Demented Arby's Commercial?

[Domhnall]

Not sure how it could be interpreted as racist unless some paranoid person thinks it implies that the Irish are akin to chimpanzees.....

In the middle of the 19th century English newspaper cartoons often depicted the Irish as chimpanzees in their attempt to portray the country as being made up of savages.


I don't think that was the intention here. I found the river-dancing chimpanzees to be amusing in the same vein as the old Mac dancing baby.

Lurker, you beat me to the punch, I was also going to post that exact cartoon.

[missy]

ok, realizing this is a multi-country board.....

There have been a LOT of commercials lately that have chimps in them. There's a whole series for some resume' placement company (see, they worked so well I don't remember what they were advertising), and one for a computer or office supply company, etc.
There's also been a lot of jokes about Riverdance type dancing (as opposed to the REAL Irish step dancing). Including Chad Johnson doing a dance in the end-zone after a touchdown a couple of years ago (American Football).

I'm sure the people that made this commercial had NO intention or any idea of any racial overtones.

So - what do people think of any commercial, etc. that makes fun of "hillbillies"?

[Walden]

So - what do people think of any commercial, etc. that makes fun of "hillbillies"?

I think minstrel shows evolved into hillbilly shows.

[jsluder]

The best ads ever made using chimpanzees were the Trunk Monkey commercials.

[Cynth]

So - what do people think of any commercial, etc. that makes fun of "hillbillies"?

Well, now I have learned that the term "hillbilly" is offensive to people living in the mountains in the east and that they would greatly prefer that the term and the stereotype not be used, I would think the commercial was offensive and I would think it was very stupid to be making fun of people and offending them when you are apparently trying to get customers.

[djm]

Well, now I have learned that the term "hillbilly" is offensive to people living in the mountains in the east and that they would greatly prefer that the term and the stereotype not be used

Can cousins still marry cousins, or are you going to try to prohibit that, too?

djm

[Steamwalker]

Well, now I have learned that the term "hillbilly" is offensive to people living in the mountains in the east and that they would greatly prefer that the term and the stereotype not be used

Can cousins still marry cousins, or are you going to try to prohibit that, too?

djm

Baby steps, DJM. Baby steps.

Speaking of, it was quite common in the past to have cousins marry each other either knowing or unknowingly when living in small communities. In those situations, it's hard to find people that don't share some sort of relationship to each other, distant as it may be.

[evenstr]

First thing I thought when I saw that commercial: "Wonder if anyone of C&F has seen this yet?"

[Nanohedron]

First thing I thought when I saw that commercial: "Wonder if anyone of C&F has seen this yet?"

Me, too; and I thought of the whole ITM community. The chimps I could handle; the "music", if we can even call it that, sucked out loud. It was more like weeny, frenetic Lawrence Welk stuff on bad drugs. That's where the bigotry, if any, lies. They could've gotten the real deal instead of paying some geek shlub to cobble together that faux-impressionistic Bollywood-esque dreck. Paddy Keenan, say...now THAT would've rocked, and made a far, far better commercial.

[swizzlestick]

Me, too; and I thought of the whole ITM community. The chimps I could handle; the "music", if we can even call it that, sucked out loud. It was more like weeny, frenetic Lawrence Welk stuff on bad drugs. That's where the bigotry, if any, lies. They could've gotten the real deal instead of paying some geek shlub to cobble together that faux-impressionistic Bollywood-esque dreck. Paddy Keenan, say...now THAT would've rocked, and made a far, far better commercial.

You have got that right. A good parody requires reasonably good knowledge of the original. Far more funny that way.

[Walden]

But do they have souls?

These chimps have definitely got soles.

[cowtime]

Well, now I have learned that the term "hillbilly" is offensive to people living in the mountains in the east and that they would greatly prefer that the term and the stereotype not be used

Can cousins still marry cousins, or are you going to try to prohibit that, too?

djm

Baby steps, DJM. Baby steps.

Speaking of, it was quite common in the past to have cousins marry each other either knowing or unknowingly when living in small communities. In those situations, it's hard to find people that don't share some sort of relationship to each other, distant as it may be.

When you are kin to everyone you know, there's not much choice.

Most of the people who's families are native to my county are related if you go back a few generations to the first settlers to these mountains. Can cousins marry? Yes, and they still do on occasion. My grandfather and my brother's wife's grandmother were first cousins, so he married a cousin of some sort.

As far as being offended by the term "hillbilly" - it all depends on how the word is used. I am glad to be a hillbilly, love my mountains and the people. Flatlanders just don't know what they missed.

[Walden]

When you are kin to everyone you know, there's not much choice.

One reason I'm still single.

[cowtime]

When you are kin to everyone you know, there's not much choice.

One reason I'm still single.

You're just gonna have to get out more.

"kissin' cousins"

[djm]

Can I get a theme song from Petticoat Junction, anyone?

djm