"Black face" skit on Australian variety show

[Damien Evans]

I think this thread can be summed up by saying these images conjour up long dormant and incendiary imagery for Americans that Australians generally MIGHT not be aware of and needs to be concluded as a moment of bad judgement and excercise caution next time.

Agreed.

 

[Damien Evans]

Huh, it seemed over in another thread you were capable of understanding the issue, but I guess not.

You guess wrong.

 

[Legend]

I'll repost for everyone the Minstrel video from Little Britain (one of my favourite shows) because I really love:



And some more worth seeing:





And another from Little Britain: USA:



A similar skit with the same misunderstanding occurs in the British series.

Alex.

 

[Akhenaten]

It was directed at anyone that didn't know the history. You commented that the image meant nothing to you. To Americans, recognize that the image is nearly the same slap in the face as somebody saying the n word. It's an iconic image. If I showed you, or anybody, an image of a circus clown, you'd immediately know what it was, and you'd have certain expectations if someone got on stage dressed as a circus clown. Likewise if I showed you an image of a mime, or a person dressed as a mime got on stage. This blackface image is just as iconic. Would you believe somebody if they said they had never seen a circus clown before, but just happened to dress like a circus clown, got on stage and performed a circus clown act? No, I don't think you would. So, it is hard for us to believe that somebody dressed in blackface, got up on stage, and did a blackface type act, and didn't know what it was. Very,very unlikely.

Most people involved in creating and airing the performance knew what they were doing. The show had been off air for many years and in their enthusiasm the hiatus took its toll and something was overlooked. It was dumb luck that that particular act and Harry Connick Jr encountered each other. Yes, someone should have seen it coming. They didn't.

Your point is well made, and I won't argue against it.

How is that odd? If you didn't know the n word was offensive, or why, it would take some time to explain it. Would the fact that I would write several paragraphs to explain it somehow invalidate the insult, or otherwise be an effort to "convince someone to be offended"? N word is extremely offensive. So is blackface. Now you have the historical context for understanding the latter.

It's not odd. My interpretation was. Apologies for any offence and I concede the point happily.

Without that context, I can see how you would view the act as just making gentle fun of the Jacksons. A fine target, and nothing racist about making a bit of fun of somebody that incidentally is black.

I understood the context, here and in the USA. The problem was in the crossover between the two different cultures, which wouldn't have happened if Harry hadn't been a (well-loved) guest.

I didn't see it coming until it was too late, but someone in TV land should have.

I'm contending that without an American guest on the show that night, nobody in America would have heard of this silly Australian throwaway show. (of which I am a huge fan)

The whole thing is unfortunate as it has played out, except for here in this Forum where it has been discussed well by mature people. I consider you to be one of them Roger, and I hope there are no ill feelings.

But that isn't the case here, is it? They dressed in iconic blackface, they did a blackface act, an act that is based on 200 years of racism.

It was a serious oops. I'm not wanting to be an apologist for it.

I really think we pretty much agree with each other. I'm certainly not meaning to contradict you, so I'm happy to answer you as best I can, if I haven't already.


Respectfully,

Dave

 

[Akhenaten]

<snip for focus>

Let's say I nailed a turd onto a cross, or put a cross in a bucket of urine. You can see there is a bit more context there than a turd on a stick. There's a Christian reference there, it's probably liking Christ to a turd, etc. Wildly offensive, though somebody never exposed to Christian symbology would wonder what the uproar was all about.

That's not so offensive. People have done things similar to what you mentioned and others even more envelope-pushing.

You can do that in Australia. They won't arrest you, or lynch you. If enough people complain they'll ask you to take it down. Once it's gotten to that stage, everyone has had their 15 minutes, the turd is uncrucified and everyone goes back to what they were doing before. It's no biggie.

That's how iconic the images that act used are.

Not my icons. I refuse to care about them any more than I care about voodoo dolls.

 

[Wowbagger]

The acts for that segment of the show are meant to suck.

So I noticed.

 

[GreyICE]

Oh yeah, we're homogeneous all right. Or at least if you take away the 40% of our population who aren't from North-Western Europe we are, anyway.

But thanks for showing you know absolutely nothing about Australia.

This is ironic, given that you know nothing about the rest of the world. But hey, isn't racism fun when it's applied to you and all the rest of the lazy, ignorant, and backwards Australian morons who have nothing better to do than exclaim 'crikey' and drink lousy beer?

