Latest news with #AussieCulture
Daily Mail
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Man infuriates thousands of Australians with a simple three-second action online: 'That's criminal'
An Aussie TikToker has managed to enrage an entire nation over one simple tomato sauce sachet. Jake Sheader, a content creator who brands himself as an 'Australian living as an American in Australia', has gone viral after posting a hilariously infuriating video demonstrating (incorrectly) how to use an Aussie tomato sauce packet. The clip has racked up more than 2million views and a jaw-dropping 114,000 comments -mostly from irate Aussies. The one-minute video showed him bumbling to open the sachet, explaining in a faux-American accent how he'd discovered Australia's iconic 'Master of Foods' sauces. 'Aussies are so cute, look at what they have,' Jake began, holding up a humble sauce packet. 'You peel it off like this…' he said, while very clearly struggling to peel the top off and eventually resorting to his teeth. He then proudly described how to dip French fries directly into the mutilated, sliced-open sachet, declaring: 'It's the perfect amount of dipping sauce. The Aussies really have everything here!' But to millions of Australians watching, the only thing he didn't have was a clue. 'The second you said peel it off, I went into a blind rage!' wrote one viewer. While Jake's calm, doe-eyed delivery may have convinced some international viewers, Australians were collectively losing their minds. The correct way to use the sauce sachet, known to virtually every local who's ever been near a servo sausage sizzle, is to fold the packet in half and squeeze the sides together, causing the sauce to burst cleanly from the middle. Instead, Jake's deadpan tutorial sparked mass online outrage, and quite a few laughs. 'Aussies are all screaming at the screen!!' one follower commented. 'A lesson in 'How to trigger the Aussie population in less than 30 seconds.' Well played, sir!' said another. Even the brand MasterFoods themselves chimed in to the debate, noticing his satirical tone and mimicking it in return: 'Easy squeezy there, mate! - Master of Foods, an Aussie icon.' 'I'm Australian and you ain't allowed to come back until you master that tomato sauce,' one person joked. 'That's criminal what you just did.' Perhaps the biggest twist, Jake isn't actually American, he's Australian through and through. Speaking exclusively to FEMAIL, Jake revealed the entire video was a piece of satire, and that he's actually 100 per cent Aussie, born and bred in regional NSW. 'I grew up in regional NSW, so I am a country bumpkin through and through!' he said. The viral sauce video was born out of a conversation with a close friend. 'She suggested that there is no better way to outrage Australians than to take an everyday item and misuse it! It is funny to see how spot on she was!' While some savvy viewers clicked onto the joke (his TikTok bio does clearly state that he's 'Australian Living as an American in Australia'), others were fully convinced by the accent, and outraged by the so-called 'blunder'. Jake, who studied marketing at Macquarie University and works full-time in the industry, says his TikTok series is part social experiment, part creative outlet. 'I began as a way to mirror the absurdity I was seeing online [and] how many US social media personalities fail to see that there is an entire world outside of their country,' he explained. 'What I did not expect to see, however, was the Australian viewers banding together to defend cultural practices and colloquialisms that make our nation wholly unique. 'It is quite heartwarming to see actually!' Only time will tell.
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- General
- SBS Australia
Así se habla en los lugares de trabajo australianos
Enlaces: Transcripción 'I am so great!' 'Tall poppy! Get down here!' Howie: Have you ever worked in an Aussie office and noticed something… different? The boss has a nickname. Meetings feel more like casual chats. And sometimes… swearing is totally fine. If you're new to Australia, you might ask: 'How should I speak at work?' Let's explore how Aussie attitudes shape the way people communicate at work — and what that says about the culture. The Aussie ideal: a fair go One of the most important Aussie values is a fair go — the idea that everyone deserves an equal chance in life and at work. This value shows up everywhere: in sport, in school, and in the workplace. But Aussie culture is full of contradictions. We take fairness seriously, but we also love not taking ourselves too seriously. Language in the workplace From construction sites to corporate offices, Aussies use slang, give nicknames, joke around — and yes, often swear. This casual tone reflects an older cultural fascination with folk heroes and the rough-and-tumble spirit. It's part of a long tradition of pushing back against authority — and laughing while doing it. From diggers to the modern office Our modern idea of the Australian worker was shaped by WWI soldiers, known as diggers. While fighting overseas, diggers developed a strong national identity. They embraced the Aussie traits of mateship, humour, and equality. They loved bush poetry, chanted in slang, and didn't show much respect for generals or