# "That's The Truth, Truth" Commercial Pulled By Direct TV? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [August 10, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252 "2011-08-10T20:55:43Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 8:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/1 "2011-08-10T20:55:43Z")
Please excuse (and go ahead and close) this thread, if it has been discussed before, but if it has I must be doing something wrong with our search engine. I haven’t seen this ad in a while and googled it and found quite a lot of angry posts calling it [racist](http://direct-tv.pissedconsumer.com/turth-truth-direct-tv-commercial-20110707247406.html) and I agree. The kid socking the butler I especially found inappropriate and offensive, so I’m glad they pulled it. Outside of that scene, was there anything else any of you found particularly distasteful? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![ministryman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f6c823/32.png) [@ministryman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ministryman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/2 "2011-08-10T20:59:33Z")
The ebonics. The Truf (troof = truth for those of you who don’t speak jive)? Black people everywhere should have objected, and then kicked the collective asses of the sellouts who made a buck off a stereotype that should have been buried decades ago. Reminded me of The Hollywood Shuffle. My wife and I are glad it’s gone. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/3 "2011-08-10T21:00:00Z")
Damn, I managed to forget about that commercial only to have you remind me. Yes, this one also pinged my racist-dar. I don’t know why exactly. Maybe it’s just that the characters seemed like stereotypes. I don’t think I even noticed the kid hitting the butler. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/4 "2011-08-10T21:00:18Z")
I guess the one with a Russian guy is also racist then ---
**Author:** ![PlainJain](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/5daacb/32.png) [@PlainJain](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PlainJain)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/5 "2011-08-10T21:02:25Z")
No. I don’t get the racist angle either. ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/6 "2011-08-10T21:18:04Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I guess the one with a Russian guy is also racist then Why? He’s portraying a Russian Mafia type, not a typical Russian-American. How is that racist? Thanks Q ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/7 "2011-08-10T21:32:56Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > > [@PSXer](#): > > > > I guess the one with a Russian guy is also racist then > > Why? He’s portraying a Russian Mafia type, not a typical Russian-American. How is that racist? > > Thanks > > Q I was under the impression that the Russian guy in the commercial was an oligarch and not a mobster. (BTW, I’m fascinated that in the span of a couple of decades, the portrayal of Russia in American commercials went from [this Soviet fashion show for Wendy’s](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5CaMUfxVJVQ) to the over-the-top wealthy Russian in [this DirecTV commercial](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f0fa_BaljjQ).) ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/8 "2011-08-10T21:37:24Z")
Then why does the Truth guy have to be portraying a typical black guy ---
**Author:** ![Quasimodem](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/e274bd/32.png) [@Quasimodem](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Quasimodem)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/9 "2011-08-10T21:47:58Z")
I’m afraid you lost me, **PSXer**. That whole commercial is anything but typically black, IMO. Q ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/10 "2011-08-10T21:51:42Z")
> [@PSXer](#): > > I guess the one with a Russian guy is also racist then You could argue that’s a stereotype, too, although it’s not a racial stereotype. Apparently they have two commercials with Russian guys. [I’ve only seen this one, with the gangster character.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-vHT6b7u1_Y) [Here’s another one (with the same actor, I think) as a more generic rich guy.](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AkMsSIjQXxo) ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/11 "2011-08-10T21:56:15Z")
I think both commercials sort of represent rich trash. Rich Russian trash, rich black trash. I think I’ve seen one with a rich trashy Asian guy too. Maybe next they’ll do a rich Irish trash or rich Arab trash. Not sure how any of that is supposed to make me want whatever it is they’re advertising. ---
**Author:** ![PSXer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/48db29/32.png) [@PSXer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PSXer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 9:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/12 "2011-08-10T21:57:27Z")
I meant I don’t see how it is racist because it is portraying a certain stereotype of black man (like the rich athlete) and not implying that that it is a typical black man, or that all black people act like that. ---
