What did you guys think about tonights episode of The Sarah Silverman Program? Vote at the poll on the sidebar or leave a comment to let everyone know what you think. If you missed it you can still watch the blackface episode titled “Face Wars” by clicking here (divided into 10 video parts).
Wow!!!! This episode was the funniest things even shown on tv. I was rolling on the floor (like a dog) laughing my butt off. Thanks for making my year.
Is there a way to figure out what order to watch these in?
SSO: I put the answer on top. Thanks for your question Brian.
how the fuck did this retarded ass bitch get on TV?
It was really funny. The only thing I didn’t like was how in the end the chick from the tennis club comes by Sarah’s hospital room and tells her she really didn’t let her play because she’s Jewish. One of the funniest things about the episode had been that Sarah just didn’t get that she needed a membership to play. For it to turn out that there was real discrimination seems like pandering to those who’d be pissed abt the blackface (like, you can’t call me racist because, after all, stuff like this does happen to Jews). Came off like she lost her nerve in the end. But it was still hilarious for the most part.
OMG!I think this was the BEST Episode. I loved it, i couldn’t stop laughing.
It’s does surprise me what you white folks do us. You have been do it to us since slavery. Really nothing has change!
Jonathon, there isn’t any difference between what Sarah did and how the Wayans brothers dressed in whiteface for “White Chicks.” Get a sense of humor like Marlon and Shawn. GEEZ.
Thanks Jake for understanding that.
I consider myself kind of an expert on blackface in motion pictures. This episode vindicates me in so many ways it isn’t even funny. I have repeatedly reported on the developing trend in the new millenium. Don’t forget that Sarah’s foot-in-the-door, Jimmy Kimmel did numerous turns as Karl Malone, and a few as Oprah Jimfrey. Also, in 2006, Greg Giraldo, David Spade, Carlos Mencia, Dave Chappelle, all did blackface on Comedy Central. Anyway, SARAH!!! I love you. You are the greatest female, kida-hot-for-a-jew comedian there is. I wish I could help you out in the business so that you would notice me and love me back.
typo. KINDA-hot-for-a-jew.
i missed the first episode, damnit! and was MAD, but then i saw this one, and fucking hilarious. she’s like, the female jewish dave chapelle…fucking funny and genius..the episode pushed the envelope but made light of a some serious issues we all need to get over
I found this page because i was specifically interested in any views or commentary on the episode and instead find possibly the most bizarrely pathetic web posts i’ve ever seen. I have to hope you are all trolls making a concerted effort to use bad grammar. and whats with the “kinda-hot,” let alone the “for-a-jew.” you’ve got to be kidding. i am not employing sarcasm.
Once again the show has managed to achieve a kind of multi-directional satire in which so many different things are satirized at once that it comes across as somewhat even-handed, yet somehow I don’t think the humor ever loses touch with a humane point of view. I think Sarah manages to avoid falling into the trap of just trying to ‘push the envelope’ for the sake of being shocking and daring herself to do ever more dangerous things. If that were all it were, it wouldn’t be the intelligent satire that it is.
It would be easy to write a book chapter on this episode; in lieu of that, let me just say how interesting it is to me that although Sarah’s character can be compared to Archie Bunker in some ways, she’s also like a morphing together of Meathead AND ARchie Bunker, because she plays a bigot who easily thinks of herself as a liberal doing something important while really promoting herself. And that character–the white who fuses unconscious racism with superficial liberal sentiments–is an interesting character to exploit for comedy. Of course, she’s doing a really broad, over-the-top version of it for the sake of zaniness. ARe the people at the rally chanting about ‘postmodern irony’ a spoof of people like myself who might be accused of finding too much social commentary in her comedy? Perhaps, but damn, there’s such obvious social commentary in her satire, how can we help it! She manages never to be too didactic either. She strikes a virtuous mean between thoughtful satire and edginess, and I hope the show will manage to keep this balancing act going, because either could be pushed too far at the expense of the quality of the show.
wow, white people think anything with racism in it is halarious
Jake, the difference is hundreds of years of oppression. You are an asshole.