hierarchy. Mateship, swearing, and meaning 'Mate' is a deeply positive word in Australia — but it can also be used in a not-so-friendly tone: 'Maaaate…' (when someone's annoyed). Aussies are famous for using 'bad' words in creative, often affectionate, ways. Swearing has long been part of jobs like soldiering, shearing, and cattle-driving. But even back then, people knew when to tone it down — especially around women or the boss. So yes, swearing happens — but Aussies also know when to keep it clean. Bloody oath. Politicians, the pub test, and fairness 'Fair go' is so sacred, even politicians use it. But not always successfully. Sometimes Aussies don't buy it — especially if the message doesn't pass the pub test. That means: 'Would a regular group of people at the pub believe this?' If not, it fails. Tall poppies and cultural cringe Aussies also have terms for people who don't seem fair. One of the worst things you can do? Be arrogant. Be a tall poppy. Originally, 'tall poppy' was about cutting down those who were too successful or full of themselves. By the mid-20th century, it also reflected a deeper insecurity — A sense that standing out made people cringe or feel like Australia wasn't good enough. That feeling is known as cultural cringe. Today, tall poppy syndrome still pops up — especially when someone is seen as 'too big for their boots.' Bludgers and pulling your weight While Aussies dislike arrogance, they also can't stand laziness. The term 'bludger' refers to someone who doesn't pull their weight. It's one of the most hated labels in Australian English. To be called a bludger is deeply insulting — and it reflects how much Aussies value hard work and contribution. What Aussie work culture tells us Aussies have always loved folk heroes — and it shows in how we talk about work. We believe in equality, fairness, and calling things as they are. Even casual talk and swearing can be signs of inclusion — a way to say, 'We're all equals here.' As one saying goes: 'I talk to the Prime Minister the same way I talk to my mate at the pub.' Language is a work in progress Aussie English is still evolving. Sometimes we get the balance wrong. But we can always start by welcoming people from around the world, valuing their voices, and learning from the words they bring. That's what helps Aussie English grow — and what makes the workplace a fairer, more inclusive place for everyone. Weird and Wonderful Aussie English Video production company: New Mac Video Agency
SBS Australia
6 days ago
- Entertainment
- SBS Australia
Desde ‘barbacoas' hasta el ‘bánh mì': la jerga culinaria australiana
Enlaces: Transcripción Howie: Have you ever been invited to an Aussie party and been told to 'bring a plate'? If that sounds strange, you're not alone. Aussie English can be weird — but there's always a reason behind it. So why do Aussies talk about eating the way they do? And how did all these unique food phrases become part of everyday life? Let's find out. Sharing food, sharing culture Food is a beautiful, shared experience. Australia's diverse population has brought meals and food traditions from many cultures. Because of this, you'll hear lots of eating-related words that have evolved from different places. Sharing food is a big part of Aussie culture and mateship. Since the early 20th century, Australians have used the phrase 'bring a plate' — not because they're out of crockery, but because they're asking you to bring food to share. It doesn't have to be a literal plate. It could be a bowl of dessert, a salad, drinks — anything, really. The story behind 'bring a plate' The phrase goes back to community fundraisers and club events in the early 1900s. Instead of buying a ticket, guests were asked to bring a plate of food — often cake. By the 1920s, that became simply: 'bring a plate.' So if you're invited to a barbie, make sure to put some tucker on your plate. Barbie = barbecue Tucker = food (any kind) Snags, sausages, and democracy The snag (sausage) is the hero of many Aussie barbecues. It's also the centrepiece of election fundraisers — where it becomes a 'democracy sausage.' Australians love word shortenings. Research shows that around 4% of Australian English words are shortened forms. Why? Because shortening words feels informal and friendly — and that's how Aussies like to talk. Goon and boxie: the language of wine It may come from 'flagon' (a big bottle of wine), or from 'goom,' another word for alcohol. Either way, it now refers to boxed wine — which Aussies also call: Boxie Box monster Cardy chardy Goon bag Goon sack We get creative with food, and even more creative with names for it. Food, language, and culture Food has always been tied to identity, class, and culture. Australia's earliest settlers and convicts were curious about Indigenous food — later called bush tucker. In 1864, Edward Abbott published the first Australian cookbook, featuring recipes for emu, kangaroo, and other native ingredients. Over time, traditional foods gave way to British and American dishes — even within many Indigenous communities. But after World War II, Australians began to embrace multicultural food more openly. Even when Aussies were hesitant to use other languages, they still used original names for many dishes: Nasi goreng, chop suey, goulash, and more. Kangaroo, macadamia, and