Hey Hey It's Saturday Jackson 5 skit is racist? (1 Viewer)

[Bigboyjames lol]

no body cared back then and no body would have cared today if that dumb yank wasnt on the show. period.

 

[rokkuguhyo]

Agreed. US citizens may find such a skit racist considering that the blackface actors had a surprising resemblance to the racist piccaninny dolls from several decades back. However, Australia has no such historical context, there was no such piccaninny phenomenon in Australia and any racist intentions as a result are highly improbable (it was probably a simple coincidence).

Admittedly though, I do think it was a bit slack to mock Michael Jackson after he's dead, but there still shouldn't be such a fuss.

Anyway, I heard this skit was performed several years ago already. Does anyone know what the reaction was back then?

That's another thing I have an issue with. When MJ was alive, it seemed it was perfectly okay to make fun of his looks, lifestyle, etc. But now that he's dead, it's become taboo? I'm not having a go at you, mirakon, just wondering why this is the case.

 

[mirakon]

Yeah, I just have a personal thing that if someone's dead, mocking them is kind of like backbiting. I don't blame others if they do it, but I tend to disagree with it myself. I'm not angry or even irritated by it, simply reproachful.

 

[JonathanM]

Read a great comment in The Age:

"What's all the fuss about? Didn't Michael Jackson impersonate a white man for half his life?"

 

[mirakon]

Lol

 

[emma4691]

It was all I saw and I was a bit surprised too - not so much for the racism, but for the fact that his death is still v recent. They probably wouldntve let a Steve Irwin impersonator on etc

hmm but steve irwin isnt a singer/dancer the only way to "impersonate" him would be by taking the piss out of his one line-ers like "crikeey" oh well i personally think that the media needs to stop building such a big commotion over petty issues. it was a tribute dance GET OVER IT... they did the exact same thing 10 years ago NOBODY CARED why care now? surely racism has changed since 10 years ago.

 

[jb_nc]

Do you even know what the word racist means? Racist is probably the most over-used word in the english language. There is a difference between blackface being offensive (which it is) and racist. It can only be racist if there is a racist intent which there wasn't. The historical context of blackface in the United States means that it is offensive and someone who dons blackface in the US may be delibrately provoking racial issues, but we don't have that same history in Australia. Nonetheless it may still be offensive for other reasons which doesn't make it any more acceptable, but just NOT racist. The backgrounds of the performers make it less likely that there was a racist intent as most racism stems from the insecurities of a majority.

lol m8 check your 200 word essay back at me to justify your racism to help you sleep at night

 

[Fish Tank]

It was a light-hearted act. An American was introduced to the system, therefore destroying the fun. They can't take (or make) a good joke.

 

[gnrlies]

lol m8 check your 200 word essay back at me to justify your racism to help you sleep at night

Id rather be able to coherently write two hundred words than struggle with one sentence ^^

 

[matthew91]

Ok honestly don't get the big deal they painted their faces black and song some Jackson 5 songs. Who cares. They did it 20 years ago and won it was no problem then but it is now what's changed so much.

Also we wouldn't give a shit about it if that twat HarrY Connick Jr hadn't said anything.

What about The singer (who's Indian) painting his face white, why isn't that considered racist to Caucasians. Seriously the day we become so anal and sensitive like America is the say I give up on any type of comedy in Australia,. We have made our name by pushing the boundaries. We have never given a shit about racism before especially when it came to the Aboriginal's and the many other nationalities that live in Australia. We don't think for a second before ridiculing them. So why care about this. Oh wait because he supposedly made fun of Michael Jackson. Who gives a fuck. Honestly get over it.

 

[saberbladexx]

It was bad taste imo.

 

[matthew91]

It was bad taste imo.

We only see it as being in bad taste because Harry Connick Jr had a whinge. If he wasn't on that panel we wouldn't have cared about it. But because he goes and acts like the defender of all things American we care.

In 1996 on a skit on MAD TV he imitated a black preacher and know he's kicking up a stink about this. A little hypocritical don't you think.

 

[Jeee]

I love how the American points a finger at the Australian.

Australia should not be deemed racist because of a light-hearted skit.

However, the label Australia has earnt as being an intolerant country has come about due to many factors including Australian migration and asylum seeker laws and policies i.e. mandatory detention, indefinite detention (Al Kateb case) etc etc. In that sense, yes, Australia is discriminatory, unethical and inhumane.

 

[matthew91]

Australia through history has gained a reputation as a very racist country and they are valid points, because we have a very tainted past when it come's to foreigners. But seriously he comes here and has a winge because some guys painted their faces black. Grow a pair Harry.

 

[rokkuguhyo]

Harry Connick Jr. needs Chopper Reid to tell him to "Harden the fuck up".

 

[Pain]

Read a great comment in The Age:

"What's all the fuss about? Didn't Michael Jackson impersonate a white man for half his life?"

 

[aussie-boy]

What's with the argument, "if a black person painted their face white..."???
This isn't an issue! - it is not why there has been outcry from certain perspectives.

It's all about the allusion to the blackface theatrical style (which embodies a racist perspective). Of course Connick thought this allusion was intended - he is an ignorant American after all, who has made the presumption that the entire world is aware of and sensitive to all the little American cultural taboos.

Who gives a shit about what the Americans think, if they are too stupid to realise that this skit has absolutely nothing to do with blackface, at all.

And the fact that it is so sensitive to them is testament to the notion that America is an extremely racist society, even today, which is in denial - and must resort to condemning faux pas to convince itself that it accepts all nationalities equally (which it clearly does not).

 

[chicky_pie]

IT IS racist.
Jackson 5 is not 'black face' they're brown.. why didn't they use brown paint on their face instead. The fact that they used black instead looked like a minstrel show.. even before Harry Connick Jr said anything I was like.. damn Americans going to piss on Australia for this (which they did, Bill O'Reilly, The View, Etc)

We're only good at making news around the world anything RACE related. Shame Australia.

 

[Whatever.]

IT IS racist.
Jackson 5 is not 'black face' they're brown.. why didn't they use brown paint on their face instead. The fact that they used black instead looked like a minstrel show.. even before Harry Connick Jr said anything I was like.. damn Americans going to piss on Australia for this (which they did, Bill O'Reilly, The View, Etc)

We're only good at making news around the world anything RACE related. Shame Australia.

for fucks sake you dumb fucking woman

all you/america is doing is playing the race card - bringing racism into the picture where it isn't needed.

Lets take a look at the definition of racism:
The belief that one race is superior to all others; Prejudice or discrimination based upon race

Where in the skit did they try and show that black people were lesser? where?

Where in the skit was there predjudice or discrimination against black people? SO, they put black polish on their faces. What predjudice is that showing? what were they discriminating black people from? How would have putting brown shoe polish instead of black been any different.

Shut the fuck up now

 

[chicky_pie]

for fucks sake you dumb fucking woman

all you/america is doing is playing the race card - bringing racism into the picture where it isn't needed.

Lets take a look at the definition of racism:
The belief that one race is superior to all others; Prejudice or discrimination based upon race

Where in the skit did they try and show that black people were lesser? where?

Where in the skit was there predjudice or discrimination against black people? SO, they put black polish on their faces. What predjudice is that showing? what were they discriminating black people from? How would have putting brown shoe polish instead of black been any different.

Shut the fuck up now

They dance like retards, even the clip 20 years ago they made themselves look like monkeys...
hate to hurt you, but if you hate America so much (which probably 90% stuff is digested into our culture) stop watching Sex and the City.