KFC pulls Australian ad over U.S. racism complaints

Yes, of course the add has been well understood by Australian cricket fans. The understanding is that black people are essentially uncouth and one way of mitigating this abhorrent behavior is to serve up some fry chicken. This notion that other people particularly Americans don't understand their brand of humor is a copout by Australian who are essentially too stupid to realize that they are offending people.

This is a country that for years had enshrine in its constitution a policy of only accepting white immigrants rooted the notion of the yellow peril based on a psychotic fear of Asians and non white people.

For years white Australians have with impunity presented the indigenous Australians as lazy simply wanting to live on the system. In fact, is has become part of common accepted behaviour in Australia to be as abusive as possible to the aborigines. For these reason other new comers to Australia have adopted this attitude and the cycle of abuse for these people is perpetuated.

What amazes me is the kind of thinking that would conceive and ultimately disseminate this kind of stereotype image of black peopke. Who are the people that are creating it? where have they been educated? What world are they living in?

The 'fried chicken/african american' stereotype thing doesn't exist in Australia. This is just another example of stupid Americans lumping other nations with their own well deserved guilt complex.

an Australian television advertisement after it was branded racist in the United States.

So it turns out Americans are racist so Australians haveto change their TV commercials. Makes perfect sense.

Well, actually, we have heaps of this kind of racism just across the border from America, in my native Canada, so I am sure it exists in Australia. Tis sad indeed, that people can't be more like MK Ghandhi and me.

Having said that I must confess, my many friends, to a weakness for KFC. I never thought when I left Kingston that one day I'd be at the Colonel's at least 3 times a week, but that's how I roll these days, dammit.Funny, is it? Well, if you were stuck in Hirakata you'd do the same damm thing!

Maybe the Americans just don't understand that West Indians are not Americans but a people highly respected for the cricket skills.

Ah Australia the least progressive and most backward of the commonwealth nations, especially when it comes to treatment of minorities and in particular aborigines. "Australia for Australians".

In these days and times, it is the racists who see racism in places where none exists...way to go USA...

It's very clear that most people here have clue about cricket to start with, but as usual quite happy to post the most offensive posts they think up in their little sad minds.

Has anyone seen the West Indian fans watch a home series of cricket? They come out with the brass and wind instruments and really celebrate the occasion. They literally bring the house down and many people travel to the West Indies to enjoy the atmosphere. It can be very different to how the game is watched in many other parts of the world.

That is what the commercial is about... one guy just wants to watch the game in peace and quiet so he offers everyone some chicken to quieten things down for a while.

Sounds like some people in the world are trying to stir up trouble where none exists.

Australians raciest?? They have such a good record, who would doubt em?

Really? I saw that ad and it kinda looked like a scared white guy who made a bad decision to sit on the other teams side during a cricket match.

Everton: "Yes, of course the add has been well understood by Australian cricket fans. The understanding is that black people are essentially uncouth and one way of mitigating this abhorrent behavior is to serve up some fry chicken."

Relax, bud. It's a KFC commercial! What else should they be throwing?? While I immediately caught WHY Americans felt it was racist, I also think it was just a gross coincidence (and probably one that could even accidentally be made in other countries so long as it were for KFC) given that there really isn't this association in Aus., and that it's KFC, and I think they are doing the right thing in simply pulling the add and apologizing. Heretofore they will not repeat it. I mean, if it were a McDonald's joint and he offered the men fries it wouldn't be a problem, right? Well, just happens to be KFC.

What would people think if a little Japanese dude offered Bob Sapp some Convenience store fried chicken or something? Do they believe the Japanese in such a case would know of the association and the commercial being racist?

No reason we can't teach them such associations, but freaking out about some mistakes like this doesn't help, really.

We Americans have, in general, become very sensitive about overt racial stereotyping over the past 40 or 50 years. This is not to say that the United States doesn't have a problem with racism; far from it.

If this had been an ad by an Australian company, I imagine the outcry would have been much less. But for an American company to sanction this sort of ad anywhere in the world was terribly ill advised.

What if Bob Sapp offered KFC to unruly Japanese fans? -Does that mean Japanese fans are uncivilized also?

What does it mean if I only like the KFC biscuts and mashed potatoes? -I have been giving up the animal proteins as of late (no chicken etc).

What a joke!

If you don't understand cricket, or the fact that KFC is the main sponsor of Australian cricket and runs one nauseating cheesy cricket ad after another about 3 times per every commercial break during the cricket season, then go ahead and be offended and look like an idiot.

The reason why West Indies is featured? They are one of the strongest cricketing nations in the world and Australia is touring. The reason they hand the crowd fried chicken? Duh, it's KFC....they are eating fried chicken in every single one of their cricket ads. And as Betting mentioned, spectators at cricket matches in the West Indies really do know how to party.

Considering USA can't even figure out how to hold a cricket bat, let alone work out the rules, clearly this ad has NO relevance and was not going to be aired there anyway. KFC probably agreed to stop the ad because it has already run its 3,000 times and they have like 6 new commercials ready to go anyway.

Incidentally, one of the leading brands of cheese in Australia is COON cheese - supposedly the surname of the original cheese maker - it has no racist connotation in Australia and therefore it is not considered offensive.

I don't have any problems with the ad.

If it's racist in the US, it would be racist in Australia. < :-)

Not too long ago there was a controversy in Australia over a "comedic" performance in blackface by white Australians on a TV variety show. The celebrity guest that night was Harry Connick, Jr. who pointed out that it was offensive. The Australian public flew into a frenzy at the audacity of Connick. I lived in Australia and know that racist thinking persists. It is not worse than any other country or culture (are there any truly racist free socities or cultures - I don't think so). The difference is that Australians are very chauvinistic and cannot handle criticism.

