MOMENT OF SURPRISE

Let me make a disclaimer about this post. If you are easily offended and/or overly PC you might be slightly uncomfortable. If not, you still might be. I, however, love racism.

There isn't much about racism that can shock me. I find it incredibly fascinating. I love the history of racism, the jokes focused on racism, the conclusions people draw because of racism, I essentially majored in racism in college but this weekend something about racism surprised me. I watched CSA: Confederate States of America on Saturday. I realize that to other lovers of racism I am way behind on this one. However, I went to see it the day after it closed and it just came out on video so give me a break. I was, unfortunately, somewhat disappointed. I of course found it hilarious but it almost seemed like one long and not all that creative Chapelle sketch from the wonderfully racist first season. I think the commercials were my favorite part. While watching this film and since I claim myself as a somewhat of a (to borrow a phrase from "Bamboozled") Niggerologist I recognized some of the products as being very familiar and probably real. Coon's Chicken I knew I had seen before. I couldn't dispute the plethora of "Sambo" products throughout history. I even had a slight suspicion that Goldy and Dusty were from the halls of racist cleaning products (and man were there a lot of those back in the day). However, at the end of the film when they told us which products were real I was shocked and appalled at the reality of "Nigger Hair Cigarettes". Now, if it had been "Nigger Cigarettes" I probably wouldn't have been that surprised. Those exist today although they are now called Kools or Newports but throw that Hair in there and you have a serious problem. I would think that the name would just not be conducive to sales. Maybe that is why they changed the name to "Bigger Hair Cigarettes," although the ruby lipped Afro wearing lady still graced the box. My thing is this, while it feeds and further educates my sense of history, my sense of marketing was strongly offended. Typically when racism was used in Marketing it had a point. Coon's Chicken makes sense. We all know black people love chicken. Sambo motor oil, well the oil is black and we all know how black a Sambo is so it follows. Plus, I’m sure that plenty of chauffeurs had to change motor oil. Any cleaning product with black people makes sense because black folks are always cleaning up other people's houses. Let’s not forget the Japanese Black Man condoms (that my Dad so lovingly sent me a link to a link I unfortunately no longer have because it would give laughs to the world) and I won't go itno why this one makes sense. Racism in advertising is alive and well today in obvious and subtle forms. However, let me get to the point. Who wants to smoke cigarettes that have anything to do with hair? Do you know how bad burning hair smells? It's not good! I have finally been knocked down slapped around and shocked by racism. This is obviously a case of racism for the sake of racism and as a detriment to the marketing of a product. Kudos to "Niggerhair Cigarettes" for that amazing feat.

On a more non-offensive note. I would like to apologize to the Minnesota Vikings. They played quite well last night. They also won a game that I didn't see. They still looked like a bunch of raging queens in those uniforms though.

I put some new (well old but new to me) music on my iPod over the weekend; let's see if it will grace us with its presence.

Run For Your Life, The Beatles- This has been with me FOREVER. I love The Beatles. I have always liked this song very much however; it is particularly sick and twisted and makes me think that maybe they liked to beat women. I'll instead just say that this song came from a hidden desire to beat women and that they never really would. Also, I thought that maybe I was having a problem with my sound because I sounded like shit. Then I realized that because it is an old record they did cool things like put different tracks on different sides of your head and since I only listen with one ear because I am "working" it sounded funny.

Township Rebellion, Rage Against The Machine- This rules. It is so 90s and man, it just rocks you know. Rage really puts it down. They tell it like it is. "When ignorance reigns life is lost". This album is oddly relevant today...

Christiansands, Tricky- This song is hot. It makes me want to go home right now. It also reminds me of Jenna and Roxanne. It is rare to say those names in the same breath anymore but they loved them some Tricky and this song in particular. It also reminds me of “RisingSon” and Friend. We loved that song like Roxanne and Jenna loved this one. That song is hot.