Re: Bizarre Commercial - Red House Furniture

This video addresses the controversy created by our Red House Furniture commercial. Here's the original commercial: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vnOyMSEWNTs

Here's the transcript:
We knew this video was going to be controversial. Anytime race is discussed in any capacity, controversy ensues. The racial reconciliation concept was a joint effort between the Red House staff and us. They pointed out the fact that their employees and customer base were like the "Rainbow Coalition", and we thought something with a comical racial reconciliation theme would be fun, as well as a conversation starter.

For those of you who think this video is racist, we'd like you to distinguish between "racist" and "racial". Racism is "hatred or intolerance of another race or other races." Racial is "of, relating to, or based on a race". This video is very obviously racial as opposed to racist. This video doesn't promote or feature hatred or intolerance. Rather, it's the very opposite. This commercial promotes inclusion and reconciliation, if not in a comical way. To point out the obvious, the irony in this video is that it's completely ridiculous for people to relate furniture to their race. People of all colors are welcome at the Red House, which is something that is taken for granted today, but there was a time in the not-so-recent past during which things as simple as a water fountain were NOT for everyone.

If Saturday Night Live, Mad TV, or Dave Chappelle for that matter, were to address racial issues in a comical way (something that they all do VERY regularly), they would have pushed the envelope MUCH further.

Discussing race in the US is taboo. It always makes people feel uncomfortable. We think it's a shame that someone saying "I'm white" or "I'm black" creates such a stir. There are real cultural identities within different people groups, and these things should be celebrated and embraced, not swept under the rug.

This video is an attempt to use humor to spark a discussion about race issues, because we still have a long way to go.

Category:

People & Blogs

Tags:

• rhettandlink
• red
• house
• furniture

[MrFraternalTwins]

@Axtuse

i'm not even human and i love the red house commercial

[DallyingHALO]

You are really cool guys.

[UniteIreland07]

Right you are, Rhett. Ya' know, Theodore Roosevelt allegedly said "There is no place in this country for 'hyphenated Americans'." I think he was dead wrong. America is a nation of immigrants, after all, so why shouldn't racial and ethnic diversity be embraced and celebrated? -- UniteIreland07 (PROUD Scots/Irish-American)

[Heythere37ish]

You tell em, Rhett. By the way, I like your fridge.

[boardskins]

Red House hates the Chinese. Veryyyy bad.

[phzoink]

Come on people, the internetz is serious business. 

[babs1126]

I love these videos they are HILARIOUS!!! My BFF and I email this video to each other whenever one us are upset/sad just to make each other smile!! Thanks guys for making this commerical!!

[whiteboybt05]

People that think this commercial was racist are idiots, nothing about this video said that one color was better than the other, it made fun of both blacks and whites, that is true equality. People that get offended over a simple joke that had nothing to do with discrimination are infact the racist.

[heathersfavplace]

haha Link, you're too funny. yeah, I never thought it was racist in the first place, but when I watched it I knew there'd be people who would freak out about it. great video guys, sorry this is two years late..haha

[justgoodies]

I'm SO agree with you Rhett!

Oh c'mon people! Rhett and Link surely know how to make a GOOD commercial and they would NEVER use any kind of non-ethic thing such as denigration or racism, so lets ignore those haters who are just there to complain about something they don't even know about! In fact, I think THEY are the racists for implying such a thing.

p.s. I hope you understand what SARCASM is when hearing what Link says in here people! Loved Link imitating Rhetts commenting voice btw!! xD

[jessface777]

Good answer. :) And I agree..I think in the US we are way too quick to confuse racist with racial..thanks for clearing that up ;)