgeous capri pants”, but I think I’ll buy him some if he survives his next tour—but hey, thanks for “protecting us”.
No, as an "ex-canuck" you dont care about the country or its military. POS
Ummm, before you pee your pants, let me ask you.
You do know it was a joke, don't you?
In order to take something out of context, you have to be making what you believe to be a statement of fact.
It was a frigging joke people!
Actually, it was the third largest NAVY, and that was right after WWII.
There is also a display about Ortona , the Italian city that became Canada's Little Stalingrad , where "mouseholing " was used to destroy the German. In WW1 Canadians that survived the first ever gas attack did so by breathing through thir piss soaked hankerchefs. And they held the line. Second Battle of Ypres, 1915
We may have been no-shows in Iraq but we’ve certainly more than done our share in Afghanistan which allowed you to divert more resources to Iraq
Hi airborne.
Yes I realize it was an attempt at humour, but I was responding to the poster here that said this:
“Obviously Canada continues to be a strong ally, but let’s be serious. No one respects Canada’s military might. Even their own General quoted in the article. Can you imagine an American commander talking about taking a year off to recover? Of course he wouldn’t. Because Americans can’t afford to take a year off, because Americans don’t have a neighbor that will protect us while we sleep.
Get real!”
The poster in question obviously took it seriously.
People can say what they want, the real point is, how many people who listened to that show in the U.S. actually BELIEVED what was being said.
...besides, I’ve gotten over it (I recover quickly), and was really just responding to other’s comments.
Gutfeld does a “Greg-alogue” (a monologue, except by Greg) every night, and ends with, “and if you disagree, then you sir, are worse than Hitler”.
IMO, it's another attempt by PC agitators to stir up trouble where none exists.
I'm just surprised that there are Freepers here with such thin skin.
Especially Canadians with thin skin. How do you stay warm in the winter??(that was a joke, fyi)
Apology accepted.
...and, I wear a big coat!
FWIW, my kids were raised on CBC programming. Fred Penner, Mister Dressup and Under The Umbrella Tree!
Much better that the stupid Sesame Street!
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