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One thing's for sure; the folks who continue to search for ways to benignly and backhandedly criticize Black people, are gonna have a helluva time sticking stereotype labels on the next First Family.
"For the record if you are a U.S citizen or a resident you share the same U.S culture. There is no sperate culture for blacks/whites/etc... Within that culture people do things different according to background and exposure."
I have to disagree! I am not exactly "White", I am Portuguese/Italian but culturally I am probably White. Although I cannot categorize every single member of any given race, many African Americans follow their own culture and do not know much about and/or refuse to accept or embrace "mainstream" American culture. I have met very few African Americans who even know who Jimi Hendrix was, or even Charlie Pride, two of the greatest African American musical minds of all times in my opinion! Another example, I remember an African American family at the Family Feud show and they did not know anything about music outside of African American music. There was a question about singers, and I think names like Paul Simon, Phil Collins and Christopher Cross came up, they did not even know who they were.
So please could you define what "mainstream American culture" is? This post makes no sense because the poster resorts to the same weak tactic that too many non-POC follow on the internet. Take one experience and then extrapolate the data to cover a large swath of people. It makes no sense. African-Americans have a distinctive culture that they hold onto for reasons that I hope you know (American history 101). I hope you at least know enough History to understand why many in this group refuse to "assimilate".
On to the other parts of your post. Aside from being Black, I've met MANY black people and almost everyone to a T knows about Jimi Hendrix and Charlie Pride. In fact, most of them know more Black musicians of the years past than you probably do. And can't the reverse be said about non-POC? How many White folks know who Wynonie Harris is? Or who DJ Cool Herc is?
You say your of Portuguese descent right? Who is Rui Da Silva?
I was not vilifying anyone. Rather, I was expressing surprise that jokes denigrating African-Americans as lazy and shiftless would 1) Be made by an African-American comedian and 2) Be enthusiastically received by a majority African-American audience to the point of exuberant hysteria. I found it...ironic.
You made very specific assumptions about the audience based on the their reaction to Bernie Mac's comedy routine.
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Originally Posted by Moth
The mostly black audience was in stitches and high-fiving each other. I was somewhat shocked because they seemed to be celebrating one of the worst racial stereotypesif not confirming it.
As someone else pointed out, are you as "shocked" when white people laugh at Jeff Foxworthy's jokes about redneck behavior? I will readily admit that I laugh at Jeff Foxworthy's jokes too, even though I do not identify with them, because they're funny. That's really all it takes. I don't sit there and marvel at how the mostly white audience seems to be celebrating and/or confirming any particular stereotype. You saw something that apparently confirmed your pre-existing beliefs about black people and you took it and ran with it. Please stop trying to act as though this was some casual observation that is worthy of discussion. I find your reaction to Bernie Mac's audience...odd.
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Originally Posted by Moth
Yes, a very honest rebuttal. How can I comment on someone with whom I am not familiar?
Most people when presented with new information actually try to research it.
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Originally Posted by Moth
And I can only imagine if a white comedien did the same routine.
An honest rebuttal would have been to actually research Ralphie May instead of feigning ignorance since he clearly proves your assumption wrong.
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Originally Posted by Moth
Did I emphatically state that the audience in question or the sports athletes, a very small group of individuals, represented an entire race of people? Did I? Where exactly? Please utilize actual quotes rather than your own spin and conjecture.
As I stated before, you don't have to emphatically state it. It is implied with the statements you made.
You made very specific assumptions about the audience based on the their reaction to Bernie Mac's comedy routine.
Oh, that is not true at all. As I was merely watching a broadcast and thus had no opportunity to conduct an interview with audience members, puzzlement at their reactions was a legitimate reaction. These folks were not merely laughing with the obligatory shake of the heads signalling the inherent absurdity of the humor. They were nodding their heads in enthusiastic agreement and high-fiving each other.
These were horrid stereotypes and I suspect, not assume, that not only did the audience believe it about themselves, but also that you do as well. Now you shall have to find someone else's words to manipulate as you obviously cannot discuss this without utilizing the tar and feathers.
So, now one needs to perform interviews to develop an opinion? Do you like circular conversations? I know I don't. You made a silly argument that's been disputed. You have no other defense than to say "No, I didn't'? You haven't addressed any of the points I made in my last post. If you're going to make unfounded assertions be prepared to be challenged.
