In a few of my previous blog posts, I have discussed my views on ventriloquist Jeff Dunham's popular act "Achmed the Dead Terrorist," which garners laughs with the use of a turban-clad puppet with a Middle Eastern accent who professes to be a terrorist.
Therefore, I found it necessary to write a blog post in response to an article I found in which Dunham defends his act and explains why he doesn't see a problem with it.
In the article, which is from September of 2008, is centered around the South African government's removal of a commercial which incorporated a bit from the act from television. A Muslim man claimed that the act and the commercial were offensive to him because they implied that all Muslims were terrorists. Dunham responded to this by saying first that Achmed makes it clear in his act that he is not a Muslim (though, having watched the entire act myself, I don't remember this happening--perhaps I need to give it another watch), and second, that he leaves no stone unturned when it comes to making fun of people. He claims that he makes fun of every religious group, sexual orientation, gender, and race so that everyone can have a good laugh--even at themselves. But in my opinion, there is a way to do this in a way that is perhaps more tasteful, such as not involving terrorism in the act at all. Terrorism has no religion, race, or nationality, and is offensive to everyone. If Dunham wanted to poke fun at Muslims or even just Middle Easterners in general (seeing as he claims his act makes it clear that Achmed is not Muslim), there are so many other things he could have utilized in his act--such as the food, language, accents, mannerisms--that could be deemed 'racist' or 'offensive', but that don't cross the fine line into unacceptable. Poking fun at a culture, race, or religious group is one thing, but doing so in a way that implies that said group are terrorists is completely another.
Source: FOX News (See Article Here)
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