This Osaka Airlines ad is being criticised as "racist"...

[randomdiversion]

...but I just think it is funny:

Click to view

The guy on the right in the conversation is apparently a well-liked TV comedian in Japan.

I imagine I might feel differently if I lived in Japan and had suffered some kind of race-related injustices there.

Comments

[eqfe]

Not racist or funny.

[randomdiversion]

I thought the 'do you want a hug' part was funny. The nose and wig was just silly.

I think part of it is I see the 'stereotype' of Japanese as being kind of weird (Japanese reality TV) and somewhat humorless. But they do have a sense of humor, it's just mostly pretty deadpan and you can miss it if you are not paying attention. Imho.

[eqfe]

My experience in Japan was mainly around locals working in American Banks in Tokyo. So I was around people who were probably more outgoing that the reserved model here. Also, as the visiting New Yorker, they made every effort to show me a good time on at least one night each time I was there.