Poll: That's RACIST!!

[seule]

Not racist so much as
a) OLD material. If I'm not mistaken, the same group did the same act on the same show about 5 years ago.
b) Offensive. It's not racist, but it certainly is taking a shot at a black family, not just mike jackson.

Yeah they did do it before, but i think it was a lot longer than 5 years, more like 15 i think. And the hilarious part for me is, most of the guys that performed it, are actually of non-caucasian descent, ie Indians and stuff. But its given everyone a good laugh at the amount of hypocrisy in the world in general.

 

[Addendum_Forthcoming]

Let's not also forget that the rest of the world tends to over exaggerate matters when concerning Australia .... like the infamous 'Camel-cide' treatment Australians received in the US media ....

I remember watching a clip where the tv personality went "Kevin Rudd is a 'serial Killer' as he wishes to 'airstrike camels'"

Serial Killer because ..... he wishes to eliminate a non-native pest in our country casuing billions of dollars of damage to various eco-systems ...

And 'air-strike' .... as the US media was interpreted as a massive aerial bombardment like something you'd see during the Vietnam War .... instead of just meaning the factual 'air-strike' with guys using rifles from helicopters.

So it's completely fine with CBS (I think it was) to perform a 5 minute tirade to say our leader and nation are complete crackpots ... and insinuate (no matter how blatantly inaccurate) that Australians are doing this to get to kill animals using a heavy military arsenal .... but hey ... 5 guys in Blackface .... MUST BE RACIST ... no other way to look at it.

I keep forgetting though ... in the US ... it's not racist for white people of one country to denigrate white people from ANOTHER country ... ahh ... wait a tick >.>

The 5 guys and the tv reporters in the US are guilty of the same crime ... not realizing how innately stupid and offensive it would be perceived by another group of people overseas. Gotta remember ... Blackface was NEVER popular in Australia ... and thus there is little connection CULTURALLY between Blackface to perceived racism in Australia.

That being said, only an idiot wouldn't realise why you don't do it.

I don't what it is about Australia ... but whenever something even remotely in bad taste, or slightly controversial ... it gets blown up 100 fold and mutilated into somethig it's clearly is not by most people ... or atleast those who haven't replaced their brains with the congealed detritus found in a blocked toilet.

It wasn't racism ... it was stupidity. If they are going to make it international news then it should be a report moreso into how fucktards have invaded every continent on Earth .... rather then drawing it on some metaphysically perceived racism of which there is no tangible factor.

Addendum:

CNBC ... not CBS.

 

[Bob_Bobbington]

Wow, is it time for Australia to be the centre of controversy in America again.

There is no racism in this sketch. People just try to be politically correct and blow issues completely out of context.

 

[TheRealCJ]

I think what he was saying is that, while this group's black face may not have been intended to be racist, the act of wearing it has roots in much more malevolent entertainment fair of the past, and is therefore a source of squeamish reactions in America.

At least, I think that's what the beginning's about, I really don't get what all the truly racist jokes are there for at the end.

That was completely my intention. Those racist jokes at the end were directed at people who write off the 'Hey Hey It's Sarurday' skit at just a harmless joke. Just because something is a joke does not mean that it isn't racist.

Way to miss the point completely, dickhead.

Well that was unnecessary. I must have caused offense, which was not my intent. Sorry about that.

Those 'jokes' are just racism dress up as a 'joke'.

We're talking about jokes that are unintentionally racist. These guys were making fun of the jackon 5, and chose to wear blackface. They didn't come on and stage a lynching or talk about how black people are the scum of the earth.

Did you read my post? I believe that I stated that while not intentionally racist, linking back to minstrel shows and what have you is racist. In my opinion, that skit was accidentally racist which does not weaken, I suppose you could say, the racism that was presented in the performance.

You're right about the jokes though, they are racism dressed up as jokes. They were also a side to the argument against those saying that it's 'just a joke'. Sure, the performance may just be a joke as well, but does that necessarily make it not racist? I thought I made that pretty clear.

I believe that one of the performers stated that this will never pass in his home country because it would viewed as racist, according to the 7PM project. If that's true than it would seem that the performers knew there was some racist intent (they would have to have realised there is some) and that they believe that Australians are more racist than other countries. Looking back on the Cronulla (sp?) riots, the time that I spent in Moree [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moree] and all those fucking stupid 'Abo' jokes I've heard over the years only cement this fact.

Edit: Fixed the quotes.

You're right, and I apologise.

But you shouldn't have posted those jokes at all, they're not jokes, they're not even trying to be jokes. They're just racism.

As for that performer, who is Harry Conick Jr., did you know he used to dress up in blackface for a few SNL skits back early in his career? But of course, if an Australian act do it, he has to pull the elitism card and claim that HIS country is SOOOOOO much better.

 

[Fire Daemon]

You're right, and I apologise.

But you shouldn't have posted those jokes at all, they're not jokes, they're not even trying to be jokes. They're just racism.

