November 21, 2008

Not Something You See Every Day...

Every Thursday we head to our village bar where my husband plays bridge with friends and I sit and read or meet friends and sometimes watch a French soap opera called "Plus Belle La Vie" (so bad it's good) that the bar owner is a bit addicted to.

Last night this kid (18-20 years old) walked in wearing a black, long sleeved t-shirt and jeans. When he turned toward the bar I saw what was written on the back of the shirt, in giant silver capital letters...


VAGINA LOVER.


I saw it about the same time as hubby. We looked at each other and burst out laughing. And couldn't stop!

It begs the question: Did this kid know what it meant? And if so, was he advertising his amorous services?

I curse the fact that my camera batteries were dead.

About an hour after his arrival the locals in the bar started discussing the expression and wondering what it meant. The kid just ignored them. It was just too hilarious!
And a bit surreal.

Definitely not something you see every day. Thankfully.



Has anyone ever seen a t-shirt in English speaking countries with this expression written on it, or is this t-shirt company taking unfair advantage of foreigners? Pin It

33 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I will have to check out the shops when I get back to the UK, think I have seen it, will let you know
:-) :-)

Unknown said...

You don't think this kid didnt knew what it meant??? why buy it if he didnt? Why not "Harley Lover!" I think such shock items are not appropriate for many many people in America or wherever!

sorry for my attack on
free speech but lets be cognizant of other's feelings of whats appropriate - a right winger!!!

Anonymous said...

That is hilarious and awesome.

The icanhascheezburger people have a blog of English gone horribly wrong in foreign countries. They posted a shirt that read, "When I shit I feel better."

Did you do any beaujolais-ing yesterday?

Jennifer said...

anne
Please do!

dale
no, I don't think he knew what it meant.
And I didn't think it was inappropriate. I thought it was funny!
Again, you misunderstood. Quelle surprise.

missexpatria
It was hilarious!
I'll have to look at that. We once had a menu translated into English offering a salad with "lawyer" (avocat) instead of "avocado" (avocat). A simple and honest mistake but we still get a chuckle out of it.
No, we didn't taste the Beaujolais. Did you? If so, how was it?

Unknown said...

Come on Loulou - why buy something if you dont know what the words mean? how would you have felt if the shirt had used other words to describe the subject?

we had a similiar experience at a nice B&B in the Midi Pyrenees when the hostess' nephew came to dinner with a t shirt reading "F--- You" in rhinestones!!! would you find this funny and appropriate? My WIFE certainly didnt!!!! what ever happened to decorum in this world?

Ksam said...

omg, that is HILARIOUS!!

Anonymous said...

Loulou

I am pretty sure that this is a "Made in China" T-shirt and the kid may not know its meaning. Any thing with wording in English may be "cool" at his age.
OR Influence from the English World!!!!
Same thing like in the 60s/70s- everything American - les ye ye or Elvis or Rock'n' Roll were cool. ( claude Francois, Sache Distel, Eddy Mitchell or Johnny Haliday etc)

Today you have rappers and anything "English:
http://www.clothemarket.com/shop/index.php?productID=173
http://www.efores.de/product_info.php/cPath/43_69/products_id/364?osCsid=8b11d2b3703e7b6a91ea53b95e2ef908

Jennifer said...

Dale
I don't know why you find it so important that I agree with you...
but I don't.

Ksam
I know!

Beaver
That's the shirt! Oh my god...too funny!

Unknown said...

I'm not asking you to agree with me - just stating my case of what I think is tasteful or not!

Donna said...

Well, you know our mayor here in New Orleans is a vagina lover- he even said so in a speech! (I believe his words were "I'm a friend of the vagina", but I can't find the quote at the moment)Perhaps that was the inspiration for the shirt!

Donna said...

Found it!

http://blog.nola.com/chrisrose/2008/03/the_vagina_dialogue_one_more_w.html

Jennifer said...

dale
Funny...I don't remember asking for your opinion about what is appropriate or tasteful in the first place.

Donna
Thanks for the link.
Ray Nagin, the vagina friendly mayor! Hilarious!
Better than vagina unfriendly, I guess.
:)

Anonymous said...

I particularly love how the front is equally offensive in Spanish! ;)

And I am reminded of a (now seemingly tasteful) t-shirt my husband had when we were dating. It had a caduceus and bore the words "orgasm donor." Ah, boastful college boys...

Donna said...

Maybe one of your readers can help me find a "boob man" onesie for William! :)

Jennifer said...

camille
I know! So tacky, but very funny!

Orgasm Doner, huh? Very boastful! But shows a good sense of humor.

Donna
I'm sure they're out there!

Allie said...

I haven't seen one like it, but that's hilarious.

Did you guys tell the other patrons what it meant?

martha said...

