KFC ad banned for 'racist' undertones. You decide?

[Jive Turkey]

That's discrimination, ie, racist. KFC's best bet is to just dissolve themselves. There really is no other choice.

but then what will all the bla..... nevermind

 

[redhotswami]

i can see now why you've gone veggie, if you'd befriend the chicken before you eat it!

friend = fried for us black folk

 

[INDY500]

Sounds like a veiled attack on health care reform. Definitely racist.

 

[deep]

there is some history with chicken and people of colour.

A year Woods turned pro, he won the Masters, becoming the youngest player and the first person of Asian or African heritage to hold the title.

Woods held his cool throughout the tough match.

After he completed his win, golfer Fuzzy Zoeller said the following about the new star: "Pat him on the back. Say congratulations ... and tell him not to serve fried chicken next year ... or collard greens or whatever the hell they serve."

The comments caused an uproar in the golfing world, an arena known for its civility. Although Zoeller denied that his remarks were racist, Woods said he felt that he needed to respond to them.

 

[BVS]

Sounds like a veiled attack on health care reform. Definitely racist.

Your jokes are going downhill fast...

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

Look as an Aussie who has been to the states I kind of get why people are upset by the ad - but also feel yet again it is a ridiculous over-reaction. I am aware of the chicken American stereotype but assumed KFC (the Aussie company is a stand alone franchisee - not part of the overall KFC family) in Australia wouldn't be implying that. What if it was a World Cup ad sponsored by Taco Bell and the white guy was handing Mexicans tacos? Or the Beijing Olympics sponsored by Noodle Box with whitey distributing some Char Kway Teow? Would there be such an uproar? I mean really - I understand the lack of context for some parties but how about asking or researching before passing judgment?

And as for the Australian blacks - being half Koori I can assure you I like my chicken but I like a good piece of fish more. And no-one would ask my bloody opinion either way

 

[redhotswami]

What if it was a World Cup ad sponsored by Taco Bell and the white guy was handing Mexicans tacos?

I wouldn't be offended because that shit they serve ain't real tacos.

 

[coolian2]

I wouldn't be offended because that shit they serve ain't real tacos.

damn tasty though

 

[mysterious_jen]

And as for the Australian blacks - being half Koori I can assure you I like my chicken but I like a good piece of fish more. And no-one would ask my bloody opinion either way

ahh sadly this is the truth of the matter.

 

[Jive Turkey]

Why the taboo toward black people liking chicken though? I mean, so what if it might be part of the culture. Why is it seen as being racist in the first place? I'm half scottish and half irish, but I dont think its racist to have a haggis or potato stereotype (or drinking problem, for that matter) thrown my way. This is an honest question, by the way

 

[cobl04]

funnily enough, most people from australia i've seen reacting to the over-reaction had no idea about this stereotype.

I am aware of the chicken American stereotype but assumed KFC (the Aussie company is a stand alone franchisee - not part of the overall KFC family) in Australia wouldn't be implying that.

these are important points. i was certainly not aware of the stereotype and there is no way KFC implied that, so i don't know where that is coming from.

- Why the fuck do they feel they have the right to complain and have an ad pulled when they have a lower than superficial understanding of the context and circumstances that surround it?

exactly. cori is right; with the internet these days small ads become global in a short amount of time, but there are a swathe of videos on youtube condemning the ad and calling me racist and stupid when they have no grounds to comment on something.

an interesting article:

No taste for black humour | The Australian

and the final paragraph:

Not so a contributor to YouTube, TrueUSMarine, who writes: "This commercial is offensive, it can offend people, WHICH IT HAS. Or are you Aussies too f . . ing stupid to realise that? You are all morons if you can't understand that."

No sign of racism there.

