Thank you, Scott, for the "Chan sightings" information regarding "Family Affair"! One day we will need to collect all such popular culture Charlie Chan references to present here at this site!
You mention the skit with Keye Luke and Jerry Lewis, which I have not seen, but I would guess that any "painful" moments would come from the overly "silly" at times Mr. Lewis. There was also a skit between Keye Luke and Milton Burle on "Texaco Theater" from 1949. It was pretty silly, and Mr. Luke seemed to take it all as being not offensive at all. This can be seen on youtube. I think it was shot just after the completion of "The Sky Dragon."
The skit with Jerry is free on Amazon Prime. Yes indeed Jerry is over the top with his portrayal of Charlie. The usual buck teeth stilted english version. However its wonderful to see Keye step into role of number 1 son one last time. I think Keye’s appearance in Family Affair is one of his best. He actually plays the father of Benson Fong and is in nearly every scene. Glad to contribute sir.
Part of it is here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=7&v=BOrRqQtN9EE&feature=emb_logo
This was so offensive on so many levels. I'm no fan of Jerry, but this was the equivalent of a white person putting on black face and doing an impression of Stepin Fetchit.
But I had to conclude that if this was culturally acceptable decades after the hey day of Chan's films, then the Chan films were indeed a forward-looking and progressive representation of Asian Americans. Chan had dignity and commanded respect from everyone.
Yes, Stuart, Jerry Lewis had a penchant for going way over the top at times. Interestingly, years ago, a Japanese-American friend of mine LOVED Jerry Lewis! Like you, Mr. Lewis never really resonated with me, but he did do a great deal for charity. He was best, in my opinion, when he was teamed with Dean Martin.
I dont think he meant for it to be taken badly as in insulting. He parodied everyone and everything doing them over the top. Businessmen, women, musicians and so on. He did stand up for african americans in the 1960’s but he could be rude and a jerk. I think Keye was rather funny and could do slapstick like the crossing the legs gag with Jerry
Yes, I know that Jerry Lewis probably didn't have a prejuduced bone in his body. He would get very silly and, when he did a racial, or more accurately, an ethnic "paraody," he would do it in a very exagerated way. But, he also parodied some "white" characteristics, too! This is what his style of comedy was: often over the top and exagerated. Keye Luke's way was to roll with it, almost in the role of the "straight man," perhaps. Again, Jerry Lewis' brand of comedy never really worked for me beyond his Martin and Lewis days. However, I know I may be in something of the minority in that respect...
