Fractelle:"to expect Harry Connick Jnr to understand Aussie sensibilities is ignorant."

Why then must we, as Aussies, try to understand his? There is an old saying that goes "when in Rome, do as the Romans do", which is a very good piece of advice for Young 'Arry. As Aussies, we don't and shouldn't find the skit terribly offensive, even if it was in bad taste and pretty talentless. I find Connick's self-serving over-reaction distasteful and the man himself turgid and talentless, should I be receiving an apology from him?

As you said: "if Connick Jnr had not been present, no one would even be discussing this now."

And that would have been a good thing. The whole thing is nothing but a piece of grandstanding by a man who's always been an imitator, never an innovator

Dear Fractelle,

I appreciate your further explanations - however
we'll have to agree to disagree on this one.

To me the skit on Hey Hey was not a take-off
of a "Black & White,"
minstrel show, or "Blackface," -
but a poor attempt at imitating the
Jackson Five - even to the point of having a
"Michael Jackson" with a "white face."
Whereas - Robert Downey's so called
"acting," I found fitted
into the offensive caricature of the Black man -
that many Americans unfortunately - find acceptable.

I lived and worked in the US for close to ten years,
my children were born in Los Angeles. I'm fully aware
of the race problems in that country - and it's history.
And it's for this reason that I still firmly believe
that Harry Connick Jr - over-reacted
in this particular case.

Foxy

It is unfortunate that you cannot understand the difference between acting a character and the performance of Black and White Minstrel (so-called) entertainment. Did you really read my link?

Harry Connick Jnr had every right to voice his honest opinion on the minstrel parody on Hey Hey. I gave clear reasons why.

You don't think Harry Connick Jnr should have spoken out against the act - as you say that's your opinion. However, I find B & W minstrel performance as degrading to black Americans and therefore offensive - that's my opinion.

Fractelle
I agree with what you said he has subsequently said he found the act 'offensive' not the show.
Me I find the show banal lacking any humour that doesn't play at the lowest common denominator.

Passing through I watched a few minutes of idol and saw that drone judge have a shot at Harry over Hey Hey....to me the judge was simply gutter trawling.

Foxy
The racial tension in the deep south (where Connick is from ) is from are different EMOTIONAL dimension ('poor white trash') to LA. Connick will get more stick from whites than blacks there because of the deep resentment. How many years ago was the boy dragged behind a truck, or the school that charged a black with attempted murder for fighting over sitting under a tree yet the whites escaped without charge, but was publicly supported by the town? IMO In that context Connick was upright and principled.He called it as he saw it.

Consider daylight saving a boring issue but in QLD the emotional angst out of the SE corner is extraordinary. Or may be racial attitudinal differences between NT and say Melb.

Red faces is made to be amateur hour. So they didn't spend too much money or time on costumes, especially knowing the tone and expectations of the quality of performance. Hence they used boot polish and afro wigs, rather than proper make-up and costumes, making it all look more like a throwback to the minstrels.

The difference between racism and entertainment comes down to the quality of costume and make-up.

People are becoming too precious. Magda Szubanski ended up apologising to cyclists, as she made Kyle apologise to Jews. Where does it end? It ends with the death of comedy.

I yearn for the next celebrity to come out after such a 'controversy' and say... yep, I meant it, what of it, stop being a sook, lighten up. Actually I double it. I am totally unrepentant. IN fact.. kiss my ass, and stop being such a precious, weedy, whining little minger. Something Daryl should have said to Harry I think.

Nobody has a right not to be offended. People need to lighten up, find the remote control, change the channel, and get over themselves.

Yes whether or not the segment is considered racist should not depend on comparing the quality of makeup used by entertainers to make their skin dark. They were doing a skit on Hey Hey It's Saturday not looking for an academy award in a major motion picture and made up accordingly.

Fractelle,

"The skit on Hey Hey had no resemblance to the Jackson Five but did look exactly like a B&W minstrel act."

My understanding is that most people who watched it recognised it as an imitation of the Jackson 5. But if you couldn't spot the resemblance I have now watched it on u-tube and can assist. They called themselves Jackson Jive and it was introduced as a song and dance tribute to Michael Jackson and the hair looks very 70s(albeit due to the cheap disco wigs). The 5 in the background had darkened their skin. The lead singer is dressed up in iconically Michael Jackson outfit. He even obviously applied white colour on his face. Apparently they did the same routine 20 years ago and won 'Red Faces'.

Examinator,

If so then how do you explain the Robert Downey character that Foxy referred to?