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"Cheese-eating surrender monkeys" is an insulting phrase, referring to the French, which gained notoriety in the United States, particularly in the run-up to the war in Iraq. This article deals with the post-invasion period in Iraq and its occupation. ...
The phrase was first used by the dour Scottish character Groundskeeper Willie in the television cartoon series The Simpsons to describe the French. The "surrender" element of the phrase refers to the rapid collapse of French military resistance in 1940 in the face of the German forces, and the subsequent collaboration by the Vichy government. The implicit characterization of the French as cowards, and the description of the Battle of France as a surrender is—as promulgators of the phrase likely intend—regarded by many as highly offensive. Royal motto: Nemo me impune lacessit (English: No one provokes me with impunity) Scotlands location within the United Kingdom Languages English, Gaelic, Scots Capital Edinburgh Largest city Glasgow First Minister Jack McConnell Area - Total - % water Ranked 2nd UK 78,782 km² 1. ...
Groundskeeper Willie is a fictional character in the animated television comedy The Simpsons, voiced by Dan Castellaneta. ...
The Simpsons is an American animated sitcom created by Matt Groening. ...
Surrender is when soldiers give up fighting and become prisoners of war, either as individuals or when ordered to by their officers . ...
Presidential flag of Vichy France Vichy France, or the Vichy regime was the de facto French government of 1940-1944 during the Nazi Germany occupation of World War II. Now known in French as the Régime de Vichy or Vichy, during its existence it referred to itself as L...
Cowardice is a vice. ...
Combatants Allies (France, Britain, Canada, Poland, Belgium, Netherlands) Germany, Italy Commanders Maurice Gamelin, Maxime Weygand (French) Lord Gort (British Expeditionary Force) Gerd von Rundstedt (Army Group A) Fedor von Bock (Army Group B) Wilhelm von Leeb (Army Group C) Strength 144 divisions 13,974 guns 3,384 tanks 3,099...
The Simpsons episode "'Round Springfield" first aired on April 30, 1995; in it the local school, Springfield Elementary, has succumbed to budget cuts. Lunchlady Doris states, "they've even got Groundskeeper Willie teaching French." The next shot is of Willie as a teacher, saying "'bonjourrrrr, you cheese-eatin' surrender monkeys!" The character of Groundskeeper Willie is known for his grumpiness and animosity; he reserves particular venom for the French. His attempt to speak French with an extremely heavy accent provides much of the comedy in the scene. Round Springfield is the 22nd episode of the sixth season, and the 125th episode of The Simpsons. ...
April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining, as the last day in April. ...
1995 (MCMXCV in Roman) was a common year starting on Sunday of the Gregorian calendar. ...
Lunchlady Doris In the animated series The Simpsons, Lunchlady Doris (voiced by Doris Grau) is an overweight, middle-aged, and laconic worker at the Springfield Elementary School cafeteria. ...
It was Willie's only line in the episode.
The line was first picked up and used predominantly by Republican American politicians and publications. They were led, according to UK daily The Guardian, by Jonah Goldberg, a columnist for the US bi-weekly National Review. France opposed many U.S. positions and actions, in particular the 2003 invasion of Iraq. Some argue the phrase's success reflects deep antipathy in the U.S. against countries such as France who oppose the U.S. in international forums. The phrase, and similar opprobrious comparisons, have been used more frequently by some U.S. media outlets, such as the New York Post and commentator John Gibson of the FOX News Channel (both owned by Rupert Murdoch's News Corp.), and commentator Mark Hyman of the Sinclair Broadcasting Group. The Republican Party, often called the GOP (for Grand Old Party, although one early citation described it as the Gallant Old Party) [1], is one of the two major political parties in the United States. ...
The Guardian is a British newspaper owned by the Guardian Media Group. ...
Jonah Jacob Goldberg (born March 21, 1969) is an American conservative commentator, probably best known for his contributions on politics and culture to National Review Online, where he is the editor-at-large. ...
National Review (NR) is a conservative political magazine founded by author William F. Buckley, Jr. ...
The media of the United States consists of several different types of communications media: television, radio, cinema, newspapers, magazines, and Internet-based Web sites. ...
The New York Post is one of the oldest newspapers published in the United States. ...
The Fox News Channel is a top-rated U.S. cable and satellite news channel, which claims that it provides fair & balanced news. ...
Rupert Murdoch Keith Rupert Murdoch (born March 11, 1931) is an Australian-born American media proprietor based in New York City who is a major shareholder and managing director of News Corporation, one of the worlds largest and most influential media corporations. ...
News Corporation (NYSE: NWS) is a media conglomerate that operates world-wide. ...
Mark Hyman is the Vice President for Corporate Relations for Sinclair Broadcast Group, the largest chain of local television stations in the United States. ...
The Sinclair Broadcast Group (SBG) is the operator of the largest number of local television stations in the United States, with a total of 62 stations across the country in 39 small and medium markets. ...
In the European French language version of that Simpsons episode, Willie's line was dubbed as singes mangeurs de fromage (cheese-eating monkeys).
In December 2005, the phrase was used by British Eurosceptic Nigel Farage who said of the French President, Jacques Chirac, "No cheese-eating surrender monkey, he", in his unflattering comparison to Tony Blair during a European Parliament session following Blair's brokering of the EU budget deal. Nigel Paul Farage is an English politician, and United Kingdom Independence Party member of the European Parliament for South East England. ...
(help· info) CQ, (born November 29, 1932 in Paris) is a French politician who is currently President of the French Republic. ...
Anthony Charles Lynton Blair (born 6 May 1953) is the Prime Minister of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, First Lord of the Treasury and Minister for the Civil Service. ...
See also
Freedom fries were famous anti-France propaganda by U.S. representatives Robert W. Ney and Walter B. Jones in 2003. ...
The Simpsons, an animated television series, has used and coined many neologisms for humorous effect. ...
The Simpsons has been dubbed into the French language twice, once in Quebec and again in France in both versions the show is named Les Simpson, as last names are not pluralized in French. ...
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