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An American au pair working in Paris for $114 a week says 'Emily in Paris' shows a 'distorted image' of French people
Ayana Smith in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France and "Emily in Paris."
Ayana Smith in front of the Eiffel Tower in Paris, France, and "Emily in Paris."Ayana Smith/ Netflix
  • Emily in Paris gets some things right but a lot wrong according to an American Au Pair working in Paris.

  • Ayana Smith told Insider that the show uses stereotypes about the locals.

  • She said that the show is about Emily's struggle with the French language.

Emily in Paris gets little right about living in the French capital, according to an arizonian au pair who lives in Paris.

Ayana Smith, 23, who has over 40,000 followers on TikTok, said she started making videos in June, weeks before completing her degree in psychology and family services. She told Insider that Rome Abroad placed her and gave her informal training.

She said she started working for a family in the suburbs of Paris in October of 2021, after three months in Italy.

The hosts cover her accommodation in their family home, home-cooked meals which she can eat with them or alone, as well as her low monthly salary of $400, which she said is low but 1,000% worth it.

In a TikTok video shared on January 20 which has over 8,300 views at the time of reporting, Smith wrote "Everyone: Emily in Paris is so unrealistic, nobody actually lives like that." I'm lying but it's still a great time.

Smith said there were some moments that she could relate to, but she didn't think it was accurate.

She said that she had never taken a French class before moving to Paris, and that she also struggled to understand French humor.

Smith said that the show represents French people with stereotypes that you typically hear about, such as being unfriendly or rude.

Smith said that the show shows a distorted image of Parisians.

According to 20 Minutes, a free daily newspaper in France, the first season of the show was criticized by French people because they felt it was a superficial depiction of their culture.

The berets. The bread. The bread. The hostile people working at the restaurant. The concierges are irascible. The philanderers are inveterate. The lovers and the mistresses. "Emily in Paris" is a cliche about France and the French, according to Fabien Randanne, a culture journalist at 20 Minutes.

The show acts out the fantasy of moving to Europe, rather than the reality, according to Smith.

Lucas Bravo, who plays Gabriel in the show, told Emma Baty in a story published in October 2020 that it couldn't possibly show everything, but that he understands criticism that it offers a limited view of Paris.

I think they are correct. We are portraying cliches and we are portraying a single vision of Paris. He told Baty that Paris is one of the most diverse cities in the world.

The original article can be found on Insider.

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