Ethnic comedians are a godsend …
Several weeks ago, a friend of mine (popularly known as Gizmo) recommended that I download a 75 megabyte video clip from the net. The content of this particular file was not dubious as some of you may be inclined to presume. Rather, it concerned a stand-up comedy performance of one ‘Russel Peters’, an Indian comic resident in Canada. Readers who hail from an Asian background, specifically Indian or Chinese, are advised to download this clip at their earliest possible convenience. By far, it is one of the most hilarious stand-up performances I have seen to date, and undeniably unique owing to the ethnic background of the comedian.
Peters does exceptionally well in lampooning the myriad of cultural differences between Asians and … well, just about everyone else. He is capable of impeccably impersonating a strong Indian, Chinese and Canadian accent and satirises his own parents to no small end. One can only imagine how his poor conservative folks feel about being the butt of most of his jokes.
The most amusing aspect of Peters’ performance would have to be the caricatures of his very own father. Although possessed with a thick Indian accent (funny at the worst of times), this man was nonetheless capable of uttering words stained with the threat of impending violence, and against a child no less. His favourite saying to the young Peters was as follows:
‘Sumbady gonna get a-hurt real baaad. I am nhaat saying who, just sumbady. But I think you know him quite vell’.
In responding to the above words, the young Peters experienced a myriad of emotions – ranging from guilt to hope to suspicion to sheer terror. For example, was the threat directed specifically against him or a family member? Was it wrong to wish that the subject of impending violence was his brother? If he knew this person ‘quite vell’, as his father alleged, did it necessarily mean that he himself was the target?
It goes without saying that some members of the Indian community will find Peters’ brand of comedy offensive, namely the manner in which he satirises his own parents and parodies the Indian accent. What’s most amusing, however, is that Peters’ statements are more ‘fact’ than ‘fiction’. It is exceptionally difficult for a young Indian male to impress a western lady with his accent, Indian fathers are rather prone to violence, Indian mothers are obsessed about marrying off their offspring with disturbing expediency, Indians in general are stingier with money than a Scottish financial planner.
In past times, I have asked myself at what point comedy ceases to be humorous, especially when it pokes fun at an entire culture or people. The line is very fine indeed. For example, following the American ‘incursion’ into Afghanistan numerous American comics alluded to Afghani culture, primarily with a view to satirising it. Robyn Williams, in an appearance on Letterman some years back, ceaselessly parodied the Afghani language (i.e. the rather harsh manner of speech) and made the odd comment about the relationship of male Afghans with their donkeys.
In the end, I was both laughing and squirming. It did not seem to be very PC and, quiet honestly, appeared to denigrate a culture that has existed for thousands of years – and has more to offer than donkeys, camels and other barnyard animals. Williams’ humour led to gross generalisations of ‘all’ Afghans, including those living abroad.
Despite the obviously distressful situation Afghanistan is now in, ill-considered jokes abound which satirise Afghanistan’s non-existent infrastructure. References are often made to ‘taxi donkeys’ and ‘hut hotels’. Images which reduce some to tears (inc. those seen on World Vision advertisements) are reduced in our minds to subjects of amusement and comedy.
Anyway, it appears that I have led and otherwise light-hearted post into a pretty serious discussion. My apologies for doing so … lets get back to Peters shall we?
In watching Peters, who has built a living on lampooning ethnic groups, most feel “OK” in responding with a smile or a hearty laugh. The fact that the comedian in question is ‘ethnic’ himself acts as something of an authorisation allowing non-ethnics (yes, I just made that up) to laugh at the cultural peculiarities of various minority groups. Rather amusingly, it appears that it is only OK to laugh when minority groups lampoon themselves.
Several weeks ago, a friend of mine (popularly known as Gizmo) recommended that I download a 75 megabyte video clip from the net. The content of this particular file was not dubious as some of you may be inclined to presume. Rather, it concerned a stand-up comedy performance of one ‘Russel Peters’, an Indian comic resident in Canada. Readers who hail from an Asian background, specifically Indian or Chinese, are advised to download this clip at their earliest possible convenience. By far, it is one of the most hilarious stand-up performances I have seen to date, and undeniably unique owing to the ethnic background of the comedian.
Peters does exceptionally well in lampooning the myriad of cultural differences between Asians and … well, just about everyone else. He is capable of impeccably impersonating a strong Indian, Chinese and Canadian accent and satirises his own parents to no small end. One can only imagine how his poor conservative folks feel about being the butt of most of his jokes.
The most amusing aspect of Peters’ performance would have to be the caricatures of his very own father. Although possessed with a thick Indian accent (funny at the worst of times), this man was nonetheless capable of uttering words stained with the threat of impending violence, and against a child no less. His favourite saying to the young Peters was as follows:
‘Sumbady gonna get a-hurt real baaad. I am nhaat saying who, just sumbady. But I think you know him quite vell’.
In responding to the above words, the young Peters experienced a myriad of emotions – ranging from guilt to hope to suspicion to sheer terror. For example, was the threat directed specifically against him or a family member? Was it wrong to wish that the subject of impending violence was his brother? If he knew this person ‘quite vell’, as his father alleged, did it necessarily mean that he himself was the target?
It goes without saying that some members of the Indian community will find Peters’ brand of comedy offensive, namely the manner in which he satirises his own parents and parodies the Indian accent. What’s most amusing, however, is that Peters’ statements are more ‘fact’ than ‘fiction’. It is exceptionally difficult for a young Indian male to impress a western lady with his accent, Indian fathers are rather prone to violence, Indian mothers are obsessed about marrying off their offspring with disturbing expediency, Indians in general are stingier with money than a Scottish financial planner.
In past times, I have asked myself at what point comedy ceases to be humorous, especially when it pokes fun at an entire culture or people. The line is very fine indeed. For example, following the American ‘incursion’ into Afghanistan numerous American comics alluded to Afghani culture, primarily with a view to satirising it. Robyn Williams, in an appearance on Letterman some years back, ceaselessly parodied the Afghani language (i.e. the rather harsh manner of speech) and made the odd comment about the relationship of male Afghans with their donkeys.
In the end, I was both laughing and squirming. It did not seem to be very PC and, quiet honestly, appeared to denigrate a culture that has existed for thousands of years – and has more to offer than donkeys, camels and other barnyard animals. Williams’ humour led to gross generalisations of ‘all’ Afghans, including those living abroad.
Despite the obviously distressful situation Afghanistan is now in, ill-considered jokes abound which satirise Afghanistan’s non-existent infrastructure. References are often made to ‘taxi donkeys’ and ‘hut hotels’. Images which reduce some to tears (inc. those seen on World Vision advertisements) are reduced in our minds to subjects of amusement and comedy.
Anyway, it appears that I have led and otherwise light-hearted post into a pretty serious discussion. My apologies for doing so … lets get back to Peters shall we?
In watching Peters, who has built a living on lampooning ethnic groups, most feel “OK” in responding with a smile or a hearty laugh. The fact that the comedian in question is ‘ethnic’ himself acts as something of an authorisation allowing non-ethnics (yes, I just made that up) to laugh at the cultural peculiarities of various minority groups. Rather amusingly, it appears that it is only OK to laugh when minority groups lampoon themselves.
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