Rush Hour 2 flamingly rascist? Huh?

[Parchai]

I just read the Ebert review of RH2 and I must say I was taken aback. Apparently he was aghast over the racial comments made during this movie. ***Spoiler maybe*** Ebert speaks specifically of the casino scene where Chris Tucker is shootin dice and needs a distraction for Chan to go kick ass. So Tucker, in a satirical tirade on black stereotypes, yells on and on about how white people are trying to screw him over. Ebert calls this "one scene that really grates". This critic goes on to say "There is a belief among some black comics that audiences find it funny when they launch extended insults against white". Also, "Accusing complete strangers of being racist is aggressive, hostile, and not funny, something Tucker demonstrates to a painful degree in this movie--where the filmmakers apparently lacked the nerve to request him to dial down". Clearly he believes that the reason this movie was created was to be some type of "black vengence on the white man" movie, and it seemed to strike him in a very personal place.

The rest of the world, however, seems to believe that this movie is rooted in good-natured humour, and only uses racial humour as something that brings us closer. It gives us a commonly shared experience. When we laugh, in good-nature, about our differences, we mitigate them. In our racially confused times, we sometimes forget that pent-up, silent rascism can be more dangerous than the obvious KKK type. The racial jokes in Rush Hour 2 were written, not in the language of hate, but in the spirit of good, friendly comedy. I thought everyone knew this, but apparently I was wrong. It is vital that people remember this when they go to see this kind of movie. It's like the song "White Christmas". Your normal citizen thinks of this song as a harmless, and warm tribute to a beautiful, snow-laden christmas morn. Ebert, and those who see nothing but mean rascism in this movie would understand "White Christmas" as some KKK national anthem. The bottom line is this: Context is the key. Rush Hour 2 was simply a story about 2 cops doing some good-ol fasioned male bonding, not some modern-day "Birth of a Nation". I feel sorry for someone who can't embrace our differences and simply laugh at how idiotic we all really are.

Oh and if anyone still has any doubts about whether this movie was all mean-spirited racial jokes, let me say this to you: Chris Tucker is still alive and conscious. If Jackie Chan would've thought Chris Tucker was being rascist, he would've whomped Tucker.

[pablotheintern]

Ebert has lost his mind. Each week this summer, he has grown more and more insane. And then, he gave Original Sin three stars. The man, once the greatest movie critic alive, has become one of the worst. Very sad.

[ak]

This is called a "comedy", and in comedies people make jokes, why do people like Ebert takes films so seriously.

[Ender]

The only thing I find offensive is that Chris Tucker keeps trying to convince us that he is, in fact, the much more talented Chris Rock. (Shakes head is sorrow) That scene in the casino is a perfect example.

[SteveSzyk]

I never liked Ebert!

[Parchai]

I was just reading the talkback for RH2 on AICN (I know, that's what I get for reading those), but there seemed to be alot of people complaining about RH2 being racist also. What the hell?

[This message has been edited by Parchai (edited 08-07-2001).]

[someguy]

I do agree that Chris Tucker seems like he's trying to be Chris Rock, but I have to agree on a fact that Ebert gave on his review. He said that Tucker was trying to be funny, but HE isn't. Ebert said that the hardest thing a comedian to learn is that THEY aren't funny, the material is. I very much agree on that. I'm still gonna check out RH2 though. Ebert has been going a bit weird this summer. He gave Final Fantasy a 3 and a half.

[Parchai]

This is another thing that I must disagree with Ebert about. I'm from the school that says that comedy is, in fact, the triumph of style over substance. To me, comedy is all about the timing and deliverance. Substance helps alot, but it simply is'nt essential to comedy. For example, look at Andy Kaufman's famous appearance on Saturday Night Live as the man who sung the Mighty Mouse Song. All it was comprised of was Andy just standing there next to a record player listening to the Mighty Mouse Song. The only thing Andy would do was wait for his que from the song, lip sync certain words, then go back to sheepishly listening to the song again. When he first explained what he was gonna do to the SNL execs, no one thought it was going to be a funny bit. When Andy actually went out there and did it, however, it rocked the crowed. Everyone laughed. Ask any sucessful stand-up and they will tell you that good jokes mean nothing if you can't present them with perfect timing. Watch David Letterman and Conan O'Brian, their funniest moments are'nt when they are delivering their scripted, audience-tested, jokes, but when they simply ad lib at the appropriate times. Comics have always been the funny ones, they give a soul to a collection of words that would otherwise be meaningless if left alone. The moral here is opposite of Ebert's. To be funny a comic one must make himself funny, and not rely on just the material.

