Mamma mia!
August 31, 2010 6:27 AM Subscribe
I'm looking for cartoonish, over-the-top, good-humored portrayals of ethnic and other stereotypes.
When I say "good-humored", I mean nothing derogatory, and nothing that takes the stereotype seriously as a realistic depiction of an entire group of people. More like the stereotypical characters in The Simpsons (but I've seen more than enough Simpsons for one lifetime, so please no examples from that show).
Basically, I'm looking for stock characters for whom the formula is so well-developed that it's instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up within a stone's throw of Western media—but presented with a wink, not out of lazy or incompetent writing.
Examples:
This is just a casual interest—I simply find these kinds of things immensely entertaining—so things I can view online are best. (I do have Netflix.)
When I say "good-humored", I mean nothing derogatory, and nothing that takes the stereotype seriously as a realistic depiction of an entire group of people. More like the stereotypical characters in The Simpsons (but I've seen more than enough Simpsons for one lifetime, so please no examples from that show).
Basically, I'm looking for stock characters for whom the formula is so well-developed that it's instantly recognizable to anyone who grew up within a stone's throw of Western media—but presented with a wink, not out of lazy or incompetent writing.
Examples:
- The Italian chef in an apron and toque, who constantly exclaims "Mamma mia!" and sees the entire world in terms of spaghetti.
- The nagging Jewish-American mother, forever intruding on the affairs of her offspring and bemoaning their ungratefulness for her sacrifices.
- The Mexican bandito with poncho, gunbelts and sombrero, who always enters with a flourish of Spanish guitar.
- The gold-crazed Old West prospector, with grubby coveralls, threadbare hat, and unruly beard.
- The swaggering cowboy who "reckons" in a heavy twang and tips his hat to all the pretty women.
- The wise Chinaman, who responds to questions with a knowing smile and a proverb from the ancient sages.
This is just a casual interest—I simply find these kinds of things immensely entertaining—so things I can view online are best. (I do have Netflix.)
Speaking as an Italian, I can tell you that the stereotypes your present are, actually, lazy and incompetent writing.
posted by lydhre at 6:35 AM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
posted by lydhre at 6:35 AM on August 31, 2010 [2 favorites]
Terry Thomas's "Oh I say" silly-ass Englishman?
posted by Decani at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
posted by Decani at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
Don't forget Warner bros. characters: Speedy Gonzalez or Pepe Le Pew.
posted by vacapinta at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by vacapinta at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010
You, not your. And to add, I'm not sure you understand just how annoying and demeaning some of these stereotypes can be. They're funny to you, sure, but I'm not sure they're funny to "the wise Chinaman".
posted by lydhre at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010 [7 favorites]
posted by lydhre at 6:38 AM on August 31, 2010 [7 favorites]
Response by poster: lydhre: that's why I specifically asked for examples that implicitly acknowledge the absurdity of the stereotype.
posted by ixohoxi at 6:41 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by ixohoxi at 6:41 AM on August 31, 2010
Beattie Bellman from the iconic 1980s British Telecom adverts.
posted by MuffinMan at 7:03 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by MuffinMan at 7:03 AM on August 31, 2010
Try stereotypes played to by those within the group - the sketch-show Goodness Gracious Me, for example, had British Asians riffing on stereotypes.
Terry-Thomas isn't really a stereotype of Englishmen, more of the 1940s cad. For a very British stereotype I'd say Ali G. A good portrayal of the white Essex guy in thrall to black youth culture without quite getting it.
posted by mippy at 7:09 AM on August 31, 2010
Terry-Thomas isn't really a stereotype of Englishmen, more of the 1940s cad. For a very British stereotype I'd say Ali G. A good portrayal of the white Essex guy in thrall to black youth culture without quite getting it.
posted by mippy at 7:09 AM on August 31, 2010
Wallace and Grommit.
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:23 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by BobbyDigital at 7:23 AM on August 31, 2010
The Irish cop in, well, just about everything. A specific example might be Officer O'Hara from the 1960s Batman TV show.
posted by bondcliff at 7:27 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by bondcliff at 7:27 AM on August 31, 2010
Chico Marx in every Marx Bros. movie is a stereotypical Italian. He is supposed to be a moron, but it's still an affectionate caricature.
posted by John Cohen at 7:29 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by John Cohen at 7:29 AM on August 31, 2010
Um, Sambo would fall well under the 'offensive' label.
How about the Lilt ladies?
posted by mippy at 8:11 AM on August 31, 2010
How about the Lilt ladies?
posted by mippy at 8:11 AM on August 31, 2010
Mind Your Language is exactly what you want. Lots of YouTube links available.
posted by asymptotic at 8:23 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by asymptotic at 8:23 AM on August 31, 2010
Umm, have you seen True Blood? Vampires aside, that's about as satirical a look at Southern US culture as you will ever see. Sometimes subtle, often not, but stereotypes abound. And in case you were confused, True Blood is a comedy, just a very dark and very violent one.
posted by elendil71 at 8:39 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by elendil71 at 8:39 AM on August 31, 2010
Um, Sambo would fall well under the 'offensive' label.
