this post was submitted on 21 Feb 2026
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[–] Grandwolf319@sh.itjust.works 73 points 23 hours ago (6 children)

I’m gonna say something bold:

Surprisingly not a problem for some shows, good example is Simpson golden age.

There is a gay episode but it’s mostly about Homer overreacting.

A lot of the satire of Simpson is trying to be functional in a dysfunctional system, which has aged like the greatest wine that frank grimes can’t afford.

[–] Goatboy@lemmy.today 50 points 21 hours ago (5 children)

I think a lot of the time it's Gen Z not understanding context. There was overt racism, but a lot of media that is considered racist now was either depicting the experience of people at the time or making fun of racists.

[–] FrChazzz@lemmus.org 36 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Blazing Saddles. Took me a bit to understand this when I was younger. When I first saw it, I thought it was simply outdated humor. Then I thought it was edgy. Then I finally grasped that the whole joke is actually directed at racist white folks and that their racism just makes them look really stupid.

[–] Goatboy@lemmy.today 18 points 19 hours ago (1 children)

The quintessential example. Rocky Horror is another.

I'd also include the controversy around "Baby It's Cold Outside".

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 8 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

If I stay people will think we had sex!

OMG! He's pressuring her into sex!

[–] null@lemmy.org -1 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

The song has a line where the girl asks what's in her drink. You can interpret that however you want.

[–] Goatboy@lemmy.today 1 points 1 hour ago

She knows exactly what's in the drink.

The context is that she doesn't want to leave.

[–] presoak@lazysoci.al 1 points 18 hours ago

Now multiply that misunderstanding by 1 billion.

[–] abigscaryhobo@lemmy.world 17 points 20 hours ago (2 children)

I'd say that's mostly true for comedy. But some of the earlier stuff was definitely like "point and laugh at this race". Like the original looney tunes and stuff had some that were rough. They got better about it later but those early episodes had a few that were a little...close lol

[–] blady_blah@lemmy.world 8 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

But that wasn't in the '90s. The last thing I can actually think of as an example of point-and-laugh at a race was Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961). In the '80s there was Dukes of Hazzard, but it wasn't overtly racist, they just only had black people as bad guys in the deep South. As a kid that went right over my head.

I think most examples in the '90s would be stereotyping races but not making fun of them. Overtly. Kind of like the token Asian or the token black guy to fill out a group of friends. I guess I want more examples to be given because when you're younger a lot of that stuff goes of your head compared to when you're older.

[–] Knock_Knock_Lemmy_In@lemmy.world 2 points 9 hours ago (1 children)

they just only had black people as bad guys in the deep South

Boss Hogg and Cletus were white villains.

[–] blady_blah@lemmy.world 4 points 8 hours ago* (last edited 8 hours ago) (1 children)

Sorry my statement wasn't that the only villains were black people, but rather that when black people were on the show they were always villains.

I'll take your word on that.

Separate but related. I just looked at the cast from the 80s. There is a distinct lack of black actors in general.

[–] Goatboy@lemmy.today 5 points 20 hours ago

Oh yea some of it was definitely just overt racism.

[–] ILikeBoobies@lemmy.ca 10 points 18 hours ago (1 children)

Yeah, if you find an overly racist character then the joke is probably directed at them being racist.

[–] ChickenLadyLovesLife@lemmy.world 7 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

It's amazing how many people are offended by Uncle Ruckus. Like, way more than are offended by Uncle Remus, incredibly enough.

[–] alonsohmtz@feddit.uk 1 points 10 hours ago* (last edited 10 hours ago)

The Boondocks just isn't a show for the emasculated generation.

It wouldn't have gotten made if they were in charge.

[–] VitoRobles@lemmy.today -2 points 15 hours ago

Id be careful blaming the newer generation. That's what those snowflake boomers did, saying shit like, "Oh those millennials... We can't even make a joke anymore" because their jokes suck ass, those little bitches.

[–] presoak@lazysoci.al -2 points 19 hours ago (2 children)

Well Gen Z is quite young. Children understand trigger-words more, subtle context less so.

[–] Virtvirt588@lemmy.world 1 points 7 hours ago

Ageism on Lemmy, impossible.

As the other commenter has said, the youngest gen z aren't children anymore - they're teens.

[–] parzival@lemmy.org 9 points 19 hours ago* (last edited 19 hours ago) (1 children)

The very youngest of gen z is 15 right now, and the majority is adults

[–] Goatboy@lemmy.today 3 points 18 hours ago

I'm only just beginning to understand what L.P Hartley meant when he said "The past is a foreign country"

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 19 points 23 hours ago (2 children)

We can put King of the Hill in that camp as well I think.

I think it's a better and more rounded show than any of them.

[–] socsa@piefed.social 3 points 17 hours ago

It's a bit awkward, because Kahn was Toby Huss doing a problematic accent, but is also generally praised for representation of SEA culture.

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 5 points 22 hours ago

Oh yeah, I love that one! It makes fun of everybody! In good taste too. XD

[–] MortUS@lemmy.world 11 points 21 hours ago

Sorry Mr. Burns, but I don't go in for these backdoor shenanigans. Sure, I'm flattered - maybe even a little curious... but the answer is no!

It was the best of times; it was the ~ B L U R S T ~ O F ~ T I M E S ~

[–] alonsohmtz@feddit.uk 0 points 10 hours ago (1 children)
[–] null@lemmy.org 8 points 9 hours ago

Apu is tough because I know at least a dozen people just like him who own their own store and are somehow behind the counter every single time I walk in.

[–] underscores@lemmy.zip 10 points 22 hours ago (2 children)

The Simpsons was pretty progressive though

[–] alonsohmtz@feddit.uk 2 points 10 hours ago

Most people don't recognize how the Simpsons was satire.

[–] QuandaleDingle@lemmy.world 4 points 22 hours ago

Yeah, GrandWolf319 was commending the show. :)

[–] Jackcooper@lemmy.world 3 points 21 hours ago

I heard Frank Grimes didn't even go to space