I'm reminded of a certain comic (I think it was Don Rickles) who, whenever interviewed, would tell the interviewer to ask him what the secret to comedy was. The interviewer would invariably begin his question, but before he could finish, the comic would yell, at the top of his voice, right in the inverviewer's face, "TIMING!!".

I love Chris Tucker because he delivers his lines perfectly. He's fast paced enough to prevent you from actually thinking too hard about the jokes, but not so fast that you don't understand the joke. That pacing combined with his high pitched voice and energy is what makes him hilarious to me and the other 97,000 people who paid to see this movie. Take a ganders at Jackie Chan. His Buster Keaton-style comedy transcends language barriers because he can turn getting hit on the head with a 3 ton dumpster into comic gold with just one quick expression.

Anyways, I don't think Ebert should be giving comedy tips because the only time someone laughs at him is when they remember that he actually wrote "Beyond the Vally of the Dolls" or whatever that movie was named.

[freesafetyblitz]

Parchai - do you have the URL for Ebert's review? I was looking for it earlier, and couldn't find it.

[meccajay]

Ender & Someguy - The whole thing about Chris Rock & Chris Tucker is too simple for you guys NOT to get....Chris Tucker is good in MOVIES, Chris Rock is good doing STANDUP!!! Its not that Tucker cant do stand up because he is pretty damn good at that too. It's just that Rock's stand up is much better!!(especially the 1st HBO special which is probably the of the top 5 in television comedy history)
The thing is I believe Tucker wants to be EDDIE MURPHY not Chris Rock.....Chris Tucker's movies have been far better than Chris Rocks in every aspect... The 1st one, Friday is a comedy classic! The Rush Hour movies....Well, they speak for themselves!!
With the level of success Tucker has had and will continue to have, you have to compare him with Murphy, not Rock. After all would you really take a comparison between Rush Hour 2 and Pootietang seriously....I think not!
You simply have to understand whether you like someone or you don't and move on....If you don't like Tucker you just don't!!

As far as the racist thing, we'll Hollywood seems to like the whole "black man pokes fun at the white man thing...They made it obvious in the Richard Pryor movies in the 70's they made that true for Eddie Murphy movies(remember the bar scene in Beverly Hills Cop "Listen up, I don't like white people").
I think it's just what Hollywood wants from black comic's....."do that I hate the white man thing Eddie/Richard/Chris" I think Roger Ebert is tired of seeing it, or just wants to have something else in its place. After all this is our new "MTV" era. Right or wrong I don't know. Typical Hollywood - Hell yes!!

[max]

Racist or not, he's just not funny to me. And I love his response to why he didn't rush to do another film even though he got offered a lot of projects after RUSH HOUR. His response: "I didn't want to do just any film. I wanted to do something original." So what does he do? RUSH HOUR 2. Let me throw up now.

[Parchai]

Here we go: http://www.suntimes.com/output/ebert1/rush03f.html

[JoBlo]

Ebert's always been a little more sensitive when it comes to black films (I believe he's married to a black woman-- maybe that's why?), but this thing just takes the cake. DUDE, it's a comedy...!!

If there's anything that I hate in this PC world of ours, is when critics or people standing by the side-lines (see GLAAD versus Kevin Smith) try to pass judgment on others, simply because they can't appreciate the messenger or the message ("oh well, then he must be a homophobe!!" or "hemust be racist!"

In this case....uuhhhm, Chris Tucker was trying to be funny. Was he racist in his behavior and comments? I didn't think so...not one damn bit! Was he funny?!? Fuckin' aye!! Did a lot of other people think that he was funny?!? Yup-yup (see box-office grosses)!! Did others think that he wasn't so funny? Yes, also...but that's because humor is very subjective and I definitely understand how others can NOT find him funny. Granted.

