Having spent a lot of time in Spain when i was younger and been fully exposed to the way that Spanish/Catholic countries idolise and worship pop culture. I can really appreciate the British ability to criticise everything. I think that us Brits are only surpassed by the Germans when it comes to slagging things off.

I was just looking what was on TV tonight, found Lost (i use 'Lost' as an example only because my American counterparts might have heard of it - other exciting programmes include "How to look good naked" and "The life and times of El Nino-the weather phenomenon." So in most countries the TV guide would say: "The focus of this episode is on Charlie, yadda, yadda, battle with drugs...yadda." Instead:

"Dear me, when Lost loses the plot, it really loses it. Tonight's episode revolves around the time Charlie (Dominic Monaghan) spent as a pop star in what's supposed to be Brixton in London. We see him at one stage shooting a pop video (or possibly an advert) with his band, and for some reason everyone in the studio is drinking tea from china cups and wearing Union Jack dressing gowns. Because that's what we do here. It turns out these wonderfully off-beam flashbacks are the most entertaining bit of the story, albeit unwittingly. The main plot involves Charlie having nightmares, sleepwalking and becoming obsessed with getting Aaron baptised. One for the bug-eyed devotees only. "

Indeed, why just say the facts when you can squeeze in an opinion? Criticising and generally being cynical is a national sport.