Is that aimed at me?
No. It’s not aimed at anyone in particular, just a broad observation of this thread and a few other recent threads.
Is that aimed at me?
'Blackfacing' on two possibly three separate occasions has me wondering why he didn't try and get ahead of this.
There was no way the pictures weren't coming out.
There have been enough of these 'scandals' for him to add 'im no stranger to this myself', and control the situation.
He was in his mid 20's when photographed.
That in turn was the early 2000's, so it's tough for him to say 'different times'.
And yet, in more recent times, we have had Walliams and Lucas "blacking up" for many characters in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me without any complaint or censure whatsoever.
Different times?
This this and this again.Walliams and Lucas don't have political enemies with friends in positions of media influence.
The 'Conservative Twins' on YouTube have done a good video in this. Worth a watch.
The end of crazy week what with Sam Smith going plural, we now get the Primeminister of Canada pictured at a college fancy dress party 18 years ago, having to apologise to the world's media for 'an error of judgement'.
I doubt the rank and file Canadians really care, and would probably like Mr Trudeau to get on with more pressing matters like running their country.
How far back are the 'PC' police going to go?
Walliams and Lucas don't have political enemies with friends in positions of media influence.
Cultural appropriation is one thing I still hold out against. If I want dreadlocks I'll have them. Then again, perhaps I'll leave that one.
And yet Walliams was criticised for yellowing up doing a fancy dress as Kim Jong Un and Lucas has said he wouldnt do it again if little Britain was remade. But they arent telling everyone else how to behave so naturally wont have as much exposure over it.
All in favour of cultural appropriation. The Police would have had no career without it. Indeed, Copeland totally changed the sound of contemporary music by replacing the thump thump thump rock/pop drumming with the off the beat reggae stylee. *cough* Burn Him! *cough*
All in favour of cultural appropriation. The Police would have had no career without it. Indeed, Copeland totally changed the sound of contemporary music by replacing the thump thump thump rock/pop drumming with the off the beat reggae stylee. *cough* Burn Him! *cough*
Some of which he openly admits, he nicked off Lewes's own Pete Thomas. Now there's cultural misappropriation
and the fella responsible for the bass line on Walk on the Wild Side lives in Ditching.
That's quite an impact in music over the space of 3 or 4 rural Sussex miles.
I understand the argument that employing white actors and blacking/yellowing/redding them up to play Africans, Chinese or native Americans is wrong. But the reason is quite subtle. It isn't simply 'racist'. Back in the 60s major British movies and TV programmes commonly had white actors 'coloured' up. They probably argued at the time a 'shortage of suitable actors'. At best it looked absurd. No doubt it pleased racists in the business, but in itself it would be racist only if actors who looked more like the parts they would be playing had been auditioned and turned down. Just as it would be sexist if men dragged up to play women because the casting director thought the blokes auditioning were better suited to play the women characters than women actors (because women are inferior). It all sounds a bit weird when you think about it.
None of this has anything to do with a comedian 'yellowing up' for comedy purposes. It is either funny or it isn't. Anyone objecting is a hypocrite unless they argue equally forcefully that Walliams 'dragging it up' to play 'Miss Emily' ("I'm a laydee!!") is sexist. Likewise Paul O'Grady is a sexist ******* for playing Lily Savage. And don't start me on Danny La Rue.
Back to Trudeau. I saw the NDP MP, a sikh, making merry with it, on the news (for party political purposes). As I admired his flawless North American accent, I couldn't help wondering whether he could be argued to have 'culturally appropriated' this, and whether I was being racist for considering it. Mmmmm....trivialising racism to score small political points has always struck me as counterproductive, and the 'anti-PC' reaction it evokes actually encourages genuine racists. To win a war you need to choose the right battles.
And yet, in more recent times, we have had Walliams and Lucas "blacking up" for many characters in Little Britain and Come Fly With Me without any complaint or censure whatsoever.
Different times?
Very good points.
The word 'racist' has been so diluted that it becomes almost meaningless these days.
Much of what is described as 'racist' is, in fact, cultural stereo-typing or accidental ignorance. So education is required and not political point scoring.
I think most of the new understandings have great value to them. Society is so much better for this than when I grew up. The problem for me is the entrenchment of political wings on this matter which negates sensible discourse. No-one can raise a point for validation without fear of being called out by those who wish to justify themselves to their high horse.
Context and intent can do one.
This means the PPFs of this world steal ammunition from the void and, more disturbingly, extra followers.