But the one thing that leaves me skeptical is people from English-speaking countries outside of the U.S. saying they have no idea that certain racial stereotypes endemic to the U.S. exist. On the one hand you laugh at the stupidity of some Americans who seem to think that you must live in the bush but on the other hand you claim you have no idea what goes on in the Western world at large with respect to social/racial issues.

i had no idea of that particular stereotype. i'm pretty switched on. it's inconsequential and KFC Aus shouldn't have to sit around a board room listing all the racist stereotypes across the world and cross-examining their ads before airing them.



and just quickly, re: the blackface skit on Hey Hey. that was never intended to be racist, it was just a parody of the Jackson 5. how is it any different to anyone who has dressed up in blackface before? is the movie White Chicks racist?

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

I better just add something Jen - I dont mean that I am totally ignored by society - far from it - just the politicians and media here like to ask each other about so called 'Native Australian Issues' and not directly ask us 'Native Australians'.

For example - the Herald Sun here in Melbourne does a little 'people on the street' bit that is featured on the letters to the editor page. The days after the Tiger Woods scandal broke they were doing a vox pop down near Southgate and they asked my workmate and my manager their opinions but didn't ask me. When I challenged them the reporter said he wasn't interested in an opinion that would be in defense of Tiger Woods.

Um - I'm pretty fair skinned and just because Tiger is apparently a 'brother' doesn't mean I'd condone his actions.... WTF?

Now I wouldn't necesarily claim the reporter was racist - just a fucking idiot.

Sorry - that was a bit offtopic. And I kind of forgot what point I was making.

 

[cobl04]

Why the taboo toward black people liking chicken though? I mean, so what if it might be part of the culture. Why is it seen as being racist in the first place? I'm half scottish and half irish, but I dont think its racist to have a haggis or potato stereotype (or drinking problem, for that matter) thrown my way. This is an honest question, by the way

this is my other problem. i'd like an answer to this too, and why it bothers anyone.

 

[cobl04]

I better just add something Jen - I dont mean that I am totally ignored by society - far from it - just the politicians and media here like to ask each other about so called 'Native Australian Issues' and not directly ask us 'Native Australians'.

For example - the Herald Sun here in Melbourne does a little 'people on the street' bit that is featured on the letters to the editor page. The days after the Tiger Woods scandal broke they were doing a vox pop down near Southgate and they asked my workmate and my manager their opinions but didn't ask me. When I challenged them the reporter said he wasn't interested in an opinion that would be in defense of Tiger Woods.

Um - I'm pretty fair skinned and just because Tiger is apparently a 'brother' doesn't mean I'd condone his actions.... WTF?

Now I wouldn't necesarily claim the reporter was racist - just a fucking idiot.

Sorry - that was a bit offtopic. And I kind of forgot what point I was making.

Wow! that's fucking unbelievable!

 

[mysterious_jen]

hey no worries, but i agree that our "black community" - indigenous community would not get their opinion asked or heard, and their reaction would also be completely different to african americans or people from the carribean anyway.
ahh the herald sun is full of fucking idiots.

 

[cobl04]

hey no worries, but i agree that our "black community" - indigenous community would not get their opinion asked or heard, and their reaction would also be completely different to african americans or people from the carribean anyway.

this.

 

[the iron horse]

it saddens me a little though that the humour factor seems to have disappeared these days in the quest to ensure that the world is as PC as possible - some stereotypes are not necessarily racist, they can be tiresome and predictable and a lazy way out . . . but are often built on a premise that has some historical standing (Aussies loving their beer and a bbq and saying 'maaaaaate')

I agree.

A stereotype is simply a commonly held public belief about specific social groups, or types of individuals.

It seems that many people today seem to wrongly view "stereotype" and "prejudice" as synonyms.

I live in the Southern U.S. and most black and white people here love fried chicken.

We also love watermelon

 

[Jive Turkey]

this has more to do with the Tiger Woods thing, so I apologize in advance for the digression, but I think there is something to be said about the egocentricity of some people looking for something to get offended about. I had the misfortune of tuning into Entertainment Tonight a couple weeks back (cant stand those shows to begin with), but they were talking about the 'racist undertones' of the condemnation of Tiger Woods in the media and general population. Apparently there is a small percentage of black women that believe the outrage has only occurred because '..a black man had the nerve to treat a white woman like that. Had he had a black wife, nobody would care'. What a load of shit. I mean, this has absolutely nothing to do with them and by injecting themselves into the situation, it shows nothing more than self centered, egotistical behaviour. For some reason it would seem like people like getting all bent out of shape. I suppose this somewhat relates to the KFC situation.

