Kamahl angry over unkind comedy
Kamahl has delivered a scathing attack on Hey Hey after being sketched into the Jackson Jive sketch.
- Published by David Knox
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Renowned singer Kamahl has weighed into the Hey Hey debate -and doesn’t like what he sees.
The Malaysian-born Australian has long been lampooned on the show, seemingly with affection, but his statements today paint a different picture.
Kamahl told The Daily Telegraph he had endured years of racist remarks, despite numerous appearances on the show. He admits he used to laugh along, but after his likeness was sketched into the notorious Jackson Jive sketch, he is critical of the Channel Nine show.
“They are just trying to push the envelope. Like The Chaser. The Chaser may take it to another level but at least it’s witty,” he said.
In a scathing attack on the show, he says, “Hey, Hey is devoid of any real wit.
“It’s desperate. It’s toilet humour and it should be flushed.
“If Harry Connick Jr had not been there it would have just slipped through to the keeper,” Kamahl said.
“It’s not an advantage to be born black in this current society, neither is it to be a woman. Both have to work twice as hard.”
Kamahl was even said to be considering legal action, according to the newspaper.
Meanwhile the sketch continues to gather outrage internationally, now being reported by the BBC, The Times, The Sun, The Mirror, CNN, CBS and E!
Both Nine and Daryl Somers have apologised for any offence caused.
Source: The Daily Telegraph
54 Responses
Kamahl is so right. People from privileged backgrounds have no idea what it is like to be discriminated against or to be the butt of continual “racist” and “sexist” jokes. Show a little empathy and start thinking about others for once. One day it could be your wife, husband, daughter, son and so on who are the butt of jokes and/or are discriminated against. Then I bet you won’t find the jokes or discrimination funny.
I am truly sorry to read this–the lampooning mentioned was always — always — done with affection, including on Wednesday night, and dates back to the Graham Kennedy IMT days.
It was Bert Newton who kept this running gag going, always mentioning that Kamahl was a ‘wonderful, wonderful man’ and I’m pretty sure that Kamahl’s career benefitted greatly from decades of this kind of constant publicity–and he always responded brilliantly, showing he could give as good as he got (including as a judge a few times on HHIS “Red Faces”)
The line that is used as a sound byte whenever Kamahl’s name is mentioned “Why….why are people so unkind?” comes from one of his hit records from the late ’60s (“The Elephant Song” I think it was) and I think it is one of the reasons why Kamahl is a cult favorite to this day.
Sadly this story may now get him a story on “Today Tonight” or ACA, some publicity and a footnote in history whenever this incident is ever mentioned in the years to come. I’m sorry he’s bitter about it as no harm was meant (or ever meant), and the fact he is considering some kind of legal approach is sad and, in this case, unwise.
I’d love to know what was meant to be funny about the sketch of Kamahl. Other than point out that, yes, he’s a different skin colour too.
“We’re not racist”, but apparently sketching a dark-skinned celebrity during a blackface routine is Hilarious.
Lighten up everyone! People keep saying this isnt political corectness, but is So is!!! Why is everyone so rigid?! Take a joke people!!
What a wanker – and that whole “Why are people so unkind” comment was so badly staged for the Ch7 news crew last night it made me more sick than what this whole thing was about…. Trying to revive a career Kamahl?
Why did the cartoonist just stop with exaggerating the lips, forehead, and eyes? Why not go all the way and have his mouth full of billiard balls? The fact that these wankers are too ignorant to realise that blackface routines and caricatures like this are offensive demonstrates that a series return shouldn’t occur. Corporate Australia should be very careful in aligning themselves with this show if it does return.
What makes this worse is Daryl Somers attempt to minimise the seriousness of this issue. How much damage has this ‘massive d***head’ done to the internationally perception of this country, I am sure Tourism Australia will be thanking him.
