I never found Eric Bana attractive when I thought he was American - then I heard him on Fresh Air and learned he's Australian and hilarious, and now I love him forever. Oh, the power of the accent.
My husband is french and we've never really had any issues about one of us doing more than the other (I cook more, he cleans more, works for me!)...
but I doubt it's because of his nationality. It's because he grew up with a kick-ass mum and sisters, perhaps. Or the fact that he moved overseas straight after school and had to clean up after his own ass. Or maybe, he just respects me??
These kind of nationality-based "studies" kinda annoy me because it reduces personality to a bunch of vaguely racist generalisations.
@keldo: My British husband is so fastidious about our kitchen that he once burned himself trying to clean one of the elements on our stove when it was STILL HOT.
Not so much with the clothes shopping, though. You're a lucky girl!
I have to say some of my English boyfriends were far more house proud than me. One even picked up the gown I had quickly stepped out of and carefully draped it over a sofa after I had blithely flung it onto the bedroom floor. Fortunately he was a lot less fastidious when it came to sex.
@cuteasabutton: interesting attitude, but then how do you explain the rampant chlamydia (among other STIs) and one of the highest levels of teen pregnancy in the world??
@ditriana: I'm not an expert, but I'd venture to guess that it was a joke. Button is known for her delightful irreverence 'round these parts.
The rampant chlamydia, however, I cannot account for.
@morninggloria: Mine's Russian, so making out with him is like drowning in vodka and sex is like romping naked through the steppe. But I'm a sucker for depressed writers who overthrow governments while wearing fuzzy hats.
@morninggloria: Mine is German. He's very efficient and has a constant supply of pretzels, but we live in DC and he's always eyeing the Maryland border in a way that makes me nervous, and those lederhosen are just a fashion don't. The potato salad is good, though.
oh, i'd hire the british/scottish/irish men cleaning service. clive owen can scrub the floors, i'll put gerard butler on shower duty, ewan mcgregor can straighten up the living room, jonathan rhys myers can sweep the front walk, cillian murphy can do the dusting, colin firth can do my dishes and it's all hands on deck in the bedroom.
The man of my house is a son of a bitch. He just naps all day while I bust my ass to bring home the snausages. Then he sheds all over the place, drinks all night and sits on the remote. However, he does at least help clean dishes and the table at night (granted, with his tongue).
So at least he's better than an Australian.
In our defense, if our plan is to flip our house in two years, and 60% of our meals consist of Ruby Tuesday fried onion balls, and the flatscreen we bought on credit in lieu of paying off our student loans obscures the kitchen, what's the point of doing housework?
Housework -- him doing it; let me clarify -- makes any nationality of man more attractive. This is one of those basic concepts. I'm not sure why the Telegraph is having trouble grasping it.
EB is just hawt on principle. If he wants to stop being Aussie and jet over here, that's fine with me.
I don't live with the (British) BF, but when I make dinner he always washes up without me having to ask, and does a great job! His room at his place is tidy when I go round ( he always points out that he tidied it for me!) and he will make the bed. So can't complain...Only been together for 7 months, so moving in isn't on the cards, but I am encouraged!
You know, I love Australian men, but even the wonderful amazing ones that I've met (including Mr. Skittles) do tend to have this assumption that their wives are going to handle all the child rearing and house keeping. Mr. Skittles got noticeably less interested in having children when I informed him that a) if he wanted someone staying home with and homeschooling the kids, it was going to be him and b) I wasn't going to be taking on the lion's share of raising them.
@Zombie Ms. Skittles: Do hate to agree with that but it's true. My Aussie Dad was rarely around to help with domestic duties, and even when he was, wouldn't. He is great at BBGing! Of course he would argue that he was working ridiculously hard, which is true, but suffice to say it was a thorn in my mothers side. They are now divorced.
@cuteasabutton: I definitely think Aussie men assume they don't have to do a lot around the house, but I've managed to whip one or two into shape with a withering glare and a well-practiced spiel about feminism. Also it helps if you just let things get so disgustingly dirty that even THEY notice it.
@brinkswomanship: See I've tried that. With boys AND girls that I've lived with. Can often backfire! And I just can't stand mess and it will drive me so mad I will just end up doing it. I won't be happy though! Obviously it is unfair to tarnish all Aussie men with this brush, but the evidence is overwhelming!
@Zombie Ms. Skittles: Yeah, I hate to generalize, but there is definitely an element of male chauvinism in Australian culture. Some of the Aussie men on met on my recent Eurotrip exemplified a kind of chest-thumping mentality that kind of jarred me.
@Understater: I know, I really really do hate to generalize. And some of the absolute nicest, most feminist men I've ever known were Australian, but even as sweet and wonderful as they are they tend to be a little...cave mannish sometimes.
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but I doubt it's because of his nationality. It's because he grew up with a kick-ass mum and sisters, perhaps. Or the fact that he moved overseas straight after school and had to clean up after his own ass. Or maybe, he just respects me??
These kind of nationality-based "studies" kinda annoy me because it reduces personality to a bunch of vaguely racist generalisations.
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Not so much with the clothes shopping, though. You're a lucky girl!
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The rampant chlamydia, however, I cannot account for.
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I'd like to have them by on Fridays, please.
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@rednrowdy: I imagine their uniforms will look something like this!!
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The man of my house is a son of a bitch. He just naps all day while I bust my ass to bring home the snausages. Then he sheds all over the place, drinks all night and sits on the remote. However, he does at least help clean dishes and the table at night (granted, with his tongue).
So at least he's better than an Australian.
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EB is just hawt on principle. If he wants to stop being Aussie and jet over here, that's fine with me.
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The fact that I own a French maid's outfit is what makes me gay. Gay Paree.
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01/13/09
It had to be said.