Hey hey it's racist!
Posted on 07. Oct, 2009 by Jef in Pop Culture, Race, Television
Be sure to glance at your one black friend to make sure they're laughing too.
The Australian variety show “Hey Hey It’s Saturday” recently aired a special where they revisited some of their classic numbers, one of which was a blackface routine parodying The Jackson 5 — The Jackson Jive! (womp womp). The painfully unfunny routine made guest judge Harry Connick Jr. visibly squirm in his seat, later taking time to explain that “UHM, NOT COOL.”
Response: “I know that, to your countrymen, it’s an insult to have a blackface routine, so I apologize.” Yeah America, stop being so stodgy and non-racist. Did I just say America is non-racist? More importantly, do Australia’s toilets really flush the opposite way and their animals have pouches made of their own skin? I’ve never been, but I’ve seen Baz Luhrmann’s movies and it must be a giant mindfuck over there. Sorry to any Aussies who were offended by that — I understand in your country it’s an insult to be insulted?
[youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wMAyGewq37w&hl=en&fs=1&rel=0]
(via The Awl)
Simon
Oct 7th, 2009
20 years ago, that routine WON. Obviously, women didn’t get to vote during that contest though.
Aussie Unionist
Oct 8th, 2009
My response would be that the show was a special and there was a reason it was cut in the first place – it was a crap show. And most importantly Darryl Somers is a complete fucking moron. Don’t lump us all in with him!
Jef
Oct 8th, 2009
Unionist, didn’t that show run for like 30 years? I don’t know anything about Somers and his degrees of moron, but I promise, no lumping — b.s. happens on North American television that I face-palm myself equally hard over. It does seem like a lot of Australians are defending this though. Is that really all just the Aussie Internet Troll factor?
Pete
Oct 8th, 2009
Was that a gong behind Harry? Not sure why he didn’t beat on that like Buddy Rich. I know Connick is famously mellow and all, but he must have been tempted to lose his shit there, if only so he could face his friends back home. I mean, what’s the worst that could have happened if he’s told them what he was thinking in the words he was really thinking them in? He’d get a booting? Aw, it’s just a little kick in the bum.
jessekg
Oct 9th, 2009
Wait… Just had this thought: Why is Harry Connick Jr. even on TV anymore?!? He was their celebraty judge?!? and more exclamation marks !?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!?!
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Zindzi
Nov 11th, 2009
Ummmm????
I know times have changed, but nothing is more cringeworthy than blackface. Nothing. It just hearkens back to an ugly time and place, and people should stop acting like doing it in 2009 is in some way progressive. Like we’re past it – oh please. This kinda thing can only really be ok when racism goes away, and I think that’s never happening. Blackface is always going to be political, no matter what; we’re a globally-oppressed race.
And Australia’s racial problems … don’t even get me started. Rabbit-proof fences people.
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