KFC Pulls "Racist" Australian TV spot

@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

The Australians seem to be pissed at me though and since I like them and prefer for them not to be pissed at me I'm trying to figure out what I actually said to incur it.

Just for the record, I'm not pissed off at anybody, just frustrated at my inability to communicate, alhough I get that not everyone is going to get it.
I'm almost regretting starting the thread though since it does seem to have strained some good relationships. On the other hand airing such things in the open is healthy in the long run. I hope.

I'm trying to stay out of it for a bit I want to say Setanta's long post on Australian history and modern geographical reality is waaay relevant. We feel like the quiet acheivers o the world healing race devisions where ever we can. The larger world is unaware of all our hard work but we don't mind. It's still worth doing.
But then....
Its precisely the triviality of this KFC ad that we find infuriating.

Recently we let an aboriginal man die in the back of a prison transfer van due to extreme heat, Indian students have been murdered but we get international racism headlines because of ...WTF?

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@Eorl,

Quote:

Recently we let an aboriginal man die in the back of a prison transfer van due to extreme heat, Indian students have been murdered but we get international racism headlines because of ...WTF?

I just did a Google search to confirm my suspicion...

Most of the headlines I read were in the form of "Is this KFC ad racist?". It seems to me that KFC (again an American company) is getting the bad rap here, not Australia.

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@Eorl,

Eorl wrote:

Recently we let an aboriginal man die in the back of a prison transfer van due to extreme heat, Indian students have been murdered but we get international racism headlines because of ...WTF?

I feel almost exactly the same way. And Americans are used to being embarrassed at cultural savages like the following geniuses (look at 2:30 in that video, how is that not millions of times more ignorant?) why does this row even register?

P.S. see 4:30 for a funny KFC question in that video. And note that just this video has been viewed over 22 million times. If we call this KFC row a tempest in a teacup it is because relatively it is.

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@dadpad,

dadpad wrote:

Quote:
Sozobe has flat out told you that she just meant that the ad wouldn't be a problem if it were "purely" confined to Australia but you still want to read that as being US-centric and thinking that it represents a projection of US stereotypes elsewhere?

It is US centric and it does represent a projection of US sterotypes elsewhere.

Soz has explained her intent with the "purely" Australian thing. However I think it goes to show the constricted view of some (many?) Americans. The ad would not have been a problem ANYWHERE IN THE WORLD except for the US.

That's a pretty huge "but" there dadpad, and not because we are anything special. It's like saying, we've decided that there are 100 people in this room and only one might get offended by this. We've decided to leave it to send them a message.

Hooray misguided principles!

I think it's worth noting that many here think the ad should have been left up and defended to the American public, yet so many here refuse to accept that we (posters here in this thread) understand the situation at all. If so many people here think we (people who get the context) are too (American stereotype here) to get it, then why in the hell are we supposed to believe that the part of the American public that would want an explanation would be able to understand it?

T
K
O

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@dadpad,

Quote:

Re: sozobe (Post 3874590)
sozobe wrote:

Quote:
OK, so all the Australians here are only mad at the Young Turks? Not us (because we recognize that in the Australian context in which it was made and shown it's not racist)

and all the other Americans that made the same value judgements. I've seen the polls and read the comments at a number of different sources.

...and to some extent those here who said or essentially implied "well its a storm in a teacup doesnt really matter and they should have known better"
How ******* patronising, isolated and insular is that?!

Just a quick comment on the Young Turks "incident".

I commented (after not being involved in the ongoing debate on this thread, after seeing the YouTube video) that I found it breathtaking ignorant & stupid. I found it deeply offensive in its ignorance & its smugness. And questioned whether this passed for "commentary" on run-of-the-mill US mainstream media. The reaction here was pretty much: Ah, but it was only an isolated YouTube incident. Hardly anyone would see it, anyway. And this is typical of YouTube stupidity.Not to be taken seriously.

But, as marsporsche has pointed out a number of times, the Young Turk's radio broadcasts are nationally syndicated, potentially reaching millions. So effectively a completely inaccurate racist stereotype of Australians (yet again) could well have been reinforced without, apparently, any question.