Kamal, your 100% correct and when you flush make sure you don’t press the half flush button, crap like this is difficult to remove.
he just wants to get his head in the lime light again. he needs to get over himself
Wow. I totally agree with him. It’s really disheartening that a certain section of the community genuinely believes Hey Hey, with all its sniggering sexism, racism and homophobia – viz all the gay jokes hurled at Molly – to be “clean, decent family entertainment”. All it’s ever been is mediocre at best, but then again, banal mediocrity is the highest standard Nine’s programming generally aspires to.
Get over it! Now Kamahl’s offended dear God help me!
Oh please Kamahl, we’re getting all a little bit too precious aren’t we? Hey Hey has promoted your work for years, the jokes have always been in good spirit and now you’re not happy…. give me a break.
There was another moment at the very end that was picked up on You Tube: Great Jokes 101.
Darryl doing what comes naturally – anachronistic one liners. Check out his comment after each performer announces their current profession.
He stayed away, with good reason!
“Hey, Hey is devoid of any real wit. It’s desperate…”
Kamahl, well said.
it seems that hey hey has just about killed any left , down the middle or right comedy sketchs, jokes, and any form of satire, comedy as we previously knew is dead r.i.p. i am not a bigot but a line seems to have been drawn in the sand, where does that leave us, are there going to be certain guidelines that any joke, skit, or the way we look, talk or think will be seen as some form of rascism, we now are in fear of expressing anything that remotely reseambles a opinion.
Whether people liked the sketch or not, I’m sure Kamahl didn’t enjoy being dragged into the furore like that via a cartoon grab.
I assume no more appearances on Hey Hey for him then…
“They are just trying to push the envelope. Like The Chaser.”
Actually no, thats just the normal Hey Hey humour, hasn’t changed since the time it was originally on air! This proves how dated the show is and we have all realised that some of the humour on the show doesn’t wash in 2009. You just can’t teach old TV personalities new tricks!
new day new angle ona story that in a week or two will be …what??
Nine really can’t do anything right
This happened 2 days ago… I’m over it – so should everyone be by now…
As for Kamahl’s comments saying it’s not easy being black or female… It’s not easy being a great deal lot of things Kamahl, so what, life’s tough, time to move on… Be empowered, not some guy playing a race card (or whatever) for all eternity.
Maybe I’m wrong, but Kamahl was ‘funny’ because his “singing” is so incredibly bad, not because of his colour or ethnicity.
This is getting out of control … we all know that Americans usually see the world differently to the rest of us … I remember, when I was Very little, we had the Black and White Minstrel Show on every Sunday … it was wonderful and talented and the Hey Hey skit was no different, apart from the Michael Jackson being so white reference which everyone in the world thinks anyway … as usual with America, things get taken to the extreme as did this “political correctness” episode from Harry…
As for Kamahl … his career success was greatly increased by all the Hey Hey appearances and jokes which he happily went along with … his comments seem a bit hypocritical now …. “…why, are so many people, so unkind?…” as he would always say …. because your career thrived on it!
So, will we just go back to picking on the gays then? … oh, wait … I’m a gay!!!! But definitely not the only one in the village!!!
Again, what great publicity for Hey Hey … and convenient too!
Jack!
Don’t blame him for being pi**ed off about it, but I think taking legal action is probably taking it a bit far, though that cartoon drawing of him is offensive (note the exaggerated Afro lips and nose), and HHIS used Kamahl for donkey’s years as a human punchline. This whole thing has gone viral and has snowballed out of control. It is getting exposure all over the globe, particulalry in the US, where it has made Australians look really bad. Nine are probably rubbing their hands together with glee at the free publicity, but the whole thing is just out and out embarrassing and humiliating. How Daryl Somers could trot out that line about the skit being a tribute to Michael Jackson just defies belief and makes him look like an insensitive idiot. How is holding a dead man up to ridicule a tribute?
I agree with Kamahl. I like that Daryl and Nine have made the non-apology of saying sorry for “any offence caused” but not apologising for making the error of airing the skit itself.
Kamahl who?
Shouldn’t he be kissing their a**e for making him such a big star in Australia!? Idiot.. looks like another one jumping on the bandwagon.
Just jumping on a bandwagon…he said it himself that it wouldn’t be an issue without HCJr….