Todd, you’re an asshole, too.
It’s offensive no matter who does it. It enforces a stereotype that hurts people.
It’s offensive to uptight people. My black friends think it’s hilarious.
I have male friends that think castration is funny. Want it done to you so we can all laugh and call you uptight if you don’t like it?
jews have had thousands of years of oppretion to, jews were murdered too. black humor is therapeutic, and if it offends you dont watch, but do you honestly think sarah has a problem with black people? or any other race? and shes got a gay couple for characters, what about all the gay jokes she makes? oh, i guess they are ok by you haters, even though gay today get murdered in many countries. we should cry, not laugh, right?
Laura Silverman was GREAT in this episode!
No pheeno, but they can talk about it and make up a story about it on TV. Then it would be funny. TV does not equal real-life idiot.
Maya, you make a good point. People getting offended by blackface don’t give a shit if the gays get made fun of.
“I’d rather laugh with the sinners than cry with the saints.” Billy Joel
Sarah Silverman is fucking hilarious, I almost peed my pants…
I could do a drive by and just knock Sarha Silverman and say she’s not funny. I never got her sense of humor but apparently somebody else does that’s why she has a show. I happen to be flicking the channels when I saw the Blackface show and just thought WOW! This can’t be happening in 2007 but it is. Its unfortunate racism in this country will never be fully addressed and we must continue with this form of misdirected entertainment regardless of who does it. The show was unfunny. I think the honest fact that while Sarha Silverman walked around in Blackface trying to stand up for Black people I noticed there wasn’t one real Black/African American character in the whole show!! DAMN!!! NOW THAT SPEAKS VOLUMES!!! I WONDER WHY?
upfrong, did not think this show was funny. not even the stoner guys on the side. the guy in the restaurant was black, as were the people in the church she went to.
however, i’m black, with a great sense of humor, and sympathy for any race/group that has been discriminated. i think homosexuality is wrong, but wouldn’t make jokes about gays. I think slavery is wrong, and will never support “black” jokes… made by chapelle, or silverman.
there are so many other topics to make comedy about. america needs to raise its standards, and stop making shows/music/cinema ONLY about sex, drugs, violence, race, etc… otherwise we’ll never move forward, but perpetuate the racial hostility this country was founded on.
there was a black character in that episode. not a minor character either. He had dialogue and was, in fact, part of the A plot (the main plot). the black waiter at the diner (can’t remember his name).
There were more black people in the episode than white people. Remember the Church filled with African Americans?
i like the subplot of how it seems like Sara & her sister’s relationship might be getting strained.
anyway, the show was hilariously funny. people who are seriously offended, get over it. it was funny. no different then when dave chappele does the honkey news caster dude in whiteface. no different then the wayans brothers in white girls. tons of comedians do this stuff!
its funny political satire. will it offend some folks? yeah sure, any good comedian is going to offend someone who is uptight.
BTW I am BLACK and GAY.
Clearly, anyone who thought this episode was funny has no idea the historical context behind blackface. The same is true for anyone who compares blackface to the Wayans brothers putting on white makeup. AND, if a comedian is going to go there, it should at least be funny. Having the nerve to get into blackface and getting into blackface while being funny are two different things. And I thought Sara’s black joke using the N-word in “Jesus is Magic” was funny. I was disappointed by this, though. It seemed lazy and controversial just for controversy’s sake.
And by the way, I AM a black woman. You can do better than this crap, Sara. Honestly.
very well put, lmb.
I can appreciate controversial comedy, but this was just simply not funny. It wasn’t insulting, or even pushing the envelope. I simply didn’t laugh, because it wasn’t entertaining. It was trully lazy.
