Miscellaneous Movie Musings the Sequel - Page 113

katiesue · 09-08-2011, 09:10 AM

My Mom's childhood dog was named Tar Baby

flippyshark · 09-08-2011, 09:23 AM

Tar Baby is definitely taken as a slur - handily illustrated in this classic sketch from Saturday Night Live with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor:

www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6341HeJDgU

I remember this one well. It appeared in audio form on the SNL lp record released sometime in the late 70s. I recall kids at my nearly-all-white school memorizing and performing it.

Ghoulish Delight · 09-08-2011, 09:28 AM

From what I understand it initially really did start as just meaning a sticky situation that gets worse the more you struggle, and in fact has roots in African folk lore. Somewhere along the line it took on the racist connotation. And therein lies the trickiness.

I mean, is it racist if I look at a small mammal with a black mask and rings on its tail and say, "Look, a coon!"? Is it homophobic to pull out a box of cigarettes and offer you a fag? Am I offending Chinese people if I talk about a chink in someone's armor?

I honestly don't know how commonly used tar baby has ever been, in either of its forms. At this point, you're probably pretty smart to avoid using it no matter what the real history is, clearly it's evolved to the point where using it is, well, a sticky trap that will just get you stuck and get worse as you struggle to get out of it.

Alex · 09-08-2011, 09:38 AM

Definitely, several politicians have been in trouble in recent years and I am confident in all cases (that I'm familiar with), despite the outcry, that the use was not intended to be in any way racial or coded.

I tend to agree with James McWhorter's take (as I do on most things related to language and usage) on this.

Ghoulish Delight · 09-08-2011, 09:55 AM

Yeah, that's exactly how I feel about it.

Strangler Lewis · 09-08-2011, 10:01 AM

Would it be kosher to suggest that such semantic traps are a real ****** in the woodpile?

JWBear · 09-08-2011, 11:26 AM

"Niggardly" is another perfectly good word that one can no longer safely use due to PC worries.

Ghoulish Delight · 09-08-2011, 02:15 PM

Fvckin why?!

And what the hell is this about:

Quote:

From Gremlins to Bill and Ted's Excellent Adventure, a number of films have ended up with sequels that improved on the original.

Can't speak for Gremlins (or Gremlins 2), but in what universe is Bogus Journey an improvement on the original?!?!?!

Alex · 09-08-2011, 02:37 PM

Gremlins 2 was definitely no improvement, but I think I liked Bogus Journey better than Excellent Adventure (but I've seen neither since shortly after they were available on VHS),

My list would include Star Trek II, Toy Story 2 (not that the first was bad), Before Sunset (Before Sunrise didn't do anything for me), Aliens, Terminator 2, The Empire Strikes Back, Shrek 2, Evil Dead 2. From the Jackie Chan oeuvre many of his sequels made after he had full control were better tahn the originals (Drunken Master, Project A, Operation Condor, Super Cop).

Kevy Baby · 09-08-2011, 10:31 PM

We watched Wild Hogs over the weekend. It wasn't as bad I was expecting.

09-08-2011, 09:10 AM	#1
katiesue Senior Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: San Diego Posts: 4,678	My Mom's childhood dog was named Tar Baby __________________ My life is so exciting I can hardly stand it.
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09-08-2011, 09:23 AM	#2
flippyshark Senior Member Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Orlando, FL Posts: 2,852	Tar Baby is definitely taken as a slur - handily illustrated in this classic sketch from Saturday Night Live with Chevy Chase and Richard Pryor: www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6341HeJDgU I remember this one well. It appeared in audio form on the SNL lp record released sometime in the late 70s. I recall kids at my nearly-all-white school memorizing and performing it.
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09-08-2011, 09:28 AM	#3
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	From what I understand it initially really did start as just meaning a sticky situation that gets worse the more you struggle, and in fact has roots in African folk lore. Somewhere along the line it took on the racist connotation. And therein lies the trickiness. I mean, is it racist if I look at a small mammal with a black mask and rings on its tail and say, "Look, a coon!"? Is it homophobic to pull out a box of cigarettes and offer you a fag? Am I offending Chinese people if I talk about a chink in someone's armor? I honestly don't know how commonly used tar baby has ever been, in either of its forms. At this point, you're probably pretty smart to avoid using it no matter what the real history is, clearly it's evolved to the point where using it is, well, a sticky trap that will just get you stuck and get worse as you struggle to get out of it. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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09-08-2011, 09:38 AM	#4
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Definitely, several politicians have been in trouble in recent years and I am confident in all cases (that I'm familiar with), despite the outcry, that the use was not intended to be in any way racial or coded. I tend to agree with James McWhorter's take (as I do on most things related to language and usage) on this.
	Submit to Quotes

09-08-2011, 09:55 AM	#5
Ghoulish Delight I Floop the Pig Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Alternative Swankstyle Posts: 19,348	Yeah, that's exactly how I feel about it. __________________ 'He who receives an idea from me, receives instruction himself without lessening mine; as he who lights his taper at mine, receives light without darkening me.' -TJ
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09-08-2011, 10:01 AM	#6
Strangler Lewis Doing The Job Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: In a state Posts: 3,956	Would it be kosher to suggest that such semantic traps are a real ****** in the woodpile? __________________ Live now-pay later. Diner's Club!
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09-08-2011, 11:26 AM	#7
JWBear Worn Romantic Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Long Beach California Posts: 8,435	"Niggardly" is another perfectly good word that one can no longer safely use due to PC worries. __________________ Unrestrained frivolity will lead to the downfall of modern society.
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09-08-2011, 02:37 PM	#9
Alex . Join Date: Feb 2005 Posts: 13,354	Gremlins 2 was definitely no improvement, but I think I liked Bogus Journey better than Excellent Adventure (but I've seen neither since shortly after they were available on VHS), My list would include Star Trek II, Toy Story 2 (not that the first was bad), Before Sunset (Before Sunrise didn't do anything for me), Aliens, Terminator 2, The Empire Strikes Back, Shrek 2, Evil Dead 2. From the Jackie Chan oeuvre many of his sequels made after he had full control were better tahn the originals (Drunken Master, Project A, Operation Condor, Super Cop).
	Submit to Quotes

09-08-2011, 10:31 PM	#10
Kevy Baby Chowder Head Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: Yes Posts: 18,500	We watched Wild Hogs over the weekend. It wasn't as bad I was expecting. __________________ The thing about quotes on the internet is that you cannot verify their validity. - Abraham Lincoln
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