Brad Dick

I bet Americans liked to laugh at former Japanese prime minister Noboru Takeshita because his last name sounds like “take a shit”. Which is funny.

Similar unintended dirty names and words can be found in all languages, but I think they become disproportionately funny in countries (and people) that have less contact with other cultures. If you’re an educated American learning Japanese, you realize that Takeshita doesn’t mean “take a shit” in Japanese. It’s only in English. But if you’re a redneck in Iowa who thinks even Jesus spoke English, you’re likely to wonder who is stupid enough to put up with a last name like “Take-a-shit-ah”.

Sweden is a small country where grown-ups realize that people in other countries don’t speak Swedish. Consequently, Swedish guys namned “Jerker” might use their second names when picking up girls in Santa Monica.

Brad Pitt, on the contrary, has no problem presenting himself as a “Pitt” in Landskrona, since Swedish women know that pitt doesn’t mean dick in English, the way it does in Swedish.

I have no idea what “Henrik” means in other languages, but I wouldn’t be surprised if it means buttwipe in Swahili.