But bringing up the "racism" card is just plain "out there"! Then again, Ebert's been acting pretty nutty all summer (see his *** reviews of TOMB RAIDER and ORIGINAL SIN for perfect examples) and I hope that it's just sunstroke or something, because his tirade reminds me a little bit of Harry Knowles and his NO-HOLDS-BARRED attitude at times (taking personal shots at people, etc...), and well...I'm not exactly sure if that's the way this man wants his career to be headed...

Just my two cents, of course...

[meccajay]

<Racist or not, he's just not funny to me. And I love his response to why he didn't rush to do another film even though he got offered a lot of projects after RUSH HOUR. His response: "I didn't want to do just any film. I wanted to do something original." So what does he do? RUSH HOUR 2. Let me throw up now.>

Max I think that quote was to get the price up for the Rush Hour sequel - You know how actors are "I really am looking forward to some new callenges" "I really wanted to do something different" TRANSLATION: I need 20 million for a sequel.

Arnold was the best at that!

[Cyclonus]

Roger Ebert is married to a black woman? I didn't know that...

[Angel_2nd]

Honestly, i think this movie is one of the funniest movies i have seen in all my 15 years of watching them. I loved it!!! I find it funny to hear some good hearted humor. I liked the casino scene. And critics make me angry, period. I don't like to listen to someone rant and rave over my opinion, whether in support or not. And whether they liked the movie or not, there is ALWAYS something wrong with it. And i also think that somebody must have liked it. It made $23mil on the release date....
-Angel

[resdawg]

hell yeah i liked it, i brought my cousin. Me and her were almost fallin out of our seats even after it was over we were still laughing. I'm gonna see it again.

[Krzysztof]

Ebert is right. I'd like to see how everybody would be yelling if a white comic made offensive jokes about black people. Damned sure he'd be called racist pig. And producers would not allow for that to happen in the first place. And re. the discussion about Tucker the comic: he sucks! Rolling your eyeballs doesn't take much talent.

[Scorchlord]

In American society, you're allowed to have black people make fun of white people and not have it be racist.

You're also not allowed to have white people make fun of black people, because that IS racist and the NAACP acts with a vengeance.

It's what a friend of mine calls "reverse racism." Where it should work both ways - blacks making fun of whites is racist, whites making fun of blacks is racist - the blacks making fun of whites is tolerated and whites making fun of blacks is ostracized.

[BuddhaMonk]

There is no such thing as "Reverse" racism. The word Racism does not imply white against black, therefore requiring a reverse if it's black against white. It's just racism, plain and simple.

[marino83]

you are right BuddhaMonk BUT there is something called a double standard and thats what that was.
there is no way in hell that a white comedian can go off on the black community and diss them. in Rush Hour 2, what Chris Tucker did is merely harmless because he was setting up a distraction, but in Spike Lee moives they rip on whites all out.

[rgse]

What Chris Tucker did was harmless.

For all of you that think there are no white comics that make racial jokes against blacks, where have you been? There are a lot of them. And guess what? - the blacks in the audience laugh just as hard as everyone else.

[playgames]

Ebert is still mad and bitter because Gene Siskel used to make him his bitch every week.Siskel was 100 times the reviewer Ebert is.I miss Gene Siskel.Jo-blo is better than Ebert.

[Krzysztof]

<font face="Verdana, Arial" size="2">Originally posted by playgames:
Ebert is still mad and bitter because Gene Siskel used to make him his bitch every week. Siskel was 100 times the reviewer Ebert is.I miss Gene Siskel.Jo-blo is better than Ebert.</font>

With all due respect to Jo-blo, who is a fine reviewer in his own right, Ebert is one and only.

[Angel_2nd]

I agree with you RGSE. I have seen white comedians make fun of black people. And they do laugh. As long as it is not harsh racism, and just light hearted humor i don't think anyone cares. I thought what Tucker did was funny as hell. I was falling out of my seat laughing. I went with my friend, and he could hardly breathe he was laughing so hard. And, once again, for those of you talking about white people not making fun of black people, where have you been?
And, just FYI, i am white, and i didn't find ANYTHING tucker said offensive, and evidently, neither did any of the other white people in the audience that were laghing their asses off.
-Angel

[morpheus]

I did not find this film to be at all racist, apart from possibly one part, when Tucker and Chan are fighting Ricky Tan's boys in the Sauna, when Tucker turns round and hits Jackie and says "You all look alike!". Asian people may have taken offense from that, but I don't think it was meant to be racist, its was just a joke in my book.

http://www.angelfire.com/realm/vvow/images/morp.gif

[Jan]

The reason the "look alike" joke is funny is because it is a reversal - typically that is what is said about blacks by asians and whites.

