Red Faces over Blackface - Harry Connick Jr not impressed

Story here

Quote :

Apparently enough time had elapsed since Michael Jackson’s death that a cheeky comic tribute to him and the Jackson 5 seemed in good taste. At least it seemed that way a troupe of Aussie TV performers, who rounded out last night’s performance as the “Jackson Jive” in full-on blackface. The crowd ate it up, but an American judge who knew better ground the show to a halt until somebody apologized.

It wasn’t supposed to be like this for Harry Connick Jr. or the iconic Aussie variety series Hey Hey It’s Saturday, for whom the midweek show represented a much-anticipated reunion special. But there they were: The Jackson Jive, all Afro wigs and black face paint, led by their late superstar brother, Michael, done up with a pasty clown visage and aviator sunglasses. Not cool, said Connick: “If they turned up looking like that in the United States, it’d be like Hey Hey There’s No More Show,” the crooner spat, giving the group a score of zero in the episode’s mock-talent competition.

The host brought Connick — who’d appeared on the show before — back out after the break for an official mea culpa: “I know that to your countrymen, that’s an insult to have a blackface routine like that on the show, so I do apologize.” Connick thanked him, adding, “I know it was done humorously, but we’ve spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that, we take it really to heart.” As if this weren’t the year two-thousand-and-freaking-nine. “If I knew that was going to be part of the show, I probably - I definitely - wouldn’t have done it.”

The "tribute" to him? Here it is:



It wasn't acceptable then, and isn't now. I feel my country is full of idiots, that's for sure. Some of the comments on the Youtube videos are proof of that...

Quote :

typical... why do americans have to be so politically correct it was done as a laugh. Australia have a sense of humor. He's only said anything so he doesnt get in trouble back in the land of the 'free'! Dont ever invite him back.

Quote :

The fact is this is AUSTRALIA and the majority of watchers find it entertaining we should no apologise because we offend another nation. Do we apologise to middle eastern countries for our TV showing semi-naked women? Don't get me wrong - I absolutely love America but I do not believe their culture should influence our nation.

Quote :

There is nothing racist about this. It is a parody only of the Jackson Five, not black people in general. Quite besides that, Michael Jackson hasn't been black in a long time. Race and skin colour are simply not of any significance to us here, and are certainly not an indicator of a persons merit. That is why we feel comfortable joking about it. Other countries should take note and learn from us.

Haha, yeah, let's just forget about what the government did to the Aboriginal community by taking their children away well into the 70-80s and trying to reeducate them to be "more white". Australia might have a lot of comedians that send up their own cultures/race, but it still doesn't make things like this skit acceptable - especially in the face of an equal rights advocate.

I got as far as 0:57 before my brain went "HOLY JESUS CHRIST BLACKFACE ACTUALLY MEANS BLACK FACE HERE THEY LOOK LIKE GOLLIWOGS WHAT THE FUCK WHAT THE FUCK HOW CAN ANYONE BE STUPID ENOUGH TO THINK THAT'S IN ANY WAY ACCEPTABLE"

Quote :

Race and skin colour are simply not of any significance to us here

Spoken like a true dumb chalky.

Cyberwulf wrote:

Quote :

Race and skin colour are simply not of any significance to us here

Spoken like a true dumb chalky.

They got me at "Other countries should take note and learn from us." LOL WAT. IT'S FUCKING CLASSICAL BLACKFACE.

And by the by, dumbassed youtube commenters, if you're depicting American people in your racist skits, you sure had better damned well take American racial perceptions into account.

Even if it weren't in bad taste, it's still not all that funny.

I started the video, thinking, "Surely this is an exagger-- Oh. My. God."

Are there Americans loudly defending the Australian 'right' to blackface yet?

No, it's pretty much all Australians so far.

I should just point out that the guys in the skit actually talked to the producers beforehand about it, yet they still let it go through.

Many people are saying this is all an over-reaction, but in hindsight it would have been better just not to have done a skit like this at all.

Holy christ. The fuck is wrong with you Australia!

Cyberwulf wrote:

I got as far as 0:57 before my brain went "HOLY JESUS CHRIST BLACKFACE ACTUALLY MEANS BLACK FACE HERE THEY LOOK LIKE GOLLIWOGS

What's a "golliwog?"

EDIT: Looked it up. YIKES.

