One thing I didn´t get...


You remember when in the 1st episode of season three ("A weekend in Bankog") Jake talks Charlie into going to a specific chicken restaurant but instead of going there they end up in a different place ("Watts" or something) where the only customers seem to be Mexicans and African Americans who give them the stink-eye?
Given the canned laughter accompanying this scene, this seemed to have been some kind of cultural "inside joke" - can anyone explain if the writers meant to hint at something with this scene, or if it just didn´t mean anything?

Thanks in advance..

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They were simply out of place. Watts is like the opposite of Malibu. It was an awkward and uncomfortable situation.

¿Dónde están los kits de molde?

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Thanks!

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Ask Reginald Dennys if he feels uncomfortable in Watts

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You've never heard of Watts? 

**~Not my circus, not my monkeys...~**

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Nope, have you heard of Neukoelln? 😉

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Touche'. Sorry I didn't realize you were not from the US. The Watts Riots of 65 were taught in America schools as a part of history class or sociology class. LA equivalent of NYs Harlem.

And yes, I have heard of Neukoeln---I was a David Bowie fan in the 70s/80s lol ;-)





**~Not my circus, not my monkeys...~**

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I never heard of Watts, either, and I live... let's say pretty darn far outside of USA. I have visited that particular country, though, but it never ceases to amaze me how nationalistic and illogical americans can be, when it comes to internet.

Americans never use the word 'west', when talking about things that affect the whole west, or are western. They say 'american', or the more enlightened ones might say 'america .. and some other countries'.

It's like they don't understand non-americans can ALSO use the internet. It doesn't even occur to them.

" I didn't realize you were not from the US."

Shocking. What an ABSOLUTE surprise.

It's almost as if americans think 'other countries' is a tiny island somewhere near Alaska, and besides that tiny island, only America exists in the whole Universe.

Therefore, everyone is supposed to know what they mean by 'this country', even though people from hundreds of countries might read their 'this country'. Of course it's ironic, because as no one else is as nationalistic and self-centric, 'this country' can ONLY mean America, the unified states of. I know it's supposed to be 'united', but what's the difference?

(I guess agency)



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Odd, right? It seems the US is stuck in 1995, when 0.04 percent of world pop had net access, and over half of those from the US. Even then it was no more than 1 out of 2 on the net! In 2021 5 billion ppl used the internet. The US is abt 4% of world population and a higher % on the internet, but to say 10% of ppl on the internet were from the US or even North-and Central America combined would be an exaggeration.

This America-centrism is troubling for world politics as well, as US politicians can easily sell to americans the idea that US decisions have and should have a majority say in world affairs.

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Watts is a predominantly black neighborhood, and they were the only white people in the restaurant. Also Charlie was very wealthy and Watts is a poor neighborhood, so naturally he felt very out of place and was anxious to get out of there.

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Ok - thanks for sorting that out. Another question: I´ve always thought that "South Central" was L.A. equivalent of Harlem, given how often it´s mentioned in HipHop-songs and the like.
Is it part of Watts (vice versa) or is it an entirely different neighborhood altogether?

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Watts is just north of Compton which is north of Long Beach. Watts is indeed a part of south-central LA. South-central is comprised of approx 25 neighborhoods. It is a fairly large area. Hope that helps.

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Uhhgg! I wish it would all just slide into the ocean and we could not have to worry about it, anymore.




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Failure is not an option. It's a requirement!

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Let me put it more bluntly: If you're white, you DON'T show your lily-ass face in Watts (or Compton or Inglewood, etc) without a good reason, especially if you're from Malibu, driving a BMW, dressed like a tourist and it's nighttime. That is unless you like getting robbed and your ass beaten.

Don't mean to sound like a jerk, but no one else on this thread seems to be stating the obvious. Check out "Malibu's Most Wanted". Also try Googling or You- Tubing Reginald Denny.


We got a job.
What kind?
...The Forever Kind.

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"Malibu's Most Wanted" is a comedy; in comedy, life is exaggerated. Using a comedy's portrayal of a situation as a research point is like saying "You don't know about Beverly Hills white people? Check out The Beverly Hillbillies." Did you know that in Hamilton's day they sang hip-hop all the time?
To the top poster: the people in the restaurant are put off by CHARLIE'S BEHAVIOR, as if, like the poster I'm replying to, Charlie was ASSUMING he was "going to get his lily-white ass beaten and robbed just for being in Watts." See how funny that is, and what a reflection of life it is, as seen by dhmason6155's "honest portrayal" of it. Notice when you watch again, that no one is glaring at Jake, who is calmly eating his dinner. The humor is in showing Charlie being foolish and bigoted, and being unable to relax and eat his dinner, without making everyone around him nervous for no reason because he's nervous for no reason.

And Mason -- don't even try it. I stop at fast food joints in South Central all the time. They don't come any whiter than me, and I've never faced the kind of situation a black man would face were the situation reversed in your lily-white part of town. Nothing but friendly greetings and smooth business exchanges. You really need to get out more.

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" ..DON'T show your lily-ass face in Watts - That is unless you like getting robbed and your ass beaten. "

Isn't this hideously racist - not only towards black people (and possibly latinos) that you just ASSUME are all criminals, but also to white people, because you're racial and demeaning towards people BASED ON THEIR SKIN COLOR - and not only that, you actually want to SEGREGATE them by telling there are areas where they're not allowed to go - again, purely based on their BODY's qualities?

What the heck, why is this kind of racism allowed?

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How do you worry about it now?

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Like this!

...


You can't see me, but I'm worrying over here.




____________________________
Kerbal Space Program:
Failure is not an option. It's a requirement!

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