Torn - subtitled and a bit of faux pas signing

TheWriteAlex said:
Firstly, the movements are all over-exaggerated. Obviously he does not have a good grasp of sign language. (No surprise that he would not take the the time to learn proper "pronunciation" since he's just exploiting it for his own personal gain.) For example, the beard sign doe not extend very long like the way he does it. Secondly, the other two signs he uses are uncommon and out of date and would only used in a derogatory way, the same way someone might still refer to African Americans today as "colored" or "negro."

Lastly, did he (or you) even stop and think for a second that there are plenty of Deaf people who also happen to be Jewish? What he is doing is othering the Deaf community here, making them seem like a different, removed group of people from society, and an ignorant, bigoted group of people at that.
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Based on that video the comedian showed three signs that stereotype Jewish people in a more and more insulting way. This is what he observed on signs used to identify Jewish people. He was conveying what he observed and probably found it amusing that those signs are/were used at all. Though I only saw a short segment of it.
 
And for the karaoke thing... how is it an oxymoron? When you go to a karaoke bar, it's just the instrumental track-- and you sing to it.

That's the WHOLE point of a karaoke...
 
kokonut said:
David Armand's mime skit? No, I don't have a problem with it. Like I said, I found it funny and quite creative.
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if you follow the posts - Alex is asking Souggy if he doesn't have a problem with Russell Peters video.
 
souggy said:
Was he wrong?

Although some of the stuff like "knee-grow" (he pointed to his knee, then signed GROW) was bordering on being flat-out offensive to me.
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Yes, he's wrong. Let's just take a few of the quotes from his little tirade and see, even if taken out of context, how valid they are:

Whoever invented sign language,
had their own little racist agenda happening.
Because sign language is a very
offensive way of communicating.
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You still feel bad for these|deaf sons of bitches!?
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You have handicap people mocking
other handicap people!
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Still want to defend him?
 
souggy said:
Was he wrong?

Although some of the stuff like "knee-grow" (he pointed to his knee, then signed GROW) was bordering on being flat-out offensive to me.
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Just as funny when he gestured/signed/mimed for the word "lay" or for "not some holy light." Also, timing it right with the vocal of the music with the right "sign" makes it funny, too.
 
kokonut said:
Based on that video the comedian showed three signs that stereotype Jewish people in a more and more insulting way. This is what he observed on signs used to identify Jewish people. He was conveying what he observed and probably found it amusing that those signs are/were used at all. Though I only saw a short segment of it.
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He is not in any position, at all, to make a judgment on the Deaf community based on his very, very limited knowledge of ASL, which I reiterate, again, is inaccurate. The fact that he can get through to people like you, who also have very little knowledge of ASL is what scares me. He is perpetuating false views and information about ASL and the Deaf community.
 
kokonut said:
Just as funny when he gestured/signed/mimed for the word "lay" or for "not some holy light." Also, timing it right with the vocal of the music with the right "sign" makes it funny, too.
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Wrong video. Souggy is talking about the Russell Peters vid.
 
souggy said:
And for the karaoke thing... how is it an oxymoron? When you go to a karaoke bar, it's just the instrumental track-- and you sing to it.

That's the WHOLE point of a karaoke...
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Yes, sing while *listening* to a music piece without the voice but you sing it as if you're the lead vocalist. For some, the words "deaf karaoke" would appear to be an oxymoron of sort.
 
TheWriteAlex said:
He is not in any position, at all, to make a judgment on the Deaf community based on his very, very limited knowledge of ASL, which I reiterate, again, is inaccurate. The fact that he can get through to people like you, who also have very little knowledge of ASL is what scares me. He is perpetuating false views and information about ASL and the Deaf community.
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He's a comedian (I'm talking about Russell). He is, unfortunately for some, in a position to see it from his point of view, however incorrect or politically incorrect the jokes may be.
 
TheWriteAlex said:
Yes, he's wrong. Let's just take a few of the quotes from his little tirade and see, even if taken out of context, how valid they are:

Still want to defend him?
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Why you think we are becoming more politically correct in our sign language? Because the hearing people (and deaf people from other countries) find the currently or previously existing signs offensive.

What Russell displayed there is exactly why we're moving away from those types of signs and associations.
 
souggy said:
And you ARE aware that there are Deaf karaoke events...

Right?
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I've used a karaoke with the song "Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbinson. Though I wouldn't be too surprised if that's what you mean. After all, deaf people can do anything that hearing people can.
 
souggy said:
Why you think we are becoming more politically correct in our sign language? Because the hearing people (and deaf people from other countries) find the currently or previously existing signs offensive.

What Russell displayed there is exactly why we're moving away from those types of signs and associations.
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just like the sign for Germany was changed
 
kokonut said:
I've used a karaoke with the song "Pretty Woman" by Roy Orbinson. Though I wouldn't be too surprised if that's what you mean. After all, deaf people can do anything that hearing people can.
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as long as they get CI implant and can speak/hear, right? :lol:
 
Jiro said:
just like the sign for Germany was changed
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Right. Deaf students from other countries come here and influence the native signers by becoming integrated into the ASL community at Gallaudet. That's why those signs have changed.

I think the reason why we haven't seen the signs for Vietnam or Cambodia changed is because no one sent students from those countries to Gallaudet yet.

I am more offended by the pantomiming being called "faux pas signing" than by Russell's sketch though.
 
I think people who have a strong "hearing" point of view are incapable of seeing it our way and truly sympathize.
 
souggy said:
I am more offended by the pantomiming being called "faux pas signing" than by Russell's sketch though.
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Nice bit of hyperbole on the hyperventilating emotion there.

"faux pas" - a slip or blunder in etiquette, manners, or conduct; an embarrassing social blunder or indiscretion.

Perhaps it should have been "faux pas signing" in quotes instead? But really, a bunch of gnashing of the teeth over those words? Isn't that a wee bit of nonsense to be that "deeply," "deeply" offended?
 
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