Variety act in blackface on Australian TV

[Johnny Canuck3]

1980s throwbacks complaining about minstrel shows are sadly the exception that proves the rule.

I think you have it backward. It's not the complainers who are the throwbacks, it's the neurologist, surgeon etc, who thought that it was a good idea to dress up like golliwogs.

 

[London_Calling]

Jesus, it's so provincial it makes Alan Partridge look on the money. Is this local or national tv?

 

[untethered]

I think you have it backward. It's not the complainers who are the throwbacks, it's the neurologist, surgeon etc, who thought that it was a good idea to dress up like golliwogs.

They weren't dressed up as "golliwogs". They were dressed up as the Jackson Five.

Have you actually seen the video? Do try it and come back to comment intelligently on its actual content rather than your prejudices when you have.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

They weren't dressed up as "golliwogs". They were dressed up as the Jackson Five.

Have you actually seen the video? Do try it and come back to comment intelligently on its actual content rather than your prejudices when you have.

Yes, I've seen the video. They looked like golliwogs.

The jackson five actually look nothing like white men wearing shoe polish and fright wigs.

 

[paulhackett]

This is the country where Damien Bown, general manager of game development for Cricket Australia in defence of the racial make-up of the Australian cricket team said "We select people on merit. Besides, lots of Australian players have been from ethnic backgrounds, including Simon Katich, who is Croatian''.

 

[ymu]

I didn't watch the show because it's shit and always has been - I live in Australia and I honestly don't think it's a racist country but there does seem to be a real insenitivity in the way people sometimes behave.

Then you had your eyes fucking closed. Christ, even the pubs are segregated.

Ever seen an aborigine on Neighbours or Home & Away (apart from the mixed-race psycho on H&A who slept with anything that moved and was an all round evil cunt)?

You can live in Australia a long time and not be aware of the existence of an aboriginal population. That is not the same as not being a racist country - precisely the opposite when there is a large non-white section of the population almost entirely excluded from the national polity, economy and culture (apart from cutesy artefacts made in sweatshops run by rich, mostly white, cunts).

 

[D'wards]

You'd think people would have enough real racism to worry about without having to make complaints over a lighthearted variety act. Not my cup of tea personally but it was clearly intended as an affectionate tribute rather than a spiteful parody.

After all, I doubt many people would have a problem with a group of black entertainers performing a "whiteface" act. Maybe they should.

Normally i try to not get too hysterical about perceived racial slights, unless it is clear what the intent is (Carol Thatcher for example).

But this is indefensible, no way it can be acceptable in this day and age.

 

[untethered]

Yes, I've seen the video. They looked like golliwogs.

We all see the world through our own eyes, don't we?

The jackson five actually look nothing like white men wearing shoe polish and fright wigs.

Perhaps not, but a group of white men presenting an artistic interpretation of the Jackson Five might. The rest is down to suspension of disbelief.

I expect the act would have come across rather differently if you were there taking in the full atmosphere of the performance rather than just watching a tiny clip online.

 

[untethered]

But this is indefensible, no way it can be acceptable in this day and age.

Did anyone force you to watch it?

Were the audience smashing at the doors trying to get free? I didn't notice it.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I expect the act would have come across rather differently if you were there taking in the full atmosphere of the performance rather than just watching a tiny clip online.

I watched the full performance, from when the doctors came onstage, until they were judged by Connick et al.

Your point about the bauhaus chairs was understandable. Your position on this situation, isn't.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Did anyone force you to watch it?

Were the audience smashing at the doors trying to get free? I didn't notice it.

No; in fact, when the last judge asked the audience what to award, they were yelling 'ten'.

A bit frightening, if you get right down to it.

 

[D'wards]

I don't think there is anything wrong with people dressing up as people of a different race in comedy per se - Kevin Bishop done quite a good R.Kelly with a song about checking your sexual partners age etc.

But there is a world away from sophisticated make-up to try and look as much like the person being paraodied as possible, and big afro wig and boot polish.

 

[untethered]

I watched the full performance, from when the doctors came onstage, until they were judged by Connick et al.