LMB and C, I’m just glad you guys aren’t calling her racist. I don’t care if you don’t think she’s funny. Name one comedian that everyone likes? You won’t find one. Sense of humor is very diverse. Only 50% of the USA likes Sarah. Which is still good for ratings!!! hehehehe
Wow, does anyone realize that the fact that it was funny was because she had NO IDEA that she was in blackface. That’s the basis of the show. Idiots.
Oh, yeah, that’s right. She didn’t realize she was in blackface!
Still NOT funny. That seriously made you laugh for thirty minutes, Michelle? AND WE’RE THE IDIOTS??
You are clearly:
a. not a minority
b. easily amused
And if you are neither, you should be ashamed of yourself for believing that those of us who don’t find an oblivious woman in blackface funny are idiots.
Comedy Central should be ashamed of itself to air something sooo racially sensitive during this time in America where things are happening that are soo filled with racial insensitivity. Sara is just a damn fool so I can’t even begin to start on a woman who will do anything for a laugh even at the expense of her own culture and beliefs.
Some White people will never get it. But here’s a little secret that we African Americans know and as a historian on African American Arts & Entertainment If she truly understood what blackface represented she would understand that what blackface represents is early black minstrels mocking whites. Nutshell: the fool under the cork or greasepaint is mocking herself.
It’s called political satire nubean. Check out this political satire on using “The N Word.”
http://www.theonion.com/content//node/67737?utm_source=embedded_video_2
political satires?
comparin blackface to jews?
the point is… is that NO Comedian has ever made jokes about the halocaust…
why are we comparing the two? maybe america is really this shallow and insensitive at its core?
I think we should just end this debate and all find something more productive to do with our lives.
Okay, Michelle- calling people ‘idiots’ b/c they have opinions different from yours=lame
c- calling the sketch ‘lazy’= on point
Lmb- just bravo on your commentary
Look, I love controversial humor but in order for it to work, the must be smart and creative. A perfect example of that is the difference btween Chappelle and Mencia. Chappelle simply ridiculed America’s racism. But b/c Mencia blatantly plagiarizes other comic’s jokes therefore making his comedy dry, uncreative and plain bad, his “satirical” humor is nothing more than offensive.
So yes, with Sarah being the type of comedian she is, she has to test the waters with her comedy, so to speak. However, it fell short b/c of lack of creativity and ignorance of the sentiment regarding the history of blackface.
Peace and love,
Michele
I have been watchin the Sarah Silverman Program since it started– I havent got to see every episode but I plan on buyin the seasons on DVD because this is my favorite show now. I love Sarah Silverman. She fuckin rocks. this episode was one of my favorites so far.
When she turned in the chair and I saw the blackface, my first reaction was a jaw-drop. I don’t think I’ve ever been that surprised to be offended in my life (and it’s tough to offend me.) But a couple of second later when she gasped and said that she looked like “the beautiful Queen Latifa” I was already in stitches. I couldn’t believe she would have the nerve to do that on national TV.
I thought it stayed mostly funny for the whole episode. The way she thought that the people on the street were racist was amusing, and it echoed in a weird way her critics who call her racist.
What some people need to realize is that this episode didn’t make fun of black racial stereotypes. It made fun of pretentious white people who are implicitly racist who pretend in a shallow way to be racially sensitive. Maybe other white people have an easier time recognizing this attitude because they experience it more often (and maybe see a hint of it in themselves) At any rate, I think it was effective satire.
(The blackface was used as a cultural icon of racism. This is how it is seen in modern culture, regardless of the actual historical context.)
I have to say, didn’t find this funny or creative as much as “whatever…”. The best comics are also the cruelest. This is not so much cruel as boring.
