Are Parisian Waiters Rude?

Here's an interesting article from the New York Times about the never-ending debate about whether French waiters are rude. Apparently, the French think they might be and are making efforts to make them more "friendly." I didn't find them to be rude at all; I just think most Americans don't get the French or don't appreciate their culture. I certainly don't want French waiters to start wearing stripped shirts with a lot of flair, telling me that that they will "be assisting me tonight" or trying to up-sell me on the latest "jalapeño pepper popper appetizer" (inanely referred to as an "app").  

And that's the difference, French waiters (they are almost all male, so I will avoid being PC and not use the term "server"), display a certain sang froid, that most Americans translate as rude. Well, here's the article. You be the judge. By the way, one of my favorite lines in Ratatouille occurs when Colette is trying to cut the press conference short and says, "We hate to be rude, but we are French!"

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/21/world/europe/can-the-gruff-frenchman-become-the-gracious-frenchman.html?ref=dining&_r=0