Only in Australia. . .

. . . could a group of guys go on television in blackface and subsequently argue that the skit didn't have any racial implications - the logic being that if the perpetrators don't find it offensive, then it's not (and hey - they did it back in '89 and people loved it. . .). Given Australia's own humble origin, I'd think its people would be more sympathetic to culturally sensitive issues. However, it seems that approximately 75% of the population didn't see anything particularly racist about this shtick. Fair enough - it probably wasn't intended to be racist - yet it still managed to offend nonetheless, and anyone with 75% of a brain could have seen that coming. Australia continues to have an image problem in this department. Just when the tourism boards make progress in branding the nation as a friendly, open and diverse environment, some clowns step-up and do something stupid.

Whitewashing

Two and one-half years ago, I voiced my concerns about the marked lack of diversity within Australian media right here at BP.com. At long last, the issue has gotten a bit of an airing, with this article in The Age.

A pale limitation
Melinda Houston
March 29, 2009

"IS AUSTRALIAN television really "hideously white"? Last year Britain's racial equality chief Trevor Phillips initiated an inquiry into racial depictions on television, and summed up Britain's television diet in those two pithy words.

What's slightly embarrassing for us down under is that two of the programs singled out for criticism by English viewers were [Australia's] Neighbours and Home and Away. Even from the other side of the world they couldn't quite swallow a Summer Bay denuded of non-Anglos." continues

Kath and Kim Go to Hollywood

The iconic Australian TV series Kath & Kim is being remade for the United States, with Selma Blair and Molly Shannon in the leads. As with many other comedies born overseas and redeveloped for yanks, I'm not sure how this will translate(although there's certainly not shortage of suburban living in the US), and this guy has his doubts as well.