Name: By Ridiculing Redskins, Colbert Made Racism ‘Truthy’
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By Ridiculing Redskins, Colbert Made Racism ‘Truthy’

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This Thursday night, join us live online to celebrate 46 years of muck-racking, truth-telling journalism at the In These Times anniversary celebration, featuring Adam McKay, writer and director of "Don't Look Up."Stephen Colbert is not a&nbsp;blowhard right-wing cable news host, but he plays one on The Colbert Report. The Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report is a&nbsp;sexist, racist, egomaniacal jingoist, whom Stephen Colbert the comic describes as a&nbsp;.A&nbsp;recent episode of the Report included a&nbsp;bit mocking Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins football team, for setting up a&nbsp;bogus ​” in attempt to distract the public from the fact that his team’s name is a&nbsp;racial slur against the aforementioned original Americans. Despite widespread public revulsion, Snyder has refused to change his team’s name. Apparently, he’s okay with the fact that some high-profile sports reporters to use the R-word in their coverage of the&nbsp;team.To ridicule Snyder, Colbert revived the character of Ching Chong Ding Dong, a&nbsp;yellowface caricature. Ching Chong debuted on The Colbert Report in &nbsp;in a&nbsp;sketch in which Stephen the Conservative Talk Show Host doing his racist Ching Chong impression on a&nbsp;live satellite&nbsp;feed:Ching Chong has always been identified as unacceptable within the world of the show. He’s an expression of the main character’s racist id. Scratch a&nbsp;tough-talking right-wing pundit and watch a&nbsp;bigot bleed.In his monologue, Colbert expresses solidarity with Snyder and makes the same bad arguments in defense of Ching Chong that ​Redskins” defenders use to defend their mascot: It’s harmless, it’s a&nbsp;tradition, and uptight anti-racist activists just don’t get&nbsp;it:Folks, this move by Dan Snyder inspires me, because my show has frequently come under attack for having a&nbsp;so-called offensive mascot, my beloved character Ching Chong Ding Dong. … Offensive or not – NOT – Ching Chong is part of the unique heritage of the Colbert Nation that cannot change. But I’m willing to show the Asian community that I&nbsp;care by introducing the Ching Chong Ding Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or Whatever. … I&nbsp;owe all this sensitivity to Redskins owner Dan Snyder. So Asians, send your thank-you letters to him, not&nbsp;me.When seen in full, the point of the sketch couldn’t be clearer: Colbert is mocking Snyder for insulting the nation’s intelligence and our sense of decency with a ​charity” that’s almost as racist as the team name it’s supposed to distract us from. Which is why there was no controversy until an unnamed staffer at Comedy Central tweeted the following excerpt on The Colbert Report​s Twitter feed: ​I am willing to show #Asian community I&nbsp;care by introducing the Ching-Chong Ding-Dong Foundation for Sensitivity to Orientals or&nbsp;Whatever.”Stripped of its context, the tweet seems to mock cultural sensitivity and/​or Asian people. Before long, the #CancelColbert hashtag was trending on&nbsp;Twitter.As in the TV business, Colbert the comic doesn’t write his show’s Twitter feed. The comic on his personal feed that he was offended by the tweet. It was deleted by Comedy&nbsp;Central.&nbsp;Some people wonder why it was necessary to evoke such an ugly and hurtful stereotype in order to make an anti-racist point. Here’s why: There are defenders of the ​Redskins” name who had their consciences pricked by Colbert’s routine who couldn’t have been reached by earnest anti-racist entreaties. These folks have convinced themselves that the team name is a&nbsp;non-issue and no amount of rational argument is going to make them realize what’s wrong with it. Sometimes, you can change someone’s mind by making them feel something, even when rational argument fails. One of the functions of social satire is to engineer those kinds of&nbsp;epiphanies.The Ching Chong Ding Dong routine is supposed to make people uncomfortable. Such depictions of Asians are universally recognized as offensive in mainstream American society. The average apolitical parent would wash their kid’s mouth out with soap if they caught him talking like that. Hell, the average racist would be ashamed to be caught making Ching Chong jokes in&nbsp;public.Even if you’re the kind of bigot who secretly thinks that shit is funny, you know enough to keep it under wraps. You wouldn’t sport a&nbsp;Ching Chong decal on your car or on your jersey, like many Redskins fans do with their&nbsp;mascot.The comparison between the Redskins mascot and Ching Chong Ding Dong is supposed to make Redskins defenders feel ashamed of themselves. Colbert is trying to make them realize at a&nbsp;gut level that their beloved mascot is redface to Ching Chong’s&nbsp;yellowface.He’s making it truthy for&nbsp;them.Win your dream vacationThe In These Times raffle is our most popular fundraiser of the year. This year, the grand prize is a trip to a destination of your choice—airfare and lodging are on us.The live drawing will take place at our virtual annual event on Thursday, September 15, but you don’t need to be in attendance to win. With a grand prize of a $1,000 airfare voucher and a $1,000 Airbnb gift card, you can design your ultimate getaway. 100% of your donation will go towards supporting our independent, progressive journalism.is an award-winning investigative journalist and In These Times staff writer who writes the blog Duly Noted. Her stories have appeared in Newsweek, Salon, Slate, The Nation, Ms. Magazine, and other publications. Her photographs have been published in the Wall Street Journal and the New York Times’ City Room. She also blogs at The Hillman Blog (http://​www​.hill​man​foun​da​tion​.org/​h​i​l​l​m​a​nblog), a&nbsp;publication of the Sidney Hillman Foundation, a&nbsp;non-profit that honors journalism in the public&nbsp;interest.Have thoughts or reactions to this or any other piece that you'd like to share?More articles by Lindsay BeyersteinSimilar articlesJoin our newsletterFearless journalism, emailed straight to you.Subscribe and Save 66%Less than $1.67 an issueWatch live Thursday nightAcademy Award-winning filmmaker Adam McKay, writer and director of “Don’t Look Up,” joins us to celebrate the 46th anniversary of In These Times. Plus: Chris Smalls and the JFK8 Amazon workers.

This Thursday night, join us live online to celebrate 46 years of muck-racking, truth-telling journalism at the In These Times anniversary celebration, featuring Adam McKay, writer and director of "Don't Look Up."Stephen Colbert is not a&nbsp;blowhard right-wing cable news host, but he plays one on The Colbert Report. The Stephen Colbert of The Colbert Report is a&nbsp;sexist, racist, egomaniacal jingoist, whom Stephen Colbert the comic describes as a&nbsp;.A&nbsp;recent episode of the Report included a&nbsp;bit mocking Dan Snyder, owner of the Washington Redskins football team, for setting...

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Lindsay Beyerstein

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By Ridiculing Redskins, Colbert Made Racism ‘Truthy’

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