# Kool-Aid as a racial stereotype? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [December 6, 2015, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605 "2015-12-06T10:06:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 10:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/1 "2015-12-06T10:06:13Z")
I found this [Nightly Show piece](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sTskrY1itRY)quite amusing (first 2 min), especially the little girl’s reaction, but the idea that a reference to Kool-Aid might be considered racist was completely new to me. I’ve heard of watermelon, fried chicken, catfish and grits and eggs being used to mock African-Americans, but I honestly had no idea that Kool-Aid could have similar connotations. It is really considered a stereotypically African-American drink, and is it offensive? If Larry Wilmore thinks it’s worth highlighting, then I guess the answer is a double yes. What other foodstuffs are potentially pejorative in the US of A? Dopers from other lands, are there any foods that are used to denigrate certain ethnicities in your country? I’m not aware of it being much of a thing here in Japan. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 10:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/2 "2015-12-06T10:45:59Z")
Yes I’ve heard it, although the bigger stereotype is for fruit flavored soda, especially grape, and seems to have been supplanted. The white person version is Tang. Some of those foods (catfish, grits) are also Southern things, so it isn’t exclusively black except that they make up a large part of the population. Add chitterlings (“chitlins”), okra, and collared greens, but again some might be associated with white southerners. ---
**Author:** ![Grumman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/43a26b/32.png) [@Grumman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grumman)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 10:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/3 "2015-12-06T10:46:57Z")
I cannot see it in my country, but I’m going to say it’s pretty bloody unlikely. Kool-Aid isn’t known as a stereotypical African-American drink, it’s known as the means by which a cult killed themselves in a massive murder-suicide. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 10:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/4 "2015-12-06T10:49:40Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I cannot see it in my country, but I’m going to say it’s pretty bloody unlikely. Kool-Aid isn’t known as a stereotypical African-American drink, it’s known as the means by which a cult killed themselves in a massive murder-suicide. Wilmore mentions that too: actually, the brand was Flavor Aid. Wikipedia says both brands were found there. ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 11:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/5 "2015-12-06T11:42:59Z")
Yes, it’s a stereotype. Is it offensive? In the way the Fox idiot said it, yes. I would not suggest bringing up koolaid in that manner. Juice boxes for kids? That’s safe. Black friend visits your house and you offer it to them (along with other drinks, think the [Chappelle stand up](https://youtu.be/uu7bv7Ce8-Q)), well, that’s murky, but generally inoffensive unless your koolaid is weak or you made green. I refuse to believe anyone likes green. ---
**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 12:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/6 "2015-12-06T12:31:24Z")
“Fluffy” explains the whole thing [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbppTv4pCGQ&spfreload=10). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/the_other_waldo_pepper/32/12370_2.png) [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Other_Waldo_Pepper)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/7 "2015-12-06T13:13:00Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > I’ve heard of watermelon, fried chicken, catfish and grits and eggs being used to mock African-Americans Eggs? ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/8 "2015-12-06T14:06:26Z")
> [@thelurkinghorror](#): > > Add chitterlings (“chitlins”), okra, and collared greens, but again some might be associated with white southerners. Okra!? Really? Wow. I never knew. Never even heard of \*chitterlings \*before (and now I wish I hadn’t), so I’m getting all sorts of ignorance fought here. Thanks. > [@The\_Other\_Waldo\_Pepper](#): > > Eggs? They’re ovular thingies what come from a chook’s butt. “Bum nuts” we call 'em in Australia. No? I seem to remember a great long time ago some comedian got in trouble for making a joke about “grits and eggs”. ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/9 "2015-12-06T14:15:14Z")
Yes, Kool-Aide is a stereotypical drink of black people. And I’m in full agreement with Larry. That was a hilarious WTF moment, and that little girl’s face was priceless. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/10 "2015-12-06T14:18:13Z")
Yeah, Larry Wilmore is teaching this white boy new stereotypes as well. He was making fun of Obama being late to meet the Pope at the airport. Apparently, black people being late is a stereotype. Never heard that one before. 😕 ---