French boy, 18- 20 and you think he didn't know? No way. We had 2 french college student practicants here over the summer, about that age and I can assure you they knew what those words meant - and demonstrated it frequently. Other than that, I agree with you; I think it's screamingly funny. If Americans or any other group of visitors are going to be offended by European humour, they should stay home - in my opinion.

Jennifer said...

Allie
We were hoping that no one would ask us what it meant!
Thankfully they didn't.

martha
Thanks for sharing your experience with me. I wouldn't have thought that he knew, especially because of where we live. But I'll take your word for it!
It is funny. And I agree that people shouldn't get uptight about things like this.
Besides, isn't it a positive statement? :)

Anonymous said...

He stole my T-SHIRT!

I was given that T-SHIRT by a group who appreciated my talent.

I took it off for a few hours and when I lifted my head it was gone!!!

Youngesters nowadays! No repect for other peoples property!

Jennifer said...

Garry
I am so sorry to hear that you lost your t-shirt! Here's a link where you can buy another one.
http://www.clothemarket.com/shop/index.php?productID=173
http://www.efores.de/product_info.php/cPath/43_69/products_id/364?osCsid=8b11d2b3703e7b6a91ea53b95e2ef908

Unknown said...

its been fun Loulou most of the time on the cheese info you provide but you have hit a new low level of what is appropriate for what we want to read so as they say if you dont like what you see or hear then stop reading or listening to the subject!!! many other good french blogs that stick to the subject!!! good luck!!

Kate said...

My friend has a husband named Richard, and was given a t-shirt for a wedding shower: "I love Dick!"

Lori - Blondie in Brazil said...

Ha, ha! This is great. We see English shirts that are really bad in Brazil, but I think this one tops it. No, I don't think they know what they mean either. It is just cool to wear English for some reason. It has reminded me to always know what my shirt says if in another language. You guys had to be rolling!

Brunofrance said...

Dear Dale -
If you re-read the heading of the blog, it is not about cheese - it's about life in the south of France in a very small village (409 people). I think the author has stuck to the theme and described just about everything going on and about in the village. Just reading about and only about cheese would be very boring, as you and your right wing friends have proven to be time and time again. Another reason for not returning to the good ole USA - 8 years of Bush has taken away the usually profound American sense of humor.
So - Au Revoir Dale.

Jennifer said...

Kate
Priceless! Does she wear it often? :)

Lori
Good rule - never leave the house unless you know what your t-shirt says!
Yes, we were rolling. The most amusing part was seeing it in our local village bar. I wouldn't have even noticed it out in a club in Barcelona or Paris.

brunofrance
Thank you for your support.
This blog is about my life in France and that evening at the bar was A Night in the Life. I thought that my readers would find the humor in that moment! Life in France isn't always beautiful scenery, great wine and delicious cheese.
I guess some people don't have a sense of humor...

wcs said...

Maybe it was just a typo. You know. Like: "Vagina is for lovers." Or, "Yes, Vagina, there is a Santa Claus."

Now I have to debate whether on not to click on "Publish Your (nasty) Comment."

Betty Carlson said...

This doesn't nearly rival your story, but once one of my students was wearing a T-shirt with a huge "FUCK AUTHORITY" or something on it and I told him it was inappropriate for class (I do teach in a business school...)

I suppose I would not have had the same reaction had it been marked "FUCK BUSH." Oh inconsistency...

Kirstin said...

Wow! By the way, how do you say "Vagina Lover" in French? I was hoping to get it embroidered on a sweatshirt before my husband and I visit his great grandmother's in France. Or.. maybe a Christmas gift?

Jennifer said...

wcs
I read this out loud to my hubby and we both loved your (nasty) comment.
Merci!

Betty
Oh no! :) In a business school no less.
If it had said Fuck Bush then you're right, it would have been ok. LOL

Kirstin
Would the French say that expression so succinctly, I wonder? It would probably be a long sentence, not just two words. Might not fit on the front of a sweatshirt!
:)

Bruce Anderson said...

classic! I'm sure the kid knew what it meant. But maybe it's just not as shocking here as in the states...who knows but i sure wish you would have had a camera so we could all get a good laugh.

Jennifer said...

OJL
My Belgian friend who reads this blog told me that he thought the kid knew what it meant. Maybe he was trying to shock us with that shirt, who knows! :)
I wish I had had my camera too!

Anonymous said...

His sense of humor is one of the things I like best about him.

I'd say the probability of this kid knowing what the shirt meant is about 50/50 - it does seem to be "cool" to wear English in general, but it seems even kids who don't know any English know the dirty words.

I saw a shirt in a shop near my apartment that had the words "Original Brand Company" written across the front. Ha!

As for a French translation, maybe "amateur de vagin"?

Jennifer said...

croquecamille
Thanks for the possible translation. :)
I think you're right - there was a 50/50 chance that he knew the meaning.