I've noticed where I live luckily pretty much no one uses African American anymore... Always thought it was the dumbest way to describe a race... Most black people in the world aren't Americans, and they could be removed from Africa by many many generations. I think if a description of the color of ones skin is necessary, just say black, brown, asian, white.. unless you say it with offense, there's no offense.
Lost in all this discussion of race is that after she said the "colored woman" swallowed the real ring and put a fake one in its place, Dorothy said, "We know what happened next." ... Between that, and the woman blurting out her place of employment first crack out of the box, and not wanting to leave the stage at the end, the producers and director that night must have really been shaking their heads. But this is why we loved live television.
If this woman started working at the dept. store in 1897, she was probably born in the late 1870s. Give her a break! ... And if she did hold "colored people" in disdain, and was implying, "You know how THEY are" ... well, 64 years work as a store detective might do that to you! ... The term "African-American" is asinine. As someone here pointed out, John Daly, born in South Africa, was just as much an "African American" as anyone could be.
@spelvin214 Everyone is so damned hypersensitive today...blacks change their self-descriptive vernacular every generation. In 20 years it will be something other than African-American. "Colored" is in no way racist.
seriosly people. think about when this show was taped. the term colored was not unusual to be heard. that was what was used in the 50's..it's better than other things she could have said. and it is true that black people wanted to be called colored back then. it's in the history books.
I believe "colored" WAS politically correct at this point in time....the contestant was using the term of the day. Today she most likely would have said that a woman had stolen the ring and left the other description out as the color of the woman is of no significance at all to the story.
It was unfortunate that the term colored was used, but it is a part of history. Negro, black, African American, Caucasion, honky, Europeon American, whatever, we are all just people. She was trying to describe an event with her own terms of reference. Who cares.
If you wanna have great jokes between your classic tv and movie friends from N. Ireland you must watch this episode!!! Me and my friend always have Emily V. jokes. Such a cute little lady :D thanks for uploading!!
I couldn't tell if she reminded me of Barry Fitzgerald in drag or Don Knotts as an undercover dept. store detective on the Andy Griffith Show. Maybe this is where Don Knotts got the idea for his costume. Too bad she gave away the fact she worked in a Dept. Store. On the otherhand, similar to celebrity guests who are guessed right away, she bought herself time to have an interview.
It's not even that she called the woman 'colored', it's that the race was mentioned in the first place. These days the mention of race is becoming more and more rare, which is good. It is used purely for identifying purposes only.
"Colored" was the in-style term in those days. It eventually went out of fashion and was replaced by "black" which later became African-American. I'm sure that term will go out of style one day too and be replaced with something else. (It really is an inaccurate term. Most people today who call themselves African-Americans are separated from Africa by at least eight generations.)
Correction, "Nigger" was the in-style term in those days. "Colored" was considered the polite term. I don't know what would have happened if she used the other term. Good thing she wasn't from down South.
lava1964--I agree that the term "African-American" is inaccurate, not only for the reason you pointed out, but also because it is presumptuous to assume that people to whom we apply that term are, in fact, American citizens. In addition, what should we call a white person who was born in Egypt to English parents? Technically she is an African-American by virtue of the fact that she was born in Africa and now lives in America, but no one would think of calling her African-American.
The producers and director must have found her a nightmare contestant: hard of hearing and giving away information in the wrong places.
RE: 4:09 Lo how word usage changes in a mere 50 years. WML has another interesting example of this: in a March 1963 appearance of the great movie-stage-TV actress Shirley Booth, Ms. Booth talks about visiting President Kennedy with "crippled" children. Argh!
Which modern comic compares to Joey Bishop? He appeared regularly on WML in 1959-1961.
I think most times the older generation is given a break on what isn't really appropriate to say. People generally know that the expression 'colored person' was used at a time when black people were considered less and treated as less, so it has a negative connotation.
If I heard "people of color" I would be thinking that could mean any number of ethnic groups, not specifically black people.
I'm sure she meant just what she said, and she didn't think a thing of it. In those days it was not considered racist to say "a colored woman", as I well remember. I just wonder why the term "colored" is frowned upon today when it is not considered offensive to refer to "people of color". What is the difference between colored people and people of color? It seems to me that either both expressions are racist, or neither is racist.
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
To call someone "colored" is extremely racist; it has racist connotations, especially when it's said with disgust. When a term like that is used to demean or in any way make the other person seem "less", it's inappropriate. Yes the way & fact she used it is wrong, but honestly, who ISN'T of color?! Yes even white is a color. I hate that ppl try to make only those with brown in their skin "colored". If ppl can't use more politically correct terms nowadays, they shouldn't talk, you know?
You are right, we are all of color, so the term really isn't very descriptive or specific. But I still don't know why "colored people" is offensive, whereas "people of color" isn't. They mean exactly the same thing, and any term can be made to sound racist if it is said with disgust. As I said earlier, either both expressions are racist, or neither is racist. My objection to politically correct language is that it is nothing more than euthemisms that rob language of its precision.
