Folks,

It's not an argument about the cheapness or costuming nor it justified because it's on "make a fool of yourself TV."

To me it was an over reaction by the Aus media (sensationalism and selfish perhaps even sour grapes.)
But it seems now some overtly sensitive jingoistic individuals are blaming Harry Connick Jr .....Get over it he is entitled to call it as he saw it, so what. Get off his case.

Contrary to common opinion the world isn't binary it is more analogue, a series of shades of colour from existence to non existence and multi dimensional to boot.

The case of black face at the academy awards was a different person different context see my explanation to Foxy. Some jokes work some are just insulting to some people.

Examinator:"he is entitled to call it as he saw it"

Of course he is, but we're entitled to take his call and tell him politely to shove it up his jacksie.

We are nder no obligation to squirm obsequiously whilst offering cringeing apologetics, as Summers did, simply because a washed-up piano-bar crooner gets upaet.

Dear Fractelle,

Yes I did read your link - thanks for asking,
but as I explained in
an earlier post - I didn't see its relevance
to the Hey Hey skit - which was not a "Blackface,"
in my opinion - but a satire of the Jackson Five.
Your premise of Harry Connick Jr's "Southern
Connections," being an entitlement to object
so strongly to the Hey Hey skit I don't buy.
Not because of any lack of understanding, but
because I don't see the skit as a parody of any
Black & White Minstrel show. Simply a satire of
the Jackson Five.

Connick by the way - moved to New York at the age of
18. He attended New York's Hunter College
and later the Manhattan School of
Music. He regards himself basically as a New Yorker, and
lives with his family in Connecticut.

Dear Examinator,

I agree with you - we all need to lighten up.

Some jokes do work - some don't.
The Hey Hey skit obviously didn't.
It wasn't funny. However, it wasn't meant to
be insulting - it wasn't a parody of the Black
and White Minstrel Shows, (or of Al Johnson,
or anyone else of that ilk).
Of that I am convinced.

Sorry Foxy but I'm going to have to stick up my hand for Mr Connick on this one as well.

Let me state from the start, though a little uncomfortable about the skit I'm not sure I could say I viewed it as overtly racist. That being said I'm glad we have moved on a little in this country over the last 25 years.

Back then I vividly remember standing with some mates at the footy and one of them was giving the Krakour(sp) brothers an ear full. He was quite witty and the jibes, going from wine flagons to hygiene, were getting many a laugh from the crowd. I was extremely uncomfortable but never said a peep. To this day my actions, or rather lack of them, still rankle. I do not remain silent nowadays.

My understanding is that half of Mr Connick band is Afro-American and more than likely friends of his. There is two ways this could have 'gone down'.

The first is after the skit he doesn't react, then goes to his band members and says "Look guys, sorry about that, might have been a little uncomfortable for you as it was for me, but really I'm sure they didn't mean any harm by it, it is a different country remember."

Or he could have done what he did.

It could be that with him being pretty close to my age, and having spent most of his life working for himself as I have done, I totally relate to his stance and applaud it.

Please note I do not compare the Hey Hey It's Saturday skit to my mates efforts. I am making a point about people's willingness to speak out. I do think those who baselessly claim ulterior motives to Mr Connick are being unfair, he certainly gets kudos from me.

If you want to blame anyone make it the media who have blown this way out of proportion.

cont'd...

Excuse my typo - I meant to say -
Al Jolson ... (Mammy -how I love ja, how I love ja...)
Big difference in music between this, and what
they were singing on the Hey Hey skit as the Jackson
Five!

Dear csteele,

My objection is that this skit is being
criticised as being a "racist," i.e.
a "Blackface," skit. A parody of the
Black and White Minstrels.
In my opinion,
it was a poor satire of the Jackson
Five. That failed miserably.

I don't believe that the skit deserves the
condemnation that it got. As Whoppie Goldberg
and other black comedians in the US have pointed
out -"It's no big deal - it was only a send up
of the Jackson Five." If Harry Connick Jr saw it
differently - that's his call. I'm sure that
not all the members of his band would perceive
things in exactly the same way.