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Palin travel show 'portrayed us as simpletons' say Slovaks

 

By PAUL REVOIR - More by this author » Last updated at 01:21am on 1st November 2007 commentIconSm.gif Comments

Palin2DM3110_228x290.jpgMichael Palin: Upset Slovakians with his television travel programme

 

It has taken a very long time but Michael Palin has finally managed to upset someone.

 

Actually, he has annoyed more than just someone, he has got a whole country hopping mad. After visiting every corner of the globe and charming locals and viewers alike, the traveller's winning ways appear to have run out in Slovakia.

 

His latest show has, his Slovak critics claim, made them look like beer-drinking simpletons who slaughter pigs.

 

Yesterday the Slovak embassy attacked the BBC for allegedly misrepresenting their proud nation.

Officials even compared the episode, entitled Journey's End, to Quentin Tarantino's movie Hostel II, about U.S. students who are abducted by killers in Slovakia.

The former Monty Python star visited the country along with the Czech Republic and Germany in the last episode of Michael Palin's New Europe, screened on Sunday.

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PalinDM3110_468x369.jpgSimpletons: Michael Palin's programme in Slovakia where he was shown helping to skin a pig

 

 

Critics say Slovakia was only given five minutes on the show.

They were also angry that Palin did not visit Bratislava, the capital, or dwell on cultural high points such as the biggest medieval castle in Europe.

Instead he helped skin a pig, learned how to make sausages and drank beer with villagers high in the Tatra mountains.

Last night an embassy spokesman said: "Although the original intent was to present a less formal face of visited countries, in the case of Slovakia this was fully out of reality."

He added: "The reflection is totally misrepresented and British people don't deserve to be misled in this way."

Slovaks in Britain also complained to the BBC.

One said: "I was looking forward to the moment I would see something interesting and something to the point said about my own country ... Well it seems you can cover it in six minutes and all Slovakia is about is pig slaughters in rural villages. Very, very disappointing."

A fellow countryman said: "He portrayed us as simpletons with nothing better to do than drink and slaughter pigs.

"Has anyone told him we also have spas? Skiing resorts? Amazing caves? And fantastically preserved villages?

"Obviously not. Shame that tank in Germany did not run him over."

Slovakia joined the EU in 2004, 11 years after it became independent with the break-up of Czechoslovakia following the fall of communism.

A BBC spokesman said: "In a sevenpart series, Michael wasn't able to visit every country in Eastern Europe but he did want to include Slovakia.

"Michael speaks warmly of the people and splendour of the country."

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