Why do we laugh? Usually out of relief at the end of a piece of satire that turns out not to be aimed at us. Which is why its not really possible for one group to think that a joke aimed at another will automatically seem funny to rainbow America. I get it, though. Not everyone can or should be happy. And a numerical minority is an easy target; what are they going to do, bitch and moan and shut up. Not too many of the top advertising demographic there. Now, to upset your mainstream audience, whoo, that would be dangerous, so why don’t you try it? Or cross the line with some taboo Holocaust or child abuse jokes. We would soon find out the limits of tolerance in our wonderful free speech world. Your behind would be off the air pronto. Stand-up that relies on an “in-group” mocking an “out-group” is usually shallow, facile and lazy, as someone already pointed out. This doesn’t push any envelopes; we are all shocked out. Get some intelligent writers and do something clever and funny.
Hey Jake,
The last thing that I need to do is check out any political or other wise on the “N” word. I’ve been called the “N” word by white people and there wasn’t any “satire” or anything funny about it. What Sara did was offensive to me as an African American and that should be enough. It saddens me to think that people find humor in areas that are not funny. I suppose you thought “Birth of a Nation” was funny too or the flying of the confederate flag. LOL, very funny. Once again the glorious head of racism throws back its ugly head and breathes a deep breath of bigotry, ignorance and masked in would-be humor resusitating and finding enough exhilation to whistle “Dixie”. When will the lungs of racism collapse? This country has not apologized or for its racist past therefore finding humor extrembly is premature.
nubean:
Words by themselves have no power. None at all. Not even the N word. Their power derives from their meaning and their intent.
Now, you can simply decide that any and all use of the word is wrong and that anyone who uses it is a racist, but that’s not so different from what those bigots did themselves – They saw a simple, easily-identified trait (your blackness) and decided that based on that, they already know what kind of person you are and what you had to say.
Now, it’s fair to declare that you don’t like the word and would rather not hear it. But to accuse people of racism simply because of the /word/ and not the /intent/, is to show that same type of mental laziness.
I think it’s pretty clear that this episode is an attack aimed not at black people, but at those whites who pay lip service to racial sensitivity, but are too oblivious and privileged to actually bother learning anything about the oppression that they’re denouncing.
I’ve lived that episode, its pretty spot on. kudos sarah.
How can Sarah Silverman mock not only Martin Luther King Jr.’s speech in 1963, but also his assassination – and call that “comedy”? It’s like a Jew dressed in concentration camps clothes making pizzas near and oven. What point is Sarah making by burlesquing blackface and creating a minstrel show of the one man who actually tried to heal the wounds of racism in this country? Sarah does not focus on understanding the forces that created blackface. She just knows it si taboo and took her shot. Racism is about power, and Sarah’s perspective reinforces that she is blind to her own racist worldview. 60,000,000 people died in the Atlantic Slave trade, not 6,000,000. She shits on the pain of others to get ratings and her point is totally lost to the buffoonery of a person who has no idea what needs to be left alone. Al Jolson dressed in blackface cause he did not know any better… Silverman does it for reasons that only she knows… I wish her peace.
Lay off the jews. There would not have been a civil rights movement without Jewish intellectuals going down south and organizing colored people. (as in NAACP)
Lets mock people and flaunt taboos, adopt a mock naivete, think ourselves clever, and call it a “dialogue”, “art”, “catharsis”, or worse, call it “funny”.
But then, making people laugh is hard work. Racial hacking is easy.
Charles Merrill is retarded and I hope he’s somewhere brushing up on his history. There would not have been a civil rights movement if weak,nasty, bigoted, barbaric, sadistic, greedy, white cannibals (Jewish or not…probably Merrill’s family) had just stayed in Europe. Where were those intellectuals on Kristal Nacht, organizing the lines of the gas chambers? Get it together Charlie, but let’s stay on task though: Sarah Silverman is a moron!
