Behind the LOLs: Ireland forced to take EU bailout

This piece on the Irish bailout is very close to my heart.


Why? First of all, we explained the Irish banking crisis with leprechauns and Riverdancers. Illustrating economics and international relations with crude national stereotypes is an NMA specialty. But the real reason is because I got to slip in a reference to Father Ted, my favorite television sitcom of all time.

I love how many of the youtube commenters are mad about the broad use of "Oirish" stereotypes, yet there is simultaneously suspicion from others that this piece isn't "really" made in Taiwan because the specificity of the cultural references, especially the one to Father Ted. Seriously, we live in a globalized world, people! Folks move around and cultural products move around...there's nothing inauthentic about it.

Anyhow. Father Ted. Best show ever. Every episode is gold. But the clip linked below, which contains the relevant reference to the animated piece, is as good a place to start as any:

Down with this sort of thing!

The talented Mr. Battlepanda (also a big fan of Father Ted) contributed a fine portrait of Father Jack for the occasion.

The Battlepanda on Conan! Sort of!

Yes, that is my voice you hear in Chinese over the animation. For the record, Conan, that animation is made in Taiwan, not Hong Kong! And the guys in the suits are Letterman and Kimmel.

Kimmel doesn't really look like Kimmel, 'tis true. I gave the animation department a face shot of him that doesn't really show his full figure so they didn't make him fat enough. As for Conan's hair, it's really not tall and orange enough even though I told the guys and gals in animation that's Conan's trademark. Apart from that, they did a great job on a turn-around time that is just astounding.

The animations themselves are getting great hits on youtube. The Chinese version, which is far more popular, just passed 100,000 hits. The English version is at a respectable 16,000 or so. Boing Boing linked to it, as did HuffPo, Gawker TV, DeadSpin and Defamer.

And now, I have a burning question for the blogisphere: Who/what would you like Apple Daily to animate next?