Thursday, January 7, 2010
Bite Your Tongue KFC Isn't Racist--They've Got Buckets of Black Friends
Posted by Tracy Moore on Thu, Jan 7, 2010 at 1:21 PM
Man, fast food chains are really scraping the bottom of the grease fryer to find a loyal audience these days. Remember how Hardee's sold us turds wrapped in roast beef and dipped in saltwater all by tossing a few faux French maids in our faces (ahem: none of my male co-workers seemed to mind one bit)? But not before they equated cinnamon dough balls with their own balls--so literal! Of course, what a wry wit must have led to Carl's Jr. wanting us to think handjob alongside milkshake--which last I checked, was only the, duh!, second reason I like a milkshake, the first being a straight-up facial. And, of course, what woman doesn't have tender memories of the hot beef injection BK served up with a creamy load of mayo? Consider this meat lover sizzled!
So, let's recap: Based on my informal poll, fast food chains aren't interested in catering to anyone who isn't white, male, stupid and now... racist. Clip above.
Of course, it was supposed to just be an Australian ad and not show up in the U.S., because the Australians supposedly get this "lighthearted reference to the West Indian cricket team," whatever that means. Except now folks have dug up this Korean KFC ad with the same conceit from two years ago. D'oh.
[Via Videogum.]
Comments (15)
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I wish you Americans would stop trying to impose your cultural stereotypes on the rest of the World. To find this Ad racist is absurd.
For you edification I note the following:
1. We do not have a history of slavery in Australia.
2. The people represented in the Ad are West Indians, not African Americans.
3. We do not associate fried chicken with race in Australia (in fact we associate it with crap US food).
4. The West Indian cricket team is currently in Australia playing cricket. West Indian supporters are well known for being rowdy supporters (steel drums, horns etc), Australian supporters are more sedate.
For godsake Americans stop sticking your noses into things you know nothing about.
We here in the States just try to find reasons to be offended. So just ignore us, we are to busy being PC.
@stu: Thank you. As Arthur said, too many people in this country love to be offended, so they'll find something offensive in anything they can. It's a shame.
We will never get rid of the racist issues. There are too many people making too much money to let it go. If we were to resolve rascism in this country, people like Jackson and Sharpton would be out of a job.
Racism is usually pointed out by...people who are racists themselves.
Think about it.
There are occasions, Chip, when I'd say you have a point. Pointing fingers is often just a way of pointing them away from you. But when I watched that commercial, my eyes just about popped out of my head. I mean, seriously: is there any possible reading of this commercial other than, "Hey, white dude, next time you're outnumbered by rowdy black folks, just shut 'em up with a bucket of chicken?" Notice that the white guy doesn't actually eat any himself: he hands it off like a farmer tossing slops to swine, amusing himself by watching the pigs eat.
On the other hand, I'll just toss this out, as it seems to be a point of minor controversy: how did people feel about the scene in Precious where the heroine eats an entire bucket of fried chicken? The black filmmaker is adapting a scene from a black novelist's book, and it's entirely plausible that the girl would be eating fried chicken, as millions of people do every day. Yet at least one black critic cited the scene as evidence that the movie is peddling grotesque racial stereotypes to white liberal poverty tourists. Yes? No?
Australians are not Americans.
Simple as that. I don't know why you guys are relating our Cricket ad with your stereotype.
Deliberate? No. A commercial taken out of context?yes. If it was such an issue here, it would of sparked outrage and became a national issue but it didn't become one, instead It sparked outrage over in the USA.
For those who had commented on this such as Ana Kasparian and that idiot on youtube, really need to do their research. Find out what Cricket is first of all and research on Cricket spectator culture.
LOL funny enough you say white guy amongst black crowd. Now who is the one picking on skin colour. I know for one fact, many Australians viewed it as Green and Gold jersey amongst Red jersey. Oh, yeah , the West Indies happened to be touring for the test matches in Australia. If it was the Barmy Army or New Zealand, this issue wouldn't come up.
Right. It's not like there's any history of racism in Australia toward dark-skinned people or anything. Just tell the Stolen Generations to shut the hell up and enjoy the Colonel's 11 herbs and spices.
Mr.Pink. I never said that Australia had no racism, we have our fair share of extremists and its a shame that we do. AS I said before Its a Cricket AD, must I add further that Cricket is sponsored by KFC.
AS for our Indigenous people, there are no bad connatations of chicken associated them. The stereotype for our Indigenous people is alcohol abuse. And since this AD isn't selling wine,beer or spirits, its not offensive. However, if its was an beer ad, then yes it would be very offensive and the ad will immediately be taken off air.
So, Chill ya balls
HP,
Anytime anyone disagrees with one of the writers on this board Mr. Pink freaks out. It's like he's their press secretary (or caddie). Don't let it get to you.