That was my point, yes.
posted by kmz at 8:45 AM on August 31, 2010
That was my point, yes.
posted by kmz at 8:45 AM on August 31, 2010
Al Murray, the Pub Landlord is an amusing character, riffing on white, male, English, lower middle-class stereotypes (and often subtly subverting them). It's particularly funny because the comedian himself is the son of a Lieutenant Colonel, attended a public school and graduated from Oxford.
posted by Happy Dave at 9:05 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by Happy Dave at 9:05 AM on August 31, 2010
I saw the "Arabs" in Team America to be "this stereotype is so absurd" stereotypes, eg, saying "durka durka" instead of speaking Arabic, and allowing their agent to go completely and convincingly "under cover" by putting a literal towel on his head, painting his skin brown, and saying "durka durka." I took this to be making fun of us (Westerners) and our stereotypes.
The Korean characters in the movie, however, I think were being genuinely made fun of at their expense instead of at ours.
posted by thebazilist at 9:28 AM on August 31, 2010
The Korean characters in the movie, however, I think were being genuinely made fun of at their expense instead of at ours.
posted by thebazilist at 9:28 AM on August 31, 2010
There was a cartoon on Comedy Central for a while called Drawn Together which makes fun of reality shows, stereotypical cartoon characters, racial stereotypes, gender stereotypes, etc. while also poking fun at the people who believe in those negative stereotypes. It can be completely ridiculous and offensive, though I think the intent was not to offend but to make fun of... well, everything, really. Plus something explodes in every episode! Everyone wins. (All three seasons are on Netflix Instant.)
posted by bedhead at 9:31 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by bedhead at 9:31 AM on August 31, 2010
In Cannibal: the Musical, a student film by Trey Parker and Matt Stone, the indians all live in teepees and wear war bonnets, but are Japanese and speak in a stereo typically Japanese fashion. I don't know hoe much more integral the absurdity can get.
The reckoning cowboy exists, though.
posted by cmoj at 9:54 AM on August 31, 2010
The reckoning cowboy exists, though.
posted by cmoj at 9:54 AM on August 31, 2010
Jeeves & Wooster is a BBC television series based on the Jeeves novels by PG Wodehouse. Although it was written for a British audience, Bernie Wooster is the classic stereotyple of the brainless (but good-natured) upper class British twit and Jeeves the imperturbable, frighteningly competent help.
posted by Ladysin at 10:03 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by Ladysin at 10:03 AM on August 31, 2010
Clouseau's butler Kato in the first few Pink Panther movies.
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:33 PM on August 31
Heh. I can't believe this was the first reply and nobody, including me, said.. "Oh yeah, and Clouseau"!
posted by Decani at 10:35 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by turgid dahlia at 2:33 PM on August 31
Heh. I can't believe this was the first reply and nobody, including me, said.. "Oh yeah, and Clouseau"!
posted by Decani at 10:35 AM on August 31, 2010
Woody Allen, as the neurotic New York Jew in most of his films starring himself.
Charlie Chan in the old Charlie Chan films was treated with a surprising amount of respect w/r/t his abilities as a detective.
Bart in Blazing Saddles as the suave, street-smart black guy (amplified by being way out of his time and culture.)
posted by griphus at 10:46 AM on August 31, 2010
Charlie Chan in the old Charlie Chan films was treated with a surprising amount of respect w/r/t his abilities as a detective.
Bart in Blazing Saddles as the suave, street-smart black guy (amplified by being way out of his time and culture.)
posted by griphus at 10:46 AM on August 31, 2010
(Oh, and Dave Chapelle's Achoo in Robin Hood: Men in Tights in pretty much the same role as Bart in Blazing Saddles, except in Medieval England instead of the Old West.)
posted by griphus at 10:47 AM on August 31, 2010
posted by griphus at 10:47 AM on August 31, 2010
The stereotype that immediately came to mind when reading the question was El Guapo, the Mexican outlaw from The Three Amigos (although now that I think about it, the villagers in that movie were stereotypes as well, though not as cartoonish).
See also Blazing Saddles, for cartoon stereotypes of everyone BUT the black man.
They're funny to you, sure, but I'm not sure they're funny to "the wise Chinaman".
This is often shocking to perpetually offended middle-class white people, but some minority people have a sense of humor when it comes to stereotypes that they've long-since overcome. Some have even suggested that laughing at stereotypes robs them of their power. Perhaps you've seen some black, Asian, and Jewish comedians, for example.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:23 PM on August 31, 2010
See also Blazing Saddles, for cartoon stereotypes of everyone BUT the black man.
