Netflix Apparently Didn't Realize It Was Peddling Blackface
Relax, everyone: Gone With the Wind did not just become appropriately named. Yes, it was removed from HBO Max, but only until they can supplement it with some commentary about "the racist characterizations of enslaved plantation workers" that it portrays.
It's a shockingly good idea from such a huge corporation, and honestly, that context probably should have been added about five minutes after the movie's original theatrical release. While it's the biggest, though, it's far from the only thing that's been removed from streaming services after the recent Black Lives Matter protests gave media companies a big ol' think. In fact, it's becoming increasingly clear that Netflix had no idea what it was hawking.
Specifically, they've removed a bunch of sketch comedy shows featuring white actors in blackface. Two shows by English comedians David Walliams (not a typo, he's just like that) and Matt Lucas, Little Britain and Come Fly With Me, got the ax from Netflix and several other services when they were reminded that the two performed not only in blackface, but also as Japanese schoolgirls, and a Thai mail-order bride:
A whole spate of shows created by Australian comedian Chris Lilley have also been removed from Australian and New Zealandia Netflix for similar reasons.
So, was Netflix just not watching their own shit? Yes, it's a seemingly infinite amount of content, but surely someone has to vet potential inclusions for offensive slurs, Carrot Top, and other hate crimes. The BBC, who joined Netflix in removing the Walliams (ugh) and Lucas content, explained that "Times have changed since Little Britain first aired" ... in 2003. You know, those halcyon days before racism was invented. Chris Lilley's shows have been causing controversy since at least 2014, so what's the excuse there? Ironically, this is the most publicity those shows have ever gotten from the U.S. media -- cause they sure as hell weren't getting any from being good.
Top image: Jade87/Pixabay
