I just passed a little Dutch kid wearing a T-shirt that said, “The Next Brad Pitt.” I thought that was pretty funny. (Though just between us, I think he’s kidding himself.)
Yeah, in case you were unaware of this, American pop culture has a global reach. For example, a Dutch act called the Beatfreakz has been receiving a lot of airtime here. (Are they showing this in the U.S.? I have no idea.) See if you can spot the subtle creeping influence of American pop culture in their latest video.
Anyway, that T-shirt made me reflect that since coming to the Netherlands I have no idea what’s going on with Brad & Jen & Angelina. Or Nick & Jessica. Or Tom & Katie. Or Paris & whoever her best friend is this week. I can’t even begin to describe how ecstatically happy this makes me. Of course I have no interest whatsoever in the vapid tawdry lives of these people, but in the U.S. I can’t buy a frickin’ gallon of milk without getting an unsolicited update on them. It makes me feel violated. But at the local grocery store here in the Netherlands, the tabloids are mercifully quarantined in the corner. It’s bliss. Sometimes I wonder if they have any different celebrities that they dish on over here. Fortunately, I will never have to find out.
So to any American developers out there: You build a grocery store where it’s possible to shop while avoiding the tabloids and you’ve got yourself a customer. Are you listening?
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