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Stereotyping = Racism? (Avril Lavinge's Hello Kitty video)

Is Hello Kitty an example of a racist music video?

  • Yes. It is a racist music video.

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • No it is not a racist music video.

    Votes: 20 87.0%

  • I either cannot or will not watch the video.

    Votes: 3 13.0%

  • Watched the video and cannot decide.

    Votes: 0 0.0%
  • Total voters
    23
ALF

ALF

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I thought this bizarre scenario of a Canuck run amuck deserved some discussion.
For the moment, this link is live: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZsf4F7Oe7A

Fact: Avril Lavinge made a terrible song and even more terrible video. Two achievements in themselves.
Fact: Overwhelming backlash against the artist and the video includes numerous allegations that the video is not only racist, but yesterday's National Post article declared the instances of racism in the video were "too numerous to mention." That was in the story headline.
Fact: Misinformation was spread as the media assumed that the video was pulled from YouTube yesterday. It was not, according to her rep there were some geo-locking issues with the rollout.
Billboard slammed the "trainwreck" video for its "Japan fetishization" calling out Lavigne for "parading around with four identical, creepily expressionless Asian women...performing mind-numbingly generic dance moves, in locales like a bedroom, a candy store and a street."
​
So I watched the video (which was pretty bad, as was the song) but I was unable to fathom how it could be construed so widely incorrectly as racism. I certainly think it is not because racism at its most broad indicates that people are inferior or superior based on their race. This video does not even remotely convey that... confounding my expectations as the media declared they were too numerous to mention.

Avril's official response, an hour ago via Twitter:
"RACIST??? LOLOLOL!!! I love Japanese culture and I spend half of my time in Japan. I flew to Tokyo to shoot this video…"
​
It's worth mentioning, maybe, that her music sales have weakened everywhere but Japan where she is reported to be flourishing.

I personally think the video is bad, hence the backlash. But the backlash is so wrong and misinformed that I just don't buy it. Of all the many racist and hurtful things in the world, this video is among the least likely candidates. The video certainly revels in stereotypes but that could hardly be expected to be a direct connection to racism.

So are stereotypes now equal to racism?
 
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I just watched the video. That was a bizarre experience. It seems clear to me that this product was geared towards a Japanese market, not an American one, which makes total sense after reading your comment that she has become big in Japan now. I'm not sure how I feel about the culture depicted. I'm not a part of that culture myself and not entirely familiar with it, so I can't presume to say how they should or should not feel about the video.
 
You know, as homages to J-pop videos go, this one was incredibly subdued.

Terrible song, though.

I don't think it's racist but I'd be interested to hear what actual Japanese people think about it.
 
I don't know much of this singer, except that I thought she was supposed to pretending to be a credible a rock artist?

This is absolutely bottom tier pop music, it might as well be Steps.

I don't think it was racist, the Japanese will probably love it.
 
If that was racist, then Kirsten Dunst better hide:

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uaHSB0pP7M[/yt]
 
ugh, I think this is just another example of how we've succumbed to trying to find racism is every little thing...to the point that the definition of racism has changed!

Stupid video? Yes. Racist? Hardly.
 
Not racist...just awful music and visuals. It was written by Chad Kroeger (and Avril Lavinge's husband) who is the lead singer of Nickelback so of course it sucked.
 
J. Allen said:
Americanized J-Pop video
Click to expand...

That's exactly what it is. People will call it out as racist if they aren't familiar with J-Pop style, but it's just a J-Pop vid sung by a white woman. That's it.

Wasn't terrible either, just nothing exciting. People who default hate pop won't like it of course.
 
Billboard slammed the "trainwreck" video for its "Japan fetishization" calling out Lavigne for "parading around with four identical, creepily expressionless Asian women...performing mind-numbingly generic dance moves, in locales like a bedroom, a candy store and a street."
Click to expand...


I saw the video before it was taken down, I didn't consider it racist and I wondered if the four women looked indentical to someone who is Asian?
 
Miss Chicken said:
Billboard slammed the "trainwreck" video for its "Japan fetishization" calling out Lavigne for "parading around with four identical, creepily expressionless Asian women...performing mind-numbingly generic dance moves, in locales like a bedroom, a candy store and a street."
Click to expand...
I saw the video before it was taken down, I didn't consider it racist and I wondered if the four women looked identical to someone who is Asian?
Click to expand...
Gwen Stefani faced similar accusations of "Orientalism" when she performed with her backup singer-dancers, the "Harajuku Girls." Frankly, I think people just need to lighten up.

[yt]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WQp9PQm5Q3A[/yt]
 
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