Racist Commercial

[Miss Chicken]

What the fuck is up with Australia?

Nothing is the fuck up with Australia.

I have read though many commentS made by people on YouTube and also on newspaper sites and it seems that very few Australians, Britains, New Zealanders or West Indians have any problem with this ad. In fact many of them were totally unaware of the stereotype before the controversary.

Some Jamaicans didn't like the ad but stated it was because these Jamaicans said that they didn't like chicken like the rest of West Indians do.

The British, Australians and the British all recognised the black people as West Indians straight away.

 

[Robert Maxwell]

Because, despite being told that it was one in a series of commercials, many commentators still insisted that this was racist.

Even pointing out that the people in the ad were not African American but West Indian didn't seem to alter the opinion of those that were offended by the commercial. Even when West Indians themselves said they were not offended.

for example, after receiving many emails from Australians The Young Turks continued to say that the commercial was racist.

[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i_StDMpVhDk[/yt]

Ugh, that TYT video just makes me roll my eyes. It was an Australian ad made for Australians, but they're upset because it might seem offensive to Americans who don't know what the fucking context is? Jesus.

And the implication that every other country should contemplate whether their ads might, out of context, be considered offensive to Americans, speaks to a level of cultural imperialism really gives me pause. I guess everyone should sit up and take note: be careful what ads you make. If they could be considered offensive in any way to Americans, you better not run them at all, lest you bring down the wrath of almighty America!

The ad doesn't show Australia or KFC being racist. The response shows dumbassed, ethnocentric Americans spouting off and dictating our cultural norms to others. Fuck that.

 

[RandyS]

Um...black people are human too, AND they have to eat, just like us white people.

How is this in any way racist??

I swear, the PC movement that started twenty years ago has done nothing but destroy the human brain. Since then, we've raised and entire generation on this PC shit and nowdays, blinking your eyes is racist. We really should have taught the kids to tell the difference. We clearly didn't.

 

[iguana_tonante]

And that's not what the issue is about. While the ad does not have any racist connotation in the Australian context, it would have raised some eyebrow if it was aired in the American South. In that case, shutting up blacks with fried chicken would have had racist overtones. So the argument has nothing to do with "PC" but, as the Almighty Utterance correctly pointed out, with ethnocentrism and cultural narrow-mindedness.

But please, disregard everything people said and just use it as yet another soapbox to denounce "PC", even if it has nothing to do with it. It's easier than actually thinking about it.

 

[CorporalCaptain]

This is an excellent illustrator of how context matters.

On YouTube, the title of the video is Racist KFC advertisement? [sarcasm] Nothing prejudicial or attention-seeking there, right? [/sarcasm]

There's nothing in the YouTube post that describes the context or informs the user that this is part of a series of ads. It is up to the user to somehow discover this on his or her own, or to glean indications of this from the video itself.

Although, I would volunteer that the inflammatory title of the YouTube post, Racist KFC advertisement?, should actually be the first tip-off that something may not be on the up-and-up here.

 

[scotpens]

What the fuck is up with Australia?

Well, what can you expect from a country where the seasons are backwards?

Just kidding, folks. I love the Aussies. Especially Yvonne Strahovski and Teresa Palmer.

 

[Kestra]

I swear, the PC movement that started twenty years ago has done nothing but destroy the human brain. Since then, we've raised and entire generation on this PC shit and nowdays, blinking your eyes is racist. We really should have taught the kids to tell the difference. We clearly didn't.

Blinking your eyes is not racist. Your exaggeration is unnecessary and inaccurate. You'd seriously rather go back to a time when racist comments were more socially acceptable? I'm not even commenting on the commercial, I'm just responding to this anti-PC nonsense I'm so sick of. Being considerate, tolerant, and respectful of other people is so horrible?

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

How is this in any way racist??

I swear, the PC movement that started twenty years ago has done nothing but destroy the human brain. Since then, we've raised and[sic] entire generation on this PC shit...

What's your objection to treating people with respect, here? That's the very point of the rather simple considerations that you and many others label "PC," after all.

The so-called "PC movement" hasn't done anything to "destroy the human brain." Narrow-mindedness, bigotry and casual rudeness based on the excuse that "it's all in fun" or defended by accusations that someone or another "is too thin-skinned," OTOH, have done a lot of harm.

You'd do well to adjust your attitudes to the modern world. Everyone would be better off.

 

[iguana_tonante]

Being considerate, tolerant, and respectful of other people is so horrible?

If someone pride themselves on being inconsiderate, intolerant, and disrespectful, well, the answer is obviously yes.

 

[RandyS]

How is this in any way racist??

