Joonery Buffoonery* *(explicit language)

Hey guys, I’m MaNishtana.

Remember back in 2009 when Spike Lee called Tyler Perry out? When he accused Perry of producing films that are a step backwards for African-American cinema and resort to coonery and buffoonery?

Well,for JOCs–especially Black Jews–not only when we’re in White Jewish spaces do we have to fight the perception that “coonery buffoonery” creates, we are finding ourselves increasingly having to also have to fight “joonery buffoonery”™, a term I have just invented an am currently in the process of trademarking.

Jew+Coonery Buffoonery =”Joonery Buffoonery”™.

It’s a quite disturbing trend that takes the concept of being a JOC–again, being a Black Jew, especially–and makes it a laughingstock. And the worst part is–just like Tyler Perry and his “Madeas” and “House of Paynes” and “Why Did I Get Marrieds” which glorify the pathology of being Black and its minstrel-like qualities as being the average everyday life of Black folk–we do it to OURSELVES. Then we turn around and say, “Oh, it’s only a joke. We’re just laughing at ourselves! It’s a parody!”

1-If there has never EVER been a realistic non-comedic portrayal of JOCs, then why do you think it’s suddenly ok for us to laugh at ourselves? We’ve never been SERIOUS with ourselves yet. You wanna have fun? They’ve you’ve gotta do the work first.

2-You think it’s parody. That’s nice. What makes you think anyone else cares? You really think people are going to take the time to do the research? Or are they just gonna laugh at the Black people entertaining them and move on with their day. But, yeah, I’m sure you’re right. Because people are able or even care to differentiate between rumor/parody and fact when it comes to people they see as inferiors. Because, y’know, there AREN’T people in THIS country who STILL think Jews have horns and Black people have tails. Because they care that those things aren’t actually true.

But yet there are those people who stubbornly cling to the “It’s just parody” mindset who enable joonery buffoonery to proliferate to a point where even THEY are offended, which is, of course, too late to correct because by that point these images have been pumped into the public consciousness to the point that it is no longer “parody” and now just “fact”.

Take this little progression of joonery buffoonery timeline:

The Big Black Jewish Wedding, March, 2011

;

A Black Jewish couple thinks it’s fun to have two comedians officiate their wedding. How awesome. Why is a wedding on the Jewish Humor Central? “Oh, just leave them alone,” someone said to me. “They’re just trying to have fun with their wedding. People know that’s not how all Black Jewish weddings go.”
Really? How would “people” know this? Based on what? Are there other videos of Black Jewish weddings on YouTube that I somehow missed?

Black and Jewish (Black and Yellow Parody), August, 2011

http://player.ordienetworks.com/flash/fodplayer.swf

“But it’s a PARODY!” people screamed. “It says so right there!”

Yes. It DOES say right there that it’s a parody. A parody of the song “Black and Yellow”. If people are largely unaware of Black Jews, you’re expecting them to understand that this song ALSO is a parody of Black Jewish life because…? And again, based on what should they understand it’s a parody of Black Jewish life? Is there a realistic “Black and Jewish” video out there on YouTube?

H.Y.F.R., April 2012

And NOW we hit the goldmine. Because Drake is mainstream. He has million of fans. And since the rest of the world can’t comprehend that REGULAR Black life isn’t like how it’s portrayed in rap videos, Black Jews are now thoroughly screwed, because Drake has just told millions of people “This is what happens at a Black Jewish bar mitzvah”. And how was he able to do it? Because people–JOC people–went and co-signed on those first two vids up there saying it was ok. And now JOCS have to fight something else that wasn’t even a fight in the FIRST place. Thanks Drake.

Joonery buffoonery folks. It needs to stop. Because it’s not very fucking funny. Fuck your “It’s just parody”.