With the 2016 Olympic Games in full swing Larry Wilmore and the cast of The Nightly Show decided to mock Americans with the unoriginal “ignorant American” trope Monday night. “I'll tell you what, alright, our athletes are making America great again by beating the hell out of other countries,” exclaimed “typical American” Tank Mancusso, played by Rory Albanese, “This is like the Vietnam War all over again! We just come here and friggen’ dominate, baby!”
After noting that comparing the Vietnam War to the Olympics may not be the analogy Wilmore wanted to know Mancusso’s favorite story from the games, saying, “You know for me, it’s got to be the fact that an all-refugee team is competing in the games. That’s awesome man.” Mancusso crudely responded, “Wow, you just won the gold medal in boring with that, Jesus Christ.”
“Well what about the 41-year-old woman from Uzbekistan who's competing in her seventh Olympics, making her the oldest female gymnast ever,” Wilmore continued by asking. But Mancusso went off on how ugly she looked and wondered if she was younger than she appeared, because according him, “It's hard living over there, Larry. There’s no dentists. It's like Lord of the Rings over there, Larry, I'm telling you.” As he mocked the woman he pulled out a turkey leg and began to eat it.
“That's why it's an inspiring story! Because they have it so rough,” Wilmore retorted. “Yeah, it's inspiring me to turn the channel. Right,” Mancusso continued to mock, “Come on! That's a good friggin' joke! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!”
The mocking of the ‘typical American” went on for roughly four minutes. And during that time the character Mancusso insisted that fast food places like Boston Market and Arby’s were original to Brazil. He even claimed Chipotle, which he missed pronounced as Chipotels, was not from America but from Brazil, “Not Chipotels, dude. That's Mexican. That's from here. That's from here.”
Wilmore was upset with Mancusso and scolded him, saying, “You know what, not everything has to be about America for Christ’s sakes. You have such a great opportunity to just take in some different cultures and stories.”
Partial transcript below:
Comedy Central
The Nightly Show
August 8, 2016
11:44:25 PM EasternLARRY WILMORE: But one of the great things about the Olympics is that it brings all these countries together. Joining us now with an American perspective on the Olympics is typical American Tank Mancusso, live from Brazil.
TANK MANCUSSO: What’s up Larry?
WILMORE: So Tank, how are you enjoying the Olympics so far?
MANCUSSO: Oh, man, it's awesome! I’m telling you, this is just what America needs to take our minds off these presidential elections. I'll tell you what, alright, our athletes are making America great again by beating the hell out of other countries! That’s what we’re doing, right? You know what this is like Larry? This is like the Vietnam War all over again! We just come here and friggen’ dominate, baby! Wooo! It's how we do!
WILMORE: I’m not sure that’s the best example.
…
WILMORE: So Tank, what’s your favorite story of the Olympics so far? You know for me, it’s got to be the fact that an all-refugee team is competing in the games. That’s awesome man.
MANCUSSO: Wow, you just won the gold medal in boring with that, Jesus Christ.
WILMORE: Well what about the 41-year-old woman from Uzbekistan who's competing in her seventh Olympics, making her the oldest female gymnast ever?
MANCUSSO: Larry, let’s be honest. Let’s be honest. Are you sure she's— Are you sure that lady is really 41 years old, or is she just an Uzbeki 22? I know what I mean? No, Larry, you know. It's hard living over there, Larry. There’s no dentists. It's like Lord of the Rings over there, Larry, I'm telling you. Those people, they don't know.
WILMORE: That's why it's an inspiring story! Because they have it so rough!
MANCUSSO: Yeah, it's inspiring me to turn the channel. Right? Come on! That's a good friggin' joke! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.! U.S.A.!
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MANCUSSO: They got the best friggen’ food over here man, I’m not lying. Dude, besides Boston Market they got Bubba Gump’s, I mean hello. They got Arby's, and they got Chipotels. So boom.
WILMORE: Chipotels?
MANCUSSO: Yeah.
WILMORE: I think you mean Chipotle.
MANCUSSO: Whatever.
WILMORE: Those are all American places!
MANCUSSO: Not Chipotels, dude. That's Mexican. That's from here. That's from here.
WILMORE: You know what, not everything has to be about America for Christ’s sakes. You have such a great opportunity to just take in some different cultures and stories.
