He used to annoy the living crap out of me. What would possess anyone to watch this guy? He doesn’t even talk! That was my main reason for disliking Mr. Bean so much. He made stupid faces and acted like an idiot. Was he supposed to be an alien or something? I never watched enough of the show to find out. Instead I’d say “ugh, that stupid Mr. Bean is on. Change it!”
Only recently have I begun to really appreciate the artistry of what Mr. Bean was all about. Yes, I said artistry!
It might just be me, but for some reason Mr. Bean reminds me a lot of what it is to be a foreigner in a strange land. His cluelessness about virtually everything, even the most basic of tasks like ordering food or shopping for groceries, is not only hilarious to me now, but also very representative of what it is to be an immigrant in America. Sort of like La India María when all she could utter was cheese ha-ha-ha-m-bur-ger after months of eating donas and coffee because that’s all she knew how to say in English in one of her movies. If you haven’t watched this scene, you have to watch it!
Even though I was born here, a lot of times growing up I felt like a foreigner.
I still do sometimes because we never really watched Punky Brewster or any of the other popular sitcoms that were big hits in the 80’s and 90’s. Or very few of them I should say. Whenever people ask me about these shows or reference them in any way I have to tell them that I never watched them. They just can’t believe it. I get the same looks Mr. Bean used to get on his show. Well, actually he still does. Edgar and Anjelica are in love with him and watch him every chance they get. It’s because of them that I started watching too.
The thing is, now I know he’s not an alien at all – just a man who has always been misunderstood.
No wonder I can finally relate to him!
What do you think? Do you like the Bean?
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