Were any “white girls” harmed during the making of this joke?
This is the 2nd year that they’ve done this (that I’m aware of). APT is actually my favorite dance spot in NYC–not-trendy, more of a house party feel than a club feel. But alas…
So glad they clarified that I too could bring a white girl of my choice and reap the savings. For a minute, I was about to get an attitude and do that neck-rolling thing we black girls like to do.
Racial humor is sticky. Who gets to joke about what, and in front of whom? Dawn (who is a white girl) blogged recently about Stuff White People Like, and of course at least one commenter cried “Racism!” and asked how we’d like it if there were similar sites about black people. I responded that I would consider such sites passe (imagine an accent over that “e”), not necessarily offensive, because every black comedian in the world has used that schtick.
But “white people” humor by white people is newer by comparison, and to date, I’ve not heard anyone express offense. The selection of comments I read at “Stuff White People Like” were mostly white people agreeing and “embracing their whiteness.”
Racial humor/satire/performance art is rife with all kinds of grey areas, but that doesn’t discourage me from it in general. I take each joke as it comes. Or not.
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Damali Ayo’s Rent-a-Negro (she also panhandles for reparations as performance art (taking from whites, issuing receipts for tax purposes, and giving to blacks on the spot)
(image spotted at Crunk & Disorderly)
February 13th, 2008 at 12:03 pm
Ho-hum…
Maybe I’ve become desensitized to things like this, but I’m just not as bothered by them as I used to be not that long ago. Now all they get from me is a simple, “eh…” and maybe a slight shake of my head, and I move on. I’m not really sure what the organizers of the event are hoping to accomplish, other than maybe stir up a little controversy to help generate some publicity for the event, and make a few extra dollars in the process. So, once again, it’s all about the green stuff. However, I do wonder about the double standard… what if a similar event organized by white men was marketed as “bring a black girl night?” I doubt that they’ll get away with it completely unscathed.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:29 pm
@ TAO:
Yeah, it got an eyeroll from me.
Speaking of double standards, APT also planned to host Light Skin Libra Birthday Bash, but Internet backlash got it canceled.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071012/METRO/710120405
February 13th, 2008 at 12:30 pm
Oops…that would be Club APT in Detroit. I’m detecting a theme…
February 13th, 2008 at 12:54 pm
I’m non-plussed by … maybe because I don’t live in Detroit and I wouldn’t go to this thing even if I had the money.
February 13th, 2008 at 12:59 pm
@ Chris
Two clubs, one in NYC, one in Detroit, but apparently part of a chain.
February 13th, 2008 at 2:56 pm
Yeah I just had the update on that … still though … I can’t see myself being involved in that foolywang!