Well, well, well, the second installment of Hey Hey the reunion aired tonight and what do you know? Just like when it was on the air way back when, I lost interest and changed the channel (I'm a fickle little thing).
However, my interest was recaptured when I decided to check how Twitter was traveling with the #heyhey tag (number 1 trending topic as suspected) to find this;
So what happened? From what I can piece together, there was a Red Faces act that was a send-up of the Jackson Five that included a 'blackface' routine - classy, I know. Harry Connick Jnr was a judge and was suitably horrified, stating "If I were home it'd be 'Hey Hey No More Show'."
I particularly liked this response;
Daryl apologised to Harry Connick Jnr at the end of the show and Harry spoke about the struggle of black people in America and how representing them as buffoons is not acceptable. Harry also said that if he'd known the act would be on the show he would not have appeared. Interestingly, Daryl said something along the lines of "we realised that this sort of act might be offensive to your countrymen" - sorry? They're not the only people it's offensive to Daryl - you may have noticed it's not 1950.
I look forward to seeing the reviews tomorrow.
However, my interest was recaptured when I decided to check how Twitter was traveling with the #heyhey tag (number 1 trending topic as suspected) to find this;
So what happened? From what I can piece together, there was a Red Faces act that was a send-up of the Jackson Five that included a 'blackface' routine - classy, I know. Harry Connick Jnr was a judge and was suitably horrified, stating "If I were home it'd be 'Hey Hey No More Show'."I particularly liked this response;
Daryl apologised to Harry Connick Jnr at the end of the show and Harry spoke about the struggle of black people in America and how representing them as buffoons is not acceptable. Harry also said that if he'd known the act would be on the show he would not have appeared. Interestingly, Daryl said something along the lines of "we realised that this sort of act might be offensive to your countrymen" - sorry? They're not the only people it's offensive to Daryl - you may have noticed it's not 1950.I look forward to seeing the reviews tomorrow.
was embarrassed watching it at home, absolutely idiotic and terrible display of television, and of Australia, especially to someone like Connick Jr.
ReplyDeleteit was a complete over reaction by connick.
ReplyDeleteWould people think it was racist if it was a send-up of e.g. a row of Scottsmen in kilts, doing an exaggerated stereotype of Scotsmen? But I did worry that some would find it offensive - the makeup seemed too dark and unfortunately further emphasised the cariacature angle. But crazy cariacatures are they type of thing one expects to see on Red Faces.
ReplyDeleteThey knew exactly what they were doing...Harry knew too...a guy from the South on, coupled with some idiot white guys doing an act about the most mediafied black/white man (it doesn't matter if you're black or white) talent on the planet...come one, Darryl needs to show Australia that Hey Hey still has the viewers/headlines etc, the viewers will react of course, and Channel 9 will come out with a 21st Century cast of Hey Hey it's Saturday!
ReplyDeleteFor variety, freshness, entertainment...you just can't beat it with anything (family orientated) today.
you're right. how did this one get through? did anyone bother to think twice about how offensive this was?
ReplyDeleteI think it just shows why things like Hey Hey should be left in the past. - the rest of the world has evolved while these old hacks like Somers sit in their bubble telling sexist/racist jokes and voicing their archaic views. We grew up - it was a nice bit of nostalgia to begin with but this proves the point of why it's no longer relevant.
ReplyDeleteI really want to see the Hey Hey ship sink. It' 2009 not 1989. I'm glad we moved on. Watching it just makes me feel uncomfortable.
ReplyDelete