He was a fat, racist, bigoted prick - but he could deliver a line well. That doesn't excuse it, it's just a matter of fact. I'll definitely buy the fact that he was an anachronism, and that the humour was widely accepted - even up to the early nineties in many parts of Britain but, when times changed and people became a bit more realistic about racism, he was unable to change his act accordingly. It's his comments that he came out with later on as he was foolishly attempting to justify his act that sicken - the one posted earlier about 'no pakis on the beaches at Normandy' is a prime example. If he had held his hands up, then that would have been fair enough, but he seemed intent on trying to eke out a career as a racist apologist, so bollocks to him.
And the bit about Chris Rock always stirs controversy. The simple fact of the matter is, Rock's act is MEANT to shock. And, in case anyone hasn't seen it, it is NOT racist - it is simply an extension of disaffected black youth subverting what is designed to be a shocking, hateful word and turnjing it against the aggressor (in this case 'the system'.) This is not something that is particularly new - blacks have been using it in the US for well over fifty years and recent black cultural history is littered with usage - from the works of Iceberg Slim and Gil Scott Heron to 'conscious' rappers like Afrika Bambaata, Digable Planets and Chuck D. Rock's act - as well as being, on occasion, side-splittingly funny, was supposed to have served as a wake-up call to blacks who either used the fact that 'the system' was (and still is) inherently biased against them as an excuse to remain ignorant, or to highlight the nonsense of black on black crime. Despite studying this at some length a few years back (I wrote a paper for my Sociology 'A' level on popular usage of the word 'Nigger' in contemporary culture) I don't think I, or anyone else born and raised in the UK for that matter, has any right to comment on whether or not Chris Rock is racist. We don't know - and can't possibly know - what it is like to grow up in country that has a white population that is 85% racist to it's core, 15% democrat do-gooders like Livingstone seeking to make excuses for under-achievement of blacks in society. I, personally, am glad and proud to live in a country where, although racism still exists, it is pretty much on the way out - to the point now where the CRE and similar bodies are beginning to be seen as mere troublemakers whenever they highlight some perceived injustice in society.
A perfect case in point was the abhorrent chanting last night by Serbs at black English players. There was outrage - and rightly so.
Some great posts above but let's try and keep this away from the Racism debate- i know it's difficult to disassociate it from Bernard Manning but lets try and keep it about the man.
how is chris rock's act not racist.. he names all the states in america which he considers 'black' states and then says the other 49 or so are full and stupid ass white people who shag their sister....
would i be able to get up on stage and say woolwich was full of 'stupid ass black people who spread STDs and shag underage girls'... no, similar thing...but i would get absolutely crucified for saying this...
racism against whites is mainly ignored and laughed off, it is widespread throuhout black sitcoms etc etc and because they are a minority can be seen as a lighthearted joke, which it is the majority of the time.. eg black guy may call white friend ' yo stupid ass white boy' in a joky manner and thats acceptable if a white man said this to a black man again.. not acceptable..
Comments
well jokes about shooting black people isn't one of them.
And the bit about Chris Rock always stirs controversy. The simple fact of the matter is, Rock's act is MEANT to shock. And, in case anyone hasn't seen it, it is NOT racist - it is simply an extension of disaffected black youth subverting what is designed to be a shocking, hateful word and turnjing it against the aggressor (in this case 'the system'.) This is not something that is particularly new - blacks have been using it in the US for well over fifty years and recent black cultural history is littered with usage - from the works of Iceberg Slim and Gil Scott Heron to 'conscious' rappers like Afrika Bambaata, Digable Planets and Chuck D. Rock's act - as well as being, on occasion, side-splittingly funny, was supposed to have served as a wake-up call to blacks who either used the fact that 'the system' was (and still is) inherently biased against them as an excuse to remain ignorant, or to highlight the nonsense of black on black crime. Despite studying this at some length a few years back (I wrote a paper for my Sociology 'A' level on popular usage of the word 'Nigger' in contemporary culture) I don't think I, or anyone else born and raised in the UK for that matter, has any right to comment on whether or not Chris Rock is racist. We don't know - and can't possibly know - what it is like to grow up in country that has a white population that is 85% racist to it's core, 15% democrat do-gooders like Livingstone seeking to make excuses for under-achievement of blacks in society. I, personally, am glad and proud to live in a country where, although racism still exists, it is pretty much on the way out - to the point now where the CRE and similar bodies are beginning to be seen as mere troublemakers whenever they highlight some perceived injustice in society.
A perfect case in point was the abhorrent chanting last night by Serbs at black English players. There was outrage - and rightly so.
But, whatever, the man was a relic of a age which is slipping away.
amen to that Inspector!
would i be able to get up on stage and say woolwich was full of 'stupid ass black people who spread STDs and shag underage girls'... no, similar thing...but i would get absolutely crucified for saying this...
racism against whites is mainly ignored and laughed off, it is widespread throuhout black sitcoms etc etc and because they are a minority can be seen as a lighthearted joke, which it is the majority of the time.. eg black guy may call white friend ' yo stupid ass white boy' in a joky manner and thats acceptable if a white man said this to a black man again.. not acceptable..
Fattist! What's his size got to do with it?
;o)