We took our 11 yr old son (who adores Chris Tucker movies) to Rush Hour 2 and we laughed ourselves silly along with the rest of the very mixed audience in Oakland, CA. I wish the p.c. police would spend more time on worthwhile issues, a comedy movie is a minor threat and racist humor really is a reflection of the reality of the human condition - racism exists in all cultures. Better we should be open and discuss it and laugh at it, than make even minor incidents overwhelmingly important and taboo.

As for Roger Ebert, the reason he liked Tomb Raider and Original Sin is he has a crush on Angelina Jolie. Ever since his over the top review, many moons ago, of Cat People, I have noticed that he will rave about some hot, sexy young actress with luscious lips (Nastassia Kinski ... Angelina Jolie) way beyond the reality of their actual performance or abilities. He's just a horny guy who (subconsciously??) indulges (deludes??) himself. Interestingly, both he and Gene Siskel championed Spike Lee early on, but Spike is one of the biggest admitted racists making movies today. I love many of his movies, by the way, but "Jungle Fever" was an abortion.

[meccajay]

Ahhh, Not so fast, remember Jungle Fever gave us...

Samuel L Jackson ! ! ! !

[Cyclonus]

Jan, what do you mean Spike Lee is a racist?

[Jan]

Cyclonus -

Actually, we're roaming a little off-topic (current movies), but:

Spike has clearly stated that his mission is to make films for black folks, period.

Spike declared that not only was it wrong for Clint Eastwood to make the movie "Bird" because he is not black, he also stated that since it was based upon material from Bird's white wife that the content used was not valid.

Spike believes that interracial dating is wrong: i.e. black men should only date black women. He cannot "understand" a black-white relationship. (Yet, somehow, it WAS valid for him to make "Jungle Fever" - go figure.)

Spike is also interested in the phenomenon of the skin color caste system in black society, but for some reason pities the women with more "white blood" than black since they are perceived as "less black" (also addressed in Jungle Fever).

Need I mention his intense resentment of the white mistress who moved in with his father after his black mother's death????

All of this has conveniently allowed him to marry a woman who looks like she is white, but I guess she has a couple black genes in there to make her OK.

MeccaJay - Don't forget - It really gave us Wesley Snipes!!!! Ughhh!! I think Samuel would have made it without Spike - Shut my mouth! Go Shaft!!!

[jackson13]

I dont see how anyone can compare Chris Tucker to Chris Rock. I think Chris Rock flat out sucks as a comedian and actor. I tried to watch CB-4, I turned it off halfway through. The guy drives me out of my mind. I fell asleep during his 1st stand-up tape (not bigger and blacker but the other one). The only time I found him funny was in Lethal Weapon 4, and that was only because of his and Joe Pesci's cell phone rant. Other than that, I think any guy who focuses a major part of his stand-up on "salad tossing" is a pathetic excuse for a comedian.

[applesoranges]

There were a few jokes about asians in the beginning of the movie that kind of made me grimace 'all ya'll look alike' and stuff like that but the casino thing was so over the top it couldn't be construed by anyone who was actually watching as anything other than comedy. Ebert sucks the big one.

[XCoRyX]

Rush Hour 2 is in no way racist...they have jokes that every day people like us make, such as 'dont u ever touch a chinese mans radio" i mean thats not racist,its humour,and even if it is racist,then racist it is,dont go watch it,and dont complain about it either for that case.(im not saying this about anyone.)

[retardinAz]

I have no problem with racism as long as it is in a comedic form. I think that comedy is an art form that should be left alone as far as political correctness is concerned. I think a black guy spouting jokes about whitey this and whitey that is fine, just as long as it's funny. Same goes for a white guy talking about black people. As long as it's funny, go ahead, make me laugh.