The implication that my response was an overreaction, a small storm in a teacup, because the Young Turks are irrelevant anyway, did rather feel rather like being patronized. I have no desire to become involved in an ongoing debate on this thread. (You think I'm crazy? Wink

) I just wanted to say that. I think the feeling that we've been patronized, that our real concerns have not exactly been taken seriously by some A2Kers we'd usually consider "informed" US folk, is behind of some of the "Oz angst" which has been expressed here ... far more that any debate about the KFC ad.

And could I also thank Setanta for his informed posts above. Yes, context, context.

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@msolga,

msolga wrote:

But, as marsporsche has pointed out a number of times, the Young Turk's radio broadcasts are nationally syndicated, potentially reaching millions. So effectively a completely inaccurate racist stereotype of Australians (yet again) could well have been reinforced without, apparently, any question.

And in case anyone doubts what I hear with my own ears. Here is XM Radio's America Left channel's program guide for the next week. They have 8 hours of programming broadcast nationwide, just on XM radio.

http://www.xmradio.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=XM/Channel/ChannelProgramList&chid=1239034459806&c=Channel

1 Reply

I missed out on the Young Turks thing.

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@edgarblythe,

It's what started this whole shebang. Give it a listen, video on page 1 I think.

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@maporsche,

Thank you, marsporsche.

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@msolga,

msolga wrote:

I commented (after not being involved in the ongoing debate on this thread, after seeing the YouTube video) that I found it breathtaking ignorant & stupid. I found it deeply offensive in its ignorance & its smugness. And questioned whether this passed for "commentary" on run-of-the-mill US mainstream media. The reaction here was pretty much: Ah, but it was only an isolated YouTube incident. Hardly anyone would see it, anyway. And this is typical of YouTube stupidity.Not to be taken seriously.

You asked if it were what passes for commentary on TV, and I told you that they aren't on TV. I had already mentioned that they are talk show radio folk.

It's not that you shouldn't take it seriously, you can if you want. But the point I was making is that these people aren't mainstream US media (any more than Limbaugh is) and that their viewpoints certainly aren't either. On TV there's a lot of stupidity, but the commentary is usually better than shows that are relegated to radio and internet.

But, as marsporsche has pointed out a number of times, the Young Turk's radio broadcasts are nationally syndicated, potentially reaching millions. So effectively a completely inaccurate racist stereotype of Australians (yet again) could well have been reinforced without, apparently, any question.

Quote:

The implication that my response was an overreaction, a small storm in a teacup, because the Young Turks are irrelevant anyway, did rather feel rather like being patronized.

Why? Why does a disagreement over the comparative relevance of their opini0n mean you are being patronized? You've been telling Australians not to even bother trying to explain it to Americans but to merely consider this row overblown is patronizing?

1 Reply

@msolga,

msolga wrote:

I think the feeling that we've been patronized, that our real concerns have not exactly been taken seriously by some A2Kers we'd usually consider "informed" US folk, is behind of some of the "Oz angst" which has been expressed here.

Not to get into a who is being patronized more here meta-argument, but do you really think that we don't understand you view here? You think you haven't been taken seriously? Come on.

I'm literally getting the we "appreciate you trying" dismissal when I try to offer the empathy you guys are crying out for. How patronizing is that?

What of the US-angst from the Oz-folk we "consider informed?" Don't you find your own language to be a little ironic when paired with your complaint of being patronized?

Are we only considered informed if you decide so? Perhaps, you feel that we need to be educated and you don't have anything to learn from this. I'll introduce you to another American-ism since it's relevant right now. It's the "you're one of the good ones" meme. It's where a group of people (in this case the Americans) are generalized negatively, and then someone takes a liking to a individual (an American in this case), but despite the person's obvious separation from the generalization/stereotype, the person chooses to hold onto the negative stereotype saying "well, their one of the good ones" (or in this case the blessed few of us that meet your approve as people you normally "consider informed."). So sorry if we lost your seal of Informed American. That's patronizing.

You guys have been taken very very very serious. You think a bunch of Americans have anything to gain by coming into a thread and getting treated like imbeciles? We aren't here for our benefit, at least I'm not.

