Racialy oriented comedy and political correctness

[Urban Rubble]

I didn't know where to put this so I put it in OI. Please leave it here.

Let me start with a sketch from Chapelle's show.

The sketch opens with two obviously Arabs dressed in robes. They are speaking Arabic with subtitles.

The subtitles read "These Americans will pay for their decisions. And the other Arab says "Yes I know, they obviously should have picked Justin over Kelly (speaking of American Idol)".

The camera pans back to a pair of black men. Their thoughts are played out loud. "Just my luck, 100 seats on a plane and I get stuck behind these guys. I'm watching you terrorist motherfuckers".

The camera pans further back to a middle aged white man with his teenage daughter. The man has a distraught look on his face and is thinking "I wonder how those negroes got up here in first class ? I'd better keep and eye on Sarah".

The camera continues back, in the next row it is 2 native Americans looking at the white guy suspiciously. They are thinking "I'd better not get up and use the bathroom, white man will steal my seat and call it "Manifest Destiny".

Finally, the camera pans to Dave Chapelle, asleep in the back with a magazine draped across him saying "America United".




Now, it is obvious to me the message being conveyed here. Americans, in particular the American media, seem to love the fact that after 9-11 Americans have been "united" against a common foe. Chapelle's point is that the only reason we are "united" is because we have a new "enemy" to be predjudiced against, the Arabs, as opposed to blacks. Another point he is making is that many black people have forgotten what it is like to be discriminated against, and are doing the same thing to Arabs and Middle Easterners that white people used to do to them, profile them unfairly.

According to Victor (RedZeppelin) and many other leftists, this kind of comedy is not O.K. The reason being is that racism and other offensive topics should not be joked about. I think that is insanity. This sketch was completely racially motivated, but it is also an important political/sociological commentary.

So, what is your opinion on racial and un-PC comedy ? Personally, I think it's great. I think it is one of the most important mediums we have in the fight against oppression. I know of at least 3 people who have had to seriously re-evaluate their views after watching shows like Chappelle's show and Tough Crowd with Colin Quinn. Why do we leftists seem to think that anything offensive and not totally politically correct is "racist" or really, just plain wrong ? Why can't we have a sense of humor about things, even oppression ? What is wrong with this ?

Also, why does it become somehow less acceptable when a white man is doing this kind of comedy ? Even if it isn't meant as a social commentary, what is wrong with recognizing the differences between races and cultures and joking about them ?

[Rastafari]

In Congress, at least, Political Correctness is used as a battlefield to draw people's attention away from real issues concerning minorities. Old white conservatives jump at other members of the house over this shit and they (the jumpers) are all ex-KKK members.


You look at perhaps the greatest commissioner in the history of Baseball, Happy Chandler (so I can't help it if I'm a little biased, ok?). Under his tenure, Jackie Robinson broke the color barrier (with Happy's full support, obviously). In the eighties (when Happy is about 90), Happy is fired from a Kentucky Board of regents when he says the N-Word. You have to realize, that old Happy wasn't anything near a racist, and was just an old-fashioned (and by this time, senile) guy who was too ignorant to know better.
http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/plaques/images/Chandler_Happy.jpg

I'm not saying that Political Correctness isn't important, because it is vital to education in modernity. Basically, it seperates people into two stratum.
Regardless, however, it's not the most important thing to be worrying about and I love well-executed comedy no matter what lines it has to cross.

[truthaddict11]

UR, I really dont care about the PCness of comedy. Some of it is good some of it is just crap like Andrew Dice Clay RedZepplin said in another thread how he likes Jon Stewart on the Daily Show. I watched a rerun this moring and he was making fun of Japanese protesters and South Korean parliment members. Most comedians point out our flaws in everyone of us make us laugh at ourselfs and laugh at current affairs and problems such as racism, as George Carlin and especially Richard Pryor have done. Am I a racist because I laugth out loud when I heard Richard Pryor say, "Hello I'm Richard Pryor and I'm a nigger" or everytime I listing to his "Supernigger" routine or eveytime I watch Blazing Saddles. Most of the writers on SNL have been white are they racist when they came up with characters like Nate X or Ladies Man.

[Hampton]

There has to come a point where the shit can't become so taboo to talk about that it's not being discussed at all and I think if that happens then we all lose. Comedy has been used to break down some things and allow people to talk freely about them by putting the issues out for people to talk about, being the first one to say it and let people talk about. It's a good thing and I would be the first to encourage it.

That being said, I also thing that there's a fine line before it gets ackward and there's a dead silence and people don't know if they should laugh or not, but, that line is not so fine that things can't be joked about.

