# Sitcom man says regarding a girl he's met "She's part African American but has a great personality" **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [February 20, 2015, 4:06am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164 "2015-02-20T04:06:30Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Lobot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/ce7236/32.png) [@Lobot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lobot)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/21 "2015-02-20T11:41:36Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > Indeed. The high ground Americans stand on while lecturing us about the insensitivity of Australians doing skits in blackface just kinda sank. Funny, I was thinking the same thing. (Of course, Harry Connick Jr. was most likely thinking “Oh shit, this will look really bad back home if I don’t protest immediately”, and his comments were not really about Australia at all.) ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/22 "2015-02-20T11:45:05Z")
I haven’t seen the episode in question. Is it a character stereotyping Australian aboriginals as ugly, or the show acting like that’s a common opinion? Actually, no, it doesn’t even matter. Beauty is subjective, and influenced by the familiar. Australian aboriginals are extremely uncommon in North America, so their typical features are neither familiar nor normal to us. So it’s unexceptional to find them “ugly,” “alien,” or just “strange-looking.” Feel free to throw it in the faces of Yanks who get on Aussies for blackface. Not that they’ll will be impressed, as 2 Broke Girls is pretty well despised here, too. ---
**Author:** ![foolsguinea](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foolsguinea/32/14751_2.png) [@foolsguinea](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/foolsguinea)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:46am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/23 "2015-02-20T11:46:59Z")
Seriously, compared to the amount of abuse they heap on Han every episode, that remark was…unremarkable. ---
**Author:** ![FairyChatMom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fairychatmom/32/22080_2.png) [@FairyChatMom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FairyChatMom)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/24 "2015-02-20T11:50:30Z")
First off, I can’t believe people really watch that show, but that’s not the issue, is it? As for me, I thought the line was a big non-sequitur, completely inane, and representative of why I don’t watch the show. In fact, the character who uttered the line seems to be a walking, talking stereotype himself, if I recall from the episode I did watch. It kinda reminds me of the sort of thing that made _All in the Family_ so shocking, but now it’s just tired and unfunny. Or maybe I’m just no longer in the target demographic, being a grouchy old woman… ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 11:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/25 "2015-02-20T11:58:21Z")
Without knowing the full context it’s impossible to say. By full context I mean the personality of the character who said it; is he meant to be insensitive? I could very much imagine Ricky Gervais or a handful of other British comedians and writers using such a line. The main aim of the line would likely be to ridicule the character who actually said it. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/26 "2015-02-20T12:03:42Z")
> [@foolsguinea](#): > > Seriously, compared to the amount of abuse they heap on Han every episode, that remark was…unremarkable. > [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](#): > > Without knowing the full context it’s impossible to say. By full context I mean the personality of the character who said it; is he meant to be insensitive? These contextual, cultural excuses are all going in a big file marked “For use the next time Americans lecture Australians about how nothing, _nothing_ excuses insensitivity to US racial issues”. ---
**Author:** ![Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/a8b319/32.png) [@Fuzzy\_wuzzy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fuzzy_wuzzy)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/27 "2015-02-20T12:08:09Z")
> [@Princhester](#): > > These contextual, cultural excuses are all going in a big file marked “For use the next time Americans lecture Australians about how nothing, _nothing_ excuses insensitivity to US racial issues”. Im fairly libertarian. I don’t give a toss about perceived racism in comedy or drama. Far too many people love a controversy on such issues. ---
**Author:** ![Princhester](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/3e96dc/32.png) [@Princhester](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Princhester)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/28 "2015-02-20T12:10:16Z")
I tend to be the same: it’s the rank hypocrisy that irritates. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Gadai](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/d6d6ee/32.png) [@An\_Gadai](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Gadai)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/29 "2015-02-20T12:48:16Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > Of course it’s American, because no one else in the world says “African American.” I’ve heard eejits here in Ireland who were trying to be polite about black Africans use that term. ---
**Author:** ![GoodOmens](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/d26b3c/32.png) [@GoodOmens](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GoodOmens)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 12:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/30 "2015-02-20T12:59:44Z")
There seems to be an inherent assumption in this thread that us “dumb as posts” Americans wouldn’t/didn’t get upset about this joke and/or wouldn’t/didn’t understand it. Is there any evidence to support that? ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/31 "2015-02-20T13:00:28Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > There seems to be an inherent assumption in this thread that us “dumb as posts” Americans wouldn’t/didn’t get upset about this joke and/or wouldn’t/didn’t understand it. Is there any evidence to support that? Have you ever met an average American? ---
**Author:** ![planetcory](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/planetcory/32/1032_2.png) [@planetcory](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/planetcory)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 1:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/32 "2015-02-20T13:15:46Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > There seems to be an inherent assumption in this thread that us “dumb as posts” Americans wouldn’t/didn’t get upset about this joke and/or wouldn’t/didn’t understand it. Is there any evidence to support that? Exactly. The same people who would object to Australian blackface (e.g. me) would also likely be the people who object to that 2BG joke. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/33 "2015-02-20T13:27:45Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Have you ever met an average American? As an American, I could take umbrage at this, but I know it doesn’t apply to me so I just shake it off like Taylor Swift. I don’t feel the need to cry over a stereotype. Jeez, the stupid joke in question is just that. Stupid, and a _joke_. I stopped watching the show because it is woefully unfunny, but had I been watching I would have understood it and not found it funny or particularly offensive. Just typical of this show. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/34 "2015-02-20T13:27:49Z")
> [@GoodOmens](#): > > There seems to be an inherent assumption in this thread that us “dumb as posts” Americans wouldn’t/didn’t get upset about this joke and/or wouldn’t/didn’t understand it. Is there any evidence to support that? You mean righteous indignation isn’t evidence? ---
