"I am and will continue to be the most successful of the British talent" - Sheamus

Downlinz

In an interview about the new WWE All-Stars video game. Don't have a link but its in the latest Gamesmaster.

Disappointing to say the least.

Hercule

prob originally said "british isles" or hes just a big turncoat :rolleyes:

glenjamin

Was he trying to stay in character?

flahavaj

Make believe character playing make believe bad-guy role makes controversial, heel like statement. Hardly anything earth-shattering.

jaykhunter

I hate it when Americans "confuse" Irish with part of England (as I'm sure Scotland and Wales do).

...in the Simpsons Pierce Broznan is worried about losing his "British Charm" and Cillian Murphy has also been described as British talent.

I wouldn't bat an eyelid if Finlay said it (even though he's booked as being from the Catholic part of Belfast lol) since he's from Northern Ireland but Sheamo mate, you big Clonsilla scumma!

Just stick with "European" mate :P

Gerard.C

He took the soup

parker kent

Is it really that big of a deal? As Flah says, he's a heel in character. Though you'd need to see it to really comment.

GTR63

Is there anything thats more cringeworthy than these lame in character interviews. Cole has said Sheamus is from the Uk before. Maybe GLAAD could set up Sheamus with a Irish History course or point him in the direction of a Map. Remember when Rey Mysterio said he hopes Mexico do well in EURO 2008,what a idiot.

Ridley

GTR63 wrote: »

Maybe GLAAD could set up Sheamus with a Irish History course or point him in the direction of a Map.

"GLAAD, why did you bring me to a gay steel mill?"

Bounty Hunter

I'd imagine an American asked him something about how he and other British wrestlers seem to be doing well atm and instead of correcting the interviewer and making him feel foolish he probably just in character reminded the interviewer that he stands alone as the most succesful of the people he's asking about.

Ridley

Is it worth pointing out that GamesMaster is a British magazine and that the quote has no context?

Need more to go on, Mr. Downlinz.

jaykhunter

Ah.

I wonder how annoyed Canucks would get being called American. Or Kazaks being called a$$holes uzbekistanians. (sorry, Borat quote )

keane2097

A fair few people in America think of Ireland as part of the UK, he's pandering to his audience, as any professional should.

DEFTLEFTHAND

keane2097 wrote: »

A fair few people in America think of Ireland as part of the UK, he's pandering to his audience, as any professional should.

Why should he pander to them like this? It only encourages their ignorance and reinforces their belief that Ireland is part of the UK.

Downlinz

The interview was not him in character, it was about promoting the game purely and about how people from this area were doing so well.

The question asked by gamesmaster phrased it specifically identifying the area as "Irish/British", He took it on himself to respond to that calling himself british rather than Irish/British or whatever.

Usual angle from brits, when an Irishman is successful its always fantastic to see someone from the Ireland, UK area doing well. When an englishman is successful its always fantastic to see Brits doing well. Nothing new from them to take that sort of inclusive angle to try and include themselves in the success, just disappointing for him to not distance himself from them or at least not reinforce it.

D.Q

strange one this. Anyone who was at the Irish show last year could see how much it meant to him to be back home though

keane2097

Nothing statement blown out of all proportion by people with an inferiority complex.

Standard Irish male unfortunately.

jaykhunter

Downlinz wrote: »

Usual angle from brits, when an Irishman is successful its always fantastic to see someone from the Ireland, UK area doing well. When an englishman is successful its always fantastic to see Brits doing well. Nothing new from them to take that sort of inclusive angle to try and include themselves in the success, just disappointing for him to not distance himself from them or at least not reinforce it.

Yep. Like I'm overjoyed at Sheamus' success and so happy that someone so talented comes from our shores. I'm also very proud of Barrett as a European but I wouldn't call him Irish; I'm sure he wouldn't appreciate it either as it's simply factually incorrect.

Unfortunately alot of Americans (and Canadians) don't have their non-American basic geography and it annoys me no end. I'm not saying you need to be able to tell which one's Sweden, Finland and Norway, but just know that they're different countries...

we are quite similar to English but we appreciate our individuality as much as the next country.

parker kent

This is much ado about nothing.

partyndbs

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Why should he pander to them like this? It only encourages their ignorance and reinforces their belief that Ireland is part of the UK.

they dont care

keane2097

DEFTLEFTHAND wrote: »

Why should he pander to them like this? It only encourages their ignorance and reinforces their belief that Ireland is part of the UK.

Are you serious? Because it's his job obv.

Vince McMahon doesn't give a fuck whether fans know where Ireland is, and there is absolutely nothing to be gained commercially for the WWE, the owner or the wrestlers by trying to increase peoples' geographical knowledge.

osullic

keane2097 wrote: »

Nothing statement blown out of all proportion by people with an inferiority complex.

Standard Irish male unfortunately.

