MovieChat Forums > Fawlty Towers (1975) Discussion > Was this the first time we saw the Ugly ...

Was this the first time we saw the Ugly American personifcation?

posted 11 years ago by burtsbeesfan
50 replies | jump to latest

Obviously this character only appeared once but it's become a generalization about us Yanks that's been recounted again and again. I'm sure it existed before but it's like how certain types of people are known about before we see them represented in art. Was Fawlty Towers the first to depict this?

Yes, you could argue the Ugly American is a stereotype but there is some basis on reality. And yes, I'm American. And no, I don't like fresh squeezed orange juice I like store bought, why do you ask?

[–] Snaggelpuss 8 years ago

Where do you think they got him from?

From ugly yank experiences/stories from before then.

They didnt invent it

[–] GayBoi1 8 years ago

Where do you think they got him from?

From ugly yank experiences/stories from before then.

Where do you think "yanks" came from to begin with? That's right, from your England.

[–] sambda 8 years ago

Well, he was being a bit unreasonable when he puts the menu to one side and asks for a (non-menu) Waldorf Salad. I don't know where he thinks he is, but even the best kitchen in its class of that size is very unlikely to have on hand all the ingredients required. It's a place which seats about 20 people, FFS - it's hardly going to have grapes, walnuts and celery all in stock at once!

[–] brux (14840) 7 years ago

I remember when my family was taking a trip through West Texas as a kid we stopped at this restaurant that served a head of lettuce cut in quarters as a salad! get got a good laugh out of that ... I wonder who they could afford to buy and then throw away heads of lettuce like that for no reason.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I guess in Texas thats punishment for ordering salad instead of a slice of cow ...

[–] Scott-101 8 years ago

I think that particular American was the ugliest character on the whole show, he demanded service when the kitchen was closed, didn't listen, and was highly abrasive.

I didn't like that personification of Americans at all

[–] GayBoi1 8 years ago

I think that particular American was the ugliest character on the whole show, he demanded service when the kitchen was closed, didn't listen, and was highly abrasive.

I didn't like that personification of Americans at all

I don't know, Mr. Hutchinson and Mrs. Richards are very close contenders for the ugliest character title. Both were British characters and both were very demanding and ignorant just like the American guy. Mr. Hutchinson being picky about everything and expecting a hotel restaurant to have fresh from the garden peas and screaming and causing a scene in the end and of course Mrs. Richards.

[–] brux (14840) 7 years ago

I started out thinking that too, and then at the end of it I got to thinking that as abrasive as he was, he had a point. Closing the kitchen or not being able to make some simple food for a guess is terrible service. And the Fawlty taking money and the whole rest of it ... hilarious.

Incidentally, the man who played the American was the first or one of the first generals of the rebellion in Star Wars. Not a huge career, but what he was in he chose some pretty memorable roles.

Then at the end all of the rest of the guests rebelled against Fawlty with him, but Fawlty got them back by leaving and then coming back and checking in as a guest demanding a Waldord Salad!

Totally hilarious episode.

[–] marktayloruk (2590) 3 years ago

Hutchinson- Basil meets a bigger prat than him!

[–] Otter (24464) 7 years ago

Let's see... The oldest depiction of the "Ugly American" tourist i can think of is from Mark Twain's 1869 book "The Innocents Abroad".

It's about the very first package tour of Europe and the Middle East offered to Americans, for which Twain bought a ticket because of the narvelous opportunities to mock the coarseness and ignorance of 19th century Americans abroad. So yes, as Dawn broke on the era of the modern American tourist area, someone was there to make fun of their "ugly American" behavior.

[–] brux (14840) 7 years ago

Funny how Mark Twain is pretty much the greatest American writer, and yet he can take the piss out on Americans with the best of them. A man with an incredible grasp or irony and satire.

[–] [deleted] 6 years ago

I guess you've answered the thread there.

The first depiction was the minute an American tourist wenbtr abroad , and buy an American too!

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

I was thinking it had to predate the 70s. Just had to. But by golly, I wasn't going to start doing any research! So thank you for bringing this to our attention.

[–] Otter (24464) 3 years ago

I'm sure there are earlier examples, but I'm stuffed if I'm going to slog through Victorian novels for examples, or see if anyone in Paris started mocking Thomas Jefferson for being a moche américain back in 1776.

Anyone else?

[–] ducksoup (3933) 3 years ago

I'm sure the Boston tea party must have been seen internationally as "the Americans are doing what now? How frightfully boring!"

[–] brux (14840) 7 years ago

My God ... who doesn't like fresh squeezed orange juice?

[–] [deleted] 5 years ago

I remember first seeing that episode and being annoyed with that character for that very reason (Ugly American stereotype), but looking back at all of the episodes, I think that the obnoxious British guy in the hotel inspector episode (the one who looked like Hitler, LOL) was 10X worse.

[–] Adam60z (3781) 5 years ago

Well the term "ugly American" comes from a 1958 novel (see below). It was part of the reason JFK established the Peace Corp. Anyway it's supposed to be a classic, which I plan to read soon.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Ugly_American

[–] jk90us (8232) 7 days ago

> Yes, you could argue the Ugly American is a stereotype but there is some basis on reality.

I’m a Yank and I thought that scene was great.

As for it being a stereotype, it’s only a stereotype if they try to imply all members of a specific group (race/gender/sexuality/nationality) act that way.

If they don’t then go for it.

Because I don’t care how over the top you make a character (race/gender/sexuality/nationality), they exist in the real world.

And if they exist, then they can be used.

The only time someone gripes that it’s a stereotype is when they don’t want to admit someone like that character exists in their group.