White performers paint face Black to impersonate Jackson Five. Offensive?

And yes, I think its racist. I dont need to go into why. They knew this performance would get a lot of attention and painting your face black is very offensive to impersonate a black person. Anyway, heres the VID : http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/08/harry.connick.blackface/index.html?section=cnn_latest#cnnSTCVideo

(CNN) -- Movie star and singer Harry Connick Jr. made waves around the world by condemning, on air, an Australian television skit featuring a group of performers who wore blackface to impersonate the late pop star Michael Jackson and his brothers.

The "Jackson Jive" performed the song "Can You Feel It" Wednesday wearing huge black wigs, blackface and one spangled glove each. The Michael Jackson impersonator wore whiteface.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/SHOWBIZ/TV/10/08/harry.connick.blackface/index.html?section=cnn_latest

I've always wondered why it wasn't considered 'blackface' when Robert Downey Jr. did it in Tropic Thunder.

I've always wondered why it wasn't considered 'blackface' when Robert Downey Jr. did it in Tropic Thunder.

Engrish_Major

[QUOTE="Engrish_Major"]

I've always wondered why it wasn't considered 'blackface' when Robert Downey Jr. did it in Tropic Thunder.

Lto_thaG

I've always wondered why it wasn't considered 'blackface' when Robert Downey Jr. did it in Tropic Thunder.

Engrish_Major

The dudes said they didn't do it out of racism, and one of them had a white-face that nobody seems to care about.

from what I remember, it was, and yes, there was controversy. Tjeremiah1988

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

The dudes said they didn't do it out of racism, and one of them had a white-face that nobody seems to care about.

deadevil666

Not racist at all. Why does everyone blow everything out of contrast. It was a tribute to J5.

LMFAO. That was funny.

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

CBR600-RR

[QUOTE="CBR600-RR"]

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

Tjeremiah1988

[QUOTE="CBR600-RR"]

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

Tjeremiah1988

No, it's not offensive. It's a comical tribute, which was blown way out of proportion as soon as it hit our lands. And people stilll ignore the guy with the white paint on his face. God bless America!

[QUOTE="Tjeremiah1988"][QUOTE="CBR600-RR"]

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

savebattery

[QUOTE="Tjeremiah1988"][QUOTE="CBR600-RR"]

Yeah, that's so racist. :roll:

deadevil666

No, it's not offensive. It's a comical tribute, which was blown way out of proportion as soon as it hit our lands. And people stilll ignore the guy with the white paint on his face. God bless America!

It is, without a doubt very offensive, because there is alot of history behind blackface; but I can't bring myself to calling it racism, because it seem that the performers were ignorant of the fact that what they were doing might of come off as racist.I think that they need to apolgizes for what they did.

I see no problem if it's done for mimicry and detail and not mockery and stereotyping.

It seems like it.

Most white people aren't going to think it's racist and most black people will think it's racist.

Doesn't seem like it was done to offend anyone. Man, it doesn't take much to offend some people anymore. Anyone remember the movie White Chicks? Why didn't the media tear that apart? Oh wait...they did. :D

joseph_mach

Did any of the members explicitly say that they are superior to other races? If not, then their action is not racist, especially when we have movies like Tropic Thunder.

Most white people aren't going to think it's racist and most black people will think it's racist.

SilentSoprano

I see no problem if it's done for mimicry and detail and not mockery and stereotyping.

_BlueDuck_

Well it was definitely out of stereotype, and its hard to say that they were not doing it out of mockery because they were using blackface.

historically, yes, it is racist

but in today's modern world I would notcall it racist unless it was explicitly stated it was meant to be that way.

I would think of it as edgy, funny, politically incorrect...but not racist.

Double standards FTW

Double standards FTW

Im_single

They knew what they were doing.

[QUOTE="Im_single"]

Double standards FTW

Tjeremiah1988

That IS on topic. You don't see peopele making a big deal out of that crap, do you? Same scenario, comical impersonation. Only difference is Chapelle was actually making fun of white people.

wow after seeing the video I change my mind, that came off kind of racist lol

still, i dont think they really meant to be that offensive

I think if doing blackface is something that offends african people, then just dont do it. It's just courtesy.

