I LOVE BARACK OBAMA!!!

You said it buddy.

There’s also a station called Yoda in Japan. If the guy went there dressed as Yoda that actually would be very funny.

Google
The Project Gutenberg eBook of Little Black Sambo, by Helen Bannerman. –

Amazon.co.jp： The Story of Little Black Sambo (Wee Book for Wee …

I also don’t think they had bad intentions (impersonating a famous person or celebrity is quite common for Japanese comedians to do, after all), they did not know about the history of blackface and that many people find it offensive. For Americans especially, it’s seen as a symbol of when black people were actively discriminated against and ridiculed. However, Japan doesn’t have those same strong negative connotations with blackface. Though it was a dumb thing to do (as shazzb0t said below), I could understand, though if I were the blogger impersonating Obama I would not have used blackface.

Reminds me of a South Park episode, where the children didn’t see the obvious racist message in a picture. It’s only racist if we believe in racism.

While I’m not too familiar with the first two comedians that you’ve listed (Cho’s no good imo), from what I’ve seen, they usually bring up stereotypes that they face and make the idiosyncrasy of it the joke (common Western style actually). At the same time, not to send blows just one way, they also critique their own mannerisms while relating it to general attitudes. They also don’t seem to make fun of their race most of the time; I’d say they stick to poking fun at their nationality while critiquing is done for Asians as a whole. Anyway, what’re ya doing listening to some weirdo Koreans in the first place ? You need more Bobby Olagun! (can’t stop watching…)

Same deal with Russell Peters, such as when he brings up the perception that Chinese are bad at English and yet, for the most part, use it in a more proper manner than Canadians, which is followed from a skit showing how cheap they are (while relating to how cheap Indians also are).

So yeah annie, Western humor isn’t simply about the “lulz” as the internet loves to quote, but about bringing up sensitive topics (race/gender issues most of the time) through humor so as to make it more accessible without the tension. A common issue one might point out is the portrayal of whites that some of the harder African-American comedians display, but a quick sum of it is that in the end of it all, whites are usually given the feeling of being in ‘power’ so it’s taken in good form.

As for this Blackface comedy (or anything similar), I have no qualms with it in general though I do find the whole nose part tacky and uneducated; basically in bad taste which is why I think it incites annoyance more so than Western comedians (I’ve probably seen more Japanese who’ve had larger noses than blacks per volume). Also, since humor is generally seen as a guise for an underlying message, expats may be suspicious of this type of humor (a white buddy of mine laughs at cracker jokes by Dave Chappelle, sorry about the language, but was irritated with white-man-big-nose Japanese comedy…kind of odd since he has a small nose)

I’d say if you were probably less “carefree”, you’ll notice these differences, but I understand where you’re coming from; I gotta be less “carefree” in class as well ’cause finals are on the waay ahhh

I’m very well aware of what “black face” was in the first half of the 1900′s. And while I can’t remember the finer details, I was certainly schooled on Civil Rights Movement. As far as I’m concerned it’s ancient history though. Call it apathy if you will.

And I’ll also never understand why someone not originating (as in born) from Africa would consider themselves “African American”. It’s a ridiculous term.

Now, I wasn’t aware that Obama himself considered himself to be black. I’d personally never heard him mention his race.

Fact is, if people want equal rights, they need to be treated equally. So, if you find “black face” wrong, you better find “white face” wrong as well. Otherwise I see nothing but hypocrisy.

I don’t remember whose comment it was, but the blackface and racist remarks started the day Barack announced he was running for president. A Hampton newspaper being the latest to ‘apologize’ for running a piece about ‘Barack is My Homeboy’. It was full of racist garbage. I guess they thought, just like the folks that thought that dressing up in blackface was a stroke of genius, that nobody else would see/read about it. Imagine their suprise….

(If people don’t know, they should LEARN the history behind it, before discounting it and saying/thinking, ‘oh THEY are just being sensitive…AGAIN’.)

The racism will only continue, because at this late great date, some people unfortunately view people who are different as inferior somehow and those differences make them ‘uncomfortable’. I expect to see more blackface, nooses and racist comments published over here.

The more things change, the more they stay the same.

If you still do not understand, you should dig up a little information about mulatto’s and the One Drop Rule to better understand why Barack is usually considered black. Reading a little about the U.S. Civil Rights Movement would probably be a good idea. Oh, and look up the history of “black face” too while your at it. Knowledge is your friend, Karisu. Don’t turn it away, embrace it.

Also, lets not forget, he’s only half black and half white. I’m still not sure why everyone considers him to be black, when really that’s only half of what he is.

What they did isn’t cool and as a person of color, disturbing that in 2008, we still have to see crap like this, holdover thinking from early 20th century.

Al Jolson would be so proud.

/sarcasm

Lower your noses and come back to reality, your prudish behavior is completely unwarranted here.

In any case, it’s the West with the history of extreme racism that feels all guilty and hypocritical, so it’s touching to see concern for what Japanese humor contains.

I find Japanese to be not as sensitive as Americans in the comedy department. Bobby Lee and Margaret Cho makes fun of their own race all the time. Russell Peters makes fun of Asian and other races, but it is all in the name of comedy. If the main purpose is humor then why not? Why do we have to focus in the bad and not the good? I think that people should take it easy. If you are too sensitive, there’s little enjoyment.

Maybe I have a carefree personality, I dont’ know.

I think that as long as it isn’t supposed to be racist, it shouldn’t be considered racist.

I’m sick of this über-political correctness.

As a Japanese I tend to look at it as one of mimicking jokes that Japanese comedians often play.
http://d.hatena.ne.jp/mixifrog/20070128

At the same time I agree with James that it is important for the Japanese to ” understand how someone of another race might feel hurt when they see a Japanese comedian using racial differences for laughs”.

Their intent was clearly an impression of Obama. They probably didn’t have any black or white friends who looked like Hillary or Obama, but I still wonder what kind of post that would have made if such an option had been available. Would they have gone with better impersonators, or taken the facepaint/gaijin nose road?

Again, I believe the main point for this article was that: 1) it’s funny that there’s a place with the same name as Obama, and that 2) it’s funny to go to the place which is 5 hours away just to witness it.
And I think they were just trying to do an impression of him, just like you’d do for anyone else. But I do think they could have done it less controversially, but I don’t think they had such intentions.