FRITO BANDITO
"He loves CRONCHY Fritos corn chips so much he'll stop at nothing to get yours. What's more, he's cunning, clever-- and sneaky!
He's a theiving, gun toting, Sobrero wearing, mustache sporting man hailing from South of the Border whom Frito Lay advitisers believed would persuade consumers that Frito Lay chip brands were ideal for them. Attacking the Mexican race, this cartoon form looks very similar to the stereotyped image of Mexicans.
We've seen a vast array of racial propaganda like Frito Bandito: large nosed Jews during the Holocaust, servicing Black grandmothers on syrup bottles, and happy "Uncle Tom's" serving white consumers.
Here's a video of one of Frito Bandito's commercials which, yes, did air on television at one point in time.
I wanted to post an entry about this just to share what I have been looking into lately. I wonder if years from now we will look at the advertisements we so commonly know today and deem them as attacks to certain races.
I'm sorry, but you have to admit that song is just a little bit catchy! I laughed, I did.
ReplyDeleteThis is a little off-topic but I really wonder what the appeal is of characters stealing things from you. For example, lucky charms: the kids are trying to steal his lucky charms. Then, trix: that darn silly rabbit is always trying to steal some trix. Even cookie crisps!
I suppose it's just one of those, "if they like it, I would like it too" mentalities. Not a very good lesson to be teaching kids in my opinion.
Back on topic -- I personally am really torn between laughing at stereotypes and taking offense to them. I believe that once something is not such a sensitive topic to laugh about that is indicative of it truly not being a serious issue anymore. Until people are able to look at past discrimination and stereotypes and laugh about it, it will always remain a touchy subject and therefore will slowly (if ever) be able to be let go.
Don't worry I laughed too and felt guilty and shameful at the same time. Knowing what we know about stereotypes today and how they are attacked and distinguished before they even spark a flame and spread over lands and handicap millions with ignorance, we can't even imagine this airing. And that's an awesome comparison. I never thought about the Silly Rabbit and the Thieving Leprechaun. Now that you mention them, it's almost obvious to include them. Finally, and I hate to say this, but racism, discrimination and stereotyping will never be eradicated in the next decade or century. As long as we are able to live and think freely, and protest whatever we do not agree with, we will maintain our own opinions about ideas and people.
ReplyDelete