Clip from Talking Funny suddenly causes Twitter storm

[up_the_hampipe]

For some reason, a clip from HBO's one-off discussion thing Talking Funny with Chris Rock, Louis CK, Jerry Seinfeld and Ricky Gervais has suddenly gone viral for all the wrong reasons on Twitter https://twitter.com/search?q=%22Chris%20Rock%22&src=tren. Chris Rock is getting huge amounts of flack for allowing Louis CK to use the N-word.

I can see why some would be upset, but this is very random to be causing such a fuss out of the blue 7 years later. Was Chris Rock set to host the Oscars or something?

[Large Noise]

Louis CK is obviously doing a callback to Chris Rock's famous 'n-words vs black people' bit, and then his own bit about how saying "the N word" is the same as saying "n****r" but refusing to take responsibility for it. Not that you'd expect the comedy scholars who've just found out about this tv show from 2011 or whatever to know that.

I mean, you can absolutely still criticise them for using the word, and there's a good argument that the old Chris Rock bit is in itself racist. But I also subscribe to the argument that comedy is an art form and you've got to understand what you're looking at before you to start critiquing it. It's too easy to take comedy that deals with offensive ideas out of context and act like they're promoting (in this instance) racism as opposed to what they're really doing; discussing famous routines of theirs that deal with a taboo word. 

[BritishHobo]

I was going to say, CK's happily used it on stage before, right? And while it was afterwards, Gervais couldn't get enough of banging on about the bit in the Brent film where he keeps saying it to Doc Brown. Neither of them particularly seem like people who'd require anyone's approval before using it - I'm sure Gervais could (and has) fill pages with his justification for why using the word in that scene is such a brilliant and complex and necessary thing to do.

[lankyguy95]

I mean, you can absolutely still criticise them for using the word, and there's a good argument that the old Chris Rock bit is in itself racist. But I also subscribe to the argument that comedy is an art form and you've got to understand what you're looking at before you to start critiquing it. It's too easy to take comedy that deals with offensive ideas out of context and act like they're promoting (in this instance) racism as opposed to what they're really doing; discussing famous routine,s of theirs that deal with a taboo word.

Pretty much. Feeling uncomfortable about it is one thing - I've always thought Rock looked uncomfortable with it despite joining in with Louis CK, and obviously Seinfeld wanted nothing to do with it.

But I don't think you can say they're promoting racism. It seems the main complaint there isn't that Rock uses it but that he lets Louis CK use it because "white people shouldn't have permission to say it". I understand that and would almost agree with it up to a point (there are technical reasons why that's not 100% sustainable although the basic idea that you shouldn't go bandying around such historically offensive and abhorrent words shouldn't need explaining or justifying). This seems reductionist though - 'black man lets white man get away with saying word and another white man joins in' - that's not a fair representation of it and cuts all context of Rock's routine, CK's routine and the long held tradition of comedians dealing with dark and potentially offensive subjects.

[cliggg]

Wait until all those upset people hear this! This will really piss people off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rCHGr4JoEZE

[checkoutgirl]

the main complaint there isn't that Rock uses it but that he lets Louis CK use it because "white people shouldn't have permission to say it"

Traditionally CK always said he's Mexican which means he can use ethnic slurs.

[Thursday]

Weird... can't wait until twitter discovers Ricky Gervais meets Garry Shandling.

More importantly though, (as some have pointed out) Chris Rock is getting criticised for Louis C.K using the word. Great wokeness guys.

[St_Eddie]

All I know, is that saying "the N word" is utterly ridiculous.  Just say n**ger, for pity's sake.  It's all dependent on context.  For example; people who use the word n**ger as an insult towards black people are massive fucking cunts.  "Oh no, I just said the word 'n**ger', even though I was being derogatory towards racism.  Oh, woe is me.".

We're not in kindergarten.  Simply saying 'n**ger' doesn't automatically make you a racist.  There's no need to be saying "the N word", like a scared little child.  We're all adults.  Or at least I hope that we are.

[Thursday]

Why would you do that?

