Is blackface always offensive?

[Rev. Rye]

The motivation argument fails do to the simple fact of why anyone would want to use it ironically in the first place ...

In the case of Peep Show they used it to be funny.

Of course, there's yet another recent British series who managed to make an iconic moment out of blackface.



Why did Papa Lazarou get a pass? Well, I think a good part of it is because, simply put, despite the blackface, he's clearly not supposed to represent blackness in any way. He's got a Greek name, and everything about him screams more The Penguin than grotesque parody of blackness. As a matter of fact, the blackface, white-painted mouth and all, are apparently supposed to be his actual skin colour. Why use it, then? Because The League of Gentlemen, in addition to comedy, strove to create some of the most horrifying things on TV. Indeed, Papa Lazarou is actually the page image on TVTRopes' "Nightmare Fuel/Live Action TV" page. And the racial uncomfortableness surrounding the whole phoenomenon of blackface just adds to the creepiness.

Why do it ironically? Honestly, I think the fact that it's so frowned upon (and not because it's been done to death, but because it still gets a rise out of people) manages to keep the mystique alive for the edgier comedians out there. Create a taboo, expect loads of people to try ad break that taboo just for the sake of it. What's that? You expect the forces of basic human decency to keep shit like that in check? In an art form that hinges on taking unfortunate situations and draining them of their negative emotions?