Jokes about Sweden

[on:]

Hey!

First time poster here who is about to ask something I haven´t been able to find anywhere..

There are several jokes about Sweden in the series, more-so than any other country about the same size I would say. Does anyone know if any of the writers have some kind of connection to Sweden or if the existence of these jokes are totally random?

[Reply #1 on:]

Well most are a riff on IKEA more than Sweden itself. The only one directly related to Sweden I can think of is the thing at the Olympics.

[Reply #2 on:]

You forgot Bender's Big Score. A great line from Bender; "Not so neutral, now, are you, Sweden?"

[Reply #3 on:]

Most? There´s just one about Ikea, as far as I know..

Others are:

When Bender is in the olympics and has a gender change, in the audience are some people with a banner that says "Go Sweden!" and the prof says "Sweden? I don´t think so!", which you mentioned.

When Leela gets stung by the big bees and has dreams about Fry. In one of them, Fry says he has left a gift for her in her locker which he got from a Swedish novelty shop.

When Leela is the first woman blernsball player, one of the teams she plays against are the "Swedish meatballs" where the players are all blonde and has names like Bjornsson.

In Benders big score there is the nobel prize award and the neutral joke, already mentioned.

There are a couple more, but I cant remember them right now.. Guess I´ll have to re-watch the episodes to find them all.

[Reply #4 on:]

I suspect from an American point of view it is a good, safe, country to make fun of. It is recognisably foreign but still in western Europe (i.e. not too foreign). It has a few pre-existing stereotypes that aren't automatically offensive and doesn't have a reputation for either taking offense or reacting violently. Having a few brand names and a few famous people associated with the country doesn't hurt either.

But mainly it's a country that hasn't already been 'done to death', comedically speaking (c.f. Germany, France, or England).

[Reply #5 on:]

Those are the only Swedish references I remember.   The above mentioned.  Would've liked to have seen some Italy jokes, though.   


It would've been funny if the PE Crew went to a Swedish bakery and Bender extended his legs to steal a safe on the ceiling and fell into some cake!  And the pastry chef could scream! 

[Reply #6 on:]

Hehe, and he should look like the swedish chef from the muppet show? 

[Reply #7 on:]

For once they're making fun of Sweden instead of Norway Futurama is giving us Norwegian anchovies, which is Fry's favorite and Bender being prime minister, which would have been ok. Not great, but ok...

[Reply #8 on:]

Welcome to PEEL tonks

[Reply #9 on:]

Thanks Bianca

[Reply #10 on:]

You make a fun point, I hadn't thought of this. I like IKEA.

[Reply #11 on:]

You forgot Bender's Big Score. A great line from Bender; "Not so neutral, now, are you, Sweden?"

That's an historical joke. They could have said the same thing about Switzerland.

[Reply #12 on:]

I feel like Sweden is the best known Nordic country. Probably because of IKEA, The Nobels and Futurama jokes.

[Reply #13 on:]

That's just not true gudbjorg I think Svalbard is just as well known in some alternate universes thanks to the panserbjorn.

[Reply #14 on:]

That's an historical joke. They could have said the same thing about Switzerland.

I always thought that was a joke, in the sense that he mixed Switzerland and Sweden together.

That's just not true gudbjorg I think Svalbard is just as well known in some alternate universes thanks to the panserbjorn.

Svalbard isn't a country. It belongs to Norway.

[Reply #15 on:]

It's a reference to His Dark Materials

And why would he mix Switzerland and Sweden together? No one would get that joke. That's like saying "Ha! Ukranians speak Bulgarian!" and then hoping the audience will pick up on the idea that your character confused Ukraine and Bulgaria.

[Reply #16 on:]

It's a reference to His Dark Materials

And why would he mix Switzerland and Sweden together? No one would get that joke. That's like saying "Ha! Ukranians speak Bulgarian!" and then hoping the audience will pick up on the idea that your character confused Ukraine and Bulgaria.

I did not know that.

I was more thinking that once again Bender shows himself stupid and ignorant by mixing two countries in Europe starting with an s.

[Reply #17 on:]

I feel like Sweden is the best known Nordic country. Probably because of IKEA, The Nobels and Futurama jokes.

And Abba, gudj, don't forget Abba.

[Reply #18 on:]

Abba is a bunch of girls!

[Reply #19 on:]

Also Volvo. That's another famous Swedish thing.

[Reply #20 on:]

And bank accounts, don't forget those.

[Reply #21 on:]

And I hate Ikea!

[Reply #22 on:]

And bank accounts, don't forget those.

Thats Switzerland-, swiss-banks, not Swedish banks

[Reply #23 on:]

Abba is a bunch of girls!

Except two of them had beards and penises, which would generally qualify them as men.

Though Sweden is famous for its neutrality in world war 2. They sold ball bearings to the Germans and then sheltered Jews from Norway. After letting Germany cross over their territory to invade it...

Consistently inconsistent. That's Sweden. But at least they aren't Finland. Oh they can pretend to talk with airs and graces for hours, those Finns, but you know sooner or later the knives will come out...

[Reply #24 on:]

Hey, my wife is from Sweden, don't make fun

[Reply #25 on:]

Surgeon General's Warning:
Fun, even in moderate amounts, has been shown in scientific studies to have detrimental
effects on some swedes.

[Reply #26 on:]

And bank accounts, don't forget those.

Thats Switzerland-, swiss-banks, not Swedish banks

Swedes don't have bank accounts?

[Reply #27 on:]

And bank accounts, don't forget those.

Thats Switzerland-, swiss-banks, not Swedish banks

Swedes don't have bank accounts?

Thats not what was said, however most foreign businesses and people trying to hide money/objects don't go to Sweden, but rather to Switzerland

[Reply #28 on:]

Oh, ok. Well thanks for that info

You sound a bit shady if you ask me. "Suss."

[Reply #29 on:]

My wife is reading this thread behind me and she isn't liking it ONE BIT.

[Reply #30 on:]

Was it something Bear said?

[Reply #31 on:]

You have a wife?

[Reply #32 on:]

Consistently inconsistent. That's Sweden. But at least they aren't Finland. Oh they can pretend to talk with airs and graces for hours, those Finns, but you know sooner or later the knives will come out...

Just hope they don't roll out the Brewsters. Then you're really screwed.