Wait ... That was racist?

[RickStain]

This is where I make a distinction between racist and racially ignorant or insensitive.

It wasn't racist, but it was woefully ignorant of the history of blackface, and thus insensitive.

 

[Norrin Radd]

Oriental?

Oh, this site has defended - or at least pled ignorance of - worse.

 

[Versatile]

I mean, what did they expect the guys to do, have a black member in their comedy troupe?

 

[dixiehack]

My favorite part is they got the skit approved by the administration before the fact. Stay classy town that doesn't get identified until 3/4 of the way through the story.

 

[zagoshe]

You want embarrassing? My dear, sweet grandma - who I'd never heard utter a word even resembling racism - once went to a Halloween party in blackface, a grass skirt, necklace and other item made from chicken bones, and a fake bone in her nose. I had forgotten about it. I was maybe 6-7 at the time. Stumbled across a photo a few years ago.

Oh, Grandma. What were you thinking?

No worries.

Zag says it's all good in the hood.

Wait until he sees my costume this year.

What's wrong with that? Looks like you want work at Taco Bell.

 

[Versatile]

My favorite part is they got the skit approved by the administration before the fact. Stay classy town that doesn't get identified until 3/4 of the way through the story.

"Of Waverly's 4,444 people, 4,312 were white, according to 2010 census data."

I am concerned. How will the town deal with 132 serial adulterers and domestic abusers?

 

[zagoshe]

And my son's.

You forgot to put that little dot on his head.....

 

[zagoshe]

Oriental?

Persons from the Orient. That is the politically correct term these days for those people or has it changed?

I can't keep up.

"Oriental" is the term for inanimate objects.

Rugs are Oriental.

People are Asian.

What the hell are you talking about?

I thought the people of the Orient/Asia/China are no longer to be referred to as Asian as the Politically Correct among us have claimed that Asian is a derogatory term with negative stereotypes.

So if it isn't Oriental and/or Asian - what is the proper term for people from that region now? I honestly can't keep track.

 

[Versatile]

Oriental?

Persons from the Orient. That is the politically correct term these days for those people or has it changed?

I can't keep up.

"Oriental" is the term for inanimate objects.

Rugs are Oriental.

People are Asian.

What the hell are you talking about?

I thought the people of the Orient/Asia/China are no longer to be referred to as Asian as the Politically Correct among us have claimed that Asian is a derogatory term with negative stereotypes.

So if it isn't Oriental and/or Asian - what is the proper term for people from that region now? I honestly can't keep track.

They mostly prefer Bob, Susan, Joe or Teresa.

 

[qtlaw]

Here's the fundamental question, why are YOU making fun at SOMEONE ELSE's expense? Why not make fun of yourself?

 

[qtlaw]

Oriental?

Persons from the Orient. That is the politically correct term these days for those people or has it changed?

I can't keep up.

"Oriental" is the term for inanimate objects.

Rugs are Oriental.

People are Asian.

What the hell are you talking about?

I thought the people of the Orient/Asia/China are no longer to be referred to as Asian as the Politically Correct among us have claimed that Asian is a derogatory term with negative stereotypes.

So if it isn't Oriental and/or Asian - what is the proper term for people from that region now? I honestly can't keep track.

Its Asian. End of discussion. No one ever said Asian was derogatory.

 

[Versatile]

Here's the fundamental question, why are YOU making fun at SOMEONE ELSE's expense? Why not make fun of yourself?

Being mean is funny.

 

[KYSportsWriter]

You want embarrassing? My dear, sweet grandma - who I'd never heard utter a word even resembling racism - once went to a Halloween party in blackface, a grass skirt, necklace and other item made from chicken bones, and a fake bone in her nose. I had forgotten about it. I was maybe 6-7 at the time. Stumbled across a photo a few years ago.

Oh, Grandma. What were you thinking?

No worries.

Zag says it's all good in the hood.

Wait until he sees my costume this year.

What's wrong with that? Looks like you want work at Taco Bell.

My God, man.

Is there no end to your stupidity?

 

[Mizzougrad96]

I remember my friend's mother dressing him as a "Chinaman" for Halloween complete with a nylon on his head to approximate slanted eyes. I somehow doubt this would happen today.

I remember being stunned at the uproar there was when one of the Houston announcers referred to Yao Ming as "The Chinaman"

I can see someone pulling him aside and explaining to him why that might not be the best word to use, but everybody was acting like the guy said the N-word. That was one where I really felt sorry for the guy, because he clearly had no idea...

 

[Versatile]

When I was about 7, I dressed up as Stevie Wonder for Halloween. With black face.

I was horrified to see the photo recently.

I was even more horrified that, to this day, my mother could not fathom that this was inappropriate or racist.

It wasn't racist, you were dressing up as an American music star whose face happens to be black. Just like it would not have been racist is, say he was an oriental singer, you made your face yellow in tone or an American Indian singer, you made your face red in tone.

It was a costume, nothing more, nothing less.

Curious: If depicting a certain former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, which coloration should one apply?

 

[Batman]

Would like to remind you all that not only is the chinaman not the issue here, the preferred nomenclature is "Asian-American."

 

[YGBFKM]

When I was about 7, I dressed up as Stevie Wonder for Halloween. With black face.

I was horrified to see the photo recently.

I was even more horrified that, to this day, my mother could not fathom that this was inappropriate or racist.

It wasn't racist, you were dressing up as an American music star whose face happens to be black. Just like it would not have been racist is, say he was an oriental singer, you made your face yellow in tone or an American Indian singer, you made your face red in tone.

It was a costume, nothing more, nothing less.

Curious: If depicting a certain former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, which coloration should one apply?

Pretty sure Lynn Swann is black.

 

[qtlaw]

I think he was referring to Hines Ward (black/Korean)

 

[YGBFKM]

I know whom he was referring to.

 

[Cubbiebum]

When I was about 7, I dressed up as Stevie Wonder for Halloween. With black face.

I was horrified to see the photo recently.

I was even more horrified that, to this day, my mother could not fathom that this was inappropriate or racist.

It wasn't racist, you were dressing up as an American music star whose face happens to be black. Just like it would not have been racist is, say he was an oriental singer, you made your face yellow in tone or an American Indian singer, you made your face red in tone.

It was a costume, nothing more, nothing less.

Curious: If depicting a certain former Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver, which coloration should one apply?

Pretty sure Lynn Swann is black.

So is John Stallworth.