MovieChat Forums > City Slickers (1991) Discussion > Politically Correct Early-90s

Politically Correct Early-90s

posted 14 years ago by Captain_Bob
10 replies | jump to latest

No offense intended but did anyone else find the inclusion of the black father and son just a bit gratuitous? They played no real role in the movie and left early. OK the dad instigated the Yee-Haw scene, but that's it and the son was essentially non-existent. You could almost say the same for Ira and Barry (at least I remember their names). Aside from the "ice cream challenge" scene they were just two token Jews. I'm all for diversity in movies, esecially when it's appropriate, but at least give the characters something to do instead of just throwing them in to placate certain viewers. Political Correctness spawned in the early 90s when this movie came out... But wait there were no Asians or Hispanics in this movie - Racisim!!!

[–] srnumber9 14 years ago

I think it was Counter-Politically Correct.

Right at the introduction, the son says "Yes, we're black and we're dentists too, Let's not make a big deal of it." and the father said to the son "The'yre not making a big deal of it, you are."

It wasn't a big deal.

I liked the Dad, and the son seemed to grow up as the movie went on too.

Political correctness started decades ago. It got that name in the 1980s and it was originally supposed to be a virtuous thing. By the 1990s it had been redefined for what it is: a new and stifling morality where every last action and word everybody used became viewed through the lens of politics and where offenses were punished publicly so more people could gain the satisfaction of self righteous indignity.

I remember when I was in college the campus newspapers had articles on politically correct dating, conversation, and the choice of words that were acceptable (often conditional on the skin color of the speaker).

I was walking through a door one day and there was a woman behind me. I held the door for her. She walked through it and said "Don't condescend to me" I would have held the door for another guy as well, but somehow I had crossed the PC boundary even just being a nice guy.

PS: Wherever she is, *beep* her!

Part of having Liberty is allowing the Liberty of others, even if they dare see things differently than you do and say things you don't like.

[–] Rockhound6165 13 years ago

Token Jews? You do know Billy Crystal is Jewish, right?

[–] nagmashdriver 9 years ago

Token Jewish CHARACTERS, not ACTORS.

The Ice Cream magnates were obviously Jewish, Billy Crystal's character was just a yuppie from Manhattan; he wasn't even hinted at being Jewish.

The early morning birthday wake-up call could have been done by a Jewish mother (in real life, it was) but in the movie a New Yawk accent could be any ethnicity from New York, not just Jewish.

[–] Ricochet84 13 years ago

Political correctness started decades ago. It got that name in the 1980s and it was originally supposed to be a virtuous thing. By the 1990s it had been redefined for what it is: a new and stifling morality where every last action and word everybody used became viewed through the lens of politics and where offenses were punished publicly so more people could gain the satisfaction of self righteous indignity.

Exactly. Early PC behavior was typically a good thing. Like freeing the slaves, and ending segregation.

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Everyone has a hidden agenda. Except me!

[–] 13 years ago

[deleted]

[–] Manth_Sigdaw 11 years ago

Exactly. Early PC behavior was typically a good thing. Like freeing the slaves, and ending segregation.

Holy s**t Ricohet84. I don't even know how to reply to this. It almost sounds like you're being intentionally hilarious, but I get the feeling your serious. "freeing slaves, ending segrgation" was "early PC"?? Dude that wasn't PC, that was morality of RIGHT and WRONG.

[–] nagmashdriver 9 years ago

One of two things is true about you, Mr. 9;

Either you are a liberal/leftist or you simply don't understand the definition of "Political Correctness".

PC is the forced practice of bending over backwards in order to avoid offending one or more victim/minority group(s).

PC is nothing more than Leftist speech code, pure and simple.

[–] kylopod 13 years ago

The two Jewish ice cream guys were obviously a satire on Ben & Jerry. It wasn't PC humor, it wasn't really Jewish humor, it was just an American cultural gag.

[–] Kawada_Kira 12 years ago

God damn it, there's one of these people on every single IMDb board. I have to wonder about the racial views of people who go into every single movie looking for "political correctness", "token minorities", etc. Just enjoy the frigging film.

Sig under construction

[–] nagmashdriver 9 years ago

I agree-the black and Jewish characters could have been any ethnicity or WASP for that matter.

However, I like racial jokes, even the offensive type, so the inclusion of a non-white ethnicity allowed for some more opportunities for yucks.

Interesting, as a Jew, I immediately pegged the ice cream tycoons as both being Jewish but also as perhaps being faigele! (that's Yiddish for "gay")

Here in Arizona we have a chain of theatres (Harkins) that now plays old movies every Tuesday night for only five bucks (such a deal!) and last night I enjoyed City Slickers again on the big screen. Thank you, Harkins!!!