T
K
O

1 Reply

@Robert Gentel,

Quote:

Why? Why does a disagreement over the comparative relevance of their opini0n mean you are being patronized? You've been telling Australians not to even bother trying to explain it to Americans but to merely consider this row overblown is patronizing?

I felt like was I being patronized.
You can disagree with me about whether my reasons for feeling so were valid or not. That's your opinion & that was mine.

I felt that "the Australians" had explained & explained & explained ... I guess I was feeling their frustration about having to argue the same things over & over. I was seriously questioning whether it was possible to get through. And I guess I felt for them. Simple as that.

1 Reply

@msolga,

msolga wrote:

I felt like was I being patronized.
You can disagree with me about whether my reasons for feeling so were valid or not. That's your opinion & that was mine.

I wonder if we'd be here if this were the Australian reaction to the Americans who felt like the commercial was racist.

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I found Young Turks for myself on youtube. Previously, I had never heard of these cretins. Because youtube videos can go viral, as they say, this crap can reach millions in a short time. It is no small thing when that happens. And some TV shows take the popular youtube videos and rebroadcast them. I have not seen that happen with this particular video, but that's not to say it has not or will not happen. I don't know how many viewers would agree with them or what damage is done to the image of Australians. We certainly don't need this ****.

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@Robert Gentel,

I honestly don't know, Robert.

Let's just say (I believe ) the motivation of the Australians who participated in this thread was to be "understood", to set the story straight, if you like. I can see that was a frustrating experience for them, though I can't really speak on their behalf & shouldn't.
Also (in my opinion) the opinions of other A2Kers do matter. A lot. (Once again I don't want to go putting words in anyone else's mouth) but I care very much what you think about us. Your perceptions of our country. I want that to be right, because there's so much crap that gets published about Australia in the international media on a very regular basis. Sometimes it feels like it's a sport, or something: the racist Oz story of the week! It's important to me (& I suspect to others) that we get the story right with you guys, simply because we care about what you think & respect & value you as fellow A2K travelers we've known for years. (There, I'm wearing my heart on my sleeve. Wink

)

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@edgarblythe,

Quote:

I had never heard of these cretins

Well I never want to hear of them again, edgar! Wink

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@Diest TKO,

It's not that I'm ignoring your post, Diest. But really, I haven't been involved in this debate to any great extent until now. (And have clearly indicated I have no desire to become involved in a protracted discussion. Wink

)
I think I've said enough, really. If anyone who has been more actively involved in this discussion wants to respond to your comments then I think it's best that they do. I don't feel too comfortable, either, speaking on behalf of a collective of Oz A2Kers. Some of their views might differ to mine, anyway.

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@Robert Gentel,

heres one poll robert.
http://www.bvblackspin.com/2010/01/07/racist-chicken-ad-from-kfc/

1 Reply

@dadpad,

So it looks like around 60% of the Black Voices readers find the commercial "insulting". Well I'm sure there's a lot of people in there who unfairly think this stereotype should apply to Australia but I also suspect there are a lot who don't.

They might fully understand that this is not intended to reference this stereotype while still being reminded of the stereotype by the ad and reacting negatively to it. Part of what I don't agree with from some of the Australian positions here is that we have to actually be projecting this cultural value on Australia to dislike the ad. It may just be uncomfortable imagery for them that references personal experiences they've had with the chicken stereotype.

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@sozobe,

sozobe wrote:

I see, thanks.

OK, so all the Australians here are only mad at the Young Turks? Not us (because we recognize that in the Australian context in which it was made and shown it's not racist) and not KFC (because they understand the business realities of these things)?

Well, I am not angry with YOU...so let's get that straight.

I probably sound that way, because this is just so frustrating.

I wonder if it might be easier to think about if we think of TONE, rather than content.

Quote:

1.) Purely in an Australian context the ad is probably fine. (I also wince at how the white guy had his head in his hands and was shaking his head at the boistrousness of the Windie crowd -- smacks of condescension/ paternalism -- but I get that in context it just didn't have the resonance it has here.)

Can you see, at all, why I might find these words annoying?

What tone do you think these words might have, or appear to have?

Not intentionally so.....we all get that.

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KFC Pulls "Racist" Australian TV spot

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