A Real New Yorker

Published in Die Presse
(Austria) on 19 April 2016
by Thomas Vieregge (link to originallink to original)
Translated from by Ron Argentati. Edited by Kevin Uy.
A true New Yorker knows the right way to eat pizza – namely, with bare fingers.

As the horde of presidential candidates invaded the metropolis for primary election time they were given a lot of advice, some of it under the heading “Things That You Just Don't Do.”

A few years ago, Mayor Bill de Blasio and Donald Trump, two dyed-in-the-wool New Yorkers — “born and raised in the city” as native New Yorkers say — were gleefully attacked when they were spotted in public using knives and forks to eat their pizza. The cocky billionaire was targeted because he had invited Sarah Palin, the tea party movement's Joan of Arc, to lunch in a fast-food pizzeria. That's all it took to cause a firestorm on the boulevard: When it comes to lifestyle, those abrasive New Yorkers can be terribly sensitive.

Now Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders have failed their road tests in the New York subway: one of them couldn't get through the turnstile with her Metrocard and the other thought the key to “Open Sesame” was to insert subway tokens (which haven't been used for years). It was doubly embarrassing when Donald Trump — the self-anointed patron saint of 9/11 victims — referred to 9/11 as 7-Eleven, the name of a popular convenience store chain in the U.S.

That faux pas might have cost “The Donald” a couple of votes but it was nothing compared to the ridicule he had to endure.


Ein echter New Yorker
Was ein echter New Yorker ist, der weiß, wie man eine Pizza isst – nämlich mit bloßen Fingern.

19.04.2016 | 20:02 | Thomas Vieregge (Die Presse)

Was ein echter New Yorker ist, der weiß, wie man Pizza isst – nämlich mit bloßen Fingern. Als die Präsidentschaftskandidaten vor der Vorwahl in die Metropole einfielen, stellte dies ein Ratgeber klar. Gleichsam unter dem Motto: „Dinge, die sich einfach nicht schicken“.

Bürgermeister Bill de Blasio und Donald Trump, zwei waschechte New Yorker also – „born and raised in the city“, wie die Einheimischen sagen –, hatten sich vor Jahren der Häme ausgesetzt, als sie beim Pizzaverzehr zu Messer und Gabel gegriffen haben; der großspurige Milliardär obendrein, weil er Sarah Palin, die Jeanne d'Arc der Tea Party, in eine Fast-Food-Pizzeria einlud. Mehr brauchte es nicht für einen Aufschrei auf dem Boulevard. Wenn es um Lebensart geht, sind als rau bekannten New Yorker eben feinnervig.

Beim Praxistest in der U-Bahn fielen Hillary Clinton und Bernie Sanders durch: Die eine kam anfangs nicht durchs Drehkreuz, der andere hielt die gute, alte Münze fürs „Sesam öffne dich“. Als ausgerechnet Trump, der selbst ernannte Schutzpatron der 9/11-Opfer, nun 7/11 und 9/11 verwechselte, war dies doppelt peinlich. 9/11 bezeichnet im Amerikanischen als Chiffre die epochalen Anschläge des 11. September 2001, 7/11 den Billigladen 7 Eleven. Der Fauxpas mag „The Donald“ ein paar Stimmen gekostet haben – härter wird ihn jedoch der Spott treffen.
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