Very true.

Bodhisopha

He can fuuck himself for that.

Gerard.C

keane2097 wrote: »

Nothing statement blown out of all proportion by people with an inferiority complex.

Standard Irish male unfortunately.

Exactly, not British

keane2097

Gerard.C wrote: »

Exactly, not British

CMpunked

So The Fcuk What?!
Oh we should denounce him as a national of ireland! Get the pitchforks out!

It was a run of the mill interview, he was asked a question and he answered.
I would have thought it more strange if he had to have said something like "I will continue to be the most successful irish talent!". Now that would have confused me! :pac:

Downlinz

Being Irish is well...everything to his persona. His entire character revolves around the uniqueness of his heritage, his very identity is defined in every way by him being an Irishman. He chooses to embrace this side, giving moves Irish names, wearing a celtic cross, speaking as gaelige on his introduction.

Which is fine but if he then has the ignorance to refer to himself as british its very much pandering to british/american audiences with the big $$$ which is a major discredit to him and his character. Lets be the honest the only reason any of us would be a fan of this guy is because of his nationality, if he's being disrespectful towards that the sole reason is gone.

This is the same guy who preaches about Irish pride and how we're the best and so on, of course its a big deal when he spouts ****e like this.

Do you think if a European referred to Bret Hart as an American he'd happily go along with that in an interview?

GTR63

Its a big deal about nothing really,yeah i'd wish he wouldn't say he's British when he isn't but wwe view us as being part of the British Isles.Got to say don't get the Irish having a inferiority complex when WAY too many Americans claim to be of Irish descent.

Bodhisopha

An inferiority complex about him calling himself "British talent"? If anything it's the opposite. Surely pride in oneself and ones nationality is pulling someone else up on it and standing alone as Irish, not British. How is that inferiority?

If the question was put to him that he's British talent he should answer, "i will continue to be the most successful of the British and Irish (or European) talent".

As mentioned, any Canadian would be quick to point out the fact that they're not American.

Ridley

Downlinz wrote: »

Being Irish is well...everything to his persona. His entire character revolves around the uniqueness of his heritage, his very identity is defined in every way by him being an Irishman. He chooses to embrace this side, giving moves Irish names, wearing a celtic cross, speaking as gaelige on his introduction.

Which is fine but if he then has the ignorance to refer to himself as british its very much pandering to british/american audiences with the big $$$ which is a major discredit to him and his character. Lets be the honest the only reason any of us would be a fan of this guy is because of his nationality, if he's being disrespectful towards that the sole reason is gone.

This is the same guy who preaches about Irish pride and how we're the best and so on, of course its a big deal when he spouts ****e like this.

Do you think if a European referred to Bret Hart as an American he'd happily go along with that in an interview?

Just type a paragraph or so from the magazine already. :P

I must say as someone with a dribble of Scottish blood that I was very offended that time Sean Connery said he was Egyptian in Highlander. :pac:

DEFTLEFTHAND

keane2097 wrote: »

Are you serious? Because it's his job obv.

Vince McMahon doesn't give a fuck whether fans know where Ireland is, and there is absolutely nothing to be gained commercially for the WWE, the owner or the wrestlers by trying to increase peoples' geographical knowledge.

I dont get why you say its Sheamus's job to lie about where he comes from.Why would it be any different if he said he was irish instead of brithish.

MitchKoobski

If he said "I will continue to be the most successful of the irish talent", you'd say "he's the only successful irish talent".
Because then it would go into: "Well Finlay is NI, so we wont count him"

Endless cycle, he said british in an interview with a british magazine who wanted to appeal to british readers, deal with it.

glenjamin

Lads, your all talking complete bollocks.

I've read many Sheamus interviews before and nearly in all of them he mentions how proud he is to be Irish and to be the first Irish born WWE Champion. This interview was for some poxy little British magazine where either his words were changed to suit the demographic of the magazine or he said British because he knew he was dealing with a British magazine and it's standard protocol to say you're British or from the British Isles when talking to someone from Britain.

Any who's denouncing Sheamus for not being a true Irishman needs to grow up. Stephen Farrelly is as Irish as they come.

dlofnep

glenjamin wrote: »

it's standard protocol to say you're British or from the British Isles when talking to someone from Britain.

lol, no it isn't.

glenjamin

dlofnep wrote: »

lol, no it isn't.

Meant to could be standard protocol. Just like when some Irish actors refer to themselves as British during interviews.

Ridley

The 02/11 issue of the UK Official Nintendo Magazine said

It's refreshing to see a pasty-white ginger in the ring, especially an Irish one. We love Sheamus because he became famous in America without having to pander to weak Irish stereotypes.

if that's any consolation.

TheTwiz

I think it's quite obvious Sheamus said no such thing. Small magazines edit interviews like this to suit their audience. If anything the interview probably never even took place.