Japanese cell phone provider Emobile has pulled their latest ad amid accusations of racism. The ad (video below) which features a monkey in a suit adressing a crowd of cheering fans who hold up signs demanding change is obviously a reference to presidential candidate Barack Obama. And while it may be controversial, it’s hardly racist.
First of all, the monkey in question is a long established mascot for the company not some recent invention dreamt up to stick it to blacks. Secondly, there is nothing demeaning in the ad. On the contrary, the whole point of the commercial is that everyone loves the monkey (and who wouldn’t with a deal like that). And besides, it’s completely understandable that they would be unaware of this uniquely Western faux pas, as Japanese culture reveres the monkey.
And why is no one complaining about similarly questionable American commercials. For instance, a new ad for Johnsonville Bratwurst shows a white man at a BBQ offering a black man chicken to which he responds “Do I look like a chicken guy?” Maybe it’s just because the Japanese ad is in… well Japanese. And people are assuming that narrator’s say bad things about them.
Regardless, people need to lighten up and not be so sensitive. Saying certain things are off limits reeks of fascism. I mean is bondage porn, which can include whips and chains (so I’m told), off limits to blacks because it conjures up images of slave days for some people. Frankly if being turned on by pornstar Jada Fire getting hosed down while suspended in midair (movie clips) is wrong, I don’t wanna be right.