Dear god lighten up..

This is a perfect example of why you need to take every offense into account instead of labeling all of it as racist. I didn't actually find anything wrong with this instance. The group was clearly making a tribute to the Jackson 5 and they were not trying to be racist.

Also I think the internet has officially gotten too big for it's own good. Why should America really care if something controvercialhappens on a tv show in another country?

I don't think these people meant to offend anybody, they're fans of Jackson. They probably hadn't thought about the history of black-face before they did it.

The more talkable point to this video is Connick jr's we speech. "we've spent so much time trying to not make black people not look like Baphoons, that when we see something like that we take it to heart." WTF? dunno, but that just seems off to me.

The more talkable point to this video is Connick jr's we speech. "we've spent so much time trying to not make black people not look like Baphoons, that when we see something like that we take it to heart." WTF? dunno, but that just seems off to me.

RiseAgainst12

That came off as a little odd to me too.

[QUOTE="Tjeremiah1988"][QUOTE="Im_single"]

Double standards FTW

deadevil666

That IS on topic. You don't see peopele making a big deal out of that crap, do you? Same scenario, comical impersonation. Only difference is Chapelle was actually making fun of white people.

It's not a double-standard, Chapelle was not making fun of white people, he was making fun of black newscasters who try to act white. Besides, white facing doesn't have the racial history that blackfacing does. Blackface was used specifically so that they could portray black people in a disparaging light, it was a sick tradition that promoted harmful stereotypes. The fact that people are actually defending blackfacing makes me facepalm so hard I'm going to leave a mark. Why do they even need to blackface? I see people of all races doing Jackson Five dances without blackfacing whenever there's a story about Michael on the news.

Why would it be offensive? Micheal Jackson painted himself white and it wasn't offensive (that I know of).

RobboElRobbo

No he didn't. He had a skin disease that turned large portions of his skin white and he hada procedureto make his skin completely white so his skin would at least have consistency.

[QUOTE="RiseAgainst12"]

The more talkable point to this video is Connick jr's we speech. "we've spent so much time trying to not make black people not look like Baphoons, that when we see something like that we take it to heart." WTF? dunno, but that just seems off to me.

deadevil666

That came off as a little odd to me too.

let me reword it then:

"We in the media have tried very hard to reverse the stereotypes set by us in the past, and when we see something that hearkens back to that time of bigotry,it hurts us deep inside our hearts."

thats how I understood it, though I admit his wording was poor

the only thing that really bugs me is how the Australians are OK with it yet they ban half the video games ever made.

[QUOTE="deadevil666"]

[QUOTE="Tjeremiah1988"] I hate when users do this. The topic is about white people that wore blackfaces impersonating Jackson Five. Everything from distractions that users have posted from Tropical Thunder, White Chick, and that vid ^ CAUSE CONTROVERSY. Stay on topic and talk about the topic.theone86

That IS on topic. You don't see peopele making a big deal out of that crap, do you? Same scenario, comical impersonation. Only difference is Chapelle was actually making fun of white people.

It's not a double-standard, Chapelle was not making fun of white people, he was making fun of black newscasters who try to act white.

Same difference.

Maybe it doesn't have as much bad history to it in Australia as it does here. The show host said it himself, if that footage were to hit America there would be consequences.

[QUOTE="RobboElRobbo"]

Why would it be offensive? Micheal Jackson painted himself white and it wasn't offensive (that I know of).

theone86

No he didn't. He had a skin disease that turned large portions of his skin white and he hada procedureto make his skin completely white so his skin would at least have consistency.

Sorry, I knew what I posted was stupid so I deleted it as fast as I could...

The more talkable point to this video is Connick jr's we speech. "we've spent so much time trying to not make black people not look like Baphoons, that when we see something like that we take it to heart." WTF? dunno, but that just seems off to me.

RiseAgainst12