**Author:** ![Sam\_Lowry](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e95f7d/32.png) [@Sam\_Lowry](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sam_Lowry)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 2:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/35 "2015-02-20T14:49:40Z")
> [@TriPolar](#): > > Ok, so it’s [this](http://www.smh.com.au/entertainment/tv-and-radio/2-broke-girls-season-4-under-fire-for-racist-joke-about-aboriginal-australians-20150220-13k055.html), and he says part Aboriginal not part African American. 2 Broke Girls is fairly well known as trying so hard to be edgy and offensive. Here’s one review titled [2 Broke Girls: ‘so racist it’s baffling’](http://www.theguardian.com/tv-and-radio/shortcuts/2012/may/02/2-broke-girls-racist-baffling). The [Wikipedia article](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2_Broke_Girls#Reception) also quotes some reviews like “so racist it is less offensive than baffling”. And searching Google News for ‘2 Broke Girls Racist’, a lot of articles come up from previous times people have said the show is racist or has racist jokes. This is NOT to say that I think the racist jokes are ok. I’m just providing the context since probably a lot of people upset haven’t watched the show. If a show like Parks and Rec or Modern Family or New Girl had a joke like that, there would probably be more uproar, and people demanding for an apology from the showrunner. Unless of course the character who said that joke was specifically set up to be a racist and all the other characters are shown as disgusted by the joke. But since it’s 2 Broke Girls making that joke, then the reaction is more like “oh of course they made a joke like that.” ---
**Author:** ![Smeghead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/f1d935/32.png) [@Smeghead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Smeghead)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/36 "2015-02-20T15:17:31Z")
Sorry - I’ve only skimmed this thread. But what I gather is that an Australian actor on an Australian show delivered a line that could be offensive to native Australian aborigines. And now we’re all mad at America for some reason. ---
**Author:** ![Moriarty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/moriarty/32/49_2.png) [@Moriarty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moriarty)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/37 "2015-02-20T15:40:37Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Sorry - I’ve only skimmed this thread. But what I gather is that an Australian actor on an Australian show delivered a line that could be offensive to native Australian aborigines. And now we’re all mad at America for some reason. Not so much. An American actor (of Asian descent) on an American show delivered a line that is almost certainly offensive to Australian aborigines. But the show in question - 2 Broke Girls - is a lowbrow show with lots of risqué humor. I’ve only watched a few minutes here and there (mainly because I want to look at Kat Dennings) and I am amazed at how raunchy, juvenile, and crude it is. Most of the jokes are of the prurient, sexual variety, but the character in question is a walking ethnic stereotype. In short, it’s painfully unfunny, it’s amazing that it has any sort of following, and it is certainly not representative of typical American television. But, it bears repeating, [Kat Denings](https://www.google.com/search?q=kat+dennings&biw=1680&bih=904&stick=H4sIAAAAAAAAAGOovnz8BQMDQzkHsxCXfq6-QXpJRYZJmRIniJ1kkF1VriWWnWylX1IGRPEFRfnpRYm5VsmJxSWPGJ25BV7-uCcsZTVpzclrjCZcOBQKSXGxueaVZJZUCglw8Ukh2aLBwKOWJ6FksCT_lSPT_5-sNxT8DsUtSwEA5nq7ZZQAAAA&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=9lTnVJaqLoqXgwTrk4GgBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&dpr=1#imgdii=_&imgrc=ZZlCbilNTZVCLM%253A%3B_RSu0zHuELBzmM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fus.cdn001.fansshare.com%252Fphotos%252Fkatdennings%252Fkat-dennings-celebrity-1409647025.jpg%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fwww.ign.com%252Fboards%252Fthreads%252Fok-srs-talk-kat-dennings-or-alison-brie.453108137%252F%3B800%3B1199) is smokin’ hot. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/38 "2015-02-20T15:42:16Z")
> [@Sam\_Lowry](#): > > If a show like Parks and Rec or Modern Family or New Girl had a joke like that, there would probably be more uproar, and people demanding for an apology from the showrunner. Modern Family is a lot more subtle when it chooses to be racist. > [@TriPolar](#): > > Have you ever met an average American? …and the kind that would willingly watch 2 Broke Girls? ---
**Author:** ![ZipperJJ](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zipperjj/32/211_2.png) [@ZipperJJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZipperJJ)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/39 "2015-02-20T15:45:10Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Sorry - I’ve only skimmed this thread. But what I gather is that an Australian actor on an Australian show delivered a line that could be offensive to native Australian aborigines. And now we’re all mad at America for some reason. Come on man, is this necessary? You could have tried harder, or could have said nothing. Anyway, Australians are upset at an American sitcom for having a character say the woman he met online is “part Aboriginal but has a good personality.” That’s racist. Australians are like “would you substitute ‘African American’ for ‘Aboriginal’ and say it’s ok?” and think Americans are stupid for airing such a phrase. I’m torn. I don’t expect anything more from 2BG (I do watch it every week and I don’t know why) but I think this time they really crossed a line. I’m surprised enough people watch it to notice! ---
**Author:** ![ISiddiqui](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/97f17d/32.png) [@ISiddiqui](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ISiddiqui)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2015, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164/40 "2015-02-20T15:52:27Z")
I find it interesting that it appears the Aussies are using this controversy so they could throw it back in Americans’ faces who complain about Australian blackface. Hmm… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/sitcom-man-says-regarding-a-girl-hes-met-shes-part-african-american-but-has-a-great-personality/713164.md?page=3)