Chelsea Handler makes a mockery of Serbia

Following the scandal at the Amy Winehouse concert in Belgrade, which you have probably heard about, Chelsea Handler made public insults against Serbia in her show, showing total smugness and ignorance towards the subject (Kazakhastan? O RLY?). See for yourself here.

The Serbian public is outraged, and so far there are two video responses to the event, which basically contain my views on the subject. This one is more serious and critical, while this is more humorous and sarcastic, complete with an ironic sterotypical Eastern European accent (which, if you compare with the first response, has nothing to do with the real one), though quite insulting by itself.

What are your opinions on the subject?

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

My opinion is that Serbia should be glad to be on the bad side of a moron whose idea of comedy is to talk about sleeping with midgets.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

Opinion 1: Wait, that's all she said?
Opinion 2: She was being smug and ignorant? Good. She's funnier that way. This isn't The Daily Show, it's The Bitchy Alcoholic With A Midget Fetish Show.
Opinion 3: Serbia has earned its Acceptable Target status.
Opinion 4: I despise people who get outraged about offensive/insulting humor.

edited 23rd Jun '11 10:07:41 AM by Tongpu

Calm down, son.

"Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste."

"Wait, that's all she said?"

I'd like to see that level of complacence should someone say the same of Israel or the US.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

Tell it to the Serbs, Englishman.

You'd certainly see that level of complacence from me. Of course, you'd probably also see other posters whining about anti-Americanism or anti-semitism.

Nobody would care if someone called the Germans a bunch of genocidal nazi's.

If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied -Rudyard Kipling

I think a lot of people would, actually.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

-Dylan Moran on Germany

???

"Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste."

I am not offended by her, it's simply the smugness and ignorance that appals me.

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

^^^ Is that supposed to represent the average person's attitude or something? I'll give him that he has more finesse than Handler, but it's still a retarded sentiment.

edited 23rd Jun '11 10:36:22 AM by kashchei

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

This does not make me proud to be an American.

UN JOUR JE SERAI DE RETOUR PRÈS DE TOI

It's part of a stand-up bit. As far as I know, the only thing it's supposed to do is make people laugh.

edited 23rd Jun '11 11:00:22 AM by MashaBGD

Well, I'm Serbian, just like Milos. I didn't find it funny at all. I'm sorry, 'Serbian people shouldn't be allowed to go to concerts'? Nice work on being a whore, Chelsea.

I think what she meant was that she was surprised that the Serbian government isn't quite so despotic as to disallow people from attending music shows.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?

Tongpu, if Handler's comments and the example you posted are supposed to be funny, so be it. I, for one, consider absolute freedom of speech to be sacred and that every opinion should be heard, but also am able to make a difference between a tasteful and a tasteless joke. Lighthearted okes about ethnic stereotypes are perfectly fine to me, but I don't know how can somebody who has just a little brain and some basic knowledge about the country and nation that the "joke" revolves around can find it funny. So, apparently, every single German is a Nazi who should be hanged at Nuremburg and every Serb is a genocidal maniac who shouldn't be allowed to go to concerts. What would happen if somebody made a similar "joke" about Jews, blacks or something else? Differentiating between acceptable and inacceptible targets is something I despise.

Ninja'd. It's possible, I don't know.

Oh, and welcome, Maša. I see that you are new - if you have any questions about the site or the community, just drop me a PM.

edited 23rd Jun '11 11:17:34 AM by MilosStefanovic

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

She's American. You seriously expect her to have basic knowledge about someplace as tiny and foreign as Serbia? The average person over here probably doesn't know anything about Serbia apart from "the war in Kosovo", "ethnic cleansing", and "Slobodan Milošević".

That's at best a generalisation and at worst racism.

"Is fearr Gaeilge briste ná Béarla cliste."

Precisely. Well, in that case, isn't it smarter just not to mention Serbian society, history, or whatever at all and just stick to making fun of the incident?

edited 23rd Jun '11 11:43:33 AM by MilosStefanovic

The sin of silence when they should protest makes cowards of men.

I'd like to see that level of complacence should someone say the same of Israel or the US.

Wait... there are people in other countries that don't make broad sweeping generalisations about america and americans that are insulting and offensive?

Also kinda disturbed by how the video poster denies the massacre in serbia.

Please.

But the history of a balkan country is boring.

If any question why we died/ Tell them, because our fathers lied -Rudyard Kipling

No, since it doesn't matter if she's ignorant about Serbia or makes some remarks that offend Serbians. The majority of her audience isn't going to care. It's not going to hurt her ratings or career. So there's no reason for her to even waste any mental energy thinking about the idea of avoiding cheap shots at some country that happens to figure into a news story she's making fun of.

edited 23rd Jun '11 12:21:07 PM by Tongpu

This kind of humor would make an average civilized person feel ashamed and uncomfortable, regardless of the targeted group in the joke. If these jokes are really funny to Americans, then I guess it can tell you quite a bit about the level of American "civilization".