Tuesday, August 5, 2008

Is this ad racist or just annoying?


"More Flags, More Fun" may mean "More Outrage" for Six Flags over the amusement park chain's summer ad campaign featuring a screaming, thickly-accented young Asian man.

The commercials, which have been airing nationally for months, are being called offensive, or worse, racist.

"It's a pretty offensive ad, not only because of the thick accent, but also because someone is screaming at you," said Margaret Fung, executive director of New York's Asian American Legal Defense and Education Fund.


'Six Flags' commercials get thumbs down from Asian Americans

The organization will be contacting other activist groups as it considers taking action against Six Flags, Fung said. The organization has received several e-mail complaints about the ads, she added.

Six Flags did not respond to repeated requests for comment. The campaign seems to be a riff on Japanese game shows or commercials featuring pop-up, hyper salesmen.

The commercials are certainly obnoxious, but not racist, said Democratic City Councilman John Liu, who represents Flushing, a neighborhood with a large Asian population.

"I'm frankly annoyed by it," Liu said. "It's more than a bit annoying. But I'm not sure if I see a racist component in it. I haven't received any complaints about it."

19 comments:

georgetheatheist said...

Is he even Asian?

The screaming face in the ad seems to me to be of possible Asian-Caucasian interbreeding. His eyes' epicanthic folds seem to be diminished or missing.

Although the Charlie Chan accent is pretty good. No? [R.I.P. SWEDISH-born actor Warner Oland.]

Anonymous said...

Liu has his, so all other Asians can now go screw themselves.

Time to dump Liu.

Anonymous said...

I wouldnt call it racist but it is borderline and definatly not politically correct.
I wondered if I would be offended if it were my own ethnic group but the Sopranos and Goodfella's never bothered me too much....well maybe just a little.

Anonymous said...

Margaret Fung and John Liu must not have much going on in their lives if they find this ad offensive. With the economy in the toilet, housing market tanking, layoffs, Iraq, etc. etc., this is their primary concern?

If the guy in the ad spoke English like an upper crust member of the British Parliament, these clowns Liu and Fung would find something "racist" in that also.

Anonymous said...

No, they would complain that there are no Asians in Six Flags commercials.

Anonymous said...

Can these advocates get a life?

Anonymous said...

I'm sure there's something worthwhile that these advocates can fight.

Why weren't they screaming elder abuse during the old man commercials?

Don't like it, hit the mute button or change the channel.

Stop being a pussy and do some REAL work

Anonymous said...

Let me get this straight, whenever someone appears in a commercial and speaks with an accent, it can be labeled racist?

Great news!!!

Attention all immigrants, lose the accent and learn to speak English perfectly.

Anonymous said...

I think they're good ads, much better than that clown/old man shakedancing to corny carnival music Six Flags aired over the past 2 or 3 summers.

And making the sound effect of a punch followed by "One flag!" is a great way to heckle a standup comedian right after s/he tells a lame joke.

Anonymous said...

I kinda miss the old man dancing..But I think "Get a life" pretty much covers it.

Unknown said...

I don't remember any senior groups complaining when the old man did the commercials. Take it in context, its a fun commercial meant to sell a product. Its did its job, people remember it.

Anonymous said...

I'm Asian-American and I never even thought of this ad as being racist. In fact, when I first saw it, I thought "wow, they're actually using an Asian guy in an ad and he's not playing a stereotyped character." Quite honestly, I do find the ad offensive - not because I think it's racist but because I think it's downright STUPID and annoying. They should go back to Mr. Six. As for the purported "broken English" and "accent", I think people are analyzing the ad too much. He doesn't say "frags", he clearly says "flags" and the "broken English" comes from the fact that the lines are fragments to begin with. For the record, the actor playing the disembodied head is Yutaka Takeuchi and apparently these wacko characters are part of his schtick. If there is an accent, it's because Takeuchi is from Japan originally.

Anonymous said...

ad is NOT racist, just stupid

Anonymous said...

6 Flaggs SUCKS its so crowded it takes 45 minutes to get on the average ride.

You also think your in Puerto Rico. You could walk the park for 10 munutes and not hear one person speaking English. Lots of greasy dirty kids in tow by pregnant females if you get my drift.
The 7 train is a better deal at $2.

...I didnt see many Asians, they are to smart to go there and throw away money

Anonymous said...

Racism is nothing even close to this gay ad. I know racism when I see one. I'm a Korean-American who lived in New York for the past 20 years and this is BS! All the asians who feel that this ad is racist has to either get laid or do some drugs. GET A FRICKING LIFE!! It's not even borderline racist. So whenever some company or individual puts something on the tube or online and get weepy eyed suck it up man. Grow some fricking balls. This country is getting to damn sensitive compared to the past. Liu is Chinese-American. I seriously couldn't give 1 cent about what he thinks of the commercial but yes I agree with him. I would smack any Asian guy who yelled like that in the front of me. GET A LIFE PEOPLE!!!

Anonymous said...

Let's protest something real, like when Avella leads the rallies against the cartoon "Shark's Tale," b/c of its sterotypical portrayals of Italian aquatic animals or when the Church protests "The Last Temptation of Christ."

Anonymous said...

I'm a Sidney Toler played Charlie Chan fan myself.

Anonymous said...

Bah "Fung"ool....always griping.

Bad taste probably.... but anti Asian?

C'mon, get a life Maggie Fung!

Even Liu (in lieu of a real brain) knows better.

faster340 said...

WTF? I never got that feeling from that commercial!

Wow I can't believe how people try to make something of nothing...

Truly pathetic.