Gywneth's 'Brits are more civilised' comment angers the folks back home

 

Last updated at 13:36pm on 4th December 2006

 

 

Once she complained about the British weather. Another time she complained about British men.

But it seems American actress Gwyneth Paltrow is finally warming to life in London.

She says dinner party chat here is far more interesting, intelligent and civilised than back at home.

 

It's a declaration that has gone down rather badly in America. The 34-year-old Oscar winner, who has lived in London since marrying Coldplay frontman Chris Martin three years ago, said: 'I love the English lifestyle, it's not as capitalistic as America.

'People don’t talk about workand money, they talk about interesting things at dinner.

'I like living here because I don't fit into the bad side of American psychology. The British are much more intelligent and civilised than the Americans.'

Last night, as her comments were reported in her homeland, Americans called chat shows and radio phone-ins to express their disgust at her 'betrayal'.

'If she feels that way we are far better off without her,' said one commentator. A disgruntled caller added: 'She sounds like she thinks she’s better than us.

'We are better off if she stays across the Atlantic. We don't need her here.'

Miss Paltrow, who once complained at length about the British weather, was speaking to NS, the weekend magazine supplement of daily Portuguese newspaper Diario de Noticias.

She said having another American – Madonna – living in London had been a great help to her. 'She's like an older sister,' said Miss Paltrow.

'Everything I have gone through, she went through ten times worse and ten times longer. She gives me good advice about how to say no and take care of myself.'

Although Miss Paltrow did not specify what she was saying 'no' to, it is known she favours a strict macrobiotic diet.

It means a large proportion of her diet is made up of wholegrains, vegetables and fish, and she is not allowed to consume meat, dairy products, processed foods, alcohol or caffeine.

Miss Paltrow, who was born in Los Angeles, once found fault with British men, but a year later, married Chris Martin.

And two years ago she told the U.S. edition of Marie Claire that the streets of London were dirty, customer service was ‘just rubbish’ and the weather was 'cold and depressing'.

Despite this, Miss Paltrow and her husband have settled in North London with their daughter Apple, two, and son Moses, eight months. She will be pleased to know that not everyone in America was displeased with her latest comments.

A British expatriate rang in to one programme to say: 'Quite frankly, she’s only stating the obvious, as anyone who has spent a long time in the United States can testify.'

Yes, but remember the last time when the British press went off on one about her supposed comments about how dirty and horrible Britain was and everyone over here got all outranged about it

 

... and those were just blown out of proportion. Just the press twisting words to get a reaction from the readers - more of a story

 

Could this possible have happened again but the other way around!?!!!! :o :o

When I read this earlier this week...I thought it was an old quote. Is it? Or did she just say it again?

If her comments are true, (and i have no doubt they are) i think Gywneth is a very shallow self centred woman and i'm glad i don't have to live near her!:cool:

Gwyneth now apologized in public and said she was misquoted (as expected):

 

 

"First of all I feel so lucky to be American. When you look at the rest of the world, we're so lucky, and that's something my dad always instilled in me. I feel so proud to be American. I felt so upset to be completely misconstrued and I never, ever would have said that. I definitely did not say that I think the British are more intelligent and civilized than Americans. I am a New York girl, that's how I always think of myself and see myself. I live in England half the time because I'm married to an English guy. It's not like I've left America. This is what I said. I said that Europe is a much older culture and there's a difference. I always say in America, people live to work and in Europe, people work to live. There are positives in both."

 

Complete article at http://people.aol.com/people/article/0,26334,1565719,00.html

I hope she was misquoted and she didn't actually say that. She's one of my favorite actresses and I would hope she's not that prejudiced against certain people. :)

^Same. I was shocked when i read that she said that... I don't know, she seems like a very intelligent woman-she was lucky to have lived in New York City and have gone to that awesome private school. She should be thankful for her life/childhood in America.... anyway I really hope that she didn't say that.

Haha, I wouldn't really be surprised if she was misquoted or not. I think it's true. (about americans) :laugh3:

 

And she didn't really dis the US... I wouldn't be so worked up about it.

As an American, I agree with her.

 

And the whole phoning-in into radio stations is just testimony to how much we have our heads stuck up our asses. We can't take one of our own giving us well-deserved critism.

Add one more to the Americans Who Agree list.

I hope she was misquoted because that really made me sad. :( I don't wan't to feel inadeqaute just because I'm American.

So far, half of the Americans that posted in here (strongly) agree. :laugh3:

britain is my favorite country too...;) :kiss:

I wouldn't be suprised if she was misquoted. I think it's awesome that Americans are agreeing with what she said. My mother is American and I've spent time in the US, I've also spent time in England and Europe (my father is Swiss) and there is definitely a difference in the culture and day to day life. Lots of good people in all the countries but I would prefer to live in England if I had a lot of money, because it's expensive to live there. I'm already us to the rain, I grew up in BC. So anyway some Americans fall under the discription that was expressed in the misquoted interview but not all of them.

Well, add me to the do not agree American list. Like the rest of the world we are stereotyped. Even the Americans americans see on television programs, radio programs and such are assholes. We're a diversified population and are naturally tough. Moreso depending where you come from. Basically the world hates us, and we take everything to heart. We have weird views and attitudes, but don't judge us all as a whole. Some people pull the biggest shit from their ass while other people actually try. Then there's the whole part about working hard and we should get a pay off. But in a way, that's a somewhat correct thought, why shouldn't we receive something in return after working so hard? I guess you could say we're capitalistic, but is that necessarily a bad thing? Like I said before, we work our asses off to hopefully become something in the future... but she really doesn't have to worry about that part...she's already rich...

 

gah... sorry...rant....but seriously. :)

that quote, honestly made me laugh, not to be mean to americans or anything but it's just funny. I really dont believe she said that , but if she did, what the heck it's her opinion.

