Spanish entertainment blogs were buzzing over the weekend after The Social Network star Jesse Eisenberg complained on Conan O’Brien’s TBS show last week about his treatment on a popular Spanish variety/talk show,
El Hormiguero (The Anthill). Eisenberg, who appeared on the show with costars Justin Timberlake and Andrew Garfield, told O’Brien, “The program is designed to humiliate American guests. They show stupid pictures of you and laugh at you. … I think it is because the Spanish are angry that the Americans don’t teach their children other languages, and we don’t know what is happening on their program.” In video clips of their appearance posted on YouTube, the actors are seen wearing earphones to hear the translation of questions from the host, Pablo Motos, but they look uncomfortable. One blog posting noted that other American stars have endured the jokes made at their expense “with a smile on their face, or at least they had until now.” Another noted that international celebrities “probably don’t know what kind of programs they are getting into” when they appear on such shows. But others noted that foreign comedians have generally performed well on the show. “Sasha Baron Cohen stole the show,” one wrote, “and made it ridiculous.”
