Chicks Aren't Funny: Wanda Sykes under fire
Posted at 2:20 PM Dec 07, 2009
By Andrea Grimes
Last week, Gawker's Mike Byhoff called out Wanda Sykes and George Lopez for telling the "same exact racist joke" about Woods recent car crash. The premise is obvious and thereby, pretty lame. Black people are criminals and Asian folks can't drive. Here's Sykes:
Well, no.
Yes, these Woods jokes got big laughs. A lot of comedians think that's the point, at the expense of actual quality of joke. (See Leno, Jay.) And when racial stereotype jokes get big laughs, they reinforce those stereotypes instead of forcing us to think about why they exist. No, it's not the most purely racist thing anyone can say or do, but it's the little racisms (and sexisms) that sneak by in society that make the entire issue difficult to combat. Which is why I disagree with online comedy mag Shecky, which defends Sykes and Lopez:
Are the premises tired? Tough call. But, as we said before, the jokes got a response. So, obviously, the premise was either new (or sturdy enough) to trigger a mirthful response from those who heard them.I'm surprised Shecky's using the "but it got a laugh" defense, which is the go-to line for shitty comedians everywhere. Just because it got a laugh doesn't make it funny. Or not racist. And while saying entire races of people are bad drivers or greedy, rims-obsessed fools isn't explicitly "vicious" or "hate-filled" (though I'm not totally convinced on that one), it still others and demeans, well, entire races of people. Tell me how that's a good thing?
.... What is implied is not criminality, but that African Americans favor fancy, expensive rims/wheels and that African-Americans buy Cadillacs in disproportionately high numbers. And what is also implied is that Asians are bad drivers. In the grand scheme of things, neither of these "stereotypes," though they may be clichéd, come anywhere near being vicious or hate-filled.
Comments
Tell me how it's a good thing to use "others" as a transitive verb. I don't think that usage exists outside of humanities grad students' papers.
As for the "Just because it got a laugh doesn't make it funny"? Isn't that practically the definition of funny? You may not find it funny (nor do I, I agree it's a tired, unclever joke, and the fact that lots of late night hosts used the identical premise shows how easy and obvious it was to write), but I don't think you can objectively declare that it's not, as those audience members that are guffawing clearly disagree.
Posted 12/07/2009 at 02:39:51 PMSoooo, no racially-based comedy is funny? Dave Chapelle isn't funny? When is race ok in comedy?
Posted 12/07/2009 at 03:23:48 PMAngie -
Certainly some racially based comedy is funny. Dave Chapelle is hilarious. He's also insightful and thoughtful, which is one of the reasons he's so incredibly successful. It's the inanity and ease of the "Asians are bad drivers" jokes that makes them ridiculously stupid and unfunny.
Posted 12/07/2009 at 03:25:18 PMThing I noticed: anecdotes and jokes about race make me uncomfortable every time.
Thing I noticed: it is especially uncomfortable when white people talk about race because they have a history of state instituted racism and violent outbursts.
Thing I noticed: There's a thing in our culture where non-white people can talk about race and it gets a pass, and it doesn't bother me because of the history of racism they've overcome. They are the same kind of jokes white people were telling before political correctness settled in. But I think it only really offends white people. The phenomenon of race jokes being OK depending on who tells them will probably go away when the people they are targeting actually get offended and speak out.
Thing I noticed: jokes about Asians being bad drivers aren't funny, no matter who is telling them. If it got a laugh, it's because the audience has a stupid sense of humor and not because it was funny.
Posted 12/07/2009 at 05:30:01 PMThere's a philosopher who talked about two reasons for humor, one being a way of overcoming discomfort. I find it hard to believe those people are laughing because racism is funny. If you get what I'm saying.
I'd be pretty uncomfortable too if I was paying a person to be rascist.
Posted 12/07/2009 at 07:20:41 PM@bobby
"it is especially uncomfortable when white people "
this statement presupposes a difference in your reaction based on the race of the speaker. congratulations! you are a textbook racist.
"they have a history of state instituted racism"
yeah, cuz they're the only ones.
"But I think it only really offends white people"
Posted 12/07/2009 at 07:25:44 PMNope, I'm not white, and I'm offended when people are treated differently because of their race. You apparently are not, depending on the race of the person doing the treating. congratulations! you are a textbook racist.