This may sound bad, but I have heard many racist jokes that have cracked my ass up. I have heard many negative black, jewish, mexican, etc. jokes that are absolutely hilarious. But, just as well, I have heard many negative white jokes that have been funny as well. The way I see it, if the joke is funny(and it is not told to someone whom it can offend), great. If not, no thanks, I don't need to hear another dumb joke.

Racism is like sexism, it's all about how you look at the subject. The weaker sex(women, I know that's pretty sexist, though) will get more leniency about sexism than the stronger sex. The minority will get more leniency about racism than the majority will. It's all political nowadays. America tries to make everyone equal by allowing minorities more "freedoms" in certain areas(especially artistic) than whites. If white people were outnumbered by black people, it would probably be the same way that white people would be allowed to spew out crap about black people.

Racism is a moot point of sorts. It will never be resolved. It's a matter of taste. Do you find this offensive? Yes? Then it's racist to you. It's just not as simple to just say, "Ebert's stupid, Rush Hour 2 is not racist!" If Ebert finds it offensive and racist, then so be it. It's just like we always say on this message board: Everyone has their own Opinions.

[ilovemovies]

I didn't find anything overtly offensive about the movie.

[max]

My problem with the movie is that the supposedly racist jokes in the movie are so tired it should no longer be funny (the "y'all look alike" reference to Asians, for example). That the majority in the audience I was in still found it funny (despite already having seen that clip numerous times in the trailers) may be symptomatic of a racist culture. Either that or they're just idiots, you know, the kind that regularly laughs at the sight of someone slipping on a banana peel. And isn't it curious that the ones who laugh the loudest at jokes made at the expense of a race belong to another race?

[Havoc]

YaLL need to chill out cause i mean why wouldn't a black man make fun of white people since yall been discriminating and killing us for tha past millenium

[max]

Except that the black man in RH2 is also making fun of Asians. What have they done to the black man?

[Puck Bond]

Rush Hour 2 was cool. Chris Tucker was hilarious and had alot more action sequences...Some of the old jokes are here again...but that wasn't too bad...Zhang Ziyi was hot... and Jackie Chan was good as usual....why not better than the first not as fresh and original as the first...and story alot weaker than the original...

Rush Hour 8/10
Rush Hour 2 7/10

[ilovemovies]

I don't agree on that. The first Rush Hour's story was every bit as formuliac as the sequal's. Personally, I thought the sequal was better and I enjoyed it more. There was more action and bigger laughs.
Rush Hour 7/10 B
Rush Hour 2 8/10 B+

[Dark Prince]

Ebert's really beginning to lose his sight on comedies. Relax, bro!

[TooL]

I could have done without the casino scene

[Jarheadiswhitetrash]

Parchai, good post. Your forgetting one thing though...Ebert is a moron so nothing he says is taken seriously by anyone.

Personally I thought the "you all look alike anway" remarck made my Tucker was one of the funniest I've ever heard in Film.

I think it's great that people are finally loosening up enough to start telling racial jokes in a way that they are not offensive.

Another hilarious one was from "Posse" where Steven Baldwin walks into a room with Mario Van Peebles, Tone Loc, Tiny Zeus Lister, and bunch of other black guys, and says "Who turned out the lights."

I'm black and I was rolling out of my chair with laughter when I heard this. Sometimes you just have to take a step back and laugh.

[Scully1888]

I actually went to see this movie with an Asian friend, and when Tucker said "all y'all look alike" I thought "oh my God that can't be good". I turned around to my friend and she was pissing herself laughing.
I just wish more people could be like this and accept a joke.
I'm Scottish, and Scottish people traditionally haven't worn kilts for hundreds of years. For Scotland as a nation to be represented by Austin Powers' nemesis Fat Bastard would be considered the ultimate insult.
But we laugh, because us Scots can take a joke. Fat Bastard could be classified as racist, due to the red hair and the kilt, not to mention the accent. But we get the joke.
God damn Ebert, why can't YOU get THIS joke?

[MISFITS_Fiend]

Yeah, in Fat Bastard's case, the stereotypes were SO blatant, you couldn't help but laugh! As far as RUSH HOUR 2 being racist, give me a fuckin' break. Hell, anything can be racist if you're uptight, which 90% of the public seems to be. Shit people, get a clue, relax, and enjoy life without making others miserable while doing it.

NOTE: This is not directed at anyone on this board; rather, it is directed at the public in general.