Urban had mentioned Colin Quinn's show, which I don't like but for diffrent reasons, but it's a good example of how things should be, free to be able to say how you feel and not bite your tounge, of course on the show I would gamble that they all know each other and it is just friends joking with each other which is the right atmosphere for it.

And on the same level you had Jimmy Kimmel painting his face black and dressing like Karl Malone and talking bad english and now you have Dave Chapelle painting his face like a white guy and speaking proper english, both are not meant to be taken seriously, it's comedy, not Amos 'N Andy.

I think it gets weird people don't know each other and when it is over a medium like the internet where you can't tell sarcasm and tone of voice which are important things.

[j]

Jimmy Kimmel painting his face black==racist. (He is acting out of sheer ignorance and insensitivity to how blackface and minstrel shows were used to shape public opinion and continue racism and discrimination)

Dave Chapelle painting his face white==funny.

The Chapelle skit at the beginning of this thread==even funnier. (It's actually political satire)

Political Correctness is a fabrication. It's an excuse for racists/homophobes/bigots. If I explain that Kimmel or Ted Danson in black face is racist and explain its implications I am accused of being PC. It has nothing to do with PC. It has to do with being intelligent and understanding history. The ignorant is going to call me PC because he is too lazy or does not want to understand that words, terms, actions, etc. all have meaning (whether intended or not).

In America we don't respect language. That is a problem. Words are not merely words (As Shakespeare to Langston Hughes have taught us).

j

[Urban Rubble]

That being said, I also thing that there's a fine line before it gets ackward and there's a dead silence and people don't know if they should laugh or not, but, that line is not so fine that things can't be joked about.

I agree. And that's one of the risks you take with that kind of joke. It doesn't (or shouldn't) matter what color you are, sometimes these jokes cross the line. It's up to the person telling the joke to think about how people will take it and what it's actual meaning is. With that said, many people get offended at anything dealing with race, even if it is a simple observation about how a white man's appearance differs from a black man's, of course, that really only happens when a white comedian is telling the joke.


Urban had mentioned Colin Quinn's show, which I don't like but for diffrent reasons, but it's a good example of how things should be, free to be able to say how you feel and not bite your tounge, of course on the show I would gamble that they all know each other and it is just friends joking with each other which is the right atmosphere for it.

Another good point. It's a different thing to say this shit to strangers. I make fun of one of my friend's nappy ass hair all the time, but I wouldn't walk up to some random black guy and say that because it would be taken like I was making fun of his black hair as opposed to just making fun of a funny hairstyle.



Jimmy Kimmel painting his face black==racist. (He is acting out of sheer ignorance and insensitivity to how blackface and minstrel shows were used to shape public opinion and continue racism and discrimination)

Dave Chapelle painting his face white==funny.

That's the kind of thing I'm talking about. Why is it any different ? Why do you assume that Jimmy Kimmel is making fun of Karl Malone because he's black ? Haven't you considered that he just made fun of him because he finds his speech and mannerisms amusing ? If anything, Chappelle's thing was worse because he is making a generalization of all white people whereas Kimmel was making fun of one black guy. It is a sad thing when you can only make fun of someone it he is your race. To me, that's far more racist than any joke could be.

Also, you don't even understand the point of Chappelle's generalization. See, he isn't making fun of white people, he's making a joke of the stereotypes about white people. It's not that he thinks all white people are awkward morons who speak properly and wear J. Crew, he is making fun of a stereotype. It would be the same if I wore a do-rag, talked in ebonics and played 50 cent, it would be making fun of the stereotype that says all black people are like that. But of course, it would be racist if I did that, because I'm not the proper color for that kind of joke, or something.


Political Correctness is a fabrication. It's an excuse for racists/homophobes/bigots.

Wrong. Political correctness is when you can't compliment a woman for fear of getting called on harrassment. It's not being able to point out that a Mexican man has differences than a white man. It's spelling women as "womyn". That is pointless political correctness. I was once called a racist because when someone was trying to explain who a person I didn't know was, I asked "The guy with really dark skin?" (he was mexican, I didn't even know, and in a room with mostly pasty white boys). That is political correctness.

[dancingoutlaw]

Urban Rubble,

Please....... I do not want to know if you are Famouspeoplesuckballz that is posting on the Colin Quinn forum. Please tell me that you are not.

Dancing Outlaw

[dancingoutlaw]

j,

Blackfaco has a certain historical look to it. Pitch black face with the overexaggerated white lips. Hell I remember a Little Rascles blackface short that was shown on TV when I was growing up. Yes blackface is offensive. Karl Mallone is not offensive. Why? you may ask. Because Kimmel is attepting a comedic representaion of a person and not a farce of an entire section of human kind. If you wish to find offense in the karl mallone sketches than feel free. But I myself see it as quite funny. I also think that Dave Chappel is a genius. The blind,black KKK member was the closest there has ever been to true comedic art represented on TV. I am glad that Comedy Central has given Dave the forum and money to put out what he feels is funny.... with realy little question.

