Stephen Colbert Makes Joke, Twitter Outrage Ensues

[KevinLancaster]

For what it's worth i always wish the US gets better, and even at least reverts to the saner 1990s era. But the political games your leaders play with your own people do signify a very different outcome, sadly for the US as well as other places.

I'm pretty sure the US wasn't that much saner in the 1990s compared to today in terms of racial issues, with the whole 1992 LA Riots, the Lee Atwater being in charge of George H. W. Bush's presidential campaign, "Million Man March", "crack epidemic", and all. You might be looking at it with rose-tinted glasses; after all it seemed like the "good guy" then fighting against communism and Saddam Hussein.

Though I wasn't even born yet until the middle of the decade and I'm a Canadian, so who am I to judge.

Also in support(?) or confusion (humour? ugh) I would have posted "Everyone's a Little Bit Racist" from Avenue Q but I'm not sure whether it would have been appropriate so I'll just link it.

 

[aelf]

The comments in that article make me want to cringe and giggle at the same time. Holier-than-thou, self-proclaimed 'moderates' condemning the extreme left and the extreme right with nary a clue about what they're talking about.

I haven't looked, but I'm almost certain that one or two would have popped up in this thread by now.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Uh, you are deluding yourself if you actually think that the opinion of racial issues in the US compared to elsewhere being one which showcases the current US in pitiful state, is "nonsensical".

Well, duh. And it isn't "delusional" in the least. You still haven't provided any facts that the US is any different than any other country in this regard. OTOH I have shown just the opposite on numerous occasions, as I just did yet again.

Unlike you i have lived in other countries as well, and even for years in one of those. But keep on believing your own voice and don't worry cause in the end even more kneejerk reactionism will surely lead to the end of your current 'racial war' issues

Making even more absurd assumptions regarding my own background while engaging in the all-too-familiar personal attacks, instead of even trying to discuss the real issues?

For what it's worth i always wish the US gets better, and even at least reverts to the saner 1990s era. But the political games your leaders play with your own people do signify a very different outcome, sadly for the US as well as other places.

Right. You mean the black guy who is making far too much of quite evident racial problems which continue to exist.

And, yes, my own view is that all races or such groups are to be treated in the same way in regards to comedy/other comments for or against them. It seems to be not only the logical position, but also (crucially) the only naturally sustainable one. A black person has the same right to feel offended by a joke as a white or other "race" person has

You state that truism as though anybody would disagree with it, much less me.

 

[Kyriakos]

It's ok Forma, all is good in regards to racial issues in the US, or rather it is just as good as everywhere else

Sorry for leaving the door open, i could not help listenting to the nasty siren in your bit of the world, but it appears you can deal with it just fine with turning to the other side of the sleeping facility

 

[Formaldehyde]

Yet more personal attacks instead of discussing the topic. How surprising.

And I'm still awaiting what you consider to be facts in regard to how the US is supposedly so different than anyplace else in this matter.

 

[Gori the Grey]

And now you are insinuating that I might be bigoted as well for merely disagreeing with you?

We hadn't been disagreeing, and I'm not insinuating anything. I just thought that your previous posts had missed an important dimension of this instance of satire.

But if you can see that treating one ethnic minority as an example of ethnic minorities and offending them to dramatize what offending ethnic minorities looks like could be grounds for insinuating bigotry, then you're on your way to seeing what I'm driving at in my saying this may be a more complex case than usual of satire.

 

[Formaldehyde]

It is just as false as claiming that Colbert is in any way bigoted by portraying a bigoted persona on his show on a regular basis.

 

[Mise]

Formaldehyde, there's a dimension of this that I don't feel you've registered.

Why should Asians tolerate being mocked in the service Colbert's challenge to Snyder's bigotry toward Native Americans?

Who is your "they"? Asians? or just Asians-as-minorities-can't-tell-em-apart-anyway?

If you frame the issue up as you did in your earlier post--he's acting bigoted to satirize bigotry--then it's what you say: people being clueless to how satire works.

But if you examine the precise structure of this specific instance of satire, it's more complex than that.

Another great post! The fact is, there are more than one contexts in which this joke is made. The first is the satirical context of Colbert's sketch. The second is the context of offensive Asian stereotypes. To say that there is only one way of viewing or contextualising this is simply wilful ignorance. Asians are surely allowed to be angry and frustrated at seeing stupid Asian stereotypes, even if those stereotypes are being used to satirise and criticise racism against Native Americans.

 

[Kaitzilla]

How dare Americans make fun of Eastern Languages for sounding strange.

Time for Yang Yang to educate you'all.



Link to video.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Another great post! The fact is, there are more than one contexts in which this joke is made. The first is the satirical context of Colbert's sketch. The second is the context of offensive Asian stereotypes. To say that there is only one way of viewing or contextualising this is simply wilful ignorance. Asians are surely allowed to be angry and frustrated at seeing stupid Asian stereotypes, even if those stereotypes are being used to satirise and criticise racism against Native Americans.

The "willful ignorance" in this particular case seems to be deliberately ignoring that I thought it was completely understandable and perfectly acceptable for them to be offended by this.

 

[Gori the Grey]

as false

See, I had thought this case interesting because it seemed to me to move beyond true/false-style binaries.

#StephenColbertIsNotARacistNeverWasCouldNotPossiblyBeAndAnyoneWhoCouldEntertainThePossibilityThatABitSatirizingBigotryCouldAlsoIncludeActualEthnicallyOffensiveMaterialUnredeemedByTheSatireDoesn'tUnderstandSatire

is as uninteresting to me as

#CancelColbert

I tried.