**Author:** ![Nars\_Glinley](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/nars_glinley/32/8177_2.png) [@Nars\_Glinley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Nars_Glinley)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 10:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/13 "2011-08-10T22:00:17Z")
> [@ministryman](#): > > The ebonics. > > The Truf (troof = truth for those of you who don’t speak jive)? Black people everywhere should have objected, and then kicked the collective asses of the sellouts who made a buck off a stereotype that should have been buried decades ago. > > Reminded me of The Hollywood Shuffle. > > My wife and I are glad it’s gone. It is certainly not uncommon for speakers of African American Vernacular English to replace a final “th” sound with an “f”. Or as wiki puts it: > [@](#): > > AAVE speakers may not use the dental fricatives [θ] (the th in thin) and [ð] (the th of then) that are present in SE. The actual alternative phone used depends on the sound’s position in a word.[21] > Word-initially, /θ/ is normally the same as in SE (so thin is [θɪn]). > Word-initially, /ð/ is [d] (so this is [dɪs]). > Word-medially and -finally, /θ/ is realized as either [f] or [t] (so [mʌmf] or [mʌnt] for month); /ð/ as either [v] or [d] (so [smuːv] for smooth). Recognizing this and putting it into a commercial isn’t necessarily racist, but it was a stupid commercial. ---
**Author:** ![SnakesCatLady](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/4af34b/32.png) [@SnakesCatLady](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SnakesCatLady)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/14 "2011-08-10T22:01:57Z")
Every time I saw that commercial it pissed me off. I don’t care what color the kid is, showing a kid punching an adult in the stomach (and totally getting away with it) blew my mind. I don’t often watch TV, but was at a friends house and didn’t have internet. That commercial reminded me of why I don’t often watch TV. ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 10:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/15 "2011-08-10T22:14:42Z")
> [@Quasimodem](#): > > I’m afraid you lost me, **PSXer**. That whole commercial is anything but typically black, IMO. > > Q If it’s not “typically black”, or, more to the point, if the advertisers are not playing off of what they expect to be the audience’s notion of “typically black” then all we have is an eccentric and obnoxious character. That this eccentric and obnoxious character happens to be black should be insignificant. If the fact that the character is black is not insignificant, then why is it not? Is the joke supposed to be “Ha! Ha! Look at that character! Black people are _so like that_! How funny that he is so typically black!” Or is the joke supposed to be “Ha! Ha! Look at this eccentric and obnoxious character! What a jackass that particular individual is!” I don’t think the character is “typically black”\* but I do think the characterization is built upon some negative stereotypes of black men. I also think the Russian character is built upon negative stereotypes of Russians. So, I don’t think it’s out of line to ask why one commercial is racist and one is not racist. \*The very idea that it could be at all possible that one single character (or one single real life person, for that matter) could singularly embody “blackness” so fully, in all its forms, is a completely racist notion in and of itself. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2011, 10:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/16 "2011-08-10T22:42:08Z")
I’m black, and I thought it was oddly funny (though not effective at making me want to buy DirecTv). Didn’t ping my racism-dar any more than most stuff white folks do. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![bienville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4bbf92/32.png) [@bienville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bienville)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/17 "2011-08-11T00:04:01Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I’m black, and I thought it was oddly funny (though not effective at making me want to buy DirecTv). Didn’t ping my racism-dar any more than most stuff white folks do. 😃 More than anything it just seems to play up stereotypes of “New Money”. Particularly stereotypes of people who achieve a new money lifestyle through professional sports or entertainment. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/18 "2011-08-11T00:13:28Z")
> [@bienville](#): > > More than anything it just seems to play up stereotypes of “New Money”. Particularly stereotypes of people who achieve a new money lifestyle through professional sports or entertainment. Yep. But mostly it was funny. The little kid punching the valet cracked me up. ---
**Author:** ![Typo\_Negative](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/typo_negative/32/484_2.png) [@Typo\_Negative](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Typo_Negative)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2011, 12:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/19 "2011-08-11T00:19:49Z")
What about the little chinese guy the’re using now? “Everything I do is crazy big!” ---
**Author:** ![singular1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ba9def/32.png) [@singular1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/singular1)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2011, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252/20 "2011-08-12T15:06:06Z")
Anybody got a link to it? [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thats-the-truth-truth-commercial-pulled-by-direct-tv/592252.md?page=2)