How would that go down in the US? Many of you probably know why I’m asking, and I’ll explain shortly. But I’m curious…
He’d get thrown out of his job by a small but vocal minority that cares enough to do something about it. Most people would go on with life and some would agree with him.
I mean a male character in a sitcom utters this line.
A lot of knee jerk reactions from people. Larry Wilmore made a joke about African American women being bossy on his new Nightly Show and received a ton of flack for it. He is considered African American himself as were his guests who he tried unsuccessfully to pull into a discussion on the topic. Anything that evokes the concept of race causes a stir in this country, and adding stereotypes about African American women will make it worse. I don’t know what you are referencing though, I might be giving it a charitable interpretation and it could be even more controversial than that.
A white character, I should perhaps add.
This is exactly the question I was going to ask. Thanks for starting this thread 
If we’re talking about a British or Australian sitcom I would assume it was a usual pretentious too-cool-for-school dig at the American half of that descriptor, having nothing to do with race at all.
If an American sitcom, prepare for an Entertainment Tonight “in-depth” piece asking “Has ____ gone too far…” and an apology on Letterman.
I don’t get the statement. Is it like, “she’s ugly, but has a great personality”? Are African American women stereotyped as ugly? I’ve never heard of that before.
It’s an American sitcom.
Of course it’s American, because no one else in the world says “African American.”
There’s no shame in saying “black” elsewhere.
Ok, so it’s this, and he says part Aboriginal not part African American. Since most Americans are dumb as posts, especially the ones that watch that show, they won’t understand what it means.
Well that took longer than I thought it would… 
What an insensitive and strange thing to say. Are we missing something from the context in this small clip? Otherwise I’m dumbfounded with this remark.
I think the whole show is based on the shock value of stupid comments like that.
I don’t know that I would see the comment as stupid so much as obviously negative racist stereotyping.
Would the show ordinarily include jokes reliant on a stereotype of African Americans as being criminals? Would “He’s part Native American but I make sure I keep him away from alcohol” be a good laff?
I thought it was a grossly offensive dig at Indigenous Australians, and my first thought was obviously along the lines of yours, Princhester - would American audiences be so indifferent to it had the character referred to an African American girl, or even another race or ethnicity?
She’s Polish but she has a great personality.
She’s Jewish but she has a great personality.
She’s Japanese but she has a great personality.
I’d boycott the show over it, but I was already boycotting it for being unfunny shit that’s not worth my time. Well, less of a boycott and more just never watching it.
I’ve been thinking about this, too.
My usual opinion on humour is that the only offensive jokes are the ones that lack wit. On that level alone, I’m offended by the line–it’s lazy, obvious and doesn’t make you think at all.
But my larger issue is the hypocrisy. The joke made the cut because, while people would be out in droves protesting this were it about black or native Americans, apparently nobody in the U.S. gives two shits about minorities outside the U.S. bubble. It’s OK to be racist as long as it can’t blow back and affect you, apparently.
Maybe on your part its okay but others may find it offensive remark. Since people have different character.
Indeed. The high ground Americans stand on while lecturing us about the insensitivity of Australians doing skits in blackface just kinda sank.
I think you misunderstood my point. I think it’s not OK to be racist, even if you think you can get away with it. But it was cleared in production for precisely that reason, because apparently nobody in the U.S. bats an eyelid when it isn’t one of their minorities being targeted. I find this astounding.