the Jackson Jive 'black up' and cause offense...

[max_tranmere]

An Australian Jackson Five tribute band, who are all white and are called 'The Jackson Jive' , have appeared on an Australian talent show. American actor Harry Connick Jnr is one of the judges and the act has caused big offense. Harry Connick is not happy, saying 'we have done everything we can in America to try and prevent black people from looking like buffoons, and then these guys appear. If I knew this was going to be on the show I wouldn't have agreed to be here." The host is very apolegetic. Watch this clip...

http://www.spinnermusic.co.uk/2009/10/0 ... tribute%2F

[max_tranmere]

This is getting coverage all over the world. The Whoopi Goldberg Show in the USA did a feature about it, and she and all the panellists commented. That clip is on YouTube aswell.

[one eyed jack]

Wow how cringeworthy can you get!

Well there is funny and there is unfunny...if they stayed white and put afro wigs on it might not have ben so bad but instead of looking like a tribute it does look akin to Al Jolson blacking up and saying "speak to me mammy"

You really honestly expect black folk were gonna sit there in gales of uproarious laughter about this???

Watch how annoyed the white man is when guys like Eddie Murphy start doing the white man dance and such and all I hear is that black people are racist

So where do we draw the line?

I think it all comes down to the truth factor.

Make a joke to a black man that he can understand is truth and he will see it as funny. That shit makes it look like a roundabout way of saying the Jacksons are jigaboos and th epeople there are laughing at them as that.

A case of bad timing in light of recent events.

Maybe they can headline the annual BNP Christmas party. Im sure they would appreciate that gig

[mrchapel]

Was different when he then boyfriend Ted Danson blacked up and ate watermelon though.

[mrchapel]

the act in itself wasn`t funny, if it was that might have been a different matter. It was more of a laugh at them for being lame then laugh with them.

And a little something for you Terry
http://files.spreadtheonavirus.com/clas ... 19-05).mp3

[Warpig]

Thought Michael looked in great form considering his prediciment.

[max_tranmere]

oej, I always think something like this should be either enjoyed or ignored. I didn't find it particularly funny, it was strange how the guy doing Michael Jackson was white (face paint) in the current clip but when they showed film of the group doing the same routine from 20 years ago the guy was black. The facial colour of the Michael Jackson impersonator in this tribute band changed as Michael Jackson's face colour changed throughout his career. You mention about Eddie Murphy doing the 'white mans dance', I'm not familiar with that but if I saw it I would either enjoy it or change the channel if I thought it was rubbish. I wouldnt take offense. I dont really undestand how people get offended at stuff like this. As I say, people should just ignore it if they think it's crap.

[one eyed jack]

Good point Max. if you dont like it turn it off.

Personally Im not too fussed as I didnt see it until you posted the link. i dont think a lot of people wil understand what offends balck people unless they were black themselves.

If you feel people are racist towards you or they simply had a bad day and felt the motive was racist they are not going to sit down in fron t of their tv after a shit day and find something like that funny are they.

I mean , if Stephens Lawrence was alive do you think he would have found it funny.

The same way if someone was making a joke about "leaving the landing lights on" about the 9/11 tragedy straight after watching the news...Would youhave found it funny?

Sure a few months later you might see the funny side of it as humour is like anaesthetic to pain sometimes.

It just depends what kind of pain.

You dont like Michael Jackson so therefore thats funny but someone who is emotional about his death may not share the same point of view.

Who are we to trivialise someones pain because we think its funny???

I think the word here is insensitive and rather ill timed therefore not funny.

[one eyed jack]

bring it closer to home (forgetting the colour issue for amoment) if you had a close family member die and someone made a joke about it and others found it funny, would you share the same sentiment?

Even if the joke was funny as fuck?