Volkswagen Accused Of Racism.

[anotheoldgit]

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2270134/Volkswagen-accused-racism-Super-Bowl-ad-uses-white-actors-Jamaican-accents.html

How can a white person speaking in a Jamaican accent be considered racist?

If this was the case, then maybe Trevor Macdonald and Chris Eubank could also be similarly accused?

[emmie]

from my own experiences, the youngsters switch between the two very easily.

[sp1814]

AOG

That's a very interesting question, with a very strange answer...

If you listen to young black, Asian and white kids who live in the same urban areas, they have exactly the same accent.

It's not a West Indian accent, it's more a mix of West Indian and cockney. It's a brand new accent that didn't exist when I was growing up.

If you go to YouTube and do a search for Dizzy Rascal being interviewed, you'll notice that his speech patterns are very close to those of Tulisa and Dappy (formerly of N'Dubz) - and they're from Greek extraction.

[emmie]

if i look back to my youth, long time ago now, the blokes i knew who were born in Jamaica, Barbados, Trinidad switched all the time between their own patois and a sort of cockney English,

[anotheoldgit]

sp1814

/// The reason I ask is because the Daily Mail seem to have published this article based on the opinion of...three people. ///

Perhaps it is because the Daily Mail gets it's information from source ie actual named individuates who have aired their views on the subject,

And not from a load of faceless individuals on a web site, who are not answerable to.

[Khandro]

I think it's quite funny, and can not see who is going to be offended by it.

[emmie]

i am not offended, but it is a stupid ad.

[sp1814]

AOG

Careful now...remember how the Daily Mail uses Twitter opinion to fuel so many of its stories!

[Zeuhl]

Perhaps AB fans of this ad can suggest further executions in the series?

Perhaps one extolling the car's low running costs - the owner could affect a fake Scottish or Jewish accent

[bazwillrun]

Same ole same ole....seek and ye shall find

dont these idiots have anything better to do ?
theres always someone screaming racist at something nowadays
its pathetic not too mention boring, in fact so boring its better than a sleeping tab !

[emmie]

zeuhl, steady on, are you suggesting one should execute the bloke....

[FredPuli43]

AOG, what, in your opinion, is the minimum number of people, expressing the same opinion, necessary to justify a headline and story in a national newspaper ? Is it three,or two, or one, or is it some other number?

[Mick-Talbot]

There is no story here.

Buy a VW and you will be happy (yeah right) but that is the message.



'It's just saying, ''Black people are happy,''' complained Barbara Lippert, editor-at-large of Mediapost.com, on the Today show.


No it isn't, this video would not have the same impact with a Nigerian or Somali accent.



If it's good enough for Jimmy Cliff, it's good enough for me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NfCm9P8naDQ&feature=player_embedded

[emmie]

but jimmy cliff is a black man with a natural accent, and a good voice, whilst the white bloke is a bit of a twerp...

[anotheoldgit]

Oh dear, oh dear that big bad Daily Mail is at it again.

Perhaps one would wish to see another source?

http://www.caribbean360.com/index.php/news/658452.html#axzz2JTbwW1U8

Or perhaps?

http://bayarea.sbnation.com/2013/1/30/3932232/2013-super-bowl-commercials-ads-volkswagen

Maybe?

http://www.hollywoodreporter.com/news/super-bowl-2013-volkswagen-ad-416668

Then what about this?

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2013/01/29/volkswagen-super-bowl-ad-racist_n_2574809.html

Or?

http://www.washingtonpost.com/lifestyle/style/volkswagen-super-bowl-ad-accused-of-being-racist/2013/01/29/36d81e38-6a60-11e2-95b3-272d604a10a3_story.html

Incidentally the poll in the Huffington Post gives the following result to date.

It's definitely racist - 26.69%

It's Fine - 73.31%

[Orderlimit]

It's just saying, ''Black people are happy,''' complained Barbara Lippert

Eh?

[Mick-Talbot]

AOG, Haven't you noticed that it is the same two names that keep cropping in those articles?


I don't get your point, em, he is just a actor.....why is he a twerp?

[murraymints]

I know a blue eyed blonde white surfer boy born and bred in Jamaica...strongest Jamaican accent ever ...does that make him racist.....don't think so !

[society]

he's an acting twerp? :)

[emmie]

ok he isn't, the ad is, it gets it wrong,

[emmie]

murray, which is also what i said way back in the thread, only this lovely lad was born in Barbados. I was working in a bar at the time, it was quite empty and could hear this lilting voice, soft burr, and turned around to see this blond, blue eyed young man, very handsome i must say, but he wasn't what i was expecting.