Tongue-in-cheek racism

[B.Basher]

Hello all.

I've noticed this increasing acceptance of tongue-in-cheek racism in modern times recently. So called 'offensive' comedies like South Park, Drawn Together and Family Guy are all funny because the apparent bigoted and racist humour is always tongue-in-cheek, ie. It's funny because the notion of racism is so ridiculous and ignorant.

I'm just wondering, is this really a good thing? On one hand we're finally able to take a step back and laugh at how we humans can be so pathetic with our isolated ideals and views. On the other hand, we're laughing at racism.

Partly the reason I bring this up is because me and my uni squad are kinda guilty ourselves. 'Jew face' is one of our most frequently used "joking insults" (mostly exchanged during our Call of Duty 3 battles). It's funny to us because we don't even know any jews, nor are we anti-semite. It's a completely soulless insult.

What do you guys think of the subject? I find the supposedly racist humour of Drawn Together and South Park absolutely hilarious, yet I consider myself baron of any racial prejudices. Is this hypocrisy? I know i'm not the only one.

Cheers.

B.Basher Reviewed by B.Basher on 03-12-2007. Tongue-in-cheek racism Hello all. I've noticed this increasing acceptance of tongue-in-cheek racism in modern times recently. So called 'offensive' comedies like South Park, Drawn Together and Family Guy are all funny because the apparent bigoted and racist humour is always tongue-in-cheek, ie. It's funny because the notion of racism is so ridiculous and ignorant. I'm just wondering, is this really a good thing? On one hand we're finally able to take a step back and laugh at how we humans can be so pathetic Rating: 5

[dusto2k3]

I do the same kinda thing. My friend is a little stingy so we call him the rabbi. Also, when someone is "crazy" or a little too aggressive about a particular subject, they'd be referred to as a nazi...a little too into something, hahaha, i got a warning cuz i called someone here a nazi cuz the guy is a little crazy about some political subjects and i got a warning. But in all, there is no offense meant to be, its just they share some of the same traits... stereotypes been the subjuect of comics for a long time.good or bad. Chappelle makes a living mocking black people. Mencia makes a living making fun of mecxicans.

[Weedhound]

Could go both ways to me. On one hand I do agree that is it is an insult....back-handed is absolutely the correct way to put it ---but an insult none the less. I'm not sure there is any malice in what you guys say.....sounds like habit or you learned it from someone else. I bet if you guys were to meet a jewish person and they became reality to you those jokes would stop....you'd simply find some other name or something else to say because of the lack of malice.

Sometimes the fiip side gets to me these days.....political correctness where no matter what you say (innocently or not) it's taken as an insult. You can even see the same sort of attitude sometimes on these boards. I said something to one person and even started my sentence saying "I am not kidding here..." and sure enough they wrote back with..."I'm still not sure if you're joking or not.." I think everyone is a bit too paranoid.

[dusto2k3]

Well, from my point of view, living in a place like San Diego, with sooooooo much racial diversity, it's hard to have hate for other races. When you live with others, you see that they are just trying to put food on the table and a roof over their head. I live in a town where they are trying to make you prove citizenship before you will be able to rent a apartment. This is hell for all the migrant workers here.

One thing that I find funny is that I'm white and 28 and in all those years, I have never dated inside my race.

[Plastic Jesus]

Certain races LOVE to feed into stereotypes, and then they wonder why everyone hates them... One of the biggest reasons Racism will never die.

[thecreator]

Plastic Jesus your so right and not just bc of your plasticky goodness! Hey everybody im high. Oh and good thread

[Podge_Boro]

racism is used all the time, everywhere
i dont like to admit it, but i laugh at racism when its used in things such as south park
its just funny
and round where i live, and even myself, have been called a black bastard (im white) lots of people get called that, especially police
its just strange

but this is a good topic

[delusionsofNORMALity]

racism is just an example of people's natural distrust of anything different from themselves. it is only an outward manifestation of our ignorance of how much the same all people are and, as such, it is harmless unless nurtured into hatred. this kind of distrust seems to be linked to some sort of survival instinct and, once the perceived difference is shown to be nonexistent, it fades away with understanding. by laughing at bigotry we are laughing at that part of ourselves that is wary of those we see as different and that laughter has a cleansing effect. if we can laugh at something then it doesn't seem so important and it is easier to dispose of.

[Breukelen advocaat]

Comedy based on racial issues is old, and boring. Its just a way for bad comedians to get a cheap laugh.

On another note, almost every night David Letterman, which is filmed in New York City, makes jokes about "hookers" in the streets of New York. This is funny to the tourists in the audience, and much of middle America, but it just sounds stupid to New Yorkers because there are virtually no streetwalkers in Manhattan. He does similar routines about crime here, and we're the safest large city in America, but the jokes apparently fly in some of the homes in the U.S., where they don't know any better. It's the other side of the coin as compared to the "Redneck" comedians - another "we're only trying to make you laugh at yourselves" bunch of assholes.

It's just the same old thing, over and over. If these routines were creative and funny in the first place, I wouldn't mind - but they were not.

I can watch Laurel and Hardy, the Marx Brothers, W.C. Fields, the Honeymooners, even the Three Stooges, and they are still entertaining, and often hilarious. I wish that we had some talent like that today.

[Pipe Dreams]

Aight, in TV shows, the whole point of the show is to make fun of shit like racism, therefore, its OK to laugh at it, mmmkay?

But really, racism is funny.