October 10, 2007
James Oddo's Outburst: Awesome or Awful?
The video of City Councilman James Oddo letting the f-bombs drop on a Norwegian TV comedian is getting mixed reactions - and a fair number of chuckles - from New Yorkers, but now it turns out that he wasn't meant to be a poor sap duped into answering stupid questions about whether Barack Obama is an American citizen and "Hillary Clinton's incident with a cigar."
A spokesman for the Norwegian program "Rikers Rost" tells the Staten Island Advance that the interviewer, Pia Haraldsen, was supposed to be, well, roasted: "Creating a situation where the person being interviewed has some problems understanding what's going on because it's a tad absurd, that's where the comedy lies. I believe most people, at least in Norway, understand that this is about the ignorant, blonde stereotype's lack of knowledge." Ohhh - it was supposed to be one big blond joke. That makes so much nonsense.
Some people feel that Oddo embarrassed Staten Island - and Italian-Americans - but others were thrilled. One email Oddo got, per the Advance, read: "Your response to those liberal European d-bags was the greatest thing I have ever seen. I love how you did not take any [expletive] from them when they tried to get you to say something bad. I am a Texan and I have a lot of pride in that, but I can say don't [expletive] with a true New Yorker!"
Oddo himself told the Advance, "Obviously, do I regret demonstrating a truncated list of the vocabulary words I memorized? Yeah...I have a good sense of humor. I didn't find anything funny about these questions. The implication was we're a racist country. That's what the Obama question was. The Hillary Clinton question was beyond the pale."
The Daily News published an editorial in support of Oddo: "Ourselves, we salute the man as a genuine Stand-Up New Yorker. Our compliments...Reality TV at its absolute very finest. Oh, let's watch it again."
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Awesome.
+10
Your poll should really have an option for, "Completely unremarkable and not worth reporting."
I'm sure that Oddo's ranting and cursing resonated well with most of his more thugish constituents. However, it seems doubtful that an obviously out-of-control politician would appeal to the majority of voters. Why couldn't he have handled that ridiculous comedy troup with razor wit and dignity instead of coming off like a raving lunatic?
Apparently Oddo doesn't aspire to higher office. LOL
He has my vote for Mayor, SecDef or Ambassador to the UN.
It kind of reminds me of an episode of the tv program, THE OFFICE.
Oddo: "I don't know what game you're playing at, but it's not the game I'm playing." Ha, ha. So what is the game Oddo is playing?
Councilman James Oddo doesn't come across as particularly intelligent or level-headed. And this wasn't even what I would call a crisis situation. What is he like when the pressure is really on him?
He was obviously baited by that Norwegian comedy troupe and he fell for the bait--hook, line and sinker. They got their video.
no one seems to have noticed that he threatens to "beat the shit out of" them.
not cool.
Oddo needs to settle down, marry a wonderful woman, and start a family. Domestic life might have a positive effect on him.
But then again, it might not be easy finding a decent woman who would put up with that kind of behavior.
I respect his point of view and his conviction to being straightforward but he deflected responsibility for the f-bomb usage like another political creep. He lost my support right there.
He showed his true colors and they are not too bright.
Remember if you feel good about a politician for the duration of a nanosecond you should get your head examined.
Hope runs for President and kicks all the leftist in the ass. hahahaahahaha
Do we really care that a politician throws around f-bombs just like the rest of us? Big effing deal. If he didn't threaten to beat the crap out of those folks, I'd be laughing harder, though. This just proves, once again, that Scandinavians can't be funny.
Hyeah,
Do we need a reminder that most people in office are total dumbasses?
#12 And what does that say about the people who voted for them?
#13
Voting only encourages them.
I follow politics, as I assume you do.
What are the choices?
I'm not cynical. I just want intelligent politicians. Let's not even talk about the field shaping up for the presidential election...
Woe is us.
Oddo was correct in his vitriolic reaction to the Norwegian idiots. However: he was wrong to threaten bodily harm, even taking off his coat to suggest that he would.
www.forgotten-ny.com
Aw come on, he just flipped out.
Oddo's words and actions were way out of proportion to the circumstances. I suspect that the Honorable Oddo has something of a big ego and doesn't take well to anything construed as a threat to said ego. In other words, don't dis him.