Indigenous words Australia's most iconic animal — the kangaroo — gets its name from the Guugu Yimidhirr language. But not all Indigenous words survived colonisation. The macadamia nut, for instance, was named after chemist John Macadam, even though Indigenous names like 'gumburra' and 'kindal kindal' were already in use. Today, we're embracing more migrant and Indigenous words than ever. Borrowing, shortening, and debating Aussies often shorten borrowed food terms too: Spaghetti bolognese becomes spag bol Chicken parmigiana becomes… parma or parmi — depending on where you are Warning: Saying the 'wrong' version could spark a pub debate! Food can be fun — but it can also be political. Australians feel strongly about what we eat and what we call it. From HSP to dim sims Terms like 'kebab' and 'halal snack pack' (HSP) have become part of the Aussie food experience. In fact, in 2016, halal snack pack won the People's Choice Award in the Macquarie Dictionary's Word of the Year. This love of food reflects how we welcome new people, cultures, and ideas — by sharing meals and language. We say 'bring a plate' not just to make parties easier to host — but to try everyone's favourite dish. Food as a shared experience From bush tucker to democracy sausages, and from goon bags to goulash, Aussie English is full of flavour. It's shaped by what we eat, how we live, and who we welcome to the table. And like every good meal — it's meant to be shared. Weird and Wonderful Aussie English Credits Video production company: New Mac Video Agency
News.com.au
07-07-2025
- General
- News.com.au
‘Lid on or off?': Viral meat pie debate divides Aussies
Few things get Aussies more fired up than debating the 'correct' way to eat one of our national dishes. From the ongoing argument about how thickly to spread Vegemite on toast, to which snag deserves to be on the sambo at the Bunnings sausage sizzle, we love defending our food rituals. Now, the humble meat pie – arguably the pinnacle of Australian cuisine – is once again at the centre of heated online discussion. While you might think it's a straightforward task, it turns out there are many popular methods for enjoying this iconic servo staple. It all started when an Aussie took to Reddit, showing four distinct pie-eating techniques, rating them out of 10. The first method involved removing the lid and eating the filling with a spoon. This was slammed as a '0/10' and 'unAustralian'. According to the original poster, 'a meat pie should not be on a plate'. The second method – and probably the most widely accepted – involves taking a bite, squirting sauce directly onto the exposed filling, and repeating until the pie is finished. This scored a 9/10 for delivering an 'equal meat to sauce ratio' in every bite. The classic 'on the go' approach – sauce on top, pie in hand – received a 7/10 with the caveat: 'provided you keep adding sauce as you go along'. The final method, where the eater uses the pastry lid as a makeshift spoon to scoop out the filling, was given a savage score of -12. The verdict was that it is 'so messy, so soggy and basically the worst'. Naturally, comments were full of people equally passionate about the right way to eat a pie. The four main points of contention were: – The order of eating the pastry and filling – The role of sauce (on top, mixed in, or not at all) – The method of consumption (cutlery versus hands-on) – Whether to add extra flavour or not Some suggested a hybrid approach. 'What about taking the lid off, adding sauce, then putting the lid back on?' proposed one. 'I take the lid off, add shredded cheese, then put the lid back on if it's a plain meat pie,' said another. Context also plays a part, with many admitting their method depends on the situation. 'If I'm at home, I'll whip out my finest silverware, but if I'm on the go, number two all the way,' wrote one. Another added: 'If it's a good meat pie, it's on a plate and I'm using utensils because I'm not an animal,' another said, 'but if it's a footy pie or a bakery pie ready to go, just blow on it'. Burnt tongues were a common concern, with one swearing by the lid-off method to avoid scorched fillings. 'Taking the lid off means I don't get burning meat all over me and burn the crap out of my mouth,' said a user. There were also many sauce sceptics. One boldly claimed, 'A good pie needs no sauce'. 'The pie should speak for itself,' another agreed. Then, the creative approaches began rolling in. 'I cut it straight down the guts 'cos it's piping hot and I can blow on the meat before devouring each half with my head tilted to the side a little,' shared one. 'I usually have two pies. I eat the lids, then pour the extra meat into one pie,' shared another pie fanatic. 'Real pie eaters take the lid off, flip it so it's flakes crust down to avoid losing that stuff and then smash that bad boy like an apple,' argued another. 'I crack open the top, squirt in the sauces (tomato and BBQ in equal measure), mix it all together with the mince, replace the top, and then eat it,' said someone else. And of course, the traditionalists chimed in, 'Order your pie, chuck on your sauce, and take a bite – easy as that,' said someone. Like any food debate close to our hearts, it's clear there's no single 'correct' way to eat a meat pie – just a lot of fiercely held opinions.
