Thursday, October 9, 2008

Funny British Controversial Racism

First for the sketch from the show Harry and Paul which caused Philipino UK citizens to be offended:



Then for another funny sketch about a elderly american tourist couple and a veiled woman:



Did the 2nd sketch offend you like the 1st one offended the philipino community?

I found both to be very funny.

The 1st obviously portrays philipino women as house help sex objects. But it also makes more fun of the english northerner who think of people as livestock, and it makes even more fun of him for being oblivious to his appalling treatment of the maid.

I mean, a stereotype is offensive if:
1- It is false. therefor is a blatant lie and needs to be corrected in people's mind. Or..
2- It is true. But we get offended because the truth is unjust and should be corrected. that philipino ARE being forced into domestic jobs which put them in a disadvantagous position where they easily get abused physically and sexually.

Which do you think it is?

If you think it's 1, then why would it be funny at all? I mean, a lie is not funny, it's silly and irrelevant right?

So if it's 2, why do we object to it? shouldn't the producers of the show be applauded for revealing a "truth" which needs to be corrected?

2 comments:

Aisha said...

2nd one's hilarious
but as you can see in the comments section some people found it offensive. i guess theres so much racism in the world that people are finding it hard to differentiate between a good laugh and just plain racist.

the first one though.. maybe they can laugh about it in the UK, but honestly the situation of maids in general in the arab world is nothing laughable at all. i think it has to be the most undesirable job in the world, and with all the abuse they get round these parts i really think it should be more of a united nations issue than a joke on tv :(

sadia said...

even though half of my own family looks like that, i absolutely LOVED the 2nd one. i was literally laughing out loud!

i found the first one a little crude...the whole thing could've been projected in a slightly more "sophisticated" way...if that was possible.

but anyway, as far as your question goes, then i'll have to say that a stereotype is offensive because it's PARTLY true. like in the arab world, not all philipinos in the uk are maids. a lot of them are involved in a lot more "honourble" professions (whatever that is...not that being a house help is something to be ashamed of).

people get offended for the wrong reasons. they should be happy that their problems are being acknowledged.

but i think it's those who don't actually fall into that sterotype who get offended, because they don't want to be seen in that light too.

i hope i make sense...lol