Racist Rainbow- Page 7

[SweetLips22]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 4:19pm

Dear Lord, if those quotes from RR were his attempt at humour, then they certainly didn't work for me, on any level.

His targets certainly were all of ethnic origins but the only 'joke' that amused was the Chinese[food] in the fridge, the rest just went over my head.

It seems that they were the jokes of an era and if that is when RR was trying to establish himself and create a following then maybe that is what audiences were laughing at then. What else was he doing then, was he a stand up, a chorus boy, a cabaret act and were those one liners part of a 'larger act'?

In Australia way back then there was a very popular stage show 'Wogs out of Work'-might not work now.

Whatever they were a part of[RR jokes],  they sure aren't amusing enough to be a stand alone throw away line.

RR for me[NOW] is a very clever, creative, unique, specific and current  talent saying words that are particularly appropriate during this difficult era of black/virus/politics.

I hope that RR will continue to entertain in this very controversial niche he works in and that he has the maturity to apologise for his immaturity all those years ago.

[iwuldwf]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 4:20pm

singerunlimited said: "The reaction to Randy Rainbow and his offensive tweets exposes the incredible hypocrisy of cancel culture. If we're going to be offended when one side does it, then we must uphold the same standard with others. Many have already been canceled for similar tweets dating back several years ago."

Most complaints about cancel culture are eye roll inducing, but this is another level of dumb.  Plenty of folks in this thread are "upholding the same standard" in this case, and have said that they find the tweets offensive.  The people who aren't offended are also, for the most part, the ones decrying cancel culture.  How in the world does that "expose the incredible hypocrisy of cancel culture"??  It seems to me that people are being pretty consistent, and you just created a straw man to feel superior.

[ArtMan]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 4:32pm

If Michael Richards (Seinfeld, for those who don't know) can get kicked to the curb, 14 years ago, (2006) for making racist remarks, then this person's words should be just as accountable 10 years ago.  I don't know why people are giving him a pass.

[morosco]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 6:07pm

This might be a good time to remind everyone...

What you post on social media could have serious repercussions on your professional life. It could cost you your current job or future job opportunities.

According to a 2018 CareerBuilder survey, 70% of employers use social media to screen candidates during the hiring process, and about 43% of employers use social media to check on current employees.

Keep It Clean: Social Media Screenings Gain in Popularity

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 6:28pm

Is this what we're condoning now? Is this what we're pardoning? Is this what we're turning "a blind eye to"? In what world is any of this even right?! He is a coward. He doesn't have the guts to own up to what he so clearly chose to put out there be it 10 years ago or 10 minutes ago. HE SHOULD NOT GET A PASS. 

If he has any sense of dignity he would address but his obvious privilege will not allow him to and he's probably talking to the "spin doctors" to save his behind.

 



 

 

 

 

 

 

Updated On: 8/20/20 at 06:28 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 6:51pm

Daaaaamn, Randy. 

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 6:53pm

I love that as I write this, to my very right there is a Randy Rainbow video all ready for viewing.

Despicable. Yet again, this website's history of pardoning horrible, abusive people is very, very long. I'm sure you will delete this because you refuse to look at and take responsible for all of it. Typical. 

[joevitus]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 7:08pm

What does "get a pass" even mean? You don't like him: don't follow him. I'd never heard of the man until this thread was created, and now I'm getting exposed to these crappy one-liners. So thanks for spreading his name further, I guess.

This is how things should work: you don't like something, you don't give your money or time to it. I don't like any of his jokes I've read, but I dislike people trying to control the discourse even more. If people like him, I hope they keep following him and ignore you. Bellowing what amounts to this shouldn't be allowed promulgates the notion that things should have to be allowed in the first place. 

There are far worse things in the world than a fifth rate comic.

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 7:21pm

so now we have the "apology" (in the advocate, I am told but have not seen). we can therefore pivot to whether to buy it, how to reconcile it with his kneejerk reaction, and what acts of contrition (if any) we would like to see. 

