Check out the monstrously racist Jim Tozzi (PFFR) art I received today

[alan nagsworth]

I actually forgot I ordered this, since the distributor took so fucking long to ship it over, but this morning I gratefully received a 7" record of three songs from the almighty PFFR. I was excited about this order, since it is a very limited release on square transparent vinyl, and it comes with a unique hand-drawn piece of art, as well as a 13"x19" poster. I think it was about £20 in total. A bargain for a big fan of the collective such as me.

So, the hand-drawn art is charming (but unremarkable), the vinyl looks cool (though I've not listened to it yet) and the "THANKS!" written on a page of the Necronomicon was a cute touch, but it's the poster to which I wish to draw your attention. I am of course aware of the deeply-embedded layers of scathing satire and even-deeper layers of wincing irony in the many works of PFFR, and I am as much a big fan of Jim Tozzi's individual artistic pursuits as I am anything else the gang have produced, but...

mate.



What the fuck is this? Call me a numbskull, but I see nothing in this image except flagrant, ugly racism. Literally the only type of "alternative" message I could possibly glean from this would be that it's a satirical depiction of ... well, of exactly what it is: flagrant, ugly racism. And as far as I can tell, there's absolutely no way that any kind of "Ha, are you offended? That's exactly what we wanted, you've played right into our hands" would ever excuse an image of this nature. It's fucking monstrous.

I can't see any reason for it to exist except to massage Tozzi's ego as a shock artist via him making absolutely zero effort to offend and then wringing his hands when it does. I'm as thick-skinned as the next dude and the only thing PFFR has made that's ever left me uncomfortable is Clarence the puppet being exploitative of the homeless guy on Wonder Showzen, but I'd be lying if I said this poster hadn't tarnished my otherwise unwavering love and respect for PFFR.

Fuck this thing.

[New Jack]

I can't see any reason for it to exist except to massage Tozzi's ego as a shock artist via him making absolutely zero effort to offend and then wringing his hands when it does.

It does seem to be entirely 'here's some shocking caricatures'. It's not a world away from some stuff in Wonder Showzen, eg the drawings of people in Celebrate our Differences, but this is quite a stark thing shorn free of any punchline, isn't it?

Perhaps you, somebody receiving it, are the punchline. Which isn't as good

[Avril Lavigne]

I have the same one, it's the 4 members of PFFR reduced to offensive caricatures based on each one's race.

[Obel]

Monstrous

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

I have the same one, it's the 4 members of PFFR reduced to offensive caricatures based on each one's race.

Yeah, I remember it from their website.

[Ant Farm Keyboard]

I have the same one, it's the 4 members of PFFR reduced to offensive caricatures based on each one's race.

If a guy named Tozzi draws a stereotypical Italian, it is a big clue that it must not be taken at face value.
It reminded me of an old sketch by The State, "The Jew, the Italian and the Redhead Gay."

[alan nagsworth]

I have the same one, it's the 4 members of PFFR reduced to offensive caricatures based on each one's race.

Oooh, fuck. Sufficient amount of egg on my face there, then.

[New Jack]

Ah, good, they're satirising themselves!!

Phew. I love PFFR (obviously not enough to recognise them here) and it can continue!

[Brundle-Fly]

I get the others but who is the old stylee black stereotype meant to represent? Reminds me of [banned troll]'s caricatures of CaB posters but not as well drawn.

[Chriddof]

I have the same one, it's the 4 members of PFFR reduced to offensive caricatures based on each one's race.

Seems pretty unwise to do that at this point in time. They may be laughing at themselves, but this kind of thing can so easily get bent out of recognition when it falls into certain people's hands, and also ends up encouraging the wrong people. Nothing exists in a vacuum.

I've never liked PFFR much. Something very cold and hipsterish about everything they do.

[Brundle-Fly]

Oooh, fuck. Sufficient amount of egg on my face there, then.

Not really. You could still be pissed off by this even if you realise it's self-satirisng etc. My Jewish mate's father switched off To Be Or Not To Be (1983) when it was on the telly some years ago saying he couldn't give two hoots if Mel Brooks is Jewish, the film still offended him deeply.

[slapasoldier]

I get the others but who is the old stylee black stereotype meant to represent? Reminds me of [redacted] caricatures of CaB posters but not as well drawn.

You're not supposed to say his name. It's bad luck. Just say "the Northampton cartoonist".

The none racist black guy in that cartoon wasn't a CaB poster by the way.

[Sexton Brackets Drugbust]

I get the others but who is the old stylee black stereotype meant to represent? Reminds me of [banned troll]'s caricatures of CaB posters but not as well drawn.

