A recent "huh" moment struck me while watching the now famous (and hilarious) news clip about a bed intruder in Alabama. The original news clip has reached several million views on YouTube and has been posted several times, but the song (or remix) of the clip has reached upwards of 18 million views, which makes it at the very least viral. While I realize that it is inherently wrong for me to be laughing at this clip (which, for those of you who haven't seen it, can be searched in YouTube under "Bed Intruder" and will have a myriad of choices for viewing) I also realize that it might be wrong for America to be laughing at is as well. This isn't the first news clipping of African Americans (specifically those from the South) to go viral; some may remember the news clip of Latarian Milton, the 7 year old who stole his grandmother's car, or the neighborhood in Mobile Alabama where the residents believed a leprechaun had invaded a local tree. These videos have millions of views, and feature no shortage of "outrageous" outfits, actions, and vernacular. In addition to all of the people featured, the reporters all seem to have the same tone, that of dismissal and amusement. Is this trend an indication of our desire to find some convenient and amusing vessel for our veiled racism? Or is it simply that "these people" generate amusing news clips? Huh...
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| "You can run and tell that, homeboy!" |
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| "Who all seen the leprechaun say yeah!" |
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