Tuesday, January 25, 2011

Pride and Prejudice: WWF

Ask people to give their thoughts on racial jokes and stereotypes, and you’re bound to get an abundance of answers. I tend to find the whole issue rather polarizing.

On one hand you have those that are so uptight, that even the slightest jab at a perceived racial or cultural stereotype will make them cringe in discomfort.

On the other hand, you have those that can find humor and maybe even a cheeky laugh in some of the absurdities of modern stereotypes. Perhaps they adhere to the view of Comedian Russel Peters, who rather adequately sums it up when he says, “I don’t make the stereotypes. I just see them”. 

As someone who keeps a stable of diverse friends (no I’m not using the word stable to imply that some of them are fit for a barn), the ability to laugh at our collective differences together, is somewhat of a beautiful thing. 

I think the progress we have made as society is remarkable. And to emphasize that very point, I’m going to bring all of you a variety of things from my youth that would make the sensitivity police scream foul. 

As many of you who grew up in the 90’s can attest to, WWF was the coolest shit on television at the time. For comparisons sake, I tried to look at the new generation of WWF (I guess it’s called WWE now), and I simply wasn’t thrilled. Here are two awesome clips featuring Razor Ramon (probably the only wrestler with chest hair), and the Million Dollar Man, Ted DiBiase. 
Sexism? Check.
Stereotyping Latinos everywhere? Check.
Would this fly today? I doubt it.
Is it offensive? Probably.
Is it entirely hilarious? You better believe it.

Here's some more blatant (yet somewhat hilarious) racism thanks to our friends at WWF:

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