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Originally Posted by Moth
Oh, that is not true at all. As I was merely watching a broadcast and thus had no opportunity to conduct an interview with audience members, puzzlement at their reactions was a legitimate reaction. These folks were not merely laughing with the obligatory shake of the heads signalling the inherent absurdity of the humor. They were nodding their heads in enthusiastic agreement and high-fiving each other.
These were horrid stereotypes and I suspect, not assume, that not only did the audience believe it about themselves, but also that you do as well. Now you shall have to find someone else's words to manipulate as you obviously cannot discuss this without utilizing the tar and feathers.
Everything I would say has pretty much already been said. I do have a question for the OP if s/he is still reading this thread. Since the "black" version of American pop culture is so low quality, please enlighten me on the many other apsects of non-black American pop culture that is so high quality? By my estimation nearly all of American pop culture stinks.
Also, many black muscial artists of the 70s were not trying to make music white people would like.They were just trying to make what they thought was good music. Period. White people just picked up on it. In the same way there were blacks who picked up on many of the white 70s rock bands. Do you think the Rolling Stones sat around and tried to come up with riffs black Americans would like? No. They made what they thought was good music based on their cultural background, influences, and training. Why would black artists do it any differently?
Since I am not knowledgeable about newer rappers I will use Snoop Dogg as an example. He followed the same formula as above. He made music he thought was good. His first album sold 5 million copies. The majority of those copies were bought by middle class white teenagers. Snoop once remarked that him and Dr. Dre did not cross over to mainstream America. They made mainstream America cross over to the them. Their record sales prove that.
So if American pop culture (black or otherwise) is in the toliet it is because because enough of us Americans willingly accept what is produced.
Another example, I remember an African American family at the Family Feud show and they did not know anything about music outside of African American music. There was a question about singers, and I think names like Paul Simon, Phil Collins and Christopher Cross came up, they did not even know who they were.
With the exception of Eminem and Teena Marie for example who both do Black music, very few White music artists who are not rappers or r&b singers have a large Black fanbase. Most Black people either only like listening to music performed by artists who racially look like themselves or they only listen to rap/r&b artists regardless of their color hence where Eminem and Teena Marie come in. I bet if you were to do a poll asking Black people on the streets to name just one song by the Ramones for example, the overwhelming majority would not be able to.
With the exception of Eminem and Teena Marie for example who both do Black music, very few White music artists who are not rappers or r&b singers have a large Black fanbase. Most Black people either only like listening to music performed by artists who racially look like themselves or they only listen to rap/r&b artists regardless of their color hence where Eminem and Teena Marie come in. I bet if you were to do a poll asking Black people on the streets to name just one song by the Ramones for example, the overwhelming majority would not be able to.
Not quite sure I agree with this. In the same vein of logic, ask whites to name any song by Grand Master Flash and the Furious Five, or the Sugar Hill Gang, etc. They were very prominent groups for their time. Or asks blacks or whites to name songs by Los Lonely Boys. Music genres exist for people who prefer those specific genres. It's no argument that there are demographics who cater to one genre more than another. But, go back to, say, 1940s or 1950s. There were black music groups/musicians, but not in the quantify there are today; and, they certainly weren't given the media publicity that many white groups were. Back then, I'm sure many black families could name many more white artists than whites could name black artists. That's just because of what was socially endowed. Now, with some social changes, music is reaching across ethnic lines more and more. But I don't think it's fair to point out one ethnic demographic more than another to compare musical tastes.
The quality of TV in general has diminished greatly just within the past decade. "Prime" time TV is a joke. There is nothing "prime" about it. Just more of the same stupidity. I don't really find anything worth watching on TV these days. Other than the news.
Give me shows that are genuinely funny. Shows like "I Love Lucy" or "Hogan's Heroes." Or, to stay on topic, "Sanford and Son" and "The Jeffersons." Heck, Looney Tunes was better entertainment than the junk that's on TV today.
I definitely agree with you on the music, or lack thereof, as in the case of rap. But then again, I've always preferred soothing music to loud and obnoxious. So I'll stick with Classical and Celtic music.
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? Do you like circular conversations? I know I don't. You made a silly argument that's been disputed. You have no other defense than to say "No, I didn't'? You haven't addressed any of the points I made in my last post. If you're going to make unfounded assertions be prepared to be challenged. 