**Author:** ![monstro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@monstro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/monstro)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/11 "2015-12-06T14:22:39Z")
You’ve never heard of CP time? ---
**Author:** ![piepiepie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/e47774/32.png) [@piepiepie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/piepiepie)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/12 "2015-12-06T14:23:14Z")
> [@Grrr](#): > > Apparently, black people being late is a stereotype. > > Never heard that one before. 😕 CPT: colored people time. It’s more of an in-joke though. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/13 "2015-12-06T14:38:12Z")
> [@Grumman](#): > > I cannot see it in my country, but I’m going to say it’s pretty bloody unlikely. Kool-Aid isn’t known as a stereotypical African-American drink, it’s known as the means by which a cult killed themselves in a massive murder-suicide. It’s an u known stereotype in your country, so it’s unlikely? ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/14 "2015-12-06T14:38:34Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > You’ve never heard of CP time? In the Northwest, at least on the Great Plains and in the Rockies, it’s Indian Time. I’ve never heard of CP time, but I have heard about slow and lazy black people. The idea of eggs being a particularly “black” food is weird. It’s like saying water is ethnic: It’s a basic ingredient. It can’t be ethnic. Everyone uses it. But, of course, everyone down South eats watermelon, too, and that’s probably the most stereotypically black food there is. To try to balance this out… The most stereotypically white food is mayonnaise on white bread with the crusts cut off. The most stereotypically white _trash_ food is mayo on lime Jell-O, maybe with some fruit added. ---
**Author:** ![Not\_Carlson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/bc79bd/32.png) [@Not\_Carlson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Not_Carlson)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/15 "2015-12-06T14:44:03Z")
> [@Derleth](#): > > . . . mayo on lime Jell-O . . . _The fug!?_ You’re blowing my mind! That has to be some kind of crime against nature. The gods would not allow it. ---
**Author:** ![Derleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Derleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Derleth)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 2:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/16 "2015-12-06T14:51:38Z")
> [@Not\_Carlson](#): > > _The fug!?_ > You’re blowing my mind! > That has to be some kind of crime against nature. > The gods would not allow it. I ate it while watching NASCAR on satellite while living in a triple-wide. I’m surprised one of the cars in the front yard didn’t spontaneously stop working to complete the scene. Yes. It’s real. [Here’s over 100 recipes of it.](http://www.cooks.com/rec/search/0,1-0,lime_jello_mayonaise_pineapple,FF.html) It’s more complex than just dumping mayo on Jell-O, but it does indeed involve both. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/17 "2015-12-06T15:00:38Z")
It’s like doughnuts. It’s a perfectly ordinary food that anyone might eat and in any other context, it might be innocuous or have a different meaning. But ask a cop about doughnuts and you’re definitely implying something. Fruity drinks—around here it’s grape soda or anything red-colored—strawberry soda, Hawaiian Punch—definitely a black stereotype. ---
**Author:** ![Jackmannii](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jackmannii/32/311_2.png) [@Jackmannii](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackmannii)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/18 "2015-12-06T15:32:28Z")
Grits is a stereotypical _southern_ food. No race exclusivity there. Next you’ll be telling me that my fondness for okra reveals my Negro heritage. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 3:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/19 "2015-12-06T15:47:15Z")
> [@Monty](#): > > “Fluffy” explains the whole thing [here](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RbppTv4pCGQ&spfreload=10). But it was funny, huh? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![WordMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e8c25b/32.png) [@WordMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WordMan)\ **Post date:** [December 6, 2015, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605/20 "2015-12-06T16:20:17Z")
> [@monstro](#): > > You’ve never heard of CP time? CP Time is hilarious. As a white guy with a bunch of black friends, I don’t know which is funnier: them teasing me about being on time (“I have to adjust my schedule or you’ll be the only person here for a couple hours”), or me just shutting up when a couple shows up late and one spouse is rolling their eyes at the other about how late they are. And the spouse who wanted to arrive earlier ends up looking at ME with an “mmm-hmm” look, like “can you believe these late people?” I just giggle. Yes, Kool-Aid is a stereotype, and yes Brian Kilmeade is a stupid fuck. A match made in heaven. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/kool-aid-as-a-racial-stereotype/739605.md?page=2)