[Highland Guy]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 7:27pm

Updated On: 8/22/20 at 07:27 PM

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 7:35pm

Love his response his lawyers cooked up. Believe his bull*hit if you want, fools.

[uncageg]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 7:59pm

Not buying it. Maybe in his world things have changed in the past 10 year, but not in a lot of people's.  And it is not like racism was not an issue before 10 years ago. And if he was passionate about these issues over the years, why didn't he take those tweets down? He left them up until someone called him out on them in a time he admits they are unacceptable. So someone needed to tell him even though he was supposedly already aware? And I don't care if it was 10 years ago. That stuff stays out there. Manage your account. If there is something you feel that is now offensive, delete it. But he didn't.

Updated On: 8/20/20 at 07:59 PM

[Kad]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 8:21pm

I thought it started off fine, but then kind of goes off the rails and seems like this was fit into a standard profile that may have already been in the works. It’s bit of a weird read.

[CarlosAlberto]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 8:55pm

joevitus said: "What does "get a pass" even mean? You don't like him: don't follow him. I'd never heard of the man until this thread was created, and now I'm getting exposed to these crappy one-liners. So thanks for spreading his name further, I guess.

This ishow things should work: you don't like something, you don't give your money or time to it. I don't like any of hisjokes I've read, but I dislike people trying to control the discourse even more. If people like him, I hope theykeep following him and ignore you. Bellowing what amounts tothis shouldn't be allowed promulgates the notion that things should have to be allowed in the first place.

There are far worse things in the world than a fifth rate comic."

You clearly don't get it. This is more than "some jokes" people dislike, this is more than people trying to control discourse. These are not jokes. It goes deeper than "if you don't like it, don't read it"  This is hate speech in the guise of jokes, under the cloak of "comedy". Well guess what? It's not funny and should not be allowed nor condoned. This should not and cannot be normalized. EVER.

So whatever comes out of this it was of his own doing and is a direct result of his poor choices. 

Updated On: 8/20/20 at 08:55 PM

[Jordan Catalano]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:00pm

Yes. When a few tweets were posted, it was easy to say it was off color humor that had aged poorly, I know because I said that. But as more of these have come out it’s impossible to not see a really problematic pattern.

I still hold to what I said before that humor and what was considered acceptable in the past does and will always change and evolve over time, that’s the nature of language and what we as a society accept. But there’s too much here to ignore.

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:00pm

Part of him does sound genuinely sorry. Another part needed a stronger crisis management team.

[AEA AGMA SM]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:16pm

LizzieCurry said: "Part of him does sound genuinely sorry. Another part needed a stronger crisis management team."

Yeah, going into the whole "nefarious people" angle really doesn't make it seem like he's all that sorry.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:40pm

I was def one of the ones giving him a pass. And it’s not because I like his work or find him funny. Those jokes are awful. And I don’t watch his videos. I’m stuck on how he got an Emmy nom?!! But my only “pass” was because it’s comedy - at least it’s intended as comedy. And comedy is tough. I mean I went back and watched Joan Rivers and she said some stuff you’d never be able to say today. Should we cancel her? Hell no. She’s a legend. So when it comes to comedians, yes, I give a bit of a pass.

I do feel here though that it does seem a bit more than a few jokes here or there.

[Sutton Ross]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:46pm

You clearly don't get it. 

Don't waste your time with that poster. Carlos. He spent his first two weeks here defending Amar Ramasar and his despicable actions towards women and yes, I have the receipts Joe. 

 

[George in DC]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:48pm

This is a real question, because I do not know. Was he making these tweets because he believed these things or was he pushing the envelope and making absurd statements, purposefully being horrible as satire? I come from a generation where people like Don Rickles and Mel Brookes made jokes, politically incorrect on purpose. Are we being over sensitive or is he really a total ahole?