It’s not the year for black people. Ever since Imus was fired it has been a small attack on the black culture. Many white people (not all) don’t understand because many white people (not all) don’t have a hard past to deal with,but the minute you say anything remotly wrong about the holocaust then let’s pull the plug. It takes alot to offend me and I can find humor in almost everything I can even find the humor in Lisa lamponelli but this is one of the things that touched me deep. I can deal with the words as long as I know that they are not directed in a hurful way, but we have enough problems as is. We have come along way but we haven’t come far enough and this episode proves it. White people will never understand they can sympathize but they will never be able to empatize, but i guarantee the first time you see a 5 min sceen of a bunch of jewish people in a concentration camp calling it a “resort” and saying “I love it here we get free hair cuts, they have a fabulous diet plan, and they’ll give you your first tatoo on the house, plus these striped suits makes me look thin.” Everyone who participates in that will never work again. Or lets put a gas mask on a jewish person door step or let’s make a toy plane explode into a replica of the twin towers it’s just jokes….right?
Sarah is pretty hot stuff. So has your jewish mom marry you off yet to some doctor?
I think the episode was pretty funny. As for the twin towers I suggest looking at. http://www.ae911truth.org/ It has professional engineers etc who have come together to spread the truth about the attack. No it wasn’t jews who setthe thing up. From the evidence it is clear the government was involved in setting up the terrorist attack.
Governments in the past including our own have carried out false flag events to be used as pretexts to sell wars to thier people. it is an idea and practice that predate Caeser. Look up Gulf of tonkin incident that got us into vietnam, the USS Liberty incident andthe list goes on. google for a video “TerrorStorm” to see factual details of such events and who is behind them truly.
[...] if i made this statement anywhere else, one might think i was trying to be so bold as sarah silverman. but here in chicago, no one will hesitate to agree that the entire city does in fact smell like [...]
Sarah Silverman…more like Sarah Silverstupid, haaaahahahaha
Um I am Freddie and I am a black man and I didn’t find it offensive but my sister is really uptight it really offended her but as for me um I didn’t find it funny but I wasn’t offended I don’t see it in anyway offensive
[...] has been showing up in some of today’s most celebrated comedies. Comedy routines by the likes of Sarah Silverman, sitcoms like The Family Guy or The Office or movies like Borat, all seem to have an underlying [...]
I’m Australian and while I understand the blackface/Jew thing to be a hot potato in the US, it isn’t something Australians in general deal with unless a visiting US celeb such as Harry Connick Jr takes offense to something that was never intended to offend. Contrary to what the media would have you believe, race is not a huge issue for most Aussies. I like Sarah’s videos often, but this one is out of my zone.
[...] more about the acceptance of ironic racism in mainstream comedy. On one hand, you have things like Sarah Silverman dressing up in black face. It’s of no surprise to me that the following sentiment is very quickly posited in the [...]
Instead of complaints there should be thanks. Every time Dave Chapel or Chris Rock comes on tv and says n word this or n word that, white people this, white people that, thank the Jews for the air time.
Best summed up by Milton Berle on the Dean Martin Roasts, while the blacks have all the musical talent, remember the Jews own the instruments.
Best episode I saw so far!!! 
I like looking through a post that will makе people think.
Аlso, thanκ уou for alloωing
me to comment!
Just when you think you haven’t seen it all…..Whelp its time to add you to the exhausted list of racist fools I have. Whats sad about this is it probably will boost your career.
Todаy, while Ι was at ωork, my cousіn stole
my iΡad and tested tο see if it сan survive а 30 foοt
drop, just so she can bе a youtube sensаtion. My
аpplе ipad іs now broken
anԁ shе haѕ 83 views. I knоw this
is totally off toρic but Ӏ had to shаre it ωith sοmеοne!
Something to say?
The order of the video parts are as follows:
Hate Crime, Being Jewish, Makeup Artist, Blackface, Dialogue, Smoking Indo, Parking Tickets, Blackface Rally, Sarah’s Recovery, and Open-Minded. I don’t know why Comedy Central split them up this time. Let me know if the order I wrote is incorrect.
Left by SSO on October 17th, 2007