Makes you wonder how he treats his staff.
the dude needs xanax
I always vote democrat but frankly, I'd vote for Oddo tomorrow if I could (I don't live in his district). The best part is when he takes off his jacket. The man does NOT take shit.
I like him. He can represent me any day.
Nice photo choice.
I just prefer him to just stay as Constable of Deep Space 9.
This sounds like the way some foreign country would report an interview by The Daily Show.
He might have taken his jacket off to remove the microphone
Oddo's hair plugs do adequate service to the interests of his constituents.
Jim is sexy when he's mad. hot hot hot!
Jimmy really got pissed off because the blond didn't ask any questions about the merits of wooden versus metal bats.
P3WNage!
They were mocking all Americans with their
"Barack is not an American because he's African American" and Hillary's Lewinsky Cigar jabs.
They think they're soooooooooooo sophisticated with their supercilious condescension. They were trying to make an ass out of him and Oddo wasn't havin' any of it.
Love it! Tearing the Eurotards a new one.
And the dude is a Republican! Go figure...
I heard that the joke was supposed to be on the blond, Mr. Hyperventilating Guest #26. "Dumb blond asking stupid questions" is a big hit in Scandinavia.
"I heard that the joke was supposed to be on the blond, Mr. Hyperventilating Guest #26. "Dumb blond asking stupid questions" is a big hit in Scandinavia."
Considering they're just about all blonde that is retarded.
Also, as said before, it was an ali-g style concept that completely backfired.
Matty, really? They are all blond? Thanks for pointing out the obvious. Are you blond, too?
As I said, I heard that the joke was supposed to be on the interviewer asking dumb questions as much as the interviewee answering them. Apparently, neither worked out in the end.
Or at least as I was trying to imply I should say.
Backfired? From whose point of view? The Norwegian "reporter" in the video is practically laughing. The so-called "comedy" troupe got their off-the-wall video.
I suspect they knew beforehand that Oddo had a short fuse and could be easily set off. So, they decided to play him and see what happens.
Yeah, it definitely lacks the subtlety and sly wit of a lot of Ali-G's interviews, but humor is a subjective thing. In a society where most people are polite and controlled, I guess that seeing someone completely losing it could be seen as hilarious.
Awesome, coz he's kinda hot.
Disgraceful guido threatening to kick a woman's ass. He should be ashamed of himself and if he has a wife, check for bruises. Disgusting behavior, resign.
I totally agree with #15. I'm so sick of this style of "ambush humor" -- even if he'd responded intelligently and calmly it probably would have been edited to make him look foolish.
#28 - Backfired? From whose point of view. I think that Norwegian "reporter" got the off-the-wall video she wanted.
I suspect that they knew in advance that Oddo was known for his short fuse. So they just decided to play him to see what happens.
And yeah, this video certainly doesn't have the sly wit or subtlety of many of Ali-G's interviews.
Humor is a subjective thing. In a country where the majority of people are polite and controlled, it's possible that seeing someone completely flipping out is considered hilarious.
I'm not a New Yorker but I thought it was awesome. Like the Daily News, I'm going to go watch it again.
Fortune Cookie Say: "Better for Councilman to make big fuss over nothing than to actually have to WORK for living"
The questions were geared towards racism against Obama and that american people of all races would not elect an African American because of that. The question about Hillary was clearly meant to get a rise out of and corner a known republican. Good for the councilman to put a stop to the BS and throw the so called reporters and crew out. I would not have blown my top like he did and threatened violence but just like him, I would not have put up with it and would have used choice words. So this Rikers Rost program is taking up time from Oddo just to make a joke on the blonde asking the questions, in their own words. ... uh, yeah, got to love that Norwegian humor, not. They got what they deserved.
I wonder how some of you would feel if they were interviewing a known Democrat like Pelosi or Kennedy. Would you feel the same about the reaction? I know I would, would you?
This councilman is, even for a New Yorker, a crass low-life, and has zero class.
Makes me doubly proud to be a citizen of a more civilized state.
James Oddo is worth little more than door mat material.
keith whaley
I live in Norway, and I must say that the program "Rikets Røst" is a big hit in Norway. I'm among the group of people who loves this show.
But there is one thing I do not understand. Why do the american people blow this interview up into the sky? Pia has interviewed a lot of people around the world with almost the same outcome, but nobody seemed to care about that. But in your country it's a biiiiiiiig case!!!!
Hmmm.....