As for that performer, who is Harry Conick Jr., did you know he used to dress up in blackface for a few SNL skits back early in his career? But of course, if an Australian act do it, he has to pull the elitism card and claim that HIS country is SOOOOOO much better.

You are right, I shouldn't have posted those 'jokes'. There is no need for you to apologise to me, I was clearly in the wrong.

I believe someone earlier in the thread said that Harry Conick Jr used to dress up in black face, which I find really disappointing. It makes it seem like he didn't take offense, rather that only tried to keep some credibility, worried that appearing with this act would make him look racist to his American fans. Interestingly enough though, I doubt this would have gained much attention if he didn't criticize it.

 

[Devil's Due]

I thought that was funny. People need to lighten up, my god.

 

[Motti]

It's comedy people, if you take it seriously then you're missing the point.

 

[Cind]

lol it's "Hey hey it's saturday!"...

i was glad when it got axed all them years ago... and i'm glad it was only a 'comeback special'. I was seriously worried it was going to be back for good, but after this scandel, i doubt they would.

OT though: i think people are blowing this up, like they do with everything. We don't blow up when other countries pay us out (simpsons go to australia anyone?), so why should you? It was never meant to be a joke on African Americans, but on Michael Jackson himself. This shouldn't have ever been a race issue.

 

[Hollock]

well they appreciate Michael and his music so this probably isnt with ill intentions but MAN how could they put on blackface and not even give it a second thought.

Edit: how narrow minded of me they clearly have a deep love of all the Jacksons not just Michael. But i cant really say anything i've rolled on the floor laughing at a blackface joke once heres a link to it it's not a clip it'l start at 12:27 please click on it it's totallly worth watching

Spoiler

http://www.hulu.com/watch/55599/stella-paper-route#s-p2-so-i0

Treat yourself

 

[Nouw]

Can't be bothered watching. I just voted for why is hey hey its saturday etc etc.

 

[joystickjunki3]

I didn't find it particularly funny, but I also didn't think it was racist.

For the most part, I subscribe to the school of "if you accuse something of being racist, you see race as more of a barrier than I do." If I had seen this before hearing that people thought it was racist, I wouldn't have given it a second thought.

Now that I know how people feel about it, I have to contemplate the issue. It stems back to whether or not America is post-racial now that Obama has been elected. Obviously, it isn't, but for different reasons than many believe. I think a large problem w/ the racist issue is that many people won't let go of crying wolf, so to speak.

 

[cobra_ky]

If this had happened in America, the show would have immediately been canceled, and those men would be living in fear for their lives.

obviously australia doesn't have the same history of racial conflict that america does, but over here blackface and minstrel shows are a major sticking point in our cultural history. I can understand why this isn't as big a deal outside the U.S., but please understand that culturally, we take racial issues much more seriously.

Now that I know how people feel about it, I have to contemplate the issue. It stems back to whether or not America is post-racial now that Obama has been elected. Obviously, it isn't, but for different reasons than many believe. I think a large problem w/ the racist issue is that many people won't let go of crying wolf, so to speak.

ignoring racism only makes it stronger. overreacting can also make it worse, but pretending it doesn't exist is much, much worse for race relations.

 

[azyrios]

Offensisensitivity: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RZ2GTQ6tmmU

People are often far to offended by things that shouldn't offend them.

 

[joystickjunki3]

If this had happened in America, the show would have immediately been canceled, and those men would be living in fear for their lives.

obviously australia doesn't have the same history of racial conflict that america does, but over here blackface and minstrel shows are a major sticking point in our cultural history. I can understand why this isn't as big a deal outside the U.S., but please understand that culturally, we take racial issues much more seriously.

Now that I know how people feel about it, I have to contemplate the issue. It stems back to whether or not America is post-racial now that Obama has been elected. Obviously, it isn't, but for different reasons than many believe. I think a large problem w/ the racist issue is that many people won't let go of crying wolf, so to speak.

ignoring racism only makes it stronger. overreacting can also make it worse, but pretending it doesn't exist is much, much worse for race relations.

But I never said that we should ignore racism.

 

[Aardvark Soup]

Racism will only truly be banned out when you can freely make fun of people's skin color just as much as you could make fun of for example hair color. If we want to reach that level we should stop screaming 'That's RACIST!!' in innocent cases like this.

 

[The Austin]

No its hillarius

 

[rokkolpo]

i think it,s racist if you think this is racist.

explanation:when i watch this i see 6 guys having major fun.
when a racist looks at this they see 6 guys making fun of black guys.

no fiber of my body thinks it,s slightly racist.

p.s. aren,t we all a bunch of buffoons?

 

[Ryuk2]

They didn't say anything bad about black people so no, they are not racist.

 

[Lullabye]

As Chef from south park put it best, "chilun', its not right to make fun of someone because of their skin cullu', but it IS okay to make fun uh someone cause their from a different country cause they fo-ners"
seriously, people (meaning white people) need to stop mixing up racism, stereotyping, and mental retardation(as the people in the video clearly were)