Peace,

Dancing Outlaw

[Urban Rubble]

No, I am not that guy from the Colin Quinn forum, what made you think that ? But if you didn't want to know, why did you ask ? But no, not me, never been to that forum.

I totally agree with the rest of your post.

[Dr. Mengele]

Why are you all so afraid of offending other people in the first place?

[Y2A]

The people that think it's "racist" are usually whites that grew up in homogeneous suburban neigborhoods. Ironically, the ones that think it's "racist" are the most racist of them all.

[dancingoutlaw]

Urban Rubble,

There was someone over on the Colin Quinn board advertising Che-lives so I came over here and you were the first to mention Comedy Central shows.That is all.

Peace

[SittingBull47]

Originally posted by Urban [email protected] 12 2004, 11:39 PM



The camera continues back, in the next row it is 2 native Americans looking at the white guy suspiciously. They are thinking "I'd better not get up and use the bathroom, white man will steal my seat and call it "Manifest Destiny".




I found this funny.
He doesn't bust on a specific group, he's just saying this is how America is. It can be opinion, but all comedy has to come from truth.

[Y2A]

Originally posted by SittingBull47+Apr 13 2004, 01:37 PM--> (SittingBull47 @ Apr 13 2004, 01:37 PM)
Urban [email protected] 12 2004, 11:39 PM



The camera continues back, in the next row it is 2 native Americans looking at the white guy suspiciously. They are thinking "I'd better not get up and use the bathroom, white man will steal my seat and call it "Manifest Destiny".




I found this funny.
He doesn't bust on a specific group, he's just saying this is how America is. It can be opinion, but all comedy has to come from truth. [/b]
How dare you find that "funny". This proves your nothing but a heartless evil bigot.

















Racist!

[SittingBull47]

:huh: I assume your being sarcastic.

I know of many people that don't watch the show simply because the guy is black. That's the truth.

[Y2A]

Obviously. I am just reacting how the average ultra-PC dolt would act.

[Raisa]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2004, 02:23 PM


I found this funny.
He doesn't bust on a specific group, he's just saying this is how America is. It can be opinion, but all comedy has to come from truth. [/QUOTE]
How dare you find that "funny". This proves your nothing but a heartless evil bigot.

















Racist! [/quote]
Man who are you kidding?! You know you laughed too.


It was funny!
And do you know what else cracked me up?
The one where Chapelle was a leader of the KKK.
That was great, and it had a great point behind it.

[truthaddict11]

he wasnt the leader of the KKK he was a member blind black one who didnt know he was black

anyways my favorite moment from that show was the Rick James skit

"Fuck your couch nigger!"

[Y2A]

Originally posted by [email protected] 13 2004, 11:57 PM



I found this funny.
He doesn't bust on a specific group, he's just saying this is how America is. It can be opinion, but all comedy has to come from truth.
How dare you find that "funny". This proves your nothing but a heartless evil bigot.

















Racist! [/QUOTE]
Man who are you kidding?! You know you laughed too.


It was funny!
And do you know what else cracked me up?
The one where Chapelle was a leader of the KKK.
That was great, and it had a great point behind it. [/quote]
Do you guys even bother to read my posts?

This is what I said before that.

Obviously. I am just reacting how the average ultra-PC dolt would act.

And even before that I said

The people that think it's "racist" are usually whites that grew up in homogeneous suburban neigborhoods. Ironically, the ones that think it's "racist" are the most racist of them all.

I am obviously against PCism.

[Urban Rubble]

I am obviously against PCism.

There has to be some amount of "PC", I mean, I don't think it's cool to call someone a fag, but if it's a joke and I understand the meaning than I am not going to be shocked by a "forbidden" word of joke.

[dancingoutlaw]

There has to be some amount of "PC", I mean, I don't think it's cool to call someone a fag, but if it's a joke and I understand the meaning than I am not going to be shocked by a "forbidden" word of joke.


If a joke is "not cool" as you say to call someone a whatever you call someone then it is not funny. PC aside if something is not funny it is NOT FUNNY. Years ago as a practical joke (and escalating wars that we all had to call off) my roommates signed me up to recieve the "White Man's Newsletter." I can say first hand that the Nazis' humor is not funny. Offense aside it just sucks.

There doesn't need to be a PC "patrol" in whatever form it may take. If something sucks well it sucks. If you wish to be a pshycopath and for some reason find words like "kike" funny then hey you do what you want.... I will change the channel.

Peace