But you weren't there, so perhaps you should defer to those that were.

Frankly this whole thread smacks of "look at those awful Australians with their third-rate entertainments". Not Urban's finest hour by a long way.

Your point about the bauhaus chairs was understandable. Your position on this situation, isn't.

I don't recall you getting similarly worked up about Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. Essentially it's the same thing.

 

[untethered]

No; in fact, when the last judge asked the audience what to award, they were yelling 'ten'.

A bit frightening, if you get right down to it.

I must have missed the bit where they pulled pillowcases over their heads and ignited the cross.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

But you weren't there, so perhaps you should defer to those that were..

It's a tv show. That means, it's geared toward the viewing audience, of which we all were a part, thanks to Youtube.

Also, even had I been in the live audience, I'm not sure if it would have somehow clarified or obscured my vision of a group of senior doctors wearing black shoepolish and fright wigs.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Frankly this whole thread smacks of "look at those awful Australians with their third-rate entertainments". Not Urban's finest hour by a long way.



I don't recall you getting similarly worked up about Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. Essentially it's the same thing.

No, it's more 'look at those australians and their blythe acceptance of blatant racism'.

I don't recall discussing The Last Samurai with you, or anyone on Urban.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I must have missed the bit where they pulled pillowcases over their heads and ignited the cross.

They didn't do that.

Is that's what is necessary, for a situation to penetrate into your brain as being perhaps racist?

 

[untethered]

It's a tv show. That means, it's geared toward the viewing audience, of which we all were a part, thanks to Youtube.

You strike me somehow as being outside the target audience. Me too, as it happens.

Also, even had I been in the live audience, I'm not sure if it would have somehow clarified or obscured my vision of a group of senior doctors wearing black shoepolish and fright wigs.

I expect you would have been much more likely to appreciate it in the spirit it was clearly intended.

 

[D'wards]

I don't recall discussing The Last Samurai with you, or anyone on Urban.

Its not a bad film, bit ridiculous in places, but if you want the real whiteman a hit in feudal Japan experience you wanna read Shogun.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I must have missed the bit where they pulled pillowcases over their heads and ignited the cross.

No cross burning here. Just 'artistic expression'?

 

[untethered]

No, it's more 'look at those australians and their blythe acceptance of blatant racism'.

Well it obviously wasn't blatant to them. I think that tells us something.

I don't recall discussing The Last Samurai with you, or anyone on Urban.

Precisely my point. You don't want to see black people denigrated but when it comes to the Japanese anything goes.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

You strike me somehow as being outside the target audience. Me too, as it happens.



I expect you would have been much more likely to appreciate it in the spirit it was clearly intended.

I might have been more inclined to keep my mouth shut, sitting in a room with a bunch of australians yelling 'ten! ten!'

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Well it obviously wasn't blatant to them. I think that tells us something..

Yes. It tells us something about their racism.

 

[untethered]

Yes. It tells us something about their racism.

I think you know what it tells us and it's nothing to do with Australians.

 

[Orang Utan]

I don't recall you getting similarly worked up about Tom Cruise in The Last Samurai. Essentially it's the same thing.

can you please clarify your point here?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

You don't want to see black people denigrated but when it comes to the Japanese anything goes.

As I recall, Cruise is disguised as being Japanese, to do some spying or some such thing.

The plot and premise there, is different from dressing in deliberately provocative attire, then going on stage with eye rolling, hip thrusting, hand shaking pantomime.

 

[Orang Utan]

he plays an american in that film

 

[untethered]

can you please clarify your point here?

Which part of it don't you understand?

 

[D'wards]

can you please clarify your point here?

Yeah, i don't really get that. It was about a white man ingratiating himself into Japanese society - not doing a slitty eyed Benny Hill impression of them.

What about Peter Sellers in that film he was in, that would have been a better example - was it The Party?

 

[untethered]

The plot and premise there, is different from dressing in deliberately provocative attire, then going on stage with eye rolling, hip thrusting, hand shaking pantomime.

From my very limited knowledge of popular culture isn't that exactly what the Jackson Five do? Or did?