Variety act in blackface on Australian TV

[Johnny Canuck3]

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?

This, you mean?

 

[Orang Utan]

Which part of it don't you understand?

are you saying that tom cruise does an offensive impression of a japanese person in the film?

 

[sleaterkinney]

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

Was Tom Cruise making fun of Japanese people?

 

[untethered]

he plays an american in that film

I think "plays" is the correct term.

It's entertainment. Pretense. Art, if you will. Not the warm-up act for the BNP's summer boot camp.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

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

No. Which is part of the reason why what the doctors did, comes across as a grotesque racist parody.

 

[paulhackett]

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

2 of the judges found it offensive, the host allowed one of them to explain why. Why don't you get that the offence is entirely down to perception. That the studio audience didn't necessarily see it, doesn't make it acceptable. Drawing parallels with other potentially offensive art doesn't excuse it either..

 

[untethered]

are you saying that tom cruise does an offensive impression of a japanese person in the film?

Not in my opinion.

 

[untethered]

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

I haven't seen that one. What happens?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

Not in my opinion.

I can't recall: does Tom look anything like this in the film?

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I haven't seen that one. What happens?

Sellers plays a South Indian attending a hollywood party. He plays the role as a clueless, inept buffoon.

 

[untethered]

No. Which is part of the reason why what the doctors did, comes across as a grotesque racist parody.

I'm just astonished at how far you'll stoop to twist the truth to fit your prejudices.

Look, if you don't like Australians, fine. We all have our opinions, some of them less palatable than others. But just keep it off the boards, OK?

 

[untethered]

Sellers plays a South Indian attending a hollywood party. He plays the role as a clueless, inept buffoon.

Sounds fair enough.

 

[untethered]

I can't recall: does Tom look anything like this in the film?

A bit like that. Depends where you draw the line I suppose. Anyway, isn't this one meant to be a Chinese?

 

[paulhackett]

I'm just astonished at how far you'll stoop to twist the truth to fit your prejudices.

Look, if you don't like Australians, fine. We all have our opinions, some of them less palatable than others. But just keep it off the boards, OK?

He hasn't expressed any Australian sentiment at all?

 

[untethered]

He hasn't expressed any Australian sentiment at all?

Don't be so naive.

 

[Orang Utan]

Don't be so naive.

fuck off dadolf

 

[paulhackett]

Don't be so naive.

Really? I've just read his posts back and I think JC2 (and others) perceive the act as offensive.. that it occured in Australia is neither here nor there. Can't you seperate the two? That it is on Australian tv is secondary to the act itself.

 

[untethered]

f- off dadolf

Congratulations on a vaguely original insult. Still, your next one will see you on ignore.

 

[untethered]

Really? I've just read his posts back and I think JC2 (and others) perceive the act as offensive.. that it occured in Australia is neither here nor there. Can't you seperate the two? That it is on Australian tv is secondary to the act itself.

You don't see this kind of thing on British television, do you?

 

[sleaterkinney]

You don't see this kind of thing on British television, do you?

People blacking up?. Maybe on the tv you watch.

 

[paulhackett]

You don't see this kind of thing on British television, do you?

Personally no, but if I did, I would have the same response - if you're saying is for example Bo Selecta offensive, then the perception could similarly be yes.. I think you should seperate the country where it was shown from the act itself though.

I can't recall anything since the B&W Minstrel Show, but if you or anyone lobbed forward more recent examples, I would be objecting to those as well.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

I'm just astonished at how far you'll stoop to twist the truth to fit your prejudices.

Look, if you don't like Australians, fine. We all have our opinions, some of them less palatable than others. But just keep it off the boards, OK?

I have no opinion of Australians as a nation. I tend to judge them on an individual basis.

 

[Johnny Canuck3]

A bit like that. Depends where you draw the line I suppose. Anyway, isn't this one meant to be a Chinese?

'a Chinese'?

 

[untethered]

I have no opinion of Australians as a nation. I tend to judge them on an individual basis.

It's just that there happened to be a huge group of racist Australians on a mainstream television programme going out to what is presumably an appreciative audience.

Give it up, seriously.

 

[untethered]

People blacking up?. Maybe on the tv you watch.

Dreadful things. I don't have them in the house.

 

[untethered]

Personally no, but if I did, I would have the same response - if you're saying is for example Bo Selecta offensive, then the perception could similarly be yes.. I think you should seperate the country where it was shown from the act itself though.

But the whole point is that this is a mainstream Australian programme and the whole thread is (yet another) let's bash the evil, racist whitey one. Frankly I've had enough of it. I'm not alone in that either.

 

[untethered]

'a Chinese'?

What do you call them?

 

[sleaterkinney]

Dreadful things. I don't have them in the house.

Explains a lot.

But the whole point is that this is a mainstream Australian programme and the whole thread is (yet another) let's bash the evil, racist whitey one.

Awwwww

 

[untethered]

Explains a lot.

I expect it explains why I'm one of the very few people here that hasn't had my brain addled by transiently-fashionable political ideas presented as light entertainment.

 

[sleaterkinney]

I expect it explains why I'm one of the very few people here that hasn't had my brain addled by transiently-fashionable political ideas presented as light entertainment.

You think anti-racism is a "transiently-fashionable political idea" ?. It does explain why a lot of your ideas are out of touch, yes.