Yeah, I know what you mean. I personally don't like the term "people of color" either, and try not to use it as much as possible--it too has negative undertones. But I think the term "colored people" is so offensive, for lack of a better word, because it was/is used as a tool/form of demeaning someone whereas "people of color" is used in a more "academic" way or when one is trying to be more politically correct--it's not used in the same way- to marginalize- like "colored ppl" is. You know?
This comment has received too many negative votesshow
And what also gets me about this clip is that for just a second after she says it, the panel and studio kind of gets quiet--it's really quick and subtle, but there's this awkward silence after she says it. Like everyone is thinking, "Umm, I can't believe she really just said that." But, then again, that could just be me. Lol.
I felt Dorothy was asking ''Mrs Mc Avoy, can I have my arm back please?'' she almost pulled her over the panel table.
RachelHurdWood4ever 6 months ago
I've noticed where I live luckily pretty much no one uses African American anymore... Always thought it was the dumbest way to describe a race... Most black people in the world aren't Americans, and they could be removed from Africa by many many generations. I think if a description of the color of ones skin is necessary, just say black, brown, asian, white.. unless you say it with offense, there's no offense.
GhostInTheShell29 7 months ago
"coloured" was the preferred term back then
loggats 9 months ago 2
Lost in all this discussion of race is that after she said the "colored woman" swallowed the real ring and put a fake one in its place, Dorothy said, "We know what happened next." ... Between that, and the woman blurting out her place of employment first crack out of the box, and not wanting to leave the stage at the end, the producers and director that night must have really been shaking their heads. But this is why we loved live television.
spelvin214 1 year ago
If this woman started working at the dept. store in 1897, she was probably born in the late 1870s. Give her a break! ... And if she did hold "colored people" in disdain, and was implying, "You know how THEY are" ... well, 64 years work as a store detective might do that to you! ... The term "African-American" is asinine. As someone here pointed out, John Daly, born in South Africa, was just as much an "African American" as anyone could be.
spelvin214 1 year ago 8
@spelvin214 Everyone is so damned hypersensitive today...blacks change their self-descriptive vernacular every generation. In 20 years it will be something other than African-American. "Colored" is in no way racist.
TheBlueyedblond 1 year ago 3
@spelvin214 i remember seeing a maury show years ago and maury referring to a canadian black as an african american. duh.
jimmysudar 5 months ago
How did they know about the ring theft and did their insurance company agent manage to fish out the ring?
cheers.
from,
del-boy
YouAreSoRight 1 year ago
too bad. She gave herself quite away!
mizbootie 2 years ago
seriosly people. think about when this show was taped. the term colored was not unusual to be heard. that was what was used in the 50's..it's better than other things she could have said. and it is true that black people wanted to be called colored back then. it's in the history books.
bdavis4life 2 years ago 4
I believe "colored" WAS politically correct at this point in time....the contestant was using the term of the day. Today she most likely would have said that a woman had stolen the ring and left the other description out as the color of the woman is of no significance at all to the story.
UDIETHATWAY 2 years ago 13
@UDIETHATWAY technically speaking, isnt everone colored, i dont remember seeing any transparent people walking around lately!
hifijohn 1 year ago
Uh, folks....back in the 50's, niggers WANTED to be called "colored."
torchkit 2 years ago
Comment removed
torchkit 2 years ago
She was cute and very alive to be an elderly person in her eighties.
ella22221 2 years ago 3
@ella22221
Imagine how old she is now !
YouAreSoRight 1 year ago
It was unfortunate that the term colored was used, but it is a part of history. Negro, black, African American, Caucasion, honky, Europeon American, whatever, we are all just people. She was trying to describe an event with her own terms of reference. Who cares.
ella22221 2 years ago 17
They thought they'd never get her off stage! Haha great contestant!
therealdavidparis 2 years ago
If you wanna have great jokes between your classic tv and movie friends from N. Ireland you must watch this episode!!! Me and my friend always have Emily V. jokes. Such a cute little lady :D thanks for uploading!!
CLASSICxFILMxROMANCE 3 years ago
You're right Kate! My American friend and I have some great jokes about Emily too! Never fails to make us laugh!
BethBetteJulie 3 years ago
I couldn't tell if she reminded me of Barry Fitzgerald in drag or Don Knotts as an undercover dept. store detective on the Andy Griffith Show. Maybe this is where Don Knotts got the idea for his costume. Too bad she gave away the fact she worked in a Dept. Store. On the otherhand, similar to celebrity guests who are guessed right away, she bought herself time to have an interview.
rhsjb 3 years ago
We have a colored president
bitterchew 3 years ago
Really? Who colored him?
rhsjb 3 years ago
God
bitterchew 3 years ago 5
It's not even that she called the woman 'colored', it's that the race was mentioned in the first place. These days the mention of race is becoming more and more rare, which is good. It is used purely for identifying purposes only.
senoramariposa 3 years ago
"Colored" was the in-style term in those days. It eventually went out of fashion and was replaced by "black" which later became African-American. I'm sure that term will go out of style one day too and be replaced with something else. (It really is an inaccurate term. Most people today who call themselves African-Americans are separated from Africa by at least eight generations.)
