They're still beating us, fellow secessionists! Despite the fact that England's current government is its most conservative in years, its legislation is still decades ahead of America's.

See, over there, they've got this wild idea that television programs should be different from commercials and vice versa. And they're going to put their regulations where their ideals are. Whodathunk!

The U.K. media minister has attacked product placement in TV shows and said he will not allow the practice on British broadcasters even though it has been approved by the European Union.
…
Andy Burnham, secretary of state at the Dept. of Culture, Media and Sport since January, dropped his bombshell Wednesday in his first big policy speech on broadcasting.
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“As a viewer, I don’t want to feel the script has been written by the commercial marketing director,” he added. “British programming has an integrity that is revered around the world, and I don’t think we should put that hard-won reputation up for sale.”

Only time will tell how miserable Britons become when they can't find out what kind of soda their favorite sitcom characters drink.

Rupert Grint, the awkward ginger famous for his portrayal of Harry Potter's right-hand man Ron Weasley, be talking shiiiiiiiiit:

… Grint has changed his mind about moving to Los Angeles — because he can’t face bumping into the likes of Paris Hilton and Lindsay Lohan.“I met Lindsay last summer and she talked about herself a lot.

“She said she was going to win an Oscar before she turns 25. I just kept thinking, ‘But you can’t act’.”

Rupert is yet to cross paths with Paris — and he hopes it stays that way. “I haven’t met Paris and don’t want to either,” he said. “She and Lindsay are the type of girls you need to stay away from.”

Oh, for the days when so many Americans didn't make it pathetically easy for Brits to be smug.