'Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis' Brings Garish Colors Out in Soccer Match

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Uploaded by Lapin-Malin

Bienvenue chez les Ch'tis, a movie that plays on southern French stereotypes about northerners (the "Ch'tis"), recently beat Titanic's record at the box office in France.

The movie's brought a bunch of French prejudices to living light. Those that don't know what it means to be a Ch'ti got a quick education at a soccer match involving northerner team Lens: In the second half, a bunch of fans unrolled a banner reading "Pedophiles, unemployed and inbred, bienvenue chez les Chti's."

Oh, okay. So being a Ch'ti is kind of like being a redneck on South Park. Got it.

If this was a guerrilla effort in bad taste, it certainly did its job. People got royally pissed. The message incited a manhunt for the offending banner-toters, and the mayor of Lens wants the game replayed. Because now, it's an "affair of state."

Hrm. Way to lose gracefully, man.