Comments on: Stephen Fry in America

By: Rinny

Rinny — Wed, 10 Feb 2010 08:04:09 +0000

Absolutely loved your series. It made me want to get out there and explore my country. I only wished you had come to LA. We’re more than just movie stars and tans.

By: jonastreet

jonastreet — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 07:19:47 +0000

Well , I’ve actually got a Greek twin , who ,
in characteristics , is similar to your
american . In addition my British side is
much the same with yours .

By: jonastreet

jonastreet — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 20:15:11 +0000

Well , good question. Have I got an American twin ?
I really don’t know .

By: jenmass77

jenmass77 — Fri, 27 Nov 2009 09:04:29 +0000

I really enjoyed the book, and of course being a Wisconsinite I turned to that section of your book first. I was amused by the description of the typical Wisconsin winter, as well as the description of our cheese.

It was nice reading an outsider’s perspective on my state, and I hope you have plans to revisit America. Near where I grew up is a river where sturgeon spawn in the spring, and it is very facinating to watch. I also recommend going to one of our state parks.

By: itissunny

itissunny — Sun, 22 Nov 2009 21:17:43 +0000

I have watched the series and the book just came in from the library (it’s on my Christmas list). Both are just wonderful – the book is fascinating reading.

When I lived in Germany and friends found out I was from Ohio, they knew of our state because of the world’s only burning river (1969), still celebrated on the banks of the Cuyahoga as the Riverfest. So to hear that we’re identified in England for Kent State is not a great surprise – it was a horrendous time. Ohio is a great state to be FROM (just look at our list of people who have achieved greatness). Raising children to leave is what we do best; my own sons are succeeding wonderfully in Boston. (I actually left, had a good career in New York City and came back to have & raise children with my NYC husband!).

Your book’s jacket cover has a blatent error and needs to be replaced promptly by your publisher. Instead of your work in Bones, it lists House under your television credits. And it totally omits Last Chance to See. I do hope when my copy comes for Christmas, it has a new jacket!

Thank you for your wonderful work and inspiring take on America.

By: Shasta

Shasta — Sun, 15 Nov 2009 21:21:59 +0000

I have obtained and read your book. Fascinating reading.
As an Ohioan, I have to regret your small amount of time spent running parallel to our border. I hope that when you make another visit, you will spend more time actually in our state. You should at least see the giant picnic basket in Newark!
As a matter of information, in regards to the Kent State photo that was so famous, the girl in the photo was a 14-year old runaway, visiting in the vicinity of Kent State at the time and heard something would be going on and went over to the college with her friends. Her story was updated several years ago and I recall reading it in the Columbus, Ohio newspaper. It is also on Wikipedia.

By: akenned

akenned — Sat, 17 Oct 2009 12:49:57 +0000

Thank you so much for your prompt reply. Just to clarify, was this in the section on the northern Plains? Because I just reviewed that episode, which I DVR’ed, and if it was originally in that segment, the broadcasters must have edited it out, because it wasn’t there. If you could confirm which episode it was supposed to be in, I would love to see if I can find it.

By the way, we are a three-generation family who are great admirers of your work. The series in general has been a great treat for us, for so many of the places you have mentioned we have either lived in, visited, or have relatives living there. I was especially pleased at your mention of the “world-renowned university in Knoxville” – I am an alumna, and teased my California-educated husband about that one.

By: Stephen Fry

Stephen Fry — Fri, 16 Oct 2009 07:58:23 +0000

For akenned. We did indeed go to Nebraska. Loved the grasslands, loved the experience. It was in Grand Island that I spent a very happy time in a truck stop and going out on the road with a trucker. This appears in the programme and takes up quite a long time!

By: Heather296

Heather296 — Thu, 15 Oct 2009 00:06:56 +0000

I adore Stephen Fry but was left disappointed with his depiction of America. I should not have been surprised – the English do tend to look down their noses at us. I could hear the “tsk tsk” in his voice when he mentioned slavery – as if England would never have participated in slavery. Take a look at English history – it’s not so rosy. I was particularly disappointed with his brief trip through St. Louis. St. Louis is a beautiful city, as anyone who has been there knows, yet all Stephen chose to show were some abandoned buildings, covered in graffiti and inhabited by homeless people. Stephen – I love your acting, I’ll watch anything even if the only thing I know about it is that you’re in it, but what I’ve seen of this series so far has left me sad and disappointed.

By: akenned

akenned — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 21:11:06 +0000

Dear Mr. Fry,

Believe I already posted a similar comment on the forum before I found this area of your website – sorry. I am much enjoying the series, especially as I have lived from San Diego, CA to Bath, ME, and from Hawaii to the Deep South. However, now I am pretty much permanently fixed in Nebraska. My question is, if you were supposedly visiting all fifty states, why did you leave out Nebraska? You went straight from the Pine Hill reservation in South Dakota, to Kansas, without even giving us a mention. We are supposed to be the happiest state financially (by a wide margin), and have the healthiest city (my home – Lincoln) in the US. Don’t we deserve even the comment that you passed through?