Proof
Consider the documentary that a Dutch channel made about Andy Schleck's attempt to win the Tour this year. In that documentary, producers missed a small detail, and failed to realize that broadcasting Jakob Fuglsang's phone number was probably not a very good idea. Similarly, Andy Schleck failed to realize that misspelling his teammate's first AND last name, and then showing it on camera, might not be a good thing.
I've taken the liberty to blur out the last two numbers, since producers didn't. Apparently Dutch television doesn't know that every phone number in the world starts with "555"
It's certainly possible that the number shown on screen is actually for a pizza place in Denmark, and that Fuglsang merely works there during afternoons so that his calls can't be traced. But I guess it's also possible that his phone number was just aired on Dutch television as he called Andy Schleck from his cell phone, in order to meet up before a training ride. It's also possible that Andy Schleck just doesn't know how to spell the name of a guy he will be asking big favors from in July.
Other details
Fuglsang's possible employment at a Danish pizza shop aside, other details are far more obvious and easy to spot. Consider this picture of Lampre riders Damiano Cunego and Alessandro Ballan, which somehow also features CHiPs star, and latino heartthrob Erik Estrada humping a Willier bike.
Other details
Fuglsang's possible employment at a Danish pizza shop aside, other details are far more obvious and easy to spot. Consider this picture of Lampre riders Damiano Cunego and Alessandro Ballan, which somehow also features CHiPs star, and latino heartthrob Erik Estrada humping a Willier bike.
via Ten Speed Hero
Lastly, I should point out that small details aren't always small details at all. Like when Paris-Roubaix winner Johan Vansummeren, and a recently exonerated* Thomas Dekker wear blackface.
*By the healing and regenerative powers vested in Garmin-Cervelo
*By the healing and regenerative powers vested in Garmin-Cervelo
via Ciclismo Espresso
After looking at that picture, those you who are worldly and familiar with Dutch and Belgian traditions are surely hurrumphing right now, dying to point out that these two are merely dressed up at Black Pete, Santa's slave (uh...I mean, "helper" or "assistant"). You probably also want to point out that is a tradition which is as old as...welll...as old as slavery and colonization actually.
While the story of Black Pete, and the fact that it makes white Europeans put on blackface has drawn criticism from many, I will now try to put that aside by summoning every bit of me that believes in cultural relativism. Cultural relativism (if you were too lazy to click on the link), dictates that a person's beliefs and activities are best understood by others within that individual's own culture. That means that unless you're not Dutch, you won't fully understand the true significance, meaning, or historical context of why Johann Vansummeren is wearing blackface. It also means that he will never fully understand your objection to it (particularly if you're an American). As such, Vansummeren is not wearing blackface within the American context, but rather dressing up as Santa's "assistant", which is completely accepted within the Dutch milieu. So in a way, cultural relativism is just a way for individuals and entire nations so simply say, "dude, that's not what I meant at all."
Cultural relativism is a concept I personally know well, since I use it often in order to not get grossed out and irate when I see some Americans dip their pizza in ranch dressing. Similarly, it's a concept that my American wife knows well, as she tries hard not to laugh when I tell her that according to my Colombian upbringing it's absolutely impossible for me to hand a salt shaker to her, because it would bring us both incredibly bad luck.
So....since I've been the recipient of cultural relativism's many blessings, why not extend that level of understanding to Andy Schleck, and simply assume that he spells Jakob Fuglsang's name wrong due to his Luxembourgish upbringing? Similarly, let's just tell ourselves that Jakob Fuglsang's eyebrows are normal in Denmark, and not creepy at all due to the severe amount of sculpting they received at the beauty parlor.
And since we've now let Schleck and Fuglsang off the hook, can we also forgive Erik Estrada for humping a bike, and Johann Vansummeren for wearing blackface?
That may prove to be a bit harder to do, since most of us still have trouble with actors sexually assaulting bikes, and cyclists wearing blackface. As it turns out, there's some things that even cultural relativism can't help us resolve.
While the story of Black Pete, and the fact that it makes white Europeans put on blackface has drawn criticism from many, I will now try to put that aside by summoning every bit of me that believes in cultural relativism. Cultural relativism (if you were too lazy to click on the link), dictates that a person's beliefs and activities are best understood by others within that individual's own culture. That means that unless you're not Dutch, you won't fully understand the true significance, meaning, or historical context of why Johann Vansummeren is wearing blackface. It also means that he will never fully understand your objection to it (particularly if you're an American). As such, Vansummeren is not wearing blackface within the American context, but rather dressing up as Santa's "assistant", which is completely accepted within the Dutch milieu. So in a way, cultural relativism is just a way for individuals and entire nations so simply say, "dude, that's not what I meant at all."
