Concert by comedian Ralphie May canceled over racist Native American jokes from previous show - Polidicks

[QUOTE] BEMIDJI -- A comedy show scheduled for Saturday at the Sanford Center was officially canceled this afternoon, despite a plea from the comedian, Ralphie May, to keep the act on the schedule with proceeds going to charity. May posted a YouTube video overnight apologizing for remarks about Native Americans that he says were taken out of context. [/QUOTE] [QUOTE]In a 44-second audio clip from one of May's shows posted to YouTube on Tuesday, the comedian used harsh language in describing Native Americans as "a bunch of alcoholics" who have "never made it to the Bronze Age." "My comedy was taken out of context when I was talking about Native Americans. It was overedited, illegally used and recorded, and they left out the punch line," May said in his video response. "In their editing, they used my voice to inflict pain on people, innocent people, and for that I'm sorry. You didn't deserve this. Not from me. Not from this face." [/QUOTE] [url]http://www.bemidjipioneer.com/news/local/4003856-ralphie-mays-bemidji-concert-officially-canceled-despite-apologetic-video[/url] My hometown has been getting into the spotlight a little bit in these past few years. Can't say how I feel about this but I know quite a few local Natives who are deeply offended by his comments.

waaah. what a bunch of cry babies. i guess racist jokes are more important than charity? get out of here.

This outrage culture bullshit is the death of comedy

[QUOTE=Sprockethead;50096641]This outrage culture bullshit is the death of comedy[/QUOTE] Not true there is still one race that people still make jokes, death threats and tend to blame for the worlds troubles.

[QUOTE=SonicHitman;50096564]waaah. what a bunch of cry babies. i guess racist jokes are more important than charity? get out of here.[/QUOTE] yeah racism is totally okay for charity purposes i'm not even saying that the comedian was being racist since i've not seen what was supposedly taken out of context, but you're literally saying that even if it was racist it should be totally fine because charity

I haven't seen the full video but I can slightly understand the reaction. Native Americans in this area are often discriminated against and they make up a good lining of the lower class in town. The jokes made were soft spots for many Natives as they are often viewed as alcoholics. HOWEVER some of the reactions are out of hand. Local Facebook chat groups are full of distasteful comments towards Ralpie about him being white and fat. Go figure, racism is fought with racism.

"Comedy is not fiction, it's real". I see several comedians making fun of my disabilities every month, and I laugh my ass off watching it. Grow balls.

[QUOTE=Sprockethead;50096641]This outrage culture bullshit is the death of comedy[/QUOTE] Stewart Lee, the best stand up comedian alive in my opinion, gets by without offending anyone. He does clever routines about political correctness whilst managing not to offend a soul.

"edgy" comedy is so cringey.

[QUOTE=bitches;50096744]yeah racism is totally okay for charity purposes i'm not even saying that the comedian was being racist since i've not seen what was supposedly taken out of context, but you're literally saying that even if it was racist it should be totally fine because charity[/QUOTE] He has a point, though. If someone's willing to make a good motion and help charity, but they makes jokes you don't like, the fact he's helping charity is generally more important than your like or dislike for their jokes. Also important is that these are jokes. It's not like he's going around preaching racism. It's humor.

[QUOTE=Ganerumo;50096913]He has a point, though. If someone's willing to make a good motion and help charity, but they makes jokes you don't like, the fact he's helping charity is generally more important than your like or dislike for their jokes. Also important is that these are jokes. It's not like he's going around preaching racism. It's humor.[/QUOTE] No, that's missing the point. If it's harmless humor, it was taken out of context to be construed as racism rather than a mockery of racism or some such. However, the poster I was responding to made the claim that [I]actual racism[/I], which would have the intent of degrading an ethnic group purely for his own enjoyment, is okay for charity purposes. It isn't. [editline]8th April 2016[/editline] in-fact I don't know how you managed to understand my post as anything else, given that this distinction was the whole point of it

I would've canceled his show for being an awful comedian lol

Being a comedian doesn't give you a pass to be an ignorant racist asshole. "WOW Indians are all alcoholic and uncivilized compared to us whites~!!" I'm all for the ability of comedians to joke and touch on tricky subjects but this isn't fucking funny at all its just downright ignorant and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. I'm assuming he's never spent any time living with or learning about the wide variety of native american cultures still around today, and probably doesn't know anything about the history of native america, so theres little chance the jokes could at all be relevant or even half-intelligent which is why it relied on pathetic tropes to get a cheap jab at native americans. As far as I'm concerned good riddance.

