Politically incorrect vintage TV shows...got any??

[docbennett]

I posted a reply on the PS Friday thread that included Mr. McGoo. That got me thinking. There are some old TV shows that would just be plain old Politically Incorrect these days.

I'm dating myself, but I can easily recall the aforementioned cartoon that mocked blindness. It also mocked Orientals, as personified by his man-servant Charlie.

Another PI cartoon was the old "Dick Tracy Show". It featured characters that including Joe Jitsu (again, mocking Orientals) and Heapo Calorie (mocking obese people) and a few others that thankfully escape me now.

If you want to include old TV commercials, than "The Frito Bandito" comes to mind at once.

I am going to avoid going back to radio, but wasn't "Amos 'N Andy" on TV also??...somewhat PI if you ask me.:flute:

Wow...didn't the "Jack Benny Show" feature his servant "Steppenfetchit"??

None of these shows would be allowed on commercial TV these days, and the producers would be run out of town after being tarred and feathered.

Without insulting anyone, and with tongues firmly in cheek...does anyone else recall any shows that would be deemed "socially inappropriate" these days? And remember...this is for entertainment only. We are not looking to make fun of anyone here. But, it could be interesting to examine how culture has changed on Television from past to present.

 

[JustRob]

Off the top of my head, WB Speedy Gonzales cartoons and The Benny Hill Show.

 

[WEDGE]

All in The Family has to be THE most politically incorrect show ever, but also one of the funniest!

 

[markie]

Doesn't everything offend somebody or some group these days?

 

[Danerada]

Doesn't everything offend somebody or some group these days?

I'm offended.

 

[markie]

I'm offended.

There ya go.................

 

[Danerada]

There ya go.................

I like to help where I can Mark...

 

[CoreyT]

Lot of 60s cartoons on TV depicted blacks with oversize facial features.
That would not fly in this day and age.
I remember seeing many a cartoon like that in the 60s.

 

[Goldtop]

The Little Rascals, Spanky and Our Gang, probably even Fat Albert... Out of the question these days. I imagine The Honeymooners would be considered violent to women today.

Lloyd

 

[Goldtop]

I posted a reply on the PS Friday thread that included Mr. McGoo. That got me thinking. There are some old TV shows that would just be plain old Politically Incorrect these days.

Wow...didn't the "Jack Benny Show" feature his servant "Steppenfetchit"??

None of these shows would be allowed on commercial TV these days, and the producers would be run out of town after being tarred and feathered.

Without insulting anyone, and with tongues firmly in cheek...does anyone else recall any shows that would be deemed "socially inappropriate" these days? And remember...this is for entertainment only. We are not looking to make fun of anyone here. But, it could be interesting to examine how culture has changed on Television from past to present.

Rochester, wasn't it? And can you even imagine Al Jolson nowadays? I remember when the series M*A*S*H had a black surgeon, a character named "Speerchucker". That only lasted a few episodes.

Lloyd

 

[docbennett]

Doesn't everything offend somebody or some group these days?

Of course. But I'm talking about the super-obvious, in your face, really offensive stuff that was considered perfectly acceptable back in the day......but would be taboo presently. Usually this stuff is pretty dated if you watch it, these days. But maybe that's what contributes to our heightened awareness of how PI it was. Keep 'em coming, if you can.

 

[John Beef]

Tom and Jerry was a kid's show about a cat and a mouse. They'd frequently smoke, drink, come home hungover, ogle females, in addition to all the violent stuff that would never fly today. It was awesome.

 

[]-[@n$0Ma☩!©]

It also mocked Orientals...

Asian refers to people. Oriental refers to things. I didn't know this until my Sister started dating an Asian man. She felt the need to educate my Father on the topic - at dinner - in front of everyone. It led to yelling (mostly from her) while he laughed at her for being so incredibly uptight about something he regarded as "stupid". In her mind, calling the basic respect of the man she loved "stupid" showed a sincere lack of humanity - so she yelled even louder. The argument steamrolled into a much, MUCH bigger issue than it deserved.

Neither my Father nor my Sister would allow an ounce of tolerance for the other. I guess neither of them felt like they should have to be tolerant on something so easy to see. As you can imagine - they each saw something very different.

To this day, they do not speak.

Without insulting anyone, and with tongues firmly in cheek...does anyone else recall any shows that would be deemed "socially inappropriate" these days? And remember...this is for entertainment only. We are not looking to make fun of anyone here. But, it could be interesting to examine how culture has changed on Television from past to present.

As a cultural expose', I think this is a compelling topic. And... it is fraught with peril. It seems like people go around looking for a reason to get pissed off. On the other side are people who are so sick of being beaten with the PC stick that they go out of their way to poke at those most likely to flip out over things like the use of Oriental where Asian was the correct nomenclature.

We're a well mannered community. Everyone here has shown exceptional judgement on tough issues when they are brought to our door. I sure hope that trend continues in this thread.

 

[László]

We are all remarkably alike in our DNA, despite surface differences.

A study in Sweden showed that the population in this Nordic country had genetic markers from human populations all over the globe, that long predated recorded history. And non-African modern humans have been demonstrated to have DNA in their genomes from Neanderthals as well (apparently the Neanderthals weren't present in Africa in large numbers?).

On a personal level, I'm a bit uncomfortable with referring to an American as anything but an American. I really don't care where the ancestors lived 100 or 1000 years ago.

 

[cwhenke]

Tosh.0 is a current show that steps over the line every single episode.

 

[Mikegarveyblues]

Benny Hill
Till Death Us Do Part
Fawlty Towers (Genius!!!)