Racism is Rampant on Almost Every YouTube Clip's "Text Comments" Section

WHS is reporting that racism is all over the place on YouTube. Watch any soccer highlight clip, hip-hop video, anything to do with current events, etc. etc. etc.

More to come.

"A-Rab Money" - Racist or Not?

My brother thinks Busta Rhymes' new song "We Get A-Rab Money" is the most unapologetically stereotypical and borderline racist song he's heard in years. I kind of think in a weird way it's a compliment. Who these days gets more money than Arabs? (correction - who these days is gettin any money except Arabs).

My brother points to the chorus as the most egregious part of the song:

[Chorus: Ron Browz (an American who doesn't speak a word of Arabic)]
Shalai Lai Lai Halilili Hai Lo!
Hi Li Ba Lai Hey Hi Li Bai Lo!
We gettin' Arab money!
We gettin' Arab money!
Ha La Shiki Hai Lili Ba La!
Milli Ai Lai Shi Lili Ba La!
We gettin' Arab money!
We gettin' Arab money!

The dance to the song is amazing. It's 50% Bhangra, 50% hip hop and 100% racially insensitive. At 2:15 into the video the guy takes the dance to a new level by adding an Osama Bin Laden "gun shot to the sky" effect. Brilliant.

Thoughts?

UNINTENTIONAL COMEDY ALERT - LEVEL RED: Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino"

WHS has posted this urgent advisory for Clint Eastwood's "Gran Torino". The advisory has been classified as a RED ALERT, meaning the threat to Eastwood's legacy is severe, and that a WHS field trip to the Court Street 12 is mandatory.

Note that he says "get off my lawn". This may be a tribute to Harrison Ford's disgracefully hilarious "get off my plane" from "Air Force One" (clip follows Eastwood trailer).

"Get Off My Lawn!"


"Get Off My Career!"


The We Has Spoken Alert System:
RED (severe): guaranteed career-spoiling unintentional comedy, theater attendance is required on opening weekend
ORANGE (high): very likely career threat to a film legend, damage may be very difficult to overcome, theater attendance is highly recommended
YELLOW (elevated): trailer may hint at career-jeopardizing lines and performances but may contain all the film actually has, dvd screening is acceptable

SIX FLAGS MORE FLAGS MORE FUN GUY IS RACIST?

'Six Flags' TV ads get thumbs down from some Asian Americans

A recent AM New York article reports that my favorite salesman the "Six Flags More Flags More Fun Guy" is a racist, buffoonish stereotype. I still think he's awesome.

"More Flags, More Fun" may mean "More Outrage" for Six Flags over the amusement park chain's summer ad campaign featuring a screaming, thickly-accented young Asian man.

The commercials, which have been airing nationally for months, are being called offensive, or worse, racist.

"It's a pretty offensive ad, not only because of the thick accent, but also because someone is screaming at you," said Margaret Fung, executive director of New York's Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.

"I can't believe that the company thinks this is effective."

The organization will be contacting other activist groups as it considers taking action against Six Flags, Fung said. The organization has received several e-mail complaints about the ads, she added.

Six Flags did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The campaign seems to be a riff on Japanese game shows or commercials featuring pop-up, hyper salesmen.

"How often have we seen this type of satire? LOTS. Now Six Flags is taking this ignorance nationwide," writes blogger Angry Chinese Guy. (HAHAHA - your name is "Angry Chinese Guy".)


The commercials are certainly obnoxious, but not racist, said Democratic City Councilman John Liu, who represents Flushing, a neighborhood with a large Asian population.

"I'm frankly annoyed by it," Liu said. "It's more than a bit annoying. But I'm not sure if I see a racist component in it. I haven't received any complaints about it."

Bob Garfield, ad critic for Advertising Age and co-host of NPR's "On the Media," said that while the ads carried no blatant racism, they lack sensitivity.


"I don't see this as stereotyping because it really doesn't conform to common stereotypes of Asians. A common stereotype would be 'inscrutable' or 'good in math,'" Garfield said.


[posted from Amsterdam]