I remember this from the time and have always thought of it as being a really clever commentary on reductive viewpoints about black people .... but looking at it again I find tons of it really offensive. Which makes me sad.
I do find Enoch Powell in blackface amusing though. I understand that bit better than I did back then!
@tripmonk0 because then I was a child who knew nothing about racism and in fact had never met a black person, had no concept of where coon stereotypes came from, knew very little about the history of slavery (which this entire episode spoofs) and I didn't know about the privileged position I occupied in the world as a white person, and now I am an adult with an education.
And the world has changed. This reflects mid-70s Britain. The world is a different place now.
@tripmonk0 What the people who "don't get this" or find it offensive are missing is that it's a joke on how ridiculous the whole black-face thing is. The problem today is that, especially in the USA, black-face instantly means "racism" even when it's not being used to promote race-hate or mock black people. It's not black people being mocked here, it's the concept of minstrels in the first place.
This comes over to me as a disempowering of "coon stereotypes' rather than reinforcement
I STILL find it hysterically funny & am really pleased people who have watched don't find it at all racist. I never did. The scared BBC stopped making the original Black & White Minstrels Shows many years ago for fear of being called racist due to the connotations of negro singers.
It's clever, it's funny, and it's not discriminatory. I see you uploaded it to see people's reactions, but the reaction will be different because you've only uploaded a clip. So it's out of context of the programme as a whole, as well as out of context of 1970s BBC TV. Have you heard any complaints about this episode, or do you just mean about "this sort of thing"? The reason I ask is that this is probably a lot more sophisticated than much race-based 1970s comedy.
I thought this was hysterically funny when I first saw it in the mid 70s. You have to read BETWEEN the lines to see how they were critisizing attitudes towards blacks & people blacking up on British TV.
I remember this from the time and have always thought of it as being a really clever commentary on reductive viewpoints about black people .... but looking at it again I find tons of it really offensive. Which makes me sad.
I do find Enoch Powell in blackface amusing though. I understand that bit better than I did back then!
theoriginalsuzycat 3 months ago
@theoriginalsuzycat Why do you NOW find tons of it really offensive?? IT hasn't changed but YOU have. Is that good or bad?
Nick
tripmonk0 3 months ago
@tripmonk0 because then I was a child who knew nothing about racism and in fact had never met a black person, had no concept of where coon stereotypes came from, knew very little about the history of slavery (which this entire episode spoofs) and I didn't know about the privileged position I occupied in the world as a white person, and now I am an adult with an education.
And the world has changed. This reflects mid-70s Britain. The world is a different place now.
theoriginalsuzycat 3 months ago
Exactly & yours is a very good reaction to it.
Nick
tripmonk0 3 months ago
@tripmonk0 What the people who "don't get this" or find it offensive are missing is that it's a joke on how ridiculous the whole black-face thing is. The problem today is that, especially in the USA, black-face instantly means "racism" even when it's not being used to promote race-hate or mock black people. It's not black people being mocked here, it's the concept of minstrels in the first place.
This comes over to me as a disempowering of "coon stereotypes' rather than reinforcement
Nemspy 2 weeks ago
Clever stuff , goodies were very underrated
Edwardocatflappo 5 months ago
I STILL find it hysterically funny & am really pleased people who have watched don't find it at all racist. I never did. The scared BBC stopped making the original Black & White Minstrels Shows many years ago for fear of being called racist due to the connotations of negro singers.
Nick
tripmonk0 1 year ago
It's clever, it's funny, and it's not discriminatory. I see you uploaded it to see people's reactions, but the reaction will be different because you've only uploaded a clip. So it's out of context of the programme as a whole, as well as out of context of 1970s BBC TV. Have you heard any complaints about this episode, or do you just mean about "this sort of thing"? The reason I ask is that this is probably a lot more sophisticated than much race-based 1970s comedy.
dfarmbrough 1 year ago
Yes..........between the lines is right! Its good, clever, and funny as well.
radioianj 2 years ago
Comment removed
jacobm8tysek 2 years ago
I thought this was hysterically funny when I first saw it in the mid 70s. You have to read BETWEEN the lines to see how they were critisizing attitudes towards blacks & people blacking up on British TV.
Nick
tripmonk0 2 years ago
I dont really get it.. but im only 22 so I wasnt alive when it was funny that prob explains it
jacobm8tysek 2 years ago
It IS a bit dated but it just goes to show how being PC can throw the baby out with the bathwater!!!
Nick
tripmonk0 2 years ago