Comments on: More than red faces with the collapse of TV culture

By: Bullmore's Ghost

Bullmore's Ghost — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 07:27:04 +0000

James Bennet said: “Anyone looking to take offence at a Red Faces Skit needs to have a Bex and a good lie down - Americans included.”

A Bex? That’s an appropriate anachronistic response given the subject.

About the only place to find a Bex would be back on the set of that original skit.

By: The Zebras

The Zebras — Fri, 09 Oct 2009 00:02:36 +0000

Hey Hey weren’t “testing the limits”. That’s giving them way too much credit. More likely that they are just too stupid to realise just how much of a cultural taboo blackface is.

By: RV

RV — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 11:57:24 +0000

I agree with you that Safran is immature politically but to me he comes across as quite reactionary.

I am not a regular listener but the other day I downloaded an episode (around the start of the recent Father Bob saga) during the course of which he railed against “pinko lefties” - that is, into “Young Anarchist nuclear disarmament ‘zine, c.1986” types…

There was genuine feeling (and some truth) in what he was saying. I’m no Trot and that segment of the left certainly deserves criticism, but I was had the impression that this was a regular theme on the show. Could be wrong.

By: AR

AR — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:57:29 +0000

It was a skit on the Jackson. When one must be constantly on guard against someone else’s misperception, however egregious, there can be no freedom and it’s back to blasphemy laws & ducking stools.
Several years ago, some poohbah at Yalvard, giving a bog standard speech about financial problems facing the school, used the word ‘niggardly’ ( “miserly”, “scanty” “parsimonious” from the Old Norse via ME) but the audience and commentariat went mad because of the forbidden syllable and he was fired. It was the complainers’ error but he was pilloried.
Very similar to the old joke about the filthiest letter in english, “*” , as used to appear in dictionaries of slang and still does sterling service at Crikey. Or am I racist for denigrsting British currency?

By: bakerboy

bakerboy — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:29:39 +0000

All day there have been hundreds of comments about the HHIS Black face ‘scandal’ on the internet. What a load of old cobblers. Firstly, Harry Connick is a very ordinary singer and actor who feigned offence mainly for his followers back home in good ole Louisiana. At least we don’t have radio shock jocks like Rush Limbaugh daily sprouting racist rubbish and attacking the US President for being black. As for HHIS, these two episodes have just shown us that it is a format that is too time worn to be resurrected. The jokes just aren’t funny anymore. Alex

By: James Bennett

James Bennett — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 08:27:45 +0000

If they hadn’t put the black faces on we may have mistaken them for the Osmond’s.

Anyone looking to take offence at a Red Faces Skit needs to have a Bex and a good lie down - Americans included.

There is enough really shitty stuff happening in the world , i hope Harry and supporters take a stand on the tough stuff as well.

My view is the Burping DJ should have won on the night, the Juggling Bike Boy seemed too legitimately talented.

By: umberto

umberto — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:42:45 +0000

Just because you are not personally offended by a dumb joke does not mean someone else isn’t. What has really annoyed me is the people that can’t get past the skit as a joke and have been paying out on Harry for taking a stand. He has ever right to be offended.

By: tony

tony — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 06:37:22 +0000

Don’t know that it means much devoting so much space to John Safran’s new show unless you’ve seen it - perhaps Guy Rundle has but the rest of us haven’t because it isn’t on yet.

By: Heathdon McGregor

Heathdon McGregor — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 05:00:08 +0000

While I take the Lenny Bruce arguement of everything in context. Blackface is representative of an era where african american actors could only perform while wearing blackface and denigrating their race. That is why it is offensive. The doctors even stated thast they were not sure if they should go ahead. If they wanted to do tribute they could have donned a sequin glove. But no they went for the cheap racist laugh and it backfired. Make your bed, lie in it.

Mr Rundle. I agree where are the producers?

Was there an uproar when this act first appeared or as I seem to remember they were withdrawn from thwe besty of red faces broadcast after complaints? I could quite easily be mistaken on this point.

By: kebab shop pizza

kebab shop pizza — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:25:11 +0000

…That’s irritainment!

*jazz hands*

By: sean bedlam

sean bedlam — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 04:18:31 +0000

I’m offended at myself for thinking TV producers are tone-deaf retards.

By: paddy

paddy — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:38:57 +0000

As far as HHIS goes…….

I never thought I’d ever be saying this, but I really longed for Kerry Packer to rise from the grave, pick up the phone and shout “Get That S**t Off The Air!”

By: Adam Barker

Adam Barker — Thu, 08 Oct 2009 03:28:38 +0000

My jaw dropping moment came when I realised how many people were offended by this. What a total joke.

What the hell is wrong with people these days that something like this sketch elicits so much anger and complaint, yet people barely rate a mention at the war in Afghanistan and the bankers getting paid bonuses from our tax payer money? Find something REAL to be angry about.

The sketch was a light hearted tribute to Jackson. NOBODY mentioned anything even remotely degrading about him or his family, the entire thing was a song and dance number and THAT IS IT. I’m astounded people will complain about this, and the recent episode of Packed to the Rafters with a few girly dance scenes as being ‘Totally offensive and disgusting’ yet we can watch CSI, The Sopranos etc with people getting dismembered, shot, raped, cut to pieces and tortured and ‘It’s all in the context of the show”.

Ridiculous.