The Rittenhouse Review

A Philadelphia Journal of Politics, Finance, Ethics, and Culture


Sunday, September 22, 2002  

A READER WRITES . . .
For Real?

To: Rittenhouse Review
Subject: East Timor
Sent: Sunday, September 22, 2002

To The Rittenhouse Review:

Are you sure your article about Finnish becoming East Timor's language isn't from The Onion? It sounds remarkably like the scene in “Bananas” where the revolution has succeeded and the leader announces that Swedish will now be the national language.

Yours truly,
Ron
Zanesville, Ohio

~~~~~

Dear Ron:

Thank you for reminding me of “Bananas,” one of director Woody Allen’s earlier, somewhat funnier films. Although Allen is one of my many muses of late, I can assure you that the story indeed comes not from The Onion but from Helsingin Sanomat.

Now, it’s possible, given my limited grasp of Finnish, that Sanomat is a satirical publication, though the paper’s articles on domestic and international news generally appear to me to be well grounded in reality. However, with the Finns being such an outgoing, gregarious, talkative, boisterous, and rowdy people (Not!), I’ll admit I may have been completely taken in by their wry sense of humor. I’ll keep you posted.

Thank you for visiting the site and for writing to The Rittenhouse Review.

Yours truly,
James M. Capozzola, Editor

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