I may have some other ideas to contribute to this thread. I hope, Formaldehyde, that you will regard them as directed toward everyone but you, and not as extending this little exchange, with which I am finished.

 

[Formaldehyde]

Having watched hundreds of hours of The Colbert Report over a 9+ year period, I can unequivocally state that Stephen Colbert is clearly not a bigot. But he does play one to the general amusement of many who do have a sense of humor and can discern the difference between his on-screen persona and reality.

YMMV.

 

[KaiserElectric]

That being said, we live in a world where people regularly mistake the Onion for a serious newspaper.

 

[Mise]

The "willful ignorance" in this particular case seems to be deliberately ignoring that I thought it was completely understandable and perfectly acceptable for them to be offended by this.

You said they were stupid for being offended by the wrong party...

Indeed. It is just a shame they don't have the sense to be offended towards the appropriate parties, i.e. the ones which Colbert was obviously lampooning.

If I'm missing something then I apologise, but it doesn't seem as though you "get" why people are angry at Steven Colbert, the real life comedian who made the joke, rather than at Colbert the character, or the types of people he is satirising.

 

[Tahuti]

That being said, we live in a world where people regularly mistake the Onion for a serious newspaper.

Much as I love the Onion for its purposefully humorous content, I feel that as a source of news, I can take it more seriously than anything else.

 

[Fabio1701]

I saw an interview with Colbert who said that he had fans who think he is a conservative persona but secretly a liberal, but also fans who say he is a conservative persona played by a comedian who he portrays as liberal but is secretly a conservative.

???

 

[Formaldehyde]

That being said, we live in a world where people regularly mistake the Onion for a serious newspaper.

Indeed. And it would be similar to blaming them for spreading false information.

You said they were stupid for being offended by the wrong party...

I said no such thing. Just because they are directing their ire at Colbert, instead of those who intentionally negatively stereotype Asians and others, doesn't make them "stupid".

If I'm missing something then I apologise, but it doesn't seem as though you "get" why people are angry at Steven Colbert, the real life comedian who made the joke, rather than at Colbert the character, or the types of people he is satirising.

Oh, I "get" it. However, I think it is misdirected because Colbert isn't actually bigoted. But the persona he plays as a comedian is.

 

[Mise]

Okay, then I apologise as clearly I have misunderstood you. Can you clarify what you mean by "misdirected" in that case? Do you mean that they shouldn't be angry at Colbert at all? Or do you think they should be angry at Colbert for using a racist, derogatory term, but that they should ultimately be supportive of his general point and therefore be much more angry at those who use it seriously?

Personally I think it's entirely valid to be angry at Colbert and criticise him for using bringing offensive Asian stereotypes into a criticism of racism against Native Americans, while still understanding and supporting his underlying point. The way he chooses to express his point, and the way he chooses to conduct his satire, is surely open to criticism and debate. However, calling for him to be cancelled is obviously an overreaction, and it really doesn't help anybody to go so far out of proportion.

A lot of the responses I've seen are "these people don't understand satire", but I think it's perfectly possible to understand the satire at play, and still be angry at Colbert's use of offensive Asian stereotypes in making the satire.

 

[Formaldehyde]

No, I don't think they should be angry at Stephen Colbert. But they can be outraged at his persona if they care to do so. I would imagine that Stephen would love it if they were.

Interestingly, it appears that the entire controversy is over the tweet taken out of context instead of the original broadcast.

Washington Post: Stephen Colbert controversy illustrates extreme difference between TV and Twitter audiences

Whoever runs the “Colbert Report” Twitter account learned a valuable lesson Thursday night about the difference between tweeting a Stephen Colbert quote from the show, and tweeting a Stephen Colbert quote from the show taken completely out of context.

Because “The Colbert Report” TV audience and a general Twitter audience? Very, very different.
“I am willing to show #Asian community I care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever,” @ColbertReport tweeted Thursday evening. The Twitter police immediately pounced, as people started accusing Colbert of racism and starting a #CancelColbert hashtag.

However, when that line was on TV Wednesday night, there was no negative reaction. Here’s what actually happened: While that line looks wildly offensive, it was part of Colbert’s regular shtick as his Comedy Central late-night character, skewering someone by taking things to the next level and acting even more ridiculous. In this case, it was Redskins owner Dan Snyder, who announced recently that he would not change the Redskins name and would instead start a Washington Redskins Original Americans Foundation.

More of what Colbert said on Wednesday’s show: “Folks, this move by Dan Snyder inspires me, because my show has frequently come under attack for having a so-called offensive mascot: My beloved character Ching Chong Ding Dong,” Colbert said, showing a 2005 clip of him acting out the character. “Offensive or not (not), Ching Chong is part of the unique heritage of the Colbert Nation that cannot change. But I am willing to show the Asian community that I care — by introducing the Ching Chong Ding Dong Foundation for Sensitive to Orientals or Whatever…and I owe all this sensitivity to Redskins owner Dan Snyder.”

To recap: The TV audience? Loved it! Or at least, didn’t think twice, given that its consistent with Colbert’s TV persona. The Twitter audience? Hated it! The tweet was deleted, and since it was sent at 6 p.m., after his Thursday show already taped, there was no way to address it on air.

Plus, the @ColbertReport account isn’t even affiliated with Colbert. Looks like a perfectly good rage hashtag was created for nothing.

This is a Comedy Central promotional account, with no oversight from Stephen or his show, that quoted a line out of context. #cancelcolbert

— The Colbert Report (@ColbertReport) March 28, 2014

 

[Mise]

Okay, well, in that case, you don't get why it's valid for people are angry at Colbert, the real life comedian.