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Jackson brothers: “They probably weren’t trying to be offensive”

Marlon, Tito and Jackie Jackson were told about the Hey Hey skit in London on Thursday: “Wow, and you want a comment from us about that?”

jacksonsMarlon, Tito and Jackie Jackson were being interviewed by Access Hollywood correspondent Tim Vincent in London on Thursday when they were told about Hey Hey‘s now notorious ‘Jackson Jive’ sketch.

“Wow, and you want a comment from us about that?” Marlon said. “Man, if they turned up looking like that in the United States!” (-the exact same comment given by Harry Connick Jr.).

But the three brothers were gracious in response, which is no doubt a huge relief to all involved.

“They probably weren’t trying to be offensive about it or anything of that nature with the family,” Marlon continued. “We thank Harry for [speaking out], but we also understand that they weren’t trying to be disrespectful for the family.”

Phew.

A quick call from Molly Meldrum to his friend Jermaine Jackson might help keep this on track, if it hasn’t already happened.

US media has been understandably less kind about the incident, with many reacting to the headlines attached to the story.

On The View a discussion took place between Whoopi Goldberg, Joy Behar, Sherri Shepherd and guest Ana Ortiz described Hey Hey as a talent show. While they acknowledged the act had been on 20 years earlier, they made reference to fact that back then “they won the show.”

Hmm, Hey Hey is many things but it isn’t Australia’s Got Talent. None seemed to grasp the segment has a ‘Gong’ style irony to it (was Whoopi ever on the show herself? Maybe not).

They also commented about Australia’s track record with Aborigines, noting that Australia has no musical act that matches the Jacksons. True enough. What country does? While we’re at it, everyone also seems to have forgotten that Jessica Mauboy opened the show.

Few have included the background of the performers either. But amid the flaming fires of US editorials, all of which are understandable, it took Bill O’Reilly to put some clarity into the debate.

“Australia and America are very similar… this is not representative of Australia, this is just a bad decision by stupid producers.”

Meanwhile it also made news on NBC, CBS and ABC and was carried on Good Morning America and the CBS Early Show.

It’s a little ironic that Hey Hey wanted to bring the show into 2009 with Facebook, Twitter and emails. Going ‘viral’ was a little more than it bargained on…

Source: Access Hollywood

33 Responses

  1. I thought the same with the Chaser sketch, and think the same with this. Media outrage for the sake of media outrage. The sooner this is over with the better.

    I’m getting sick and tired of the media jumping at things which should be seen at humor. The jive by Sandipants about Madga going to a concentration camp is somewhat funny in its own respect, and the media taking things so seriously is turning Australia’s comedy scene stale.

  2. Since when is it against the law to paint your face black. If they had come out with their faces painted green would there be any complaints. I notice how no one has complained about the guy with the white painted face

  3. This is all about how Harry is too thin-skinned and/or trying to project an overly PC public persona. If he hadn’t been there this would all be a non-issue.

    Makes one wonder if this wasn’t all planned to a degree? It has given a world-wide boost to the profiles of two otherwise minor entities.

  4. What have Aboriginies got to do with it anyway? They are the indigenous race of Australia. I don’t think North Americans treat Native Americans particularly well either. Whoopi shows her racism by just making all black people the same.

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