[up_the_hampipe]

This outrage is still going strong, and I haven't seen anyone trying to put the fire out. This whole thing is very bizarre, as Talking Funny was a well known show that lots of people saw, and that moment never caused a ripple. Not just that but, as mentioned, Louis has been recorded using the N word on stage and elsewhere loads of times, and he has been good friends with Chris Rock for many many years, so even without that clip it's safe to assume Rock never really protested to Louis using that word. Comedians are in real trouble if they're going to keep digging this stuff up.

[lankyguy95]

I hope they don't apologise. It validates the people who go back and bring anything up if apologies are continually issued for all of these things.

[Paulie Walnuts]

We are on an inexorable slide to a tepid, bland future where no-one dare speak outside of the boundaries defined by the horrific cunts that inhabit social media, and the (let's be honest) left/progressive leaning media like Huffington Post

That clip (Gervais desperately trying to get involved with the cool kids aside) is very funny, as was the whole show - again, Gervais notwithstanding

Let's face it, the clashing of the New York comedy cellar comics, the O&A/Stern crowd, and the appalling cunts that are policing culture from their Twitter dashboards was always going to end in tears

But who could've predicted it would be the lefties that would turn out to be the pearl clutching, Mary Whitehouse's of the social media age? Perhaps the old labels just don't work anymore, and we need a new set of definitions

[Cuellar]

Damnit I was hoping it was Ricky Gervais going for a high five then realising no one was going to high five him so styling it out as a hearty thigh slap

[Funcrusher]

I've never been that keen on the phrase 'virtue signalling', as I don't think it really captures quite what's going on, but it does describe a phenomenon that exists, of which this is an example.

[Thursday]

We are on an inexorable slide to a tepid, bland future where no-one dare speak outside of the boundaries defined by the horrific cunts that inhabit social media, and the (let's be honest) left/progressive leaning media like Huffington Post

That clip (Gervais desperately trying to get involved with the cool kids aside) is very funny, as was the whole show - again, Gervais notwithstanding

Let's face it, the clashing of the New York comedy cellar comics, the O&A/Stern crowd, and the appalling cunts that are policing culture from their Twitter dashboards was always going to end in tears

But who could've predicted it would be the lefties that would turn out to be the pearl clutching, Mary Whitehouse's of the social media age? Perhaps the old labels just don't work anymore, and we need a new set of definitions

Why are you still here?

[BlodwynPig]

He's partly right, the person of, as yet, unidentified ethnic and cultural origin

[Cloud]

In fairness, as uncomfortable as I am getting with PC outrage culture dredging up stuff from the past (good tweet in one of the responses "Twitter is just full of digital archaeologists looking to find stuff to be offended about."), most of the profiles in that search appear to be non-white.  So at least it's not just a bunch of white people getting offended on their behalf (virtue signalling)

[BlodwynPig]

Mummers?

Minstrels?

[Weeping Prophet]

All I know, is that saying "the N word" is utterly ridiculous.  Just say n**ger, for pity's sake.  It's all dependent on context.  For example; people who use the word n**ger as an insult towards black people are massive fucking cunts.  "Oh no, I just said the word 'n**ger', even though I was being derogatory towards racism.  Oh, woe is me.".

We're not in kindergarten.  Simply saying 'n**ger' doesn't automatically make you a racist.  There's no need to be saying "the N word", like a scared little child.  We're all adults.  Or at least I hope that we are.

Yes, I've heard that Louis CK bit too.

[Weeping Prophet]

When this show came out, there was a trailer that showed Seinfeld telling one of Louis CK's jokes, and for some reason all the YouTube commentators assumed Seinfeld was ripping off CK's material right in front of him without acknowledging it and Louis too polite to point it out. That is to say, this show is a mine-field of clips to be taken out of context.

That being said, Louis is a Cellar comic who slowly and meticulously found mainstream approval by walking a delicate tightrope. Now that he's off his mantle and all the good will has been sapped, people are going to look at this stuff differently.

[Sin Agog]

And now the alt-right has made another clip viral in retaliation: Racist comedian Christopher Rock fails to return Richard Gervais' high-five because he's afraid of contracting 'white-people cooties.'

[up_the_hampipe]

Pretty much. Feeling uncomfortable about it is one thing - I've always thought Rock looked uncomfortable with it despite joining in with Louis CK, and obviously Seinfeld wanted nothing to do with it.

