Japanese Louis Armstrong parody

[trane_fanatic]

Being Asian myself, I know they meant this sketch to honor him, but I still get a creepy feeling under my skin.

http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=cc3_1231560680

[Chuck Nessa]

It is fine with me. Not as disturbing and any number of Asian impersonations over here. Seems to be made from affection.

I think Pops would have dug it.

Edited January 14, 2009 by Chuck Nessa

[Christiern]

I think the Charlie Chan movies were offensive, slbeit not intentionally so. In this case, however, I agree with Chuck. the intent is to show admiration.

[Stereojack]

In this case, however, I agree with Chuck. the intent is to show admiration.

I agree. This is an affectionate tribute, albeit a little bizarre. Pops is beloved worldwide.

[CJ Shearn]

it is a little odd. but being a fan of bizarre Japanese pop culture things, it works.

[JSngry]

There was a time when I would have been offended, or at the least, perturbed, but the last 5 or so years have presented me seemingly innumerable opportunities on a variety of fronts to better see what's inside/behind a lot of this Japanese pop culture stuff that seems so weird at first glance to Americanoplized eyes, and I gotta tell ya, I though this impersonation was a good piece of affectionate comedy. It does potentially raise issues of racial stereotyping and "cluelessness" but not just from the Japanese side of things - we Americans tend to automatically assume that the entire world has our set of racial histories, hangups, and problems, and it just ain't so.

I think trane-fanatic's opening words say it all:

Being Asian myself, I know they meant this sketch to honor him, but I still get a creepy feeling under my skin.

And so, in spite of a world of ever-shrinking boundaries, there are still some many, many critical, essential even, ways in which, in this case, "the Japanese" do not understand our culture and the historical ramifications of same. But every bit as equally important is the fact that the same can accurately be said about us towards them.

There is no end to the thing that need to be learned. What a wonderful world indeed!

[Kalo]

Besides, Armstrong always did seem to have at least a little bit of Kabuki in him...