Racial Slurs and comedy....it's a two way street or isn't it?

Question

Why can minorities (this includes myself) get away with bashing comedy on whites but, when whites do it..OMG they're a racist?

Answer 1

LOL, seriously. I saw Carlos Mencia live in DC a few weeks ago and he said the same thing. It's funny when a minority can say something that's racist by definition, but when a white person says it it's offensive. I don't get it.
What I don't get is how there can be a BET (Black Entertainment Television) but if we had a WET (White etc..) then all HELL would break loose! Or if we had a WHITE history month! I'm not saying I'd like to have either of those things, it's just a point.
But yeah, very well put my friend.

Answer 2

I agree with everything you said. I've only seen one or maybe two people doing it, and whether they are Floyd fans or not I don't know, but I think they are just trying to troll and piss Pacquiao fans off, because they are somewhat easy to irritate. Either way, it is beyond pathetic. No matter what question is asked, there is always some sort of racist answer. You get people accusing Sean G and Jose Martinez of having multiple accounts, and guys like Fred C who just continually use racial slurs. The fight itself isn't even happening, so what exactly is the point of battling over it? When real fans can talk about the fight in a civilized way, then that is perfectly fine. But when the trolls come into the equations, they are a complete buzz kill.

Answer 3

I think Michael Richards is a funny guy, but his temper tantrum was waaaay over the line. He knew that what he said was a highly offensive, inflammatory word, and he lost his temper and used it anyway. We all say things we regret, myself included, but that word is off limits as far as I am concerned. No matter how angry I get at someone, I never attack their ethnic background, skin color, religious belief, or anything sensitive like that. If he had lost his temper and called them idiots, or said something about their lack of intelligence, that would be one thing, but to go right for the jugular like that was just wrong. Period. True, they may have egged him on, but heckling is just part of stand-up comedy. It's a package deal. You do stand-up, you are gonna get heckled. He lost his temper and handled it all wrong. He should have stayed in control, or at least handled his anger in a better way. The pros know how to take a situation like that and turn it around and make it funny. However, I also think if he sincerely apologized, and truly regrets the terrible things he said, he should be forgiven.

On the other hand, I've heard other comedians make fun of white people, but as I recall, it's usually not so mean-spirited and it's done in a way that's actually funny, not screaming "he's a cracker!" at the top of his lungs.

Answer 4

because as a society we are working on the principle that white people are off limits to say things that are racially offensive. All other minorities appear to be living in the reality that it is o.k. to bash whites. I guess this stems from times when white people were overly oppresive to minorities. In my day to day life, I don't feel any reverse discrimination. I would like to be able, as a society, to get past all issues of race. I see comedians like Carlos Mencia and Dave Chapelle make fun of white people and can honestly say that it doesn't offend me. It is when making fun spills over into real life and turns into hate crimes (against any race) that I tend to get upset. I view Michael Richards outburst as a lack of knowing how to deal with hecklers over him being a racist. He has since apologized and I think the matter should be dropped. We have more important issues as a society to deal with.

Answer 5

Well, this situation was not about comedy, it was about "checking" a person in the crowd. I saw the video and was waiting for the punch line....never came, then I realized it was not comedy, it was like the many times I see people of all colors call each other racial slurs, when they are mad at each other. Simply ugly behavior! Intention is the key of contextuality in this situation.

Answer 6

I've wondered the same thing. I guess it depends on how it's approached or white comedians just don't have the finesse to do it right? Oh, or maybe there's a guilty feeling deep inside or subconsciously that doesn't allow white people to tell ethnic jokes?

I really don't know why that is.

Answer 7

It isn't right either way, but it is hard for the majority to call the minority out on it, because then we are oppressing the minority. Yes, it is a double standard and it doesn't help the minority community at all to disaffect the majority community.

Answer 8

Because they are a minority just like you said. crime was not commited against whites because of race, but it was for blacks. therefore, racial slurs toward blacks are found more offensive than if it is said about whites. whites are not the ones who had to deal with racial epithey all through life and history

Answer 9

I think it's taken in context. If you see a guy like Carlos Mencia saying it during his routine, you're not gonna freak cause you know it's part of his routine.
If a comedian just starts screaming it at the top of his lungs however at people, cause he's pissed at them, you know he isn't ******* around.

Answer 10

Same reason why a brother can call another brother a n*gga but a white man had better not try that.