Question about minority comedians and self deprecating humor

[SemiCharmedQuark]

On comedy central, they have a new program, Mind of Mencia. It's hosted by Carlos Mencia and features the self deprecating humor in regards to race that a lot of comedians use. The problem comes that I have heard many white people express appreciation for his comedy "because it's so true". But...he never makes fun of whites, only hispanics.

So the question is, do you think comics like that exist because they are saying what many wish to say but don't want to say out loud because they know it is racist?

[alarcojon]

1. Ask Chappelle about it

In a Time Mag article on Chappelle and why his show is on hiatus, there is this:

The third season hit a big speed bump in November 2004. He was taping a sketch about magic pixies that embody stereotypes about the races.

The black pixie—played by Chappelle—wears blackface and tries to convince blacks to act in stereotypical ways. Chappelle thought the sketch was funny, the kind of thing his friends would laugh at. But at the taping, one spectator, a white man, laughed particularly loud and long. His laughter struck Chappelle as wrong, and he wondered if the new season of his show had gone from sending up stereotypes to merely reinforcing them. "When he laughed, it made me uncomfortable," says Chappelle. "As a matter of fact, that was the last thing I shot before I told myself I gotta take f______ time out after this. Because my head almost exploded.

The first part of the article is here: http://www.time.com/time/arts/article/0,8599,1061415,00.html

It is a very fine line that minority comedians must walk.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

2. Brilliant article! Thanks so much!

That's exactly what I was talking about.

[Kraklen]

3. Yeah, Mencia's a modern day Steppin' Fetchit.

He's just a stooge and a racist catering to racists.

It's the complete opposite of what Chapelle does.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

4. Exactly.

Chappelle makes fun of the absurdity of it all. Mencia just makes fun of mexicans. And I'm embarrassed that he has the nerve to compare himself to Chappelle at all.

[SemiCharmedQuark]

5. Actually, he's not even a Steppin' Fetchit...

He's half Honduran and half German making fun of Mexicans. He's just an out and out racist. Just found that out.

[Kraklen]

9. Ah

So he wears Mexican the way Al Jolson wears blackface.

[fortyfeetunder]

6. Foxworthy?

what about his redneck jokes?

[Brewman_Jax]

7. He's not a minority

:shrug:

[alarcojon]

8. I'm not very familiar with him

and he might be a self-hating lower-class white. I see an analogy, but not one I want to pursue here.

[Kerrytravelers]

10. As someone who is white, I have different reactions depending on the

comedian.

When we have Chappelle on, I see that his purpose is to make me think. And when he plays on the stereotypes, my laughter comes from a place where I have heard people who truly believe those stereotypes. Because our skin is the same color,sometimes white people make remarks in front of me that completely blows my mind in regards to a stereotype. When Chappelle is pointing out the stupidity, I have to laugh because he hits the proverbial nail on the head every time.

When guys like this Mencia attempt humor that roots itself in the bigotry of this country, there is a viciousness to it. I find it hard to laugh. Perhaps some white people are taking him the way I do Chappelle. I don't know because I've never actually watched that show. The reviews were so bad, I didn't even bother.

I am certainly not apologizing for those who actually think racial humor is funny because it's true. How can anyone explain that kind of sick mindset? I think some people just don't understand that fine line and don't realize they're filling their head with such insidious hatred.

I first came to the AA board after a discussion on DU where I made what I perceived to be an off-handed remark and was questioned by some members of this group. I was surprised, but took it upon myself to come to this board and educate myself a bit more. Perhaps that's what some people are trying to do when they watch guys like Menica. Unfortunately, they don't have an outlet like DU to educate them in a more enlightened way.