Comments on: Goodness gracious, Peter Sellers is alive

By: varun

varun — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 14:51:47 +0000

well… it’s possible to make “ethnic” jokes without malice.
There’s a show here Comedy Inc that parodies Indians a fair bit – they were doing Deepak Chopra’s yoga self-defence the other day, and an earlier episode did a hindi song sequence with sock puppets. These werent ignorant caricatures. I am pretty certain some of the writers are very much in tune with indian pop culture through their friends in their off-screen lives – hardly the closet bigots. Then I remember Tom Green punishing some elderly Indian gentleman in one of his guerilla interviews. But it was silly, not vicious, and Tom was just being an ass. Another example. Then in the song by the Bare Naked Ladies, the singer sings some gibberish in a high falsetto to (apparently) mock Yoko Ono. The point I am making is that sensitivity to this humor depends in part on the intent of the comic, and in part on how the recipient feels in relation to the comic.

By: Manmeet Singh Saini

Manmeet Singh Saini — Wed, 03 Aug 2005 12:18:27 +0000

What about stereotypes in bollywood movies? I am a Sikh and it becomes irritating sometimes when the only sikh characters i see are loud, boisterous and downright insulting. Their turbans are perched like hats and half their beards are in their mouths. I dont find it funny but my friends assure me they do, and they are suprised when i feel angry. But on the other side i see positive images about my community shown too, as harworking, brave people but its very rare.All i say is dont overdo things in order to make others laugh, you shouldn't make some cry or hide in shame.

Manmeet

By: vivek

vivek — Sun, 22 May 2005 19:33:37 +0000

pretty funny, especially the guy imitating Kevin Eubank!

By: Dimsdale

Dimsdale — Fri, 20 May 2005 17:38:08 +0000

About a year or so back, Conan O'Brian also did a bit where he claimed to be trying out new opening bits for his show.

One of them was a hilarious bit tailored after many of the cliched Bollywood movie themes. It only lasted about ten seconds, but I was on the floor laughing! It was quite true to the Bollywood tradition of maybe 10 years ago. I would have to believe that Conan, or someone on his staff is an afficianado of Bollywood.

By: Manish Vij

Manish Vij — Tue, 17 May 2005 20:09:18 +0000

An accent is what the *other* person hears. What sounds "subdued" to you sounds "Apu-esque" to others.

Dude, you're comparing a clown voice to Louis Armstrong, and it's insulting. Maybe you can't tell the difference, but most people can. That's why native Indian English speakers are asked by Hollywood directors and drunken friends to change their accents and 'do Apu.'

By: A Sellers fan

A Sellers fan — Tue, 17 May 2005 19:58:33 +0000

Manish, you seem to be missing the point completely about accents. An accent is what the other person hears. What sounds "subdued" to you sounds "Apu-esque" to others.

So maybe Apu's and Bakshi's accents came from an Indian celebrity or maybe they did not. But that's how it sounds to the creators of those accents. Big farking deal.

By: Saurav

Saurav — Tue, 17 May 2005 03:42:01 +0000

it would be good if Calcutta 'd been left alone from judgement.

I think that could be said for most places that have been "studied" or defined by the West. I'm sure Bangkok residents aren't thrilled with being identified with sexual tourism.

Anyway, I don't fundamentally disagree with you; I just think there are other things that are more important. To each his/her own, I guess.

By: Manish Vij

Manish Vij — Tue, 17 May 2005 01:21:22 +0000

Here's Ravi Shankar on NPR, and I respectfully submit that if you can't tell the difference between a white guy attempting a comical Indian accent and the subdued Mr. Shankar, you need your ears cleaned.

By: A Sellers fan

A Sellers fan — Tue, 17 May 2005 01:16:48 +0000

That infamous Peter Sellers accent is not entirely his creation. I mean, the guy was a force of nature and wildly original, but the accent was a learned one.

I heard Pandit Ravi Shankar speak on NPR the other day. I am telling you, it was Apu and Hrundy V. Bakshi, right there, channelled through the maestro's voice.

By: vurdlife

vurdlife — Mon, 16 May 2005 20:23:45 +0000

The real subsitution is--could they have made a version of The Tonight Show in Japan?

Well here's an interesting take on Good Morning (Japan).

As Manish said,

Great humor is an incredibly valuable gift. It puts you in a forgiving mood.

The clip isn't just funny but it contains an interesting clash of cultures