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Australian KFC Commercial Brings Charges of Racism (Video Included)
January 09, 2010 by
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A TV commercial for KFC now running in Australia is causing charges of racism. The KFC commercial has a volatile mix of a crowd of jovial West Indian cricket fans, a lone white man, and a bucket of KFC chicken that seems to calm the former.
Australian writer John Birmingham explains that the kerfuffle seems to be the result of cultural differences
Australian KFC Commercial Brings Charges of Racism (Video Included)
between Australians and Americans.
"The KFC thing is an almost perfect example of the 80/20 rule when dealing with cross-cultural issues between the US and Australia. 80% the same. 20% different planet.
"Australians viewing the commercial, and I'm guessing, and hoping, most West Indians, would decode any discomfort that big white doofus in the ad feels surrounded by West Indian cricket fans as the result of being surrounded by West Indian cricket fans, not black people. In the US, unfortunately, there is some weird kind of taboo connection between black guys and chicken that I don't even want to get into in case I get into trouble."
The equivalent commercial in America would depict—say—a Pittsburgh Steelers fan surrounded by Dallas Cowboys fans and taking out a plate of barbequed brisket to calm the latter. No one in the United States cares about food stereotypes so long as they are based on regional differences and not ethnic. Attitudes seem to be less politically correct Down Under.
Cricket teams outside the United States sometimes represent countries; Australia and, say, Jamaica have their own national teams. Cricket fans therefore tend to be divided along ethnic lines and, most of the time, the interchange between rival fans are kept to a minimum. That is unlike soccer or rugby which are taken really seriously
Birmingham is right about one thing. There is something about African Americans and certain food that makes people in the United States uncomfortable. Quite some time ago, while visiting a friend in New York, this writer bought a slice of watermelon at a market and brought it up to the friend's apartment for a snack. The friend's boy friend took one look and wondered if this writer were not "of the black persuasion."
Australian KFC Commercial Brings Charges of Racism (Video Included)
January 09, 2010 by
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Single page
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Popular searches: Rihanna | Tiger Woods | YouTube | Search more
A TV commercial for KFC now running in Australia is causing charges of racism. The KFC commercial has a volatile mix of a crowd of jovial West Indian cricket fans, a lone white man, and a bucket of KFC chicken that seems to calm the former.
Australian writer John Birmingham explains that the kerfuffle seems to be the result of cultural differences
Australian KFC Commercial Brings Charges of Racism (Video Included)
between Australians and Americans.
"The KFC thing is an almost perfect example of the 80/20 rule when dealing with cross-cultural issues between the US and Australia. 80% the same. 20% different planet.
"Australians viewing the commercial, and I'm guessing, and hoping, most West Indians, would decode any discomfort that big white doofus in the ad feels surrounded by West Indian cricket fans as the result of being surrounded by West Indian cricket fans, not black people. In the US, unfortunately, there is some weird kind of taboo connection between black guys and chicken that I don't even want to get into in case I get into trouble."
The equivalent commercial in America would depict—say—a Pittsburgh Steelers fan surrounded by Dallas Cowboys fans and taking out a plate of barbequed brisket to calm the latter. No one in the United States cares about food stereotypes so long as they are based on regional differences and not ethnic. Attitudes seem to be less politically correct Down Under.
Cricket teams outside the United States sometimes represent countries; Australia and, say, Jamaica have their own national teams. Cricket fans therefore tend to be divided along ethnic lines and, most of the time, the interchange between rival fans are kept to a minimum. That is unlike soccer or rugby which are taken really seriously
Birmingham is right about one thing. There is something about African Americans and certain food that makes people in the United States uncomfortable. Quite some time ago, while visiting a friend in New York, this writer bought a slice of watermelon at a market and brought it up to the friend's apartment for a snack. The friend's boy friend took one look and wondered if this writer were not "of the black persuasion."