I think saying Rock was uncomfortable with it is reading too much into the clip in the context of the outrage. Rock always sounded like a guy who would let the N word pass if it was a funny joke or he trusted the person saying it, he cares about comedy a lot.

There's a story about when Zach Galifianakis first met Chris Rock. Rock, Louis and Zach were performing at some big arena. While Chris was on stage, Louis and Zach were texting each other as they were separated at the venue. Rock was doing a looooong routine about how white people should never say the N word, to which Zach texted Louis "when's this n**ger going to get off the stage?". Louis showed Rock the text and he found it so funny that he asked to meet Zach.

[St_Eddie]

Yes, I've heard that Louis CK bit too.

Nope.  Sorry, I don't like Louis CK and am unaware of the "bit" to which you refer.  The opinion of which you quoted was my own.  Better luck next time.

[Weeping Prophet]

Nope.  Sorry, I don't like Louis CK and am unaware of the "bit" to which you refer.  The opinion of which you quoted was my own.  Better luck next time.

It's just that this is a funny place to unknowingly repeat a Louis CK bit while sapping it of any humor.

[Johnny Yesno]

All I know, is that saying "the N word" is utterly ridiculous.  Just say n**ger, for pity's sake.  It's all dependent on context.  For example; people who use the word n**ger as an insult towards black people are massive fucking cunts.  "Oh no, I just said the word 'n**ger', even though I was being derogatory towards racism.  Oh, woe is me.".

We're not in kindergarten.  Simply saying 'n**ger' doesn't automatically make you a racist.  There's no need to be saying "the N word", like a scared little child.  We're all adults.  Or at least I hope that we are.

One poster here mentioned that they feel threatened by the n-word because of its association with threatening behaviour. Avoiding saying the word does have an impact on them. Please bear that in mind when you're talking about 'kindergarten'.

[St_Eddie]

It's just that this is a funny place to unknowingly repeat a Louis CK bit while sapping it of any humor.

I wasn't trying to be funny.  I was expressing an opinion.  If that doesn't meet your approval, then I shall duly commit harikari.

One poster here mentioned that they feel threatened by the word because of its association with threatening behaviour. Avoiding saying the word does have an impact on them. Please bear that in mind when you're talking about 'kindergarten'.

I'm not going to walk on eggshells, in fear of upsetting one particular person.  I presume that they're an adult and as such, I'm sure that they can cope with using their eyes to read a six letter word.  Using the term "the N word" is kindergarten level nonsense, in my opinion.  Words are only hurtful, if said in a hateful way.  Otherwise it's just a sound.  Context is everything.

[up_the_hampipe]

Chris Rock is currently the top trend, above Christmas, on twitter.

Seems entirely unacceptable for black people to call Chris Rock a "coon" out of anger for allowing a white guy to say "n**ger" in jest. But apparently that's fair game in twitter wars.

[St_Eddie]

...apparently that's fair game in twitter wars.

You know what they say; all's fair in love and twitter wars.  Actually, no, only a twat would say that (i.e. me).

[Johnny Yesno]

I'm not going to walk on eggshells, in fear of upsetting one particular person.  I presume that they're an adult and as such, I'm sure that they can cope with using their eyes to read a six letter word.  Using the term "the N word" is kindergarten level nonsense, in my opinion.  Words are only hurtful, if said in a hateful way.  Otherwise it's just a sound.  Context is everything.

It's not about 'walking on eggshells', it's about showing a bit of sensitivity. They are an adult and a lifetime of the word being associated with threat means it causes them an involuntary fear response. I'm loath to draw attention to the poster in question, but they did make a specific request for people not to use the n-word.

[St_Eddie]

It's not about 'walking on eggshells', it's about showing a bit of sensitivity. They are an adult and a lifetime of the word being associated with threat means it causes them an involuntary fear response. I'm loath to draw attention to the poster in question, but they did make a specific request for people not to use the n-word.

So if I demand that people not say the word 'biscuit' because I had a McVitie's related tragedy as a child, does that means that everyone must oblige and say "the B word"?

Okay, admittedly that's not really comparable, so how about if I were to say that I find the word 'poof' offensive, does that mean that people must stop saying it?  Magicians will be fucked, mate.