A comedic song-and-dance tribute to Michael Jackson that won an Australian talent show 20 years ago has been blasted as “racist” after its creators reunited and performed the routine on the same show Saturday.
The “Jackson Jive” appeared on the popular Aussie talent show Hey Hey It’s Saturday in full blackface and afro-wigs, one hand painted white and the other black. It’s frontman donned whiteface and sang as Michael Jackson.
The performance can be seen below:
American singer Harry Connick, Jr., who was on the show as a guest judge, blasted the performance, giving it zero points and noting that if the skit were done in the United States “it would be, Hey Hey There’s No More Show”. The entertainer took the next segment to denounce the comedy bit further, adding that had he known there was going to be reunion of the Jackson Jive that night, he would not have been on.
Prominent Sydney-based plastic surgeon Dr. Anand Deva apologized Wednesday for playing Michael Jackson in the bit.
“Clearly, all of us want to apologize. I mean we have offended some people no doubt, particularly Harry Connick Jr,” he said. “So I want to say on behalf of all of us that this was really not intended … [to be] anything to do with racism at all.”
Deva is of Indian heritage and 4 of the 5 back up singers are also of non-white backgrounds, so he was astonished they have been blasted as “racist”.
“I don’t think I have ever been called that ever in my life before,” Dr. Deva told a local Australian radio network.
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