Hey, Hey It’s Saturday was an Australian variety show which made America’s Funniest Home Videos look like something co-produced by Shakespeare, Wilde and Hemmingway by comparison. Recently I was shocked to find that it had been resurrected, further proof that the dumbing down of society is indeed a global phenomenon. The audiences reaction to this travesty is certainly a further testament to this. Then again, it certainly should not be indicative of Australia as a whole, should it? Intellectuals are far from the target demographic, after all.

In a scene reminiscent of, say, 1860, one hundred and fifty freakin’ years ago, a (severely tone-deaf) mock version of the Jackson five was performed in blackface to uproarious applause from the audience. Red Symons, in which this segment, “Red Faces” is named after, bangs on the gong, prematurely ending the segment. The audience boos. Special guest judge, Harry Connick Jr, appears utterly mortified and berates not only the performers, but the show, and by extension, Australia itself; gaining my immense respect in the process. Host, Daryl Somers, reminds the audience that this skit was actually performed by the same people twenty years ago, and WON.

After the commercial break, Daryl “I have to have the largest portrait in the studio” Somers, apologizes, “I know that to your countrymen, that’s an insult to have a blackface routine like that on the show, so I do apologize.”

As someone with an Australian passport, Daryl is insinuating that this shouldn’t be insulting to me.

As I found this video on youtube, which is renowned for its grammatically sound, eloquent, intelligent and overall, well thought out posts, I decided to see the comments below. Clearly, youtube user MrBurkey90, no doubt invoking the spirit of Athena (and Minerva for good measure) eloquently writes:

Absoloute wankas! Racist and offensive its not. A bit of harmless fun…didnt jacson sing doesnt mater if ur back or white? whites cant dress up as a black person? connick ur a tosser! These performers did the same act 20 years ago and all was fine, dont be so petty.
Americans typically thinking the worlds against them! this show is australian heritage and wasnt targeted at the u. s or none the less a u.s audience
Fantastic performance had me laughing!
Darryl you had nothing to apologise for.

No doubt via automatic writing by the late Ted Kennedy, one of the finest orators of our time, annkus3 had this to say:

Black americans are only up-set because white man it better than the jacksons family.

lionhead619 writes in what could potentially be Pulitzer prize winning material if expanded upon:
Im Australian as this is aracist all ur americans get off ur high chair, as if you did not find this funny, loved the act, love hey hey its saturday, good work guys.

In truth, there were quite a few eloquent posts and dare I say it, they outnumbered the tripe; a rarity in Youtube.