Oh anyone says stupid things sometimes, maybe she didn't have anything better to say so she said that thing.

GRRR! An Open Letter to Gwyneth Paltrow

 

My dearest Gwyneth,

 

I am so relieved that you have taken back your disparaging comments about our native America, and that you are, in fact, "proud to be an American." The fact that you really don't think us all less interesting and less civilized than Europeans comes as a great relief to us all.

 

In Europe, "people don't talk about work and money," you are reported to have said to a Portuguese magazine during an interview. "They talk about interesting things at dinner."

 

Oh, how nice for them.

 

And even though you have since chalked up those comments to poor Spanish language skills on your behalf — which is completely understandable considering the reporter most likely speaks Portuguese — I'm encouraging the American movie-going public, which consists of oh, I don't know, about 100 million people, not to take your comments personally.

 

After all, you weren't talking about them anyway, were you?

 

I mean, how many dinner parties have you been to at the average American home?

 

In light of the fact that you moved to London with your hubby (Chris Martin of Coldplay) a few years ago because you didn't want to raise your precious Apple in America — and that you were educated at private schools in pricey Manhattan with some of the country's most famous celebrities as friends of your parents, I'd bet not many.

 

You've never been to my home for dinner, and I'd bet you've never been to the homes of 99 percent of the people reading this column right now. But that's OK; you're not invited.

 

Therefore, you must have been talking about the people you regularly go to dinner with, like, other celebrities, who believe everything they talk about is "interesting."

 

But here's a news flash for you and the rest of your expatriate friends from the Hollywood community: The days of our unconditional love for all things celebrity are over.

 

We ordinary Americans have the power to make or break a movie, a song, a TV show, an actor, a singer, a TV journalist, a radio announcer and even a blogger. And we ordinary Americans are finding celebrities of all creeds less interesting to talk about during dinner.

 

And in the end, that will be your problem.

 

http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,234913,00.html

Gee whoever wrote that has their knickers in a knot! It wasn't that bad! I actually agree with her anyway.

That person has severe issues. People are taking it so seriously! They need to be more open to criticism... if someone said people from NSW were stuck up, I'd probably say, "yeah, there are quite a few stuck up people" and when comedians come out and make jokes about Australia i'm like "that's actually quite funny" because mostly they are pointing out a funny, observational fact.

 

I mean, everyone gets insulted over something, and maybe Gwyneth's misquoted comments insulted quite a few people, but, you know, if you're not the type of person that she described, then why does it bother you so much? Because ppl might get a bad idea of your country or people? Because of straight patriotism? I understand that but, at the same time, I think the reaction was out of proportion.

 

Next thing you know, there'll be people saying not to go to her movies because of what she said, just like what happened with Mel Gibson...

I Think I'm So Great: My Name Is Gwyneth Paltrow

 

 

Eeeeew. What's with the anti-American sentiment and the fake accents that are so common among the ex patriot community over there in London? I mean, of COURSE London's got more civilized people; it costs a king's ransom to live there. Makes NYC seem like Jonesboro, Arkansas in comparison. And where'd these broads make all their movies/music/whatever and their money, huh? HERE. First, it's Linda McCartney, urging you to "go veggie" in an annoying Brit accent (remember Linda was an American), then Madonna, and now Gwyneth waxing on about London with her "I love the fact that you can hail a taxi and just pick up your pram and put in the back of the cab without having to collapse it."

 

OH, SHUT UP WITH YOU AND YOUR PRAM.

 

And your long blonde locks and your height and your career and your "perfect" Brit rocker husband (Coldplay is gay), and your two kids and your blabbity blabbity blah SHUT UP.

 

Pram.

 

Bite me.

 

http://annealtman.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-think-im-so-great-my-name-is-gwyneth.html

 

Eeeeew. What's with the anti-American sentiment and the fake accents that are so common among the ex patriot community over there in London? I mean, of COURSE London's got more civilized people; it costs a king's ransom to live there. Makes NYC seem like Jonesboro, Arkansas in comparison. And where'd these broads make all their movies/music/whatever and their money, huh? HERE. First, it's Linda McCartney, urging you to "go veggie" in an annoying Brit accent (remember Linda was an American), then Madonna, and now Gwyneth waxing on about London with her "I love the fact that you can hail a taxi and just pick up your pram and put in the back of the cab without having to collapse it."

 

OH, SHUT UP WITH YOU AND YOUR PRAM.

 

And your long blonde locks and your height and your career and your "perfect" Brit rocker husband (Coldplay is gay), and your two kids and your blabbity blabbity blah SHUT UP.

 

Pram.

 

Bite me.

 

http://annealtman.blogspot.com/2006/12/i-think-im-so-great-my-name-is-gwyneth.html

 

I'm sure she'll be delighted to know her blog is now so famous!!:rolleyes:

Serves her right for posting it on the public WWW! ;)

honestly though, i agree with her . Britain is a lot better than the U.S, but that's just my opinion. And obviously don't take this in a bad way either, because i know many americans are going to get offended. Even if it is just a comment.

I love GP. I don't care what she says about the U.S. because she has a right to- she a citizen.

At first I was like "WTF?" when I read that she said that all americans talk about at dinner is money. That makes us sound so superficial. Well, our celebrities may be but most of our ordinary citizens aren't. But so what if we talk about money. At my dinner table my parents talk about $$ for like five minutes before they go "How was work/ how was school?" Maybe americans talk about $ because they have to! My parents talk about it because it's an issue! We've got bills to pay!

 

But what she said/ or did not say confirms that this country is going downhill fast, in it's culture, it's politics, etc.

There's not much love for the U.S. these days. :\