Sunday, October 11, 2009

77%

So once more Australia is the laughing stock of the world.  To be more specific, I'm referring to the already infamous blackface sketch imitating the Jackson 5 on the Hey Hey It's Saturday reunion.

Lots has been written about it, which I won't reprise here.  However, here are my observations:
  1. Good on Harry Connick Jr for stating his objections up front.  That's hard to do and I admire someone who stands up for what they believe in.
  2. Even if HCJr did once imitate a black preacher (and I haven't seen it), that has no bearing on whether the HHIS sketch was racist. 
  3. Even if HCJr did once imitate a black preacher (and I haven't seen it), that was then - this is now.  Perhaps that was why he felt compelled to speak out - who knows?  There's a big difference between hypocrisy and someone changing their mind or opinions as time passes.  And even hypocrits are right 50% of the time.
  4. I think the sketch was racist.  However, it was the best sort of racism - the sort that is loud and public and initiates debate.  Silent racism is much worse - the type that gets emailed around as jokes or revealed only in selected company where people won't "take it the wrong way".  No one learns anything from that.
  5. "It really wasn't intended to be anything to do with racism at all" is not an apology - it's an excuse.  Try taking responsibility for something you twits.
Here's an experiment for you to try: go to http://google.com and type in these words:

why are Australians so

and see what suggestions google has for what you're going to type in next. 

Think about it.  (Think think about it)

14 comments:

Anonymous said...

...slow at typing?

Anonymous said...

... interested in what HCJ has to say?

And, BTW, was there a HCS?

Furthermore, if HCJ has a son, will he be HCIII?

Anonymous said...

What's the significance of the title? 77% of what?

Anonymous said...

Wholly smoke (except for the mirrors), how many of we anonymous folk are there?

JdR said...

Furry?

http://www.furry.org.au/

I am proud to put my name to having typed "Why are Australian's so furry?" into google.

PTR said...

Gee that's a lot of questions. The only one I can answer is the significance of the title. It's the name of a song by the Herd:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pQnGqdFO9EY

Anonymous said...

PTR,

77% = a song by the Herd?

Is that a pun? Are you saying that Harry Conic Junior should be "scene and not Herd?".

That's very drole!

PTR said...

No, no, you're way over-complicating things. It's this simple: "77% of Aussies are racists" is a line from that song. No bad jokes involved.

And who's Harry Conic Jr? Some kind of geometrist? I guess he'd get the right angle on this situation.

Anonymous said...

I only got four options from the google man. Racist, rude, stupid and good at sport. Is that what everyone gets?

PTR said...

Yep, that's it. Except for JdR who got "furry"...

Anonymous said...

Nice, thought provoking post PTR.

from 'the red jellybean driver'

PTR said...

haha - thanks Mr Red-Jellybean-Driver. I was wondering if you still had time to read my scrawlings especially now that you're even busier! Hope all is well.

Oh, and to answer the question in comment #4 ("how many of we anonymous folk are there?"), as far as I can tell the answer is exactly one.

idevour said...

I got 'Why are Australians so racist against indians?'
'Why are Australian and New Zealand houses so cool?'
Why are Australians so stupid?'
and 'Why are Australians so mardy when they lose?'
This made me look up the meaning of mardy and then I felt stupid and neither of these things are making my house any cooler. As for the indians... um... back to the third point.

PTR said...

huh - I've never heard the word "mardy" before - I had to look it up too!