This is absurd. They're choosing to cancel the show because it might offend someone, rather than sell tickets and donate money to a charitable cause. And doubly so, because they took his statement out of context in order to paint him as being racist.

[quote]"a bunch of alcoholics" who have "never made it to the Bronze Age."[/quote] As against PC as I am, this doesn't sound like a joke to me. Imagine if he said the same thing about blacks?

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50097330]As against PC as I am, this doesn't sound like a joke to me. Imagine if he said the same thing about blacks?[/QUOTE] Then you get to the punchline where it turns out he only said that because "Dances With Wolves" beat "Goodfellas" for an Oscar and you realize IT WAS A FUCKING JOKE. This is why people should have looked up the full bit before passing judgement.

[QUOTE=Xenomoose;50097471]Then you get to the punchline where it turns out he only said that because "Dances With Wolves" beat "Goodfellas" for an Oscar and you realize IT WAS A FUCKING JOKE. This is why people should have looked up the full bit before passing judgement.[/QUOTE] Can you transcribe it? I don't get the relevance of the Oscars part

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50097483]Can you transcribe it? I don't get the relevance of the Oscars part[/QUOTE] It's exactly as I said. He says "I'm still mad at [the Indians] because 'Dances With Wolves' beat 'Goodfellas' for an Oscar".

[QUOTE=Xenomoose;50097528]It's exactly as I said. He says "I'm still mad at [the Indians] because 'Dances With Wolves' beat 'Goodfellas' for an Oscar".[/QUOTE] And then he said that indians were alcoholics who never left the bronze age?

[QUOTE=Xenomoose;50097471]Then you get to the punchline where it turns out he only said that because "Dances With Wolves" beat "Goodfellas" for an Oscar and you realize IT WAS A FUCKING JOKE. This is why people should have looked up the full bit before passing judgement.[/QUOTE] That's the punchline? If so that's a really fucking dumb joke

[QUOTE=Sprockethead;50096641]This outrage culture bullshit is the death of comedy[/QUOTE] literally the sole purpose of this thread being posted to facepunch is so that nerds can get mad about le evil PC menace. you're certainly right about outrage culture, but it's not what you think it is

[QUOTE=proboardslol;50097543]And then he said that indians were alcoholics who never left the bronze age?[/QUOTE] No, that came before. The whole joke was about him being bitter because a movie he liked got snubbed. The "racist diatribe" was just the setup. He wasn't just saying that shit for the sake of making fun of native americans. You can't honestly be telling me you don't understand that, right? [editline]8th April 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Zillamaster55;50097550]That's the punchline? If so that's a really fucking dumb joke[/QUOTE] Doesn't change the fact that it's a joke, and not some racist diatribe some dumbass on youtube wants people to think it is.

wow [ethnic group] are all just subhuman pieces of shit amirite just kidding I'm mad about [generic awards show]! this is funny!

[QUOTE=luverofJ!93;50097291]Being a comedian doesn't give you a pass to be an ignorant racist asshole.[/quote] Yes, it does. Regardless of how much you may not like it, that's exactly what being a comedian allows you to do. "Ignorant, racist asshole" pretty accurately describes almost all of my favorite stand up recordings. [quote]"WOW Indians are all alcoholic and uncivilized compared to us whites~!!" I'm all for the ability of comedians to joke and touch on tricky subjects but this isn't fucking funny at all its just downright ignorant and perpetuates harmful stereotypes. I'm assuming he's never spent any time living with or learning about the wide variety of native american cultures still around today, and probably doesn't know anything about the history of native america, so theres little chance the jokes could at all be relevant or even half-intelligent which is why it relied on pathetic tropes to get a cheap jab at native americans. As far as I'm concerned good riddance.[/QUOTE] I understand how you feel. It's a cheap jab, and it's only slightly humorous, and for someone like me who is interested enough in the precolonial people to know that they actually did achieve advanced civilization, it's instantly seen as dumb. It's low-brow. But it's still okay to say, even if you don't find it at all funny. I mean dude could literally go on stage and say "the only wrong hitler did was leave the job unfinished" and it's still 100% kosher with me. Criticize the material all you want, hell even remove him and ban him from your club/benefit/show if you feel that his material sucks; that's how the free market works. If he fails making dumb jokes then that's on him. I don't have a problem with his shows being cancelled either, I'm just throwing it out there that there is literally [i]nothing[/i] off limits in comedy, let audiences decide with their dollar.