 

[Legend]

Are you honestly that pathetic? Do actually have any idea what you're talking about?

What a joke.

Alex.

 

[WildCat]

You guess wrong.

So it would be OK if those guys had dressed up as the "Abo 5" in blackface and wigs and playing digeridoos while throwing boomerangs at a stuffed kangaroo and falling down in mock drunkeness?

Because that's how offensive the routine is from an American POV.

 

[UnrepentantSinner]

It's tough country.

For such a tough country I'm seeing a lot of bitching, pissing and moaning because people are criticizing a performance on a TV show.

 

[GreyICE]

Are you honestly that pathetic? Do actually have any idea what you're talking about?

What a joke.

Alex.

Don't get mad at a joke mate. Geez, is it that lousy beer or the fact that you have to wrestle alligators to get home every day that makes you so angry? I know if you lazy Australian sods were a bit smarter you'd get it, but sadly since you're all a bunch of prisoners, you mostly have stupid genes and just can't really understand humor. Just let the rest of the world that ain't descended from a bunch of bums too lazy to work for a living explain things to ya.

 

[Akhenaten]

So I noticed.

Many haven't

 

[Akhenaten]

This is ironic, given that you know nothing about the rest of the world. But hey, isn't racism fun when it's applied to you and all the rest of the lazy, ignorant, and backwards Australian morons who have nothing better to do than exclaim 'crikey' and drink lousy beer?

Stone the crows! You forgot the fruitcake reference again. Why do you people refuse to learn?

I haz a sad.

 

[Akhenaten]

So it would be OK if those guys had dressed up as the "Abo 5" in blackface and wigs and playing digeridoos while throwing boomerangs at a stuffed kangaroo and falling down in mock drunkeness?

Because that's how offensive the routine is from an American POV.

I'm convinced, utterly, that Americans find the routine offensive. I wonder why they watched it. Harry was the only one actually unable to avoid it.

I don't care though.

 

[Akhenaten]

<snip>

It's tough country. Wear a hat. Take fruitcakes with you.

<snip>

my bolding

For such a tough country I'm seeing a lot of bitching, pissing and moaning because people are criticizing a performance on a TV show.

my bolding

Please don't alter my words in that manner.

 

[Akhenaten]

Don't get mad at a joke mate. Geez, is it that lousy beer or the fact that you have to wrestle alligators to get home every day that makes you so angry? I know if you lazy Australian sods were a bit smarter you'd get it, but sadly since you're all a bunch of prisoners, you mostly have stupid genes and just can't really understand humor. Just let the rest of the world that ain't descended from a bunch of bums too lazy to work for a living explain things to ya.

Only a fruitcake would try to wrestle an Australian alligator. Google will tell you the degree of difficulty.

The rest seems OK.

 

[Greg44]

I'm convinced, utterly, that Americans find the routine offensive. I wonder why they watched it. Harry was the only one actually unable to avoid it.

I don't care though.

You wonder why they watched it? Maybe because they saw it on some forum where some misdirected patriotic Australians were saying what a great larf it really was, and not offensive in any way.

You don't care though. Well, guess how anyone REALLY feels about you're stupid Australia thread?

 

[Akhenaten]

You wonder why they watched it? Maybe because they saw it on some forum where some misdirected patriotic Australians were saying what a great larf it really was, and not offensive in any way.

That's probably it, yes.

You don't care though. Well, guess how anyone REALLY feels about you're stupid Australia thread?

I don't care.

I don't care that you spelled the second person singular possessive incorrectly in your post.

In any case, I don't seem to remember ever owning a droid thread.

 

[Legend]

Don't get mad at a joke mate. Geez, is it that lousy beer or the fact that you have to wrestle alligators to get home every day that makes you so angry? I know if you lazy Australian sods were a bit smarter you'd get it, but sadly since you're all a bunch of prisoners, you mostly have stupid genes and just can't really understand humor. Just let the rest of the world that ain't descended from a bunch of bums too lazy to work for a living explain things to ya.

YOU JUST DON'T GET IT, DO YOU?!

Do you know how annoying it is do be continually defending yourself against alligators? You can't even walk down to the shops nowadays.

Alex.

 

[GreyICE]

Ah. When I push it a little, it seems obvious enough even Australians can get it.