Sissyfight: Funny, Offensive, Or Both?
Jason at Microscopiq tipped us off to this Mortal Kombat spoof from German ad agency TBWA in Dusseldorf. Advertising the Medion Erazer, boasted rather absurdly as "the world's first gaming PC," the spot features a battle between nelly ninja Kween Gayoshi and muscle mary Private Paula - who, after a butch buildup, begin a classic sissyfight ending in lispy-voiced mutual concern. (Check out the ad's credentials at AdsOfTheWorld)
Now I have to admit, I laughed when I first saw this. At first blush it's more clever and well-executed than it is damaging - good production values always do seem to help clear the way for edgy humor. But I wouldn't necessarily defend this video to anyone who found it offensive - it does after all depict gayness as the epitome of insufficiency, which as we all know is both inaccurate and all too common an occurrence in the gaming world.
How does this vid look when considering the recent Official Xbox Magazine denouncement of the usage of "gay" and other potential slurs? Less funny, certainly.
What do we think? Funny or foul? Both? Neither? Talk to me, tough guy.
[Thanks, Jason!]
tiny dancer
Posted to Hot Stuff, Miscellany, Videos on 13 May 2008
· Comments (23)
Other stuff like this: medion erazer, offensive, sissyfight, video
I thought it was very funny.
Nah, not into it. More because it's too predictable and easy-way-out. They could've gone the 'sissy' route without it being openly gay-bashing (ie. the stupid character names). They could have just had the two characters slapfighting while playing it straight (no pun intended) otherwise, like South Park did: http://www.southparkstudios.com/clips/155225
I thought it was funny, it didn't occur to me that it might be offensive until I read the article.
Kween Gayashi? Seriously?
These guys are inbreds.
I didn't find it offensive. I've seen plenty of sissy straight boys fight like that and act like that. No reason for us to assume they're gay and thus be offended by it.
I wasn't really offended by this. But it's pretty stupid. Maybe a guy in a lifted truck with a No Fear bumper sticker and Calvin peeing on a Ford logo would find it clever.
I wasn't really offended by this. But it's pretty stupid. Maybe a guy in a lifted truck with a No Fear bumper sticker and Calvin peeing on a Ford logo would find it clever.
Enh, hard to say either way. I thought the actual video itself was great, but I do see where the line blurs with the whole Kween Gayashi thing (And all that gay jazz..). In all honesty, though, I'm not really offended because the easiest way to win others over into accepting homosexuality is to let them laugh at the stereotypes. May sound counterproductive -- and I agree that it is to some degree -- but sometimes 'ya gotta do what 'ya gotta do to get others to accept you.
Letting them laugh at you is one of those things. =/
i didnt find it funny or offensive...
woudl i be too up my own arse to say it was predictable?
i didnt find it funny or offensive...
woudl i be too up my own arse to say it was predictable?
Well it is funny just because it's put into a funny context. It's not like anyone down right was bashing gay people or saying they should die for being unholy creatures. To take it fully to heart would be like me being upset at the guy that makes the boondocks, because he made me laugh at black sterotypes that people can't help but laugh at, and i'm black. Human beings have progressed too far to not be able to laugh at themselves every once in a while.
It's silly and sophomoric, but I chuckled. It's probably more offensive than funny, but can't get worked up in favor of either side of the argument. I agree with Multimoog though, it would be possible to do this without outright gay bashing.
I thought it was funny, and being a str8 acting (and tough) in the closet gay it adds to my own cover from its stereotypical dipections.
I founded it very funny, like one fo you guys said "the easiest way to win others over into accepting homosexuality is to let them laugh at the stereotypes" and we have to do the same, we have to laugh at them too, how many movies or tv series did you enjoy laughing with a stereotype? Ugly Betty anyone???? How many times did we saw a sketch with a too macho guy on it, and we all laugh with it, why is this different? A lot of times i found myself saying "man, that's way too gay even for me" (for example, a litte wee noise when the Speed Racer trailer was out, I mean, c'mon!!!! It was Speed Racer!!! And Emile.... WEEEEEEE). We have to laugh. It was funny.
I didn't take offense to this. It's a ninja and a Marine slapping each other silly. Is anyone asking the marines if they are offended? Is anyone asking ninjas if they are offended? No, because the Ninjas would stab them in the throat and laugh. The moral of the story, kids, is don't fuck with ninjas.... I think...
I used to have a Medion PC... Needless to say, I won't be owning another one.
I would be fine with it if they had just not named the characters what they did. "Queen Gayoshi"? Seriously? That's as creative as they could get? The premise, however, isn't terrible. My boyfriend and I have staged such sissyfights ourself, for our own amusement, event when no one else was around to watch.
I guess if they're mocking people who can't stand up for themselves or are otherwise so ineffective at life, it's okay, but even "sissy" carries with it a certain bias, because it infers that anything feminine or effeminate is inherently bad.
Egh.
"the easiest way to win others over into accepting homosexuality is to let them laugh at the stereotypes"
i don't know why gay people believe this. you don't win rights and acceptance by letting people perpetuate stereotypes of you. you have to demand respect...but you have to have self respect in order to demand it. in all of my dealings with gay dudes, the gamer population has proven to be the most blase about their place in society...probably because they want so desperately to blend into a world where they are the minority...and the majority has always been pubescent/homophobic straight guys.
as for the video, i agree it's kind of harmless until you strip down the cutesy animation and think about what it's teaching you. they're saying "GAY = sissy...we're not sissy, buy our shit" which is probably pretty perfect marketing for their target demographic.
I don't really find it offensive. They didn't say is your PC gay? That would have been offensive. There are plenty of sissy straight guys, so would it be right of us to simply assume that they are gay because they are sissies?
Stephen...the characters are named "Kween Gayashi" and "Private Paula". I don't know how you're missing this.
"Queen Gay-ashi" is pretty clear...but maybe you don't understand the Private Paula reference. That's the name the drill instructor gives recruit Gomer Pyle in the german translation of Full Metal Jacket...who is, of course, brutally mentally (and physically) abused in every manner of homophobic hate mongering leading to his eventual suicide.
I don't think it's fair to equate amusement with the ad to an obstacle in overcoming homophobia. Letting people laugh at the stereotypes IS the best way to encourage inclusion when it demonstrates that both sides of the line find something funny. It's just kinda cheap to do that with product advertising, in general.
Well, I think it's generally funny and wouldn't be gay-bashing if it weren't for the damn character names.
So well, it's funny AND it's offensive. It would be a lot less offensive (as I read from previous posts) and surely a hell of a lot funnier if they had tough guy names.
As for the "sissy = gay" thing, that's plain stupid. I bet a lot of hetero guys who play fighting games in fully-tuned PC's are sissier than the average "gay stereotype".
I think it's funny. I don't think that the ad portrays homogays in a negative light. I believe in worrying about the world's lube reserve and not stereotypically named gay ninjas. .oOI wonder if they prefer limp wristed assasin?Oo.
Who loves a good cat fight? Me. Ow. Gays clawing. Ninjas hair pulling. Girls scratching. Black gay girls brass knuckling. Politicians name calling. It's all good.
Seriously, I've seen offensive. The Reverend Phelps is offensive. The video is harmless fun.
A cliche is a cliche because it's true. Sometimes the truth hurts, and people start to whine. It's not a truth for all, but it's a truth for some. A man is born. He's a man of means. Then along came two; they got nothing but their jeans. But they got different strokes. It takes different strokes. It takes different strokes to move the world.