[QUOTE=bitches;50097195]No, that's missing the point. If it's harmless humor, it was taken out of context to be construed as racism rather than a mockery of racism or some such. However, the poster I was responding to made the claim that [I]actual racism[/I], which would have the intent of degrading an ethnic group purely for his own enjoyment, is okay for charity purposes. It isn't. [editline]8th April 2016[/editline] in-fact I don't know how you managed to understand my post as anything else, given that this distinction was the whole point of it[/QUOTE] Well the guy said that people considered their own feelings over a racist [I]joke[/I] more important than charity, and you immediately jumped the gun and claimed the guy said "racism is okay when it's for charity", which isn't what he said.

[QUOTE=J Paul;50098021]Yes, it does. Regardless of how much you may not like it, that's exactly what being a comedian allows you to do. "Ignorant, racist asshole" pretty accurately describes almost all of my favorite stand up recordings. I understand how you feel. It's a cheap jab, and it's only slightly humorous, and for someone like me who is interested enough in the precolonial people to know that they actually did achieve advanced civilization, it's instantly seen as dumb. It's low-brow. But it's still okay to say, even if you don't find it at all funny. I mean dude could literally go on stage and say "the only wrong hitler did was leave the job unfinished" and it's still 100% kosher with me. Criticize the material all you want, hell even remove him and ban him from your club/benefit/show if you feel that his material sucks; that's how the free market works. If he fails making dumb jokes then that's on him. I don't have a problem with his shows being cancelled either, I'm just throwing it out there that there is literally [i]nothing[/i] off limits in comedy, let audiences decide with their dollar.[/QUOTE] Your response doesn't have anything to do with what he said. He didn't say it was illegal, he said that it isn't instantly less immoral to be racist just because it's a part of a comedy bit. [editline]9th April 2016[/editline] [QUOTE=Ganerumo;50098066]Well the guy said that people considered their own feelings over a racist [I]joke[/I] more important than charity, and you immediately jumped the gun and claimed the guy said "racism is okay when it's for charity", which isn't what he said.[/QUOTE] Racist jokes are still racist. If the joke is about the [I]idea[/I] of racism, that doesn't make it racist. Impersonating a racist as part of comedy isn't the same thing as being racist. Actually being racist isn't any more okay simply because of a comedy setting. What he said was about actual racism.

You guys.. do realize, that most comedians that most people laugh at tell very racist, sexist, pornographic, absurd and disgusting jokes, right? Thats why they're, you know, comedians, because they tell the things that noone wants to talk about in a hilarious way (Note, that not all comedians are like this but I am willing to bet that most comedians are NSFW ones.)

[QUOTE=Map in a box;50098408]You guys.. do realize, that most comedians that most people laugh at tell very racist, sexist, pornographic, absurd and disgusting jokes, right? Thats why they're, you know, comedians, because they tell the things that noone wants to talk about in a hilarious way (Note, that not all comedians are like this but I am willing to bet that most comedians are NSFW ones.)[/QUOTE] It would help if you made any attempt to discern the meaning of our posts.

[QUOTE=Map in a box;50098408]You guys.. do realize, that most comedians that most people laugh at tell very racist, sexist, pornographic, absurd and disgusting jokes, right? Thats why they're, you know, comedians, because they tell the things that noone wants to talk about in a hilarious way (Note, that not all comedians are like this but I am willing to bet that most comedians are NSFW ones.)[/QUOTE] A reminder that people who can't laugh at comedians actually tell themselves lies all the time and fool themselves with it.

I couldn't find the full joke in the article. How exactly is it structured? [QUOTE=KillaGunna24;50096540] My hometown has been getting into the spotlight a little bit in these past few years. Can't say how I feel about this but I know quite a few local Natives who are deeply offended by his comments.[/QUOTE] Do you actually have accents like in the first season of Fargo?