Vernon Chatman.

[Petey Pate]

That same drawing appeared with an online interview from last year.

https://www.thefader.com/2017/05/30/wonder-showzen-john-lee-vernon-chatman-interview-movie

[Brundle-Fly]

Vernon Chatman.

I had a cursory glance at one of his blurry photos and didn't click he was half African American.

[jonbob]

The ripping off nofx album titles us ironic?

[slapasoldier]

I'm as thick-skinned as the next dude and the only thing PFFR has made that's ever left me uncomfortable is Clarence the puppet being exploitative of the homeless guy on Wonder Showzen

Which bit? I haven't watched WS for years but I don't remember any homeless people being exploited. The idea that when you lose your house you automatically lose the ability to take a joke or be pranked is patronising and offensive. Most homeless people are extremely tough and resilient, they don't need white knights like you to protect them.

[Blumf]

Which bit? I haven't watched WS for years but I don't remember any homeless people being exploited.

Some of the Clarence bits, had them pestering some homeless people.

[rm2kmaster]

Oooh, fuck. Sufficient amount of egg on my face there, then.

Don't worry, i'm sure somewhere a minority is happy to have another white man defending their honor.

[alan nagsworth]

lol

[ajsmith2]

I (could be wrong) but I suspect that image dates from the last decade when such lulzy outrageousness would be taken as apolitical shock for shocks sake. No one with any power actually believes in these offensive stereotypes any more so lets bring them out and remind everyone how scary our very recent past really was.

PFFR are similar to Tim and Eric (as I was discussing on the MDE thread today in fact) in that their button pushing edgy comedy of the 00s was influential on the attitudes and aesthetic of budding alt right edgelords, despite the creators being right-on folks.

They don't (afaik) get grief from the alt right in the same way as Tim Heidecker as they're not so outspoken about their political views, but a quick scan through their blog reveals plenty of unironic anti-Trump stuff.

https://pffr.net/page/2/

Never took to Wonder Showzen (too mean spirited and pleased with itself for me) but I loved Xavier. I think it was cos it was so ludicrous and absurd as well as having all the edgy transgressive stuff that it really worked for me.

[Obel]

I (could be wrong) but I suspect that image dates from the last decade when such lulzy outrageousness would be taken as apolitical shock for shocks sake. No one with any power actually believes in these offensive stereotypes any more so lets bring them out and remind everyone how scary our very recent past really was.

Read the thread.

[ajsmith2]

Read the thread.

I did read the thread. I'm aware it's a self-caricature of PFFR if that's what I was supposed to be missing. I also read the 2017 article when it came out and first saw the image in question identified as such then. Not seen a date on when the image was created, the last decade thing was an assumption on my part and I admitted could be wrong. Just a hunch I've got.   However if I'm missing something else obvious please let me know what (that may come off as passive aggressive but it's not honestly: if you feel I missed something else key to the issue in my rashness to comment I would like to be informed and learn).

[Avril Lavigne]

Not seen a date on when the image was created, the last decade thing was an assumption on my part and I admitted could be wrong. Just a hunch I've got.

I got my copy of that artwork back when Wonder Showzen was relatively new so I think at least over a decade ago.

[Retinend]

They remind me of the art a certain Nick Bougas, who was the guy behind the very popular racist cartoons featured in Louis Theroux's documentary as well as being recently used as the avatars of twitter trolls.

This article (hands down the best I've ever read on Buzzfeed) goes into the reasons to believe that Bougas, alias "A. Wyatt Mann" was actually no more a racist than Robert Crumb is (that is, not deeply or simply), in spite of the art:
https://www.buzzfeednews.com/article/josephbernstein/the-surprisingly-mainstream-history-of-the-internets-favorit

As for Tozzi, I suppose that he was channeling some of the same punk energy: if it offends you, it's good for you.

[arpster]

attention seeking bollocks.....and i mean the thread not the art

[kittens]

attention seeking bollocks.....and i mean the thread not the art

nice!

[Penfold]

attention seeking bollocks.....and i mean the thread not the art

Now look at me, I made the effort to add an avatar!

Also all my recent musical and filmic queries have been answered to a 90% percent(age)

[Twed]

I think getting a chorus of presumably mostly white men to decide if this is racist or not might justify this satirically.

[slapasoldier]

I think getting a chorus of presumably mostly white men to decide if this is racist or not might justify this satirically.

This is true. You need a good grasp of history to understand racism and whites (especially men) are kept out of university because of racism, so they won't be educated well enough to adjudicate on this.

We need the opinion of privileged races (blacks, Asians etc) who are more likely to go to university to help us out here.