So if I dress up as a KFC drumstick and join the West Indies cricket team in scrimmage that would be considered offensive. Is being extra crispy even worse?

Marketing works differently in different countries. Obviously, some Australians didn't feel this was offensive.

However, KFC is an American company and knew full well that the ad COULD be viewed as racist by expat Americans in Australia.

Bad judgment on their part to even create an ad like that, they could have made one just as good without offending people.

Aussies need to get with the program. Barack Obama, America's 1st black president, is also now the president of the entire world. That includes OZ. As any card-carrying liberal will tell you: Anything that now offends an Obama-controlled U.S. is unacceptable.

I live in Australian and the bulk of you here would not have a clue about the real attitude of Australians. They may have abandoned the "white Australian policy" for fear of being an international outcast, but old attitudes die hard. Australian television is riddled with offensive adds that could not get to first base internationally.

Australians live in their proverbial cocoon thinking that they have a special culture that gives them a license to behave in a Jurassic manner.

Just another example of politcal "correctness" gone stupid. The fault is entirely on the offended, not the offender.

USAdude: Yes great comment. You should be Aborigine in Australia and you would have a different opinion. Lets just blame the victims, so anybody who suffers racism should look at themselves as being the problem .

It is this kind of thinking that confirms that there is still a lot of work to do in educating our fellow humans. It has nothing to do with political correctness, it is a clear act of insensitivity towards a particular group of people.

Where the bloody hell is the fried chicken?

Everton2 - believe whatever you wish. I prefer the truth. Educate yourself on that before you presume to question my understanding of things.

Political "correctness" is what future generations will look back on ours with shame.

American corporations and advertising agencies are not racist. KFC as well as other US brands are the most racillay sensitive you can find.

America leads the world in racial equality.

USAFdude: To say "The fault is entirely on the offended, not the offender". speaks volumes about a lack of understanding.

I live in Australia which provides a front seat in relation to the context of this advertisement.

The most distinguishing feature of the comment about "political correctness" is its similarity with those who relegate global warming to being the fantasy of liberals. It is the same kind of disconnectedness that for years refused to acknowledge the indignity contained in the racism faced by many minority groups across the world including Australia.

australians have a britsih sense of humour , that means they can "take the piss". Americans took 10 years to understand Monty Python , and still many dont. They just dont understand our humour. Its aint all slapstick. I agree with Stanoue's comment . They know nothing about cricket, so just keep out of it .. and yes he is right we do have a chees called coon. Noone gets pissed off when you talk about Calpis do they ?? Aussies dont get embarred when americans talk about rooting for something . Lighten up and have a laugh, other wise they'll (aussies ) will sue you . LOL

Everton2 - To say "The fault is entirely on the offended, not the offender". speaks volumes about an abundance of understanding. The commercial was not racist; the racism was read into it by a bleating, over-sensitive minority seeking merely to appear morally superior to others, pretty much the same as you're doing in your posts on this thread. It's the same manipulative crap people have been doing since the early '90's.

Happily, such malice towards the innocent (such as KFC and the makers of this exact commercial) is being tolerated less and less, replaced instead by open, honest dialogue about real racial issues, not the transparently fabricated "issues" raised by opponents of this commercial. All these fabrications do is distract from combatting true racism; all these fabrications do ultimately is harm the progress of racial equality.

Now, before you get all over-emotional again, go to YouTube and watch the commercial; really LOOK at it. Then, after seeing it and applying the truths I've expounded upon here, you'll see things more clearly.

Here, I'll help you out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GTizDcdyly0

Glad I could help. Happy learning! Your new teacher, USAFdude

The ad isn't racist, but in this day and age KFC should have known that the ad would have made it's way back to the US where it could be perceived as racist or exploited by those who have an agenda. They shouldn't have put themselves in that position, period.

I'll bet if the ad depicted a black Australian cricket fan subduing boisterous white West Indian fans by sharing his fried chicken, there wouldn't be any complaints of racism.

SuperLib - you mean a tiny minority of insecure people in the US shouldn't have put KFC in that position, period.

As an American I would like to apologize to the Aussie people for evangelical political correctness like this. It's embarrassing. You have to understand, 40 years of liberal (not in the Aussie sense) media, 'progressive' education, post modernism and Democrat control of our largest urban centers had infantilized large portions of our society.My only surprise is that Obama himself didn't lead the crusade.

As an American, I would like to sincerely apologize to the Aussie people for evangelical political correctness like this without using my apology to take limp-wristed jabs at Democrats, liberals, and President Obama.

USAFdude: Clearly you know very little about Australia let alone to trust your knowledge on which end of a cricket bat is up. West Indian Cricket fans are no more rowdy than those inebriated beer gosling Aussies for whom streaking (that is running on the pitch stalk naked during a game) has become a national past time. Mate you dont have a clue what rowdy is until you visit one of those pubs in George Street, Sydney on a Friday night.

The Australia I am talking about is the one that is bordered by the Indian Ocean and the Corol sea and not Austria as most Americans mistakenly assume.

The latest pole in Australia is overwhelmingly suggesting that the add was insensitive and racist, and for those reasons it will not see the light of day in Australia.

And by the way political correctness, which has become the whipping boy for every neo-recalcitrant finding their archaic views under siege has not even entered the debate here. So there you go mate!

Everton2 - http://www.nydailynews.com/news/world/2010/01/07/2010-01-07_kfc_australia_pulls_controversial_ad.html

More than 65% of respondents in the above poll agree the ad was not racist. So there you go, "mate"!

Everton, funny how you pretend to know Australia and hold up the "rowdy pubs" in George street as an example of your expert knowledge. Pretty tame pubs in my view!!

I didn't see any racism. I saw the passing and sharing of food break down racial barriers.