Question 3

3) Discuss the way in which race is portrayed in these two videos:



This video directly associates African American culture with its stereotypical elements like “thick” girls, cursing, slang, gangs, drinking, and sex. The slang language used throughout the video is an obvious indicator that they are trying to depict the stereotype that African Americans are uneducated. They are also depict them as lazy with “straight sittin’ on yo ass.” He says, “nigga we’ll get you to your hoe and back lickity spit, no shit” making a play on African American rap culture. This is a direct critique on African American culture because it is a white, blond man describing (and in the gang scenes embodying) African American culture in an obviously stereotypical and over the top way. The man is saying things like “We be flyin’ all over this bitch,” in a “white” accent, showing critically that the white man “isn’t like that” and that the stereotypes of African Americans are unique to their race, which we know is not the case.



This commercial makes a similar statement, without being critical at all. This depicts African American stereotype coming out of the mouth of a black man. First of all they are depicted as lazy with “you’re sitting on the couch, watching T.V. and your life is passin’ you by. You keep procrastinatin’” and “You spend all day on the phone anyhow.” They are also depicted as uneducated and don’t have higher education, considering that this is a commercial for “college” that is geared towards African Americans. It also has the same slang element, saying things like “witchu” instead of “with you.” It also shows them as having a lower economic standing, considering that the man is standing in the parking lot of an apartment complex at night. The man also has a crooked baseball hat on, which is a huge stereotypical indicator.

How are they the same, and how different? (50-75 words)

Both videos discuss the stereotypes of African Americans, where as Ghetto Delta Airlines makes a critical statement about the stereotypes and the Everest College advertisement does not. Both videos make similar statements about the African American race: that they are lazy and uneducated, due to both the content of the video and the slang that its depicted through. Because the Ghetto Delta Airlines is depicted in an over-the-top manner and is starkly contrasted against the stereotypical Caucasian man, we can see a critical statement made about the stereotypes. On the other hand, in the Everest commercial, the black speaker is embodying the stereotypes in such a way that he is making a statement by representing his “own people” because the stereotypes are there, but they aren’t over the top at all.