Cultural relativism is a concept I personally know well, since I use it often in order to not get grossed out and irate when I see some Americans dip their pizza in ranch dressing. Similarly, it's a concept that my American wife knows well, as she tries hard not to laugh when I tell her that according to my Colombian upbringing it's absolutely impossible for me to hand a salt shaker to her, because it would bring us both incredibly bad luck.
So....since I've been the recipient of cultural relativism's many blessings, why not extend that level of understanding to Andy Schleck, and simply assume that he spells Jakob Fuglsang's name wrong due to his Luxembourgish upbringing? Similarly, let's just tell ourselves that Jakob Fuglsang's eyebrows are normal in Denmark, and not creepy at all due to the severe amount of sculpting they received at the beauty parlor.
And since we've now let Schleck and Fuglsang off the hook, can we also forgive Erik Estrada for humping a bike, and Johann Vansummeren for wearing blackface?
That may prove to be a bit harder to do, since most of us still have trouble with actors sexually assaulting bikes, and cyclists wearing blackface. As it turns out, there's some things that even cultural relativism can't help us resolve.
"Andy Schleck doesn't know how to spell the name of a guy he will be asking big favors from in July." lulz.
ReplyDeleteBased on Twitter posts, Adny (or Frnak) can't sepll much of ayntihng.
ReplyDeleteMy mum is on holiday in Amsterdam at the moment and only 2 days ago we Skyped and she told me about seeing a whole procession of people with blackface following St. Nic down the road. She was stunned such a practice is still acceptable (it would not be back in England) and as an expat living in Australia, I was shocked too.
ReplyDeleteHaving said that, a TV variety show over here called "Hey Hey it's Saturday" did a blackface skit a couple of years ago when Harry Connick Jr. was a guest star. He voiced his disgust of the act after it was run and while the show's host apologisd to him on air, the feedback from many people in the news afterwards (it was a pretty big story here) was that many people thought he "should get a sense of humour". I like a laugh, but I'm struggling to find much to laugh about in regards to slavery.
That estrada picture is great. Good finds.
ReplyDeleteI believe Jakob is also wearing makeup. We have come a long way from the days of the Cannibal.
ReplyDeleteAn obscure, but very DETAIL ORIENTED link between cycling, Belgians and slavery:
ReplyDeleteBy the final decade of the 19th century, J. B. Dunlop’s 1887 invention of inflatable, rubber bicycle tubes and the growing popularity of the automobile dramatically increased the global demand for rubber. To monopolize the resources of the entire CFS, Leopold issued three decrees in 1891 and 1892 that reduced the native population to serfs.[5] Collectively, these forced the natives to deliver all ivory and rubber, harvested or found, to State officers thus nearly completing Leopold’s monopoly of the ivory and rubber trade.[3]
Snap.
As a high school History teacher, I can confirm Belgium Bastard's comments. The birth of the "cycling craze" dramatically increased the price of rubber and as the Belgium Congo had almost all of the rubber trees in existance at the time, this was a real cash-cow of King Leopold of Belgium. The treatmnt of the local people of the Congo was harsh to say the least;
ReplyDelete"Any suggestion of non-cooperation was treated with force, but the European masters mistrusted their native soldiers, therefore, a policy of cutting off hands was used. For each cartridge issued to their soldiers they demanded proof that the bullet had been used to kill someone and not wasted on hunting or worse yet, saved for possible use in a mutiny. The standard proof was the right hand of a corpse.... Sometimes soldiers shot a cartridge at an animal in hunting (or missed their human target). In 1896 a news report was published in Germany saying that 1308 severed hands had been given to one district commissioner in a single day." (Hochschild 1998)
Between 1890-1910 at the height of the rubber boom, an estimated eight million Congolese died from the combined effects of the savage regime and introduced diseases. The Belgium Congo is not an isolated case though. An estimated 50% of the indigenous population was lost in French Equatorial Africa.
The history of the humble bicycle is not as clean-cut as we are often led to believe.
who would have thunk that I would gain knowledge about history, sociology, etc. from a cycling blog. Klaus, you rock!
ReplyDeleteI have been reading this post for a while, but my first comment. Excellent piece. The Hochschild cite is from "King Leopold's Ghost", a compelling story of the Belgian king's personal fiefdom, the Congo.
ReplyDeleteI have to say that I'm consistently impressed by the level of readership I have. Honestly, I'm humbled.
ReplyDeleteThats a really stupid thing i have seen that vid already a lot and i didnt see that he writed the name wrong and that his number was in it
ReplyDelete