Yeah, every iota of shit the Aussies get for this will be deserved. I think I get what they were trying to do, but that line is way, way too easy to cross. Discretion is the better part of valor.

gaijinguy wrote:

What's a "golliwog?"

Golliwog

Theaphelia wrote:

Even if it weren't in bad taste, it's still not all that funny.

This. I mean, I didn't even get what was supposed to be funny here.

Did I set my alarm wrong and wake up in 1935?

ZoZo wrote:

Did I set my alarm wrong and wake up in 1935?

You've got to warn everyone about Hitler!

I really don't think the apology went far enough, either, and I don't think the host really understood the problem. It's not "oh, we offended our American judge," it's that the people they were depicting are/were black Americans, and to use something that was a symbol of black oppression in America TO DEPICT BLACK AMERICANS is really, really wrong.

Not that I think blackface is cool for people of any nationality but that's a trickier argument so I'll let it stand here.

Argh. The comments reproduce the same kind of retarded crypto-racism I see in my own countrymen all the time. "Oh, we're not racist, so we can use all the offensive and demeaning stereotypes we want". NO.

Ok, I hate Michael Jackson. However, this was just... in really bad taste. At first I was like, "Eh..." but then the "TRIBUTE TO MICHAEL JACKSON !" popped up, at which point I had to shake my head. As Miss Prince pointed out before, using something that was used to oppress black people/performers to HONOR a black person... and the comment that he hadn't been black in a long time? Buh?

[You must be registered and logged in to see this image.]

That having been...appropriate screencapped, be careful, guys. While this is just plain unbelievable , it's unfair to attribute it to the entirety of Australia. You can see a lot of horrified faces in the crowd shots, and studios always goad their audiences into "appropriate" reactions, cues which would be easily taken by people so shocked they didn't know how to respond. And YouTube commenters are stupid and offensive in all nations. I'm not saying this is anything but galling, mind, or that those who don't see it that way have any excuse, I just don't like seeing country-wide generalizations flying around. I mean, this isn't actually a country-wide...thing...is...is it?

As a side note, did anyone notice the font? Chalk up one more mark against MS Comics Sans.

Delcat wrote:

[I'm not saying this is anything but galling, mind, or that those who don't see it that way have any excuse, I just don't like seeing country-wide generalizations flying around. I mean, this isn't actually a country-wide...thing...is...is it?

It's not, I'm sure. But I have to admit I've seen quite a few disturbing comments along the lines of "HAVE WE LOST OUR SENSE OF HUMOUR?!?!?", even in the media today. Australia hasn't lost its sense of humour, it's just that this isn't a laughing matter. There's plenty of other ways to get a laugh than through being an insensitive douchebag.

Unfortunately, Australia has this cultural idea that we're all in a world away from such issues. Racism? Doesn't exist because we're a "multicultural society"! Yet, take a look back in our history and it really isn't a pretty one. Only a few years back we had the Cronulla Race Riots. So it seems most people don't tend to think the issue exists simply because it's an "American thing". Something like this really should be seen as more offensive rather than laughed or shrugged off as not being important.

Mafiosa wrote:

Holy christ. The fuck is wrong with you Australia!

Australia has serious, serious issues with racism. Witness the recent attacks on Indian students in Australian universities, or the Cronulla riots a few years ago.

It says a lot that the One Nation party, with a platform of RACISM RACISM RACISM, did frighteningly well back in the Queensland elections in 1998, and the Howard government was always happy to capitalise on the fear of ZOMG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

Snoof wrote:

Mafiosa wrote:

Holy christ. The fuck is wrong with you Australia!

Australia has serious, serious issues with racism. Witness the recent attacks on Indian students in Australian universities, or the Cronulla riots a few years ago.

It says a lot that the One Nation party, with a platform of RACISM RACISM RACISM, did frighteningly well back in the Queensland elections in 1998, and the Howard government was always happy to capitalise on the fear of ZOMG ILLEGAL IMMIGRANTS.

Australia: The American South in island form.

It's only racism when America does it.

I do have half a mind to post the Japanese Louis Armstrong impersonator, just to see what kind of reaction it gets.

gaijinguy wrote:

I do have half a mind to post the Japanese Louis Armstrong impersonator, just to see what kind of reaction it gets.

I always greet that one with stunned laughter and confusion. Put it up!

Ask and ye shall receive.