Updated On: 8/20/20 at 09:48 PM

[HogansHero]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:49pm

I used the word "context" earlier and it is still what this is about. What did these words mean when said, and what was the intention? It is true that sensibilities evolve but let's ask whether the ten year old words fit with those unevolved sensibilities. What he was doing a decade ago (not a half century ago) was not okay then, and his intention -- to make a living by repeatedly denigrating "others" in what were frankly hackneyed ways -- was never okay. never. He now wants to associate his brand with, e.g., Joan Rivers. But Joan Rivers comedy was smart. Her comedy was edgy but purposeful. RR is just nasty: making people laugh at the expense of others. What was his purpose? To make fun of minorities in ways that are hurtful to human beings? Joan's comedy was informed by Lenny Bruce; Randy's is informed by Jackie Mason.  

The initial (now taken down) reaction was pathetic; the new one is worse. I am sure he is sick at the stomach. Wouldn't you be if you were watching your brand self-destruct? The new "apology" doesn't own what he did; it wraps itself in a conspiracy theory. Seriously, Randy, that's the best you can do? Stick a fork in this one; he's done. 

[LizzieCurry]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 9:51pm

I could say this whenever anything comes up about any misgivings along any spectrum, whether it's Randy Rainbow or William Ivey Long or Ben Vereen or any of the people or companies that came up during the emergence of We See You W.A.T.:

I don't think there's a clear definition on what "cancel" means, so I kind of wish people would stop saying it. Be specific. Reckoning? Acknowledgement that you enjoy someone's work but are conflicted about their past?

I never liked Joan Rivers but I knew she did good things. She also made a number of horrible Asian jokes and as an Asian American I don't (and can't) find joy in watching her performances. But I can't say she was a wholly terrible person. Like I'm sure Randy Rainbow isn't either.

[SouthernCakes]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 10:00pm

I’d agree Hogan! Joan made it funny and somehow you were on her side so you knew she wasn’t being ill spirited. But these jokes feel... eh....

[Owen22]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 10:07pm

What I think I dislike most about the apology is the back of his hand to his forehead, "...oh why must you disgrace me for my racism when my very woke Kamala video is garnering me death threats and hate mail?"

[joevitus]

Posted: 8/20/20 at 10:15pm

CarlosAlberto said: "joevitus said: "What does "get a pass" even mean? You don't like him: don't follow him. I'd never heard of the man until this thread was created, and now I'm getting exposed to these crappy one-liners. So thanks for spreading his name further, I guess.

This ishow things should work: you don't like something, you don't give your money or time to it. I don't like any of hisjokes I've read, but I dislike people trying to control the discourse even more. If people like him, I hope theykeep following him and ignore you. Bellowing what amounts tothis shouldn't be allowed promulgates the notion that things should have to be allowed in the first place.

There are far worse things in the world than a fifth rate comic."

You clearly don't get it. This is more than "some jokes" people dislike, this is more than people trying to control discourse. These are not jokes. It goes deeper than "if you don't like it, don't read it"This is hate speech in the guise of jokes, under the cloak of "comedy". Well guess what? It's not funny and should not be allowed nor condoned. This should not and cannot be normalized. EVER.

So whatever comes out of this it was of his own doing and is a direct result of his poor choices."

Odd definition of "get it" if by that you mean "understand the issue." I get it, all right. I've been around people trying to control thoughts all my life. I'm just sad so many of them for the past 30 years or so have been on the left. Used to be only conservatives tried to control what we were exposed to "for our own good." I think  "you don't get it' must mean "you aren't responding as I think you should." 

And they are just jokes. And you can control what you encounter. Especially in this day and age where no one station, channel, etc. has anything like 50% of the entertainment audience. It's all about what we choose to encounter these days.

The word "normalize" is part of the modern puritanical jargon. It's a scare word to make us think if we encounter something, we have no capacity to assess or reject it, only to embrace and conform to it. No one looks at jokes like this and says "Well if this comic makes this joke, everyone must feel this way about this thing, so it must be okay and I should think this way, too." That's not even how comedy works. For you to find that kind of humor funny, you have to already hold the viewpoints it espouses or you don't have the sharing a familiar experience that humor is based on.

But it's funny, if you think being exposed to this stuff normalizes it, that you are in favor of making these tweets known far and wide. By your logic, you're helping to build a new generation of bigots.