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This morning in Caffè Nero, I overheard a conversation which I think is pretty instructive about the pitfalls and complexities of today’s focus on political correctness and (excuse the phrase) being “woke”.
2 white dudes, slightly hipsterish, early 40s.
(Thread)
2 white dudes, slightly hipsterish, early 40s.
(Thread)
Dude 1: I watched Delirious for the first time in years last night. It still holds up!
Dude 2: The Eddie Murphy film?
D1: No, the John Candy one.
D2: I’ve never seen it.
D1: He plays a soap opera writer.
D2: Oh, is that... no, I’m thinking of Soapdish
Dude 2: The Eddie Murphy film?
D1: No, the John Candy one.
D2: I’ve never seen it.
D1: He plays a soap opera writer.
D2: Oh, is that... no, I’m thinking of Soapdish
D1: Yeah, that was about a soap opera too. Similar era too, right?
D2: That’s weird. One of those Dante’s Peak/Volcano things where two similar films come out at the same time.
D1: Or Armageddon/Deep Impact. Delirious came out in 1991. When was Soapdish?
(both check on phones)
D2: That’s weird. One of those Dante’s Peak/Volcano things where two similar films come out at the same time.
D1: Or Armageddon/Deep Impact. Delirious came out in 1991. When was Soapdish?
(both check on phones)
Both: 1991! Yeah, it is like that.
D2: What’s that other John Candy film that’s... I want to say... Deconstructing Harry?
D1: No, that’s Woody Allen, isn’t it?
(Both check phones)
D1: Who’s Harry Crumb?
D2: That’s it!
D1: ‘89.
D2: Right.
(Long break in conversation)
D2: What’s that other John Candy film that’s... I want to say... Deconstructing Harry?
D1: No, that’s Woody Allen, isn’t it?
(Both check phones)
D1: Who’s Harry Crumb?
D2: That’s it!
D1: ‘89.
D2: Right.
(Long break in conversation)
D1: If anyway ever talks to me about the Eddie Murphy Delirious, I pretend I don’t know what they’re talking about. I focus on the Candy one.
D2: Why?
D1: It’s just my small protest against Murphy’s homophobia and misogyny.
D2: But...
D1: But what?
D2: Why?
D1: It’s just my small protest against Murphy’s homophobia and misogyny.
D2: But...
D1: But what?
D2: Surely that’s a case of erasing the work of a prominent black entertainer in favour of a white one? And how about the gender politics in Candy’s Delirious? Does that hold up?
(Long pause)
D1: Whoopi Goldberg was in Soapdish.
D2: I don’t know what you’re saying right now.
(Long pause)
D1: Whoopi Goldberg was in Soapdish.
D2: I don’t know what you’re saying right now.
(Another long pause)
D1: I’M TRYING MY BEST.
D2: TRY HARDER.
(They start throwing biscotti at each other - I have no idea how they got so many, they must have been stockpiling them - and a biscotto hit me in the cheek)
D1: Sorry, mate.
D1: I’M TRYING MY BEST.
D2: TRY HARDER.
(They start throwing biscotti at each other - I have no idea how they got so many, they must have been stockpiling them - and a biscotto hit me in the cheek)
D1: Sorry, mate.
D2: You should have stopped this after the fourth tweet.
Me: Me?
D2: Yes. It lost steam quickly. It’s clear that you made this all up.
D1: Also, you’re a white dude too. You should be Dude 3.
D3: Me?
D2 & D1: Yes.
(We all eat the biscotti like pigs)
(/thread)
Me: Me?
D2: Yes. It lost steam quickly. It’s clear that you made this all up.
D1: Also, you’re a white dude too. You should be Dude 3.
D3: Me?
D2 & D1: Yes.
(We all eat the biscotti like pigs)
(/thread)
