Who’s Going To Be The One To Tell Chelsea Her Jokes On Black Women Just Aren’t Funny?

May 18th, 2012 - By Brande Victorian

Source: Blogs.newsok.com

There’s something about Chelsea Handler that I find partially annoying but for the most part just not funny. In stark contrast for her affinity for black men, particularly rappers, she has a special place in her heart for trying to keep the stereotypical black girl meme going and it’s really not a good look.

The other night she went on a tirade about wanting to find a new “black lady friend” and the commentary went something like this:

“As I mentioned yesterday, Tracy Lately is looking for some new friends, not that I don’t like the ones I have, I’m just looking for better ones. In particular, I am looking for a new Black lady friend. I don’t want to make it a racial thing, bu the last Black girlfriend I had robbed me. I tried to be friends with Lonnie Love but during a recent slumber party, she ate my chaise lounge. My bad, I should have never purchased a chaise lounge made out of waffles. I recently found a new candidate on the new VH1 dating series, Tough Love New Orleans.”

This is when she cuts to the video clip of her new-found black BFF and continues with:

“This whole thing has got me wondering, why in predominately African-American films is there never a sassy White friend? Tyler Perry, last time I checked, I am White and I am sassy. Here is my audition: Leave him girlfriend. That man ain’t no good for you b***h. [Insert neck roll and finger snaps.]

I’m pretty sure there was a laugh reel or something going because it just wasn’t that funny. I wasn’t particularly offended, I just felt like I’d seen that before and didn’t really need to see it again because it wasn’t so funny the first time. On Womanist Musings though, Renee Martin didn’t let her off the hook so easily. She wrote:

“I am sick to death of these negative characteristics being treated as the monolithic representative standard of Black womanhood. I am sick to death of White women perpetuating them as truth, while never acknowledging that these very same tropes benefit them. It’s all ya ya sisterhood of the traveling pantsuits when they need something, and remember your place when they don’t. Mostly though, I am sick to death of comedians using comedy to justify unleashing bigoted screeds for laughs. If you have to depend upon perpetuating an ism to be perceived as funny, you are not a comedian, you’re a bigot.”

All I have to say about the ghetto black girl axe she continues to grind it, don’t you have better things to do, like visit 50 Cent in the hospital? Oh, and please don’t give Tyler Perry any ideas. The last thing we need is a “Madea Goes to Chelsea Lately.”

Check out the clip of her ghetto black girl routine and tell us what you think. How do you feel about Chelsea Handler?

Tough Love New Orleans

Brande Victorian is a blogger and culture writer in New York City. Follower her on Twitter at @be_vic.

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Sosa Asos

How do you think white people feel about black comedians such as Paul Mooney?
- http://www.facebook.com/people/Que-Stevenson/1204180733 Que Stevenson
  
  Good point! I believe he has talked about her specifically. They are equal to one another though. He talks about every race as well. I can’t stand to watch him either
  - Truthhurtz
    
    Exactly…Paul Mooney can be funny to me, but I don’t particularly like when he over does the racial jokes. To me it goes both ways. Yes we can all laugh at one another’s mannerisms from time to time, but at some point it can be a little too much.
Mia

Its Chelsea Lately for goodness sake. Why would anyone be offended by her? She is a mess from top to bottom. I’m more offended by how unfunny and corny she is.
Breal4u

How Loni Love stand her?
- So4realchick
  
  Guess she needs that check.
- Chanda
  
  To be honest Loni Love isn’t that funny either just loud.
  - http://twitter.com/MadameGigglez ItsBitchPuddingBLAM
    
    Her n sherri shepard too…
FromUR2UB

I felt nothing. Nada, nuttin’ at all. I wasn’t offended, and it was as funny as a Brady Bunch episode, meaning, the humor was so corny, I’d never actually laughed when I watched it. This was neither clever, nor so silly that I couldn’t help but laugh.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Que-Stevenson/1204180733 Que Stevenson

I have never found her funny, doesn’t matter what she says. I do pay attention to her mannerisms though. Seems like she DARES you to laugh, because she is purposely looking for controversy…That is the purpose of her kind of humor…everybody’s tickle bone is different.
Nunya

Honestly speaking, who gives a rat’s right tit? How is this any different from how we (yes, I am a Black woman) make fun of white girls? Calling them “Becky” whatnot? Imitating that Valley Girl voice? Is that not an illustration of stereotypes? Seriously, grow some lady balls and change the got-damn channel.
- not a fan
  
  It’s different because blacks only own and control 3% of the media. We don’t have much power in controlling how we’re depicted on a consistent basis and we’re still a minority numerically and politically. I get what you’re saying but there is a sociological reason why whites get called out on their racist comments and blacks don’t. It’s obvious.
  - http://www.facebook.com/RosarioRed Rosario Stefania Scarsci
    
