08-10-2009, 12:17
from pop eater
An Australian variety show featuring performers parodying the Jackson Five while in blackface so outraged its American judge, that its host immediately apologized.
New Orleans native Harry Connick Jr. was serving as a guest judge on Wednesday night's 'Hey Hey It's Saturday' when he became visibly shocked by the skit, in which four men with afro wigs and dark make-up calling themselves the "Jackson Jive" sang and danced behind a Michael Jackson impersonator wearing white makeup.
Connick gave the skit a zero and later confronted the shows host Daryl Somers about the taboo subject.
"I just want to say, on behalf of my country, I know it was done humorously, but we've spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that we take it really to heart," he told Somers.
Somers seemed to realize the mistake and immediately apologized to Connick personally.
"I know that to your countrymen, that's an insult to have a blackface routine like that on the show, so I do apologize to you," Somers said.
Connick later said he'd wished he never agreed to participate on the show. "If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn't have done it."
According to the AP, Anand Deva, the frontman of the "Jackson Jive" act, said it was not meant to cause offense but added he would not have performed it in the United States.
Public reaction to the performance in online forums was mixed. Some Australians said they were embarrassed such a racist sketch had been broadcast, while others said detractors were too politically correct and that the skit was funny.
here's the skit
YouTube - hey hey it's saturday - jackson jive
An Australian variety show featuring performers parodying the Jackson Five while in blackface so outraged its American judge, that its host immediately apologized.
New Orleans native Harry Connick Jr. was serving as a guest judge on Wednesday night's 'Hey Hey It's Saturday' when he became visibly shocked by the skit, in which four men with afro wigs and dark make-up calling themselves the "Jackson Jive" sang and danced behind a Michael Jackson impersonator wearing white makeup.
Connick gave the skit a zero and later confronted the shows host Daryl Somers about the taboo subject.
"I just want to say, on behalf of my country, I know it was done humorously, but we've spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that we take it really to heart," he told Somers.
Somers seemed to realize the mistake and immediately apologized to Connick personally.
"I know that to your countrymen, that's an insult to have a blackface routine like that on the show, so I do apologize to you," Somers said.
Connick later said he'd wished he never agreed to participate on the show. "If I knew that was going to be part of the show I definitely wouldn't have done it."
According to the AP, Anand Deva, the frontman of the "Jackson Jive" act, said it was not meant to cause offense but added he would not have performed it in the United States.
Public reaction to the performance in online forums was mixed. Some Australians said they were embarrassed such a racist sketch had been broadcast, while others said detractors were too politically correct and that the skit was funny.
here's the skit
YouTube - hey hey it's saturday - jackson jive