 

[BVS]

and just quickly, re: the blackface skit on Hey Hey. that was never intended to be racist, it was just a parody of the Jackson 5. how is it any different to anyone who has dressed up in blackface before? is the movie White Chicks racist?

How do you know their "intent"? "Blackface" is steeped in a history of racism, do a little research.

 

[mysterious_jen]

the guys who did the blackface skit were people of mixed race heratige themselves , and all successful doctors and were taking the piss , not being intentianally racist.
if harry connnick jnr wasnt there it wouldnt have rated a mention , although channel 9 were idiots for running it.

 

[BVS]

the guys who did the blackface skit were people of mixed race heratige themselves , and all successful doctors and were taking the piss , not being intentianally racist.
if harry connnick jnr wasnt there it wouldnt have rated a mention , although channel 9 were idiots for running it.

So if you use the word "******" and you're a doctor not being intentionally racist it's OK?

 

[thatsnotmypuppy]

True - three of them are of Indian heritage if I am not mistaken?

Considering the level of harrassment the Indian community seems to get here in Melbourne these days (or so the papers would like us to think) I doubt there was any racist intent.

 

[mysterious_jen]

So if you use the word "******" and you're a doctor not being intentionally racist it's OK?

thats completely fucking different and you know it.

 

[BVS]

I agree.

A stereotype is simply a commonly held public belief about specific social groups, or types of individuals.

It seems that many people today seem to wrongly view "stereotype" and "prejudice" as synonyms.

I live in the Southern U.S. and most black and white people here love fried chicken.

We also love watermelon

So if it's a common held belief that all white people from the South are backwood racist hicks, then that's OK?

 

[Jive Turkey]

So if it's a common held belief that all white people from the South are backwood racist hicks, then that's OK?

there can be both offensive and nonoffensive stereotypes. Why is that such a difficult concept?

 

[oski2005]

I think a) Australians are a bit casually racist and b) total pussies for thinking that a few people over here talking about it on the internet constitutes some kind of backlash that they have to listen to.

Plus it seems you guys don't have KFC potato wedges, that is pretty lame.

 

[mysterious_jen]

there's kfc potato weges? zomg. this must be rectified.
someone start a facebook campaign.


and yes we are probably casually racist.

although i get around this by hating everyone equally regardless of race or whatever.

 

[coolian2]

Plus it seems you guys don't have KFC potato wedges, that is pretty lame.

the wedges are shit, you guys should have our fries. our kfc > your kfc.

 

[mysterious_jen]

in the name of race relations im taking my white supremist aussie ass to the drivethrough

 

[the iron horse]

So if it's a common held belief that all white people from the South are backwood racist hicks, then that's OK?

Thanks Jive Turkey.
"there can be both offensive and nonoffensive stereotypes"

Yes,stereotypes can have positive or negative connotations.


I think that negative stereotypes are based on false views.

For example:
"Blacks are less intelligent than other races."
I have been teaching in public school for more than a few years.
I know that is not true. I am aware the contributions made by black people in the past (Frederick Douglass ,George Washington Carver) and black people today (Condoleezza Rice, Walter Williams)

"All black people can dance."
Again, I have been to more than a few school dances.
I know this is not true.


BVS "So if it's a common held belief that all white people from the South are backwood racist hicks"

That, I believe, is based on a false view.
My father preached in Black churches in the 1950s.
My babysitter when I was young was black. She used to bring
her James Brown records to our house. My mom also gave her permission to use the hickory switch on me if I misbehaved. She did a couple of times.

In my life I have heard very few Southern whites ,I know ,speak or express racists views.

I'm not saying there has not been in the past or is racism in the South now,
butI do think it has been greatly exaggerated.