    Exactly. Some blacks in this country do not and will never understand this. They are so apathetic to the truth and they’ll just sit back and say “Oh, everyone else gets made fun of.” Jews own everything.
  - Sha Sha
    
    Yes it’s obvious there are more of them (in the media) but that still does not make it right for anyone to stereotype another race of people. And let’s not forget the many black comedians that stereotype their own race. Is that alright? As far as I’m concerned, she is not much worse than they are.
http://www.facebook.com/people/Goldie-Treasure/100001545308532 Goldie Treasure

She is nothing but an old ugly version of Kim K, they both slept with someone to get where they are. I didn’t find the jokes offensive though, she just sucks.
Gimmeabreak78

Call me crazy, but I think the author is really reaching here. Believe me, I am very sensitive about how we as black women are portrayed in the media, but I really think the author has ignored a very important fact: Chelsea Handler’s brand of comedy is equal opportunity offensive. Writing a scathing letter about the offensiveness of her jokes is like writing a scathing letter about Borat. Like Borat, Chelsea Handler’s brand of comedy is meant specifically to make people laugh at the racial/ethnic/gender/disability insensitivity that makes us all so uncomfortable. Her brand of humor is meant to be offensive to Blacks, Asians, Hispanics, Jews, little people, etc. She doesn’t pick on black women to the exclusion of other groups. If one were to watch any one of her shows, he/she might be horrified or amused (depending on his or her sensibilites) on the number of stereotypical ethnic memes she employs (e.g. the meagerly-endowed Asian man, the cheap, greedy Jew, the well-endowed black man, the sassy black woman, the little person with a Napoleon complex, etc). Her brand of comedy isn’t necessarily my favorite because it’s not particularly witty or incisive, but it is consistent in its ability to offend absolutely every demographic. Is it great to wake up and hope to upset absolutely every group? Probably not. Is Chelsea Handler nefariously trying to exploit only black women for cheap laughs? Not at all. Is this something I think we need to get worked up about? Absolutely not.
- I CAN’T
  
  I am a black woman and I agree with you. She slams everyone equally. And since I’m at it… African American comedians (males and females) do “white” jokes ad naseum. I bet those jokes are hilarious to you. Where is your outrage (or it’s just not that funny position) on that? STFU author. Just sayin….
  - http://www.facebook.com/RosarioRed Rosario Stefania Scarsci
    
    ” She slams everyone equally”
    
    That doesn’t make it okay, but whatever.
- GoddessAmongYou
  
  FINALLY! SANITY PREVAILS! I personally LOVE Chelsea Handler. She’s offensive, she’s a b****, and YEA she’s an alky! She’s also up front, honest and not afraid to speak her mind because she could GIVE A S**T about what people think about her. She doesn’t wake up and go “HMM who’l life can I f*** up with a joke?” BUT when she does crack a joke I don’t think she really gives a s**t about “your sensibilities”. She’s already stated that she had sex with an older dude and got her show. Now explain how she KEPT her job cause she’s no longer with him. And if you watched her show you’d notice that she hires ALL sorts of comedians to do her round table. And she f***s with EACH AND EVERY ONE OF THEM! So she’s not your cup of tea. CHANGE THE CHANNEL!
- Chanda
  
  I’m glad I’m not the only one on here that gets it. The author must not watch enough shows because Chelsea gets in on everybody and I mean everybody.
- Truthhurtz
  
  Chelsea does go in on everybody, but she reserves her harshest digs for black women. I’ve consistently noticed that. She can’t even bring up a black woman without saying something borderline racist about that person. It’s disgusting and part of the reason I don’t tune into her show anymore. Not to mention how she treats Chuy. It’s ridiculous…not funny.
- Lynen
  
  The author’s point was that it’s a cheap brand of comedy that stopped being funny, for her and others, a long time ago. She clearly states that she wasn’t particularly offended, but the jokes are old, stale and not working for her (or me).
- Honest guest
  
  I agree and I also want to point out that the clip that she went to had a married black woman on a dating show and that woman didn’t see anything wrong with it. Shouldn’t that be everyone’s issue? I used to love Chelsea but lately she’s been hit or miss depending on the topic.
Tisha

I hate her. Never have i liked her show. Shes an annoying person and shes not funny at all. I hate how she uses negative jokes on black women. Just makes me sick!!
Clarissa

She RACIST against black and Hispanic folks too! Those racist cruel jokes she makes about Chuy is NOT funny! Next!? Where is the Showtime At the Apollo cane when you need it?
Sassynhot

I don’t watch her as she’s not funny, as far as I’m concerned. And to answer @30thoughts question, she was sleeping with the head honcho of E news network.
30thoughts

Who did this chick sleep with to get her own show?
- really???
  
  her boyfriend(?) is like the vice president of some channel or something related to tv…
  - 30thoughts
    