Lava1964 3 years ago 3
Correction, "Nigger" was the in-style term in those days. "Colored" was considered the polite term. I don't know what would have happened if she used the other term. Good thing she wasn't from down South.
MalubaySyecado 3 years ago
Comment removed
edisone1 2 years ago
Comment removed
karlakor 2 years ago
This has been flagged as spam show
lava1964--I agree that the term "African-American" is inaccurate, not only for the reason you pointed out, but also because it is presumptuous to assume that people to whom we apply that term are, in fact, American citizens. In addition, what should we call a white person who was born in Egypt to English parents? Technically she is an African-American by virtue of the fact that she was born in Africa and now lives in America, but no one would think of calling her African-American.
karlakor 2 years ago
John Charles Daly was an African-American !
edisone1 2 years ago 4
What a wonderful woman!! Everything from the greeting to send-off by Dorothy is hillarious.
Thanks so much for this!
KarinPluss 3 years ago 2
Such a Miss Marple-ish lady :D I'm glad Mr. Daly flipped all the cards - this was very funny!!
ClassicFilmFan 3 years ago 2
Miss Marple as played by Margaret Rutherford in any event.
Fenhalls 3 years ago
This gets funnier every time! I love Emily V. McAvoy!
BethBetteJulie 3 years ago
lmao 2 and 2 makes 4...i love it..that was sooo random..
Imthecuteone 3 years ago
This lady started work at that store in the year of Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee - 1897.
Fenhalls 3 years ago 2
also is seems like that lady doesn't even want to let go of Dorothy's hand, and she points her where to go..lol
Imthecuteone 3 years ago
hahah even Dorothy is amused with her, you can hear her laughing hard at the end....i just love her giggle..lol
Imthecuteone 3 years ago
haha i love her hello the panel....too funny
Imthecuteone 3 years ago
The producers and director must have found her a nightmare contestant: hard of hearing and giving away information in the wrong places.
RE: 4:09 Lo how word usage changes in a mere 50 years. WML has another interesting example of this: in a March 1963 appearance of the great movie-stage-TV actress Shirley Booth, Ms. Booth talks about visiting President Kennedy with "crippled" children. Argh!
Which modern comic compares to Joey Bishop? He appeared regularly on WML in 1959-1961.
soulierinvestments 3 years ago
Funny guest! She's great.
I think most times the older generation is given a break on what isn't really appropriate to say. People generally know that the expression 'colored person' was used at a time when black people were considered less and treated as less, so it has a negative connotation.
If I heard "people of color" I would be thinking that could mean any number of ethnic groups, not specifically black people.
EDH1712 3 years ago
is it me or do you think she meant what i thought she meant when she said "a colored one"?
bigred997 3 years ago
I'm sure she meant just what she said, and she didn't think a thing of it. In those days it was not considered racist to say "a colored woman", as I well remember. I just wonder why the term "colored" is frowned upon today when it is not considered offensive to refer to "people of color". What is the difference between colored people and people of color? It seems to me that either both expressions are racist, or neither is racist.
karlakor 3 years ago
This comment has received too many negative votes show
To call someone "colored" is extremely racist; it has racist connotations, especially when it's said with disgust. When a term like that is used to demean or in any way make the other person seem "less", it's inappropriate. Yes the way & fact she used it is wrong, but honestly, who ISN'T of color?! Yes even white is a color. I hate that ppl try to make only those with brown in their skin "colored". If ppl can't use more politically correct terms nowadays, they shouldn't talk, you know?
filmfemmenoir 2 years ago
You are right, we are all of color, so the term really isn't very descriptive or specific. But I still don't know why "colored people" is offensive, whereas "people of color" isn't. They mean exactly the same thing, and any term can be made to sound racist if it is said with disgust. As I said earlier, either both expressions are racist, or neither is racist. My objection to politically correct language is that it is nothing more than euthemisms that rob language of its precision.
karlakor 2 years ago 3
Yeah, I know what you mean. I personally don't like the term "people of color" either, and try not to use it as much as possible--it too has negative undertones. But I think the term "colored people" is so offensive, for lack of a better word, because it was/is used as a tool/form of demeaning someone whereas "people of color" is used in a more "academic" way or when one is trying to be more politically correct--it's not used in the same way- to marginalize- like "colored ppl" is. You know?
filmfemmenoir 2 years ago
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I agree with you. The term "colored people" implies a sense of presumed superiority on the part of the user.
karlakor 2 years ago
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And what also gets me about this clip is that for just a second after she says it, the panel and studio kind of gets quiet--it's really quick and subtle, but there's this awkward silence after she says it. Like everyone is thinking, "Umm, I can't believe she really just said that." But, then again, that could just be me. Lol.
filmfemmenoir 2 years ago
@filmfemmenoir it's you.
loggats 9 months ago
She said "a coloured woman". But, I'm pretty sure she meant what you thought.
JimeBonJovi 3 years ago