Tires are not white. So why is he?
At the time he was invented, tires were white.
Cite:
Because he’s racist!
He’s actually made of rolled condoms.
That’s interesting. I always suspected it was a literal whitewashing of a historically racist image, like that of the brand of toothpaste popular in Taiwan formerly called “Darkie”, now “Darlie”, in English (but retaining its Chinese name of “Black Man’s Toothpaste”). The idea being that black people are so black, their teeth are extra white in contrast. :dubious:
I remember visiting my grandparents in Taiwan in 1980 and being just floored looking at the tube of toothpaste in their house. Then, 7 or 8 years later when my grandmother came to the US to live with us, she brought the “less offensive” version of the toothpaste with her.
If he were black he’d look even more like a poo.
And the costume would be even more unbearable in a Fourth of July parade if it was black.
Michelin man and Stay Puff Marshmellow Man are cousins.
I just came across a CNN article that agrees with Johnny L.A.'s assertion. Bibendum (a.k.a. “The Michelin Man”) was white because tires were completely white until around 1912, and Bibendum was first introduced in 1897.
<mean girls> “You can’t just ask people why they’re white!” </mean girls quote>
Because Michelin is a French name, and most French people are white (so far, at least).
The residents of Algeria and the former French West Africa and French Indochina would like a word with you about that…
Do you want to think about that some more?
When the Michelin Man was first designed, those places were part of France (or were French colonies). I’m aware that’s not the case now.
Gaudaloupians are mostly not white. That is an actual part of France.