Thursday, February 05, 2015

Banned TV commercial from 1960s

This politicaly incorrect Funny Face Drink Mix commercial from the early 1960s includes two shockingly unkind racial stereotypes. At the very end, Injun Orange says, in broken English: “Askum for Funny Face drink,” as buck-toothed Chinese Cherry cackles maniacally. 



I was exposed to this virulent prejudice as an innocent TV-watching youngster. Look what it has done to me. I am corrupted. To this day, when a bartender asks me what I'm drinking, I am tempted to reply: “Askum for Funny Face drink.” It's not entirely inappropriate. If I have too many drinks at Happy Hour, I do in fact begin to make funny faces.  

Epilogue: At the insistence of The Pillsbury Company's legal counsel, Injun Orange was quickly recast as Jolly Olly Orange. Chinese Cherry became Choo Choo Cherry.

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