    That explains EVERYTHING! Thanks ladies
- TRUTH IS
  
  The CEO of E! or something to that effect!
Liyah

Jim Crow started by a White comedian named Jim Crow. The ideas behind Jim Crow were the basis of his comedy act. In fact, he helped create the American phenomenon called race. Based on our history, comedians have an EXTREME amount of power when it comes to racism.
- Guest
  
  Uh, Jim Crow was the name of a character in a song that came to be used as a black character in minstrel shows. It quickly evolved into a racial epithet and associated with the racist and repressive laws. But it came years after the abolition of slavery and centuries after “the American phenomenon called race” was created. I think you give comedians way too much credit.
Always Amused

She bores me, she is more corny than anything, yeah i watched her a few times but then stopped permanently, i go to The Soup that is some fun to watch.
Mrsadkiah

I used to think she was funny but the more I watched her the more she became just an annoying alcoholic.
- Tanycha
  
  She does seem to have some sort of substance abuse problem that is causing her to slip into bitter, trashy rants. I watched her show a couple of times when she tried to tear into Joan Rivers and failed. Maybe she’s bitter because she continually loses her brutha lovers to what she calls “ghetto” type women.That can really be annoying, especially if she believes she’s better than.
http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JAI4SRENU2A5WKRTELXXYJPDSI Kayla

Funny thing is not all white people are racist. The ones who are tolerant.. may disagree with what she says but don’t care enough to say something. These are the same people who scream “diversity” but would never send their children to a all black school or move into a black neighborhood. The reason why no one has really called her out is because she is white and a woman. Remember they called out Tracy Morgan?
- D. Rose in the paint
  
  im black and WILL NEVER live in an all black neighborhood or send my kid to an all black school!!!EVER!
- anonymous
  
  i will never send my child to a all black school or neighborhood. I value his life and upcoming future.. nothing cute or entertaining about the ghetto.
  - Truth0312
    
    Um…..you do realize that simply because an area is predominantly African American, it doesn’t always mean it’s the hood. There are quite a few predominantly African American neighborhoods in the country with great schools that are upper middle class or wealthy. My brother lives in one.
    Admittedly, not nearly as many as in White communities, but I hate to see stereotypes perpetuated by my own people. Similarly, just because a neighborhood is predominantly White; it doesn’t necessarily mean that their schools are good.
    - http://www.facebook.com/RosarioRed Rosario Stefania Scarsci
      
      Don’t even bother. 1. Anonymous and D. Rose is clearly the same troll. 2. They are clearly non-black. I am not even going in with the trolls today. I am too tired. But I agree with you TruthH
    - FromUR2UB
      
      Where? I would love to move to one? Anywhere in Atlanta? I’ve been considering a move there, anyway.
    - Tanycha
      
      I’d have to agree. All African American neighborhood are not ghettos. And all African Americans do not come from ghettos. The problem with sterotypes is that people who don’t get out much rely on them for information. That’s really too bad.
- Battambelly
  
  The reason why no one has called her out is because she’s not just white, she’s Jewish and they own 99% of all the media feeding crap to the minds of the masses! Apparently they are the only ones who can be racist without being labeled a racist because of the atrocities of the holocaust. There are negative stereotypes about blacks, southern whites, asians and Mexicans but when will you ever see a negative stereotype of a Jew NEVER because so many people in this country fear the Jewish lobbying mafia branding innocent people as anti-semites when in fact the Jews also carry racist elements among them! It’s genius how we the people are being fooled and schooled. I used to love her show then she just started to let her racist colors show out and it disgusts me how she belittles the Mexican guy Chewy. She’s just no longer funny.
  - http://pulse.yahoo.com/_JAI4SRENU2A5WKRTELXXYJPDSI Kayla
    
    For the life of me I never understood why people like to make that distinction. Judaism is a religion not a race. And I never knew she was jewish actually.
    - Aaliyah
      
      It actually is considered both a religion and a culture. Some participate in one, the other, or both.
  - J.
    
    They make jokes about Jews in her show, too. Also, she talks negative about herself all the time. And if you actually care to watch more than one or two episodes of “Chelsea Lately” you’d see that she doesn’t take herself or her jokes seriously, and also that she and Chuy actually like one another. People just like to see them talking s**t to one another, and he voluntarily participates in it. If you don’t like it, nobody forces you to watch her show.
- Rhonda
  
  The ones who are “tolerant”? Hmmmmm……
Nitty

Nm lets start with you.
Tell her.
@ Chelsea,stop it.
Mls2698

She has been watching ” The Game.”
november rain

I think Chelsea Handler has G-Unit tattooed on her b.a.l.l.s. like Nick Cannon said.
http://twitter.com/MrsNP2 NP

I wish I could I can’t stand Chelsea she looks like a wet dog!!!! If I had the chance I truly would:)
- http://www.facebook.com/nickeyaebony Nickeya EbOny
  
  lmao i can c the resemblance hahahah

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