I watched exactly one of JJ McCullough's videos. He's a right-wing asshole, and every time he says "abOOt" is like fingernails dragging across my soul.
I was recommended a video of his for the first time last week. I watched it all the way through and blocked his channel from being recommended ever again.
I stopped following/listening to JJ about 2 years ago.
Around the time of the 'trucker convoy' when it became clear he represented a political agenda & interests I will never share, nor support.
I consider myself fortunate that I have no idea who this is. I'm going to assume he's one of those substitutes that are supplanting real journalists, academics and intellectuals.
Anti-Americanism has been a driving force in Canadian culture my entire life. When I was a kid, we'd link arms and chant:
Hey, Hey, Get out of my way! I just came back from the USA!
while walking down the sidewalk, until an adult told us to smarten up and behave ourselves or they'd tell our dads.
“Podium is an Americanism” That got me wondering about the history. Turns out, even colloquially speaking that thing he’s referring to is a lectern, not a podium. A podium is the platform the lectern might be placed on. Both terms are deeply historic and have been around for hundreds of years!
So lecterns and podiums as old as classical era European history, but there is something particularly interesting about American political lecterns: the types of presidential lecterns have special names! Apparently the main, big boxy (bullet proof) one is called the “blue goose”.
On the other hand, there’s something particularly interesting about Canadian podiums: in the sport context (think “Olympic podiums”) the first time podiums were ever used for winners to stand on was at the 1930 “British Empire Games” in Hamilton, Ontario!!
I dunno, that guy is obviously an idiot, but glad he made be look into the history of two random items I take for granted. It’s always more interesting than you’d expect.
I often think about how glad I am to be Canadian. We don't have active shooter drills in our schools, politicians who hang around into their 80's women have control over their own bodies. Why would I have any interest in being American.
I’ve enjoyed a lot of his videos, but in Jan I saw a different side of him that kind of changed my view (It was when he was on the Bulwark for the second time). I know he’s Conservative, and tries to stay centre view in his videos, but sometimes he says things that don’t really land in the moment.
LOL that's exactly why he's not. No one, I mean no one, have I ever heard say "aboot", in Canada, my whole life. I always wondered where this came from. JJ literally is the first person I've ever heard say that word in that way. I think it's fake, just like he is.
My whole family is from Nova Scotia and I've never heard anyone say "aboot". There is an accent but the way JJ says it "A" "Boot", I've literally heard no one say this except him and Americans who think we say that when we don't.
Unsurprising that you haven't heard it. Most people don't think they have an accent because accents are heard by others. Americans tend to talk with a more open mouth. If you say about with a more closed mouth it has a hint of aboot. American speakers who always hear ab-ow-t will pick up on the oo.
Oh for sure we have accents. But no one says “a” “boot”. “A” “boat” they do in some places. So no dispute there. But the way JJ says is is not said anywhere. I think he does that on purpose. Even I was surprised how he said it.
And not to pile on too much, but one doesn't stand "at" a podium. One stands ON a podium. (pódion=small foot, e.g., a podiatrist treats feet) A podium is a small platform, e.g., the medal winner's podium during the Olympics.
One stands behind a lectern to give a speech or to lecture.
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Bud, just move to America. Right leaning grifters are in high demand, you can make it work.
Around the time of the 'trucker convoy' when it became clear he represented a political agenda & interests I will never share, nor support.
Hey, Hey, Get out of my way! I just came back from the USA!
while walking down the sidewalk, until an adult told us to smarten up and behave ourselves or they'd tell our dads.
(shady link to my merch store: ....)
Parrots can't.
Which JJ is not, I believe.
And JJ just reads it as "A-Boot🦉", for some reason.
What a doofus.
Other than his overwrought affect and tokenism, I thought he was mostly harmless.
He's become increasingly Rogan-esque since he started showing up on American podcasts (Bulwark, etc) as a caricature of a CDN.
One stands behind a lectern to give a speech or to lecture.
#DumbAss