It mocks infomercials and pokes fun at how superficial and fickle people can be. Advertisers try to feature a token minority in their ads. Maybe even a few people want to be seen with a brown/black/etc to prove that they are not racist or whatever . ( But mostly, I have seen many of my own Indian relatives bending backwards, putting on horrendously fake American accents to please/make friends/impress/etc the locals. That’s another story, though.) Indian culture (movies, clothes styles, henna tatoos, etc.) in the USA goes in and out of style, I guess. According to the “infomercial”, it must be in for now.

Back in 1995 in a small southern Indiana plastics factory (not south India), one of my husband’s engineering colleague mentioned he wanted his own “Indian”. As in an Indian engineer to work for his team because the few Indian engineers in that plastics plant were the cream of the crop in their fields, better educated and delivered outstanding results, etc. This spoof of the infomercial reminded me of that guy.

You only get one?! I’m surprised there isn’t a wholesale deal. By the way, I still haven’t watched the video, so, as usual, I don’t know what I’m talking about Are we talking ‘Indian’ like ‘Go for an English’ or ‘Indian’ like someone from India?

The 1-800 video is lazy in its construction because it simply rehashes out already known stereotypes, and doesn’t evoke them in any clever way either. While it’s more professionally done than the video I linked, I dont see that as a ‘huge difference’ for an under 5 minute web video, The second video’s premise is far more intelligent, and clever, using the same infomercial comic satire (which is why I linked it, it is relevant in that way), even if the makers of the second video added an unecessary 35 second intro – which one could argue with the music chosen, was done deliberately to create a sense of space, slowness and sadness.

In my opinion, a professionally done video lacking content, means the makers simply had more resources at their disposal, money, time etc.., not necessarily talent or creativity.

Also, in my opinion, the video can be easily duplicated with any ethnicity, 1-800-A CHINESE, 1-800-A MEXICAN, 1-800-A FILIPINO, etc… and just trot out the stereotypes associated with that race. Also, I still re-iterate my claim that it needlessly uses sexuality by having the blonde woman wear a bikini, and does it simply to get more viewers, without being funny. It makes it a pleasure to watch in one way, but not by making me laugh. Again, this is just my opinion.

-I also still find it to be somewhat hypocritical to agree that harsh comments are unwarranted, but make harsh comments oneself, I also believe this point to be on topic, as the harsh comments that were labelled as unwarranted were specifically directed to the 1-800 video, the subject of the post. It looks like you’re supporting harshness against things you do not like, but all of a sudden agree that it shouldn’t be levied against things you do like, unless people have tried to “make stuff of their own”

Also, and I hope this question does not make this post “off-topic” but is there an avenue to request why comments were removed (when I believe they were on topic?), if not directly on the thread itself? If there is no avenue to make such a request, then I am sorry for making such a request, and will not do so in the future. I hope none of these comments violate SM policy, as they only are reflectant of my opinion, and not intended to make anyone feel uncomfortable or uneasy, nor cause any form of stress or distress, in any way, shape or form to person or persons reading it.