Transphobic song dumped after complaints
By GayNZ.com Daily News staff
While the judges and audience found Ray Jessel's ditty amusing, others say it's transphobic and have bombarded the network with calls for an apology for airing it.
NBC has now removed the video from the series' official social media channels including YouTube, Facebook and the America's Got Talent website.
http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_15322.php (http://www.gaynz.com/articles/publish/3/article_15322.php)
It's good seeing them show sensitivity but does anyone else get a creepy feeling like history is being revised? Do you remember how over-the-top racist Looney Toons used to be? Now it's really hard to find those cartoons but I think people should be able to watch them as long as context is provided. It's a sort of history lesson. I feel like we shouldn't forget our past, however uncomfortable it might be. We should be able to show someone things like that and say "This kind of thought was commonplace at one time." The absurdity of it is so obvious now. Then that can provide context for whatever issues we're currently struggling with. The day will come when we will be able to point back at this song that was on network television during prime time and say "This kind of thought was commonplace at one time" but not if it's erased from the record.
perhaps, but that is different. We shouldn't be showing those cartoons to the children anymore as it perpetuates stereotypes that are negative, in the same way, I don't feel this is suitable for prime time TV.
Perhaps instead of removing it completely we should have held it up as an example of what is not acceptable?
Perhaps, but it was removed by the company that broadcast it, who probably don't want to hold up their mistakes and would rather pretend they didn't exist.
Quote from: kira21 ♡♡♡ on July 04, 2014, 09:02:46 AM
Perhaps, but it was removed by the company that broadcast it, who probably don't want to hold up their mistakes and would rather pretend they didn't exist.
I see what you mean, the video is presumably out there on the internet though.
I think it's great that they removed the video, but should've had the good sense not to air it in the first place.
I agree and applaud the removal of the song. I mean that song was just...Wrong in so many ways. They avoid racist songs yet that was ok and was even allowed through to the next round? Gee thanks. Remind me why I don't watch you.
Can we ask them to cut Lola next? >_>
Quote from: Solaela on July 05, 2014, 08:13:58 PM
They avoid racist songs yet that was ok and was even allowed through to the next round?
That was my problem with it. I know I'm in the minority here, but I have a very offensive sense of humor. I mean very offensive. But my rule is, everyone gets made fun of. They made an exception with this song and thats where it crossed the line. If I went there and started singing a song about a priest and an altar boy, no way they would've shown it on national tv!
Isn't this in the wrong section - "Arts and entertainment"? More like dumb arse stupidity really. The videos "available" all appear to have the sound turned down, which appears to be for the best. Sad to see the Youtube comments (yep, it's only a small cross section of the world) who appear to have pissed themselves, oh ha ha. :-\