On ‘Badge of Shame’, Swedes Say The Darndest Things

Joe Hanson has built a sizable YouTube following on his Badge of Shame channel by performing awkward interviews with anyone who will let him stand next to them for more than five seconds. Recently, he completed an Indiegogo campaign that raised money for an overseas trip to Scandinavia. Hanson has released the first part of his Northern European Joe Goes journey, an 11-minute man on the street segment from Stockholm.

As it turns out, candid Swedes are the perfect people to answer Hanson’s extremely blunt questions. While many Americans would shy away from flagrantly insulting other cultures, Swedes have no trouble ragging on Finland nonstop, calling it Sweden’s “retarded cousin.” How charming. Appropriately, Hanson will next travel to Finland, where the locals should be happy to take those stuck-up Swedes down a peg.

Hanson has previously taken Joe Goes to England, the Netherlands, and Japan, all of which have sufficiently frank residents. It would be great to see him go on a tour of the world, one where he could have awkward conversations with people of all different cultures. We would get the best possible Joe Goes episodes, and Hanson would get to travel the globe. I see no loser here except for Hanson’s wallet.