I swear, the PC movement that started twenty years ago has done nothing but destroy the human brain. Since then, we've raised and[sic] entire generation on this PC shit...

What's your objection to treating people with respect, here? That's the very point of the rather simple considerations that you and many others label "PC," after all.

The so-called "PC movement" hasn't done anything to "destroy the human brain." Narrow-mindedness, bigotry and casual rudeness based on the excuse that "it's all in fun" or defended by accusations that someone or another "is too thin-skinned," OTOH, have done a lot of harm.

You'd do well to adjust your attitudes to the modern world. Everyone would be better off.

I don't object to treating people with respect at all. I'm just tired of hearing how we disresect people, when none is clearly intended. And I firmly believe that people can no longer tell the difference.

MY attitude is NOT the one that needs adjustment.

 

[sonak]

How is this in any way racist??

I swear, the PC movement that started twenty years ago has done nothing but destroy the human brain. Since then, we've raised and[sic] entire generation on this PC shit...

What's your objection to treating people with respect, here? That's the very point of the rather simple considerations that you and many others label "PC," after all.

The so-called "PC movement" hasn't done anything to "destroy the human brain." Narrow-mindedness, bigotry and casual rudeness based on the excuse that "it's all in fun" or defended by accusations that someone or another "is too thin-skinned," OTOH, have done a lot of harm.

You'd do well to adjust your attitudes to the modern world. Everyone would be better off.

I don't object to treating people with respect at all. I'm just tired of hearing how we disresect people, when none is clearly intended. And I firmly believe that people can no longer tell the difference.

MY attitude is NOT the one that needs adjustment.

It's a pretty big strawman to attack anyone who finds aspects of the modern PC movement to have creepy undertones of thought police and censorship as closet racists who just want to go back to the days when they could hurl racial insults with immunity.

I mean, you're practically PROVING this poster's point.


"I'm uncomfortable with some elements of PC-ness."

four people come back with variations on:


"you are a complete racist!"

good response.

 

[MacLeod]

One has to view things in context, whilst many countries have had race relation issues they have not always had the same degree as other countries.

Remember as well sometimes ads have to be tailored to suit the local audiance. What works well in America might not work well in the UK conversely a UK ad might not run well in Australia.

 

[Squiggy]

One has to view things in context, whilst many countries have had race relation issues they have not always had the same degree as other countries.

Australia is actually worse than the US when it comes to dealing with their aboriginal population.

 

[JarodRussell]

I dunno. I think this is silly.

Making fun of stereotypes is the oldest thing, and it's not limited to racial stereotypes. This is harmless, seriously.

The Big Bang Theory makes fun of geeks. Anyone here offended by that?

 

[Squiggy]

I dunno. I think this is silly.

Making fun of stereotypes is the oldest thing, and it's not limited to racial stereotypes.

The Big Bang Theory makes fun of geeks. Anyone here offended by that?

Geeks don't really have a history of having basic civil rights taken from them just because they're geeks.

I know...let's all make fun of the Jews! Remember, in different cultures it's ok.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

MY attitude is NOT the one that needs adjustment.

Yes, it is, but that's likely too much to hope for. When people rail against chimerical transgressions like "PC" the sense of aggrieved privilege is pretty deeply entrenched.

 

[JarodRussell]

I dunno. I think this is silly.

Making fun of stereotypes is the oldest thing, and it's not limited to racial stereotypes.

The Big Bang Theory makes fun of geeks. Anyone here offended by that?

Geeks don't really have a history of having basic civil rights taken from them just because they're geeks.

I know...let's all make fun of the Jews! Remember, in different cultures it's ok.

Okay:
[yt]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mAIHEz_sYgU[/yt]

 

[Miss Chicken]

If the English had been touring when this commercial had been made and The Aussie guy had found himself surrounded by the Barmy Army instead of the Windies and had given out KFC would any American have complained? What if it had been Indian, or Pakistani or New Zealand supporters?

All cricket fans, no matter the nationality, tend to become noisy and excitable when in a group. The West Indians aren't being targeted because of their race in this commercial - all that is being shown is an Australian being uncomfortable because he is surrounded by the fans of the opposing team and the best way to befriend them is to bring out some KFC. The commercial would work no matter who the opposing fans
were.

 

[JarodRussell]

Let's also not forget about the fact that the actors in this commercial are humans, and not computer animations. So that means they are highly probably okay with it, too. Which in turn would make the complaints look a little bit like this:

 

[ManOnTheWave]

What the fuck is up with Australia?

I think a better question is 'should Australians give a fuck about American societal taboos when attending to internal matters of any kind within Australia?'