Thursday, October 08, 2009

Down Under Race Blunder

Do I really have to comment?

Thanks - I think - to Shawn for the head's up on this...

The Guardian
Harry Connick Jr weirdly unimpressed by Australia's blackface Jackson 5

To Australia, the world's most savagely self-parodic country, where there is news of an important breakthrough in race relations.

We lay our scene on long-running Australian TV variety show Hey Hey It's Saturday, which finished in 1999, but was back on air for a reunion special on Wednesday night - along with celebrity guest Harry Connick Jr.

As is the custom on these kerrazy studio programmes, the singer was roped into the judging panel, passing his views on - among others - a musical comedy troupe introduced as The Jackson Jive.

Now, having watched the Jackson Jive's act, Lost in Showbiz can tell you that they bring almost nothing new to the lame old business of impersonating Motown's most dysfunctional family. But I guess their USP is that they perform in blackface. Isn't that darling?

Not according to Harry, oddly, who marks them zero (the Australian judge to his right comes through with a 7. "I thought you were very cute"). "Would you give them anything for turning up?" asks the bemused host. "Man, if they turned up looking like that in the United States …" comes his guest's retort, "it'd be Hey Hey There's No More Show."

Seemingly oblivious to the point being made, the host cheerily points out that this is a comeback of sorts – the Jackson Jive in fact performed this act on the show twenty years ago. You know, in the olden times of 1989, when blacking up was totally acceptable.

Anyway… If you take a look at the mind-boggling video clip, you will note that we rejoin the show after the break, during which the host seems to have had a somewhat unconvincing epiphany.

"I noticed that when we had the Jackson Jive on," he says to Harry, "and it didn't occur to me till afterwards, I think we may have offended you with that act … I know that to your countrymen, that's an insult to have a blackface routine like that on the show, so I do apologise."

Very good of him. In Australia, of course, it is perfectly acceptable, and we thank the nation for yet another important contribution to the annals of human culture.