They're funny to you, sure, but I'm not sure they're funny to "the wise Chinaman".
This is often shocking to perpetually offended middle-class white people, but some minority people have a sense of humor when it comes to stereotypes that they've long-since overcome. Some have even suggested that laughing at stereotypes robs them of their power. Perhaps you've seen some black, Asian, and Jewish comedians, for example.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:23 PM on August 31, 2010
Bart in Blazing Saddles as the suave, street-smart black guy (amplified by being way out of his time and culture.)
Hey, you're right - he was stereotypical, just not of the time represented.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:27 PM on August 31, 2010
Hey, you're right - he was stereotypical, just not of the time represented.
posted by coolguymichael at 12:27 PM on August 31, 2010
Although it was written for a British audience, Bernie Wooster is the classic stereotyple of the brainless (but good-natured) upper class British twit and Jeeves the imperturbable, frighteningly competent help.
Yes, but it was written in the 20s/30s. Only a tiny minority of British people were like that then and less so now. Though I spose that's the same of the Old West prospector.
The Pub Landlord is a great example.
posted by mippy at 2:38 PM on August 31, 2010
Yes, but it was written in the 20s/30s. Only a tiny minority of British people were like that then and less so now. Though I spose that's the same of the Old West prospector.
The Pub Landlord is a great example.
posted by mippy at 2:38 PM on August 31, 2010
I immediately thought of PJ O'Rourke's "A Brief Survey of the Various Foreigners, Their Chief Characteristics, Customs, and Manners".
posted by neuron at 5:07 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by neuron at 5:07 PM on August 31, 2010
Mod note: folks, it would be GREAT if we could not debate the merits of these stereotypes which, by definition, will bother some people and seem "true" to others, please stick to answering the question with metatalk and email as your options.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:28 PM on August 31, 2010
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 5:28 PM on August 31, 2010
Neil Simon's mid-70s mystery farce, Murder by Death, is full of self-aware stereotypes. (Am I correct? You want stereotypes that are nevertheless shown as real people, who know how they are seen by others?)
This includes:
-Peter Sellers as a parody of Charlie Chan, and Richard Narita as his adopted son.
-David Niven and Maggie Smith as upper-crust toffs based on Nick and Nora Charles.
-Elsa Lanchester spoofing Miss Marple as the tweed-wearing other side of that crust.
-Alec Guinness as a visually-impaired butler, and Nancy Walker as a hearing-impaired cook.
You'll find subtle bits in there such as the Chinese father/Japanese son who aren't recognized as different heritages by white characters, and a Belgian detective/French valet both seen as French.
Everybody in the film is a stereotype, some racist, some ableist, some classist, some sexist, and each actor plays their character for laughs, but as a full person who reacts to how others treat them in a more-or-less realistic fashion (well, as far as over a dozen parody characters in a ninety minute plot comedy can do it).
A more cautious recommendation might be Hattie McDaniel's Oscar-winning performance as the slave woman Mammy in Gone With The Wind (1939). This may not be quite what you want. Yes, the "mammy" stereotype is shown, and yes, McDaniel plays her with full knowledge of this (asked how she felt about typical roles for black women at the time, McDaniel said she'd rather play a maid than be a maid) but the material, written by white people adapting another white person's book, is limited in scope as far as the character's own self-awareness.
posted by Sallyfur at 7:20 PM on August 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
This includes:
-Peter Sellers as a parody of Charlie Chan, and Richard Narita as his adopted son.
-David Niven and Maggie Smith as upper-crust toffs based on Nick and Nora Charles.
-Elsa Lanchester spoofing Miss Marple as the tweed-wearing other side of that crust.
-Alec Guinness as a visually-impaired butler, and Nancy Walker as a hearing-impaired cook.
You'll find subtle bits in there such as the Chinese father/Japanese son who aren't recognized as different heritages by white characters, and a Belgian detective/French valet both seen as French.
Everybody in the film is a stereotype, some racist, some ableist, some classist, some sexist, and each actor plays their character for laughs, but as a full person who reacts to how others treat them in a more-or-less realistic fashion (well, as far as over a dozen parody characters in a ninety minute plot comedy can do it).
A more cautious recommendation might be Hattie McDaniel's Oscar-winning performance as the slave woman Mammy in Gone With The Wind (1939). This may not be quite what you want. Yes, the "mammy" stereotype is shown, and yes, McDaniel plays her with full knowledge of this (asked how she felt about typical roles for black women at the time, McDaniel said she'd rather play a maid than be a maid) but the material, written by white people adapting another white person's book, is limited in scope as far as the character's own self-awareness.
posted by Sallyfur at 7:20 PM on August 31, 2010 [1 favorite]
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posted by turgid dahlia at 6:33 AM on August 31, 2010