Rent-a-Negro

May 6, 2003 3:25 PM

Rent-A-Negro is a state-of-the-art service that allows you the chance to promote your connection with a creative, articulate, friendly, attractive, and pleasing African American person. Show everybody that you really are down.
posted by Su (35 comments total)

See also: Faggots for Rent
posted by dash_slot- at 3:37 PM on May 6, 2003

hmm. yesterday i happened to be reading a ted rall anthology ("search and destroy") featuring a comic of nearly the same name.

i'm sure many folks remember it.

ah, coincidence.
posted by fishfucker at 3:56 PM on May 6, 2003

Village idiot willing to work for liquor. Crowds will be kept in stitches with my vulgar talk and geeking skills. Fully bonded and licensed. I am not an amateur! You've rented the rest, now try the best. Satis-truction guaranteed! Sharksandwich Alive, Inc.
posted by sharksandwich at 3:57 PM on May 6, 2003

See also Giant Chip On Your Shoulder For Rent.
posted by 4easypayments at 3:58 PM on May 6, 2003

Is this the ultimate in cutting-edge satire, or the ultimate specialty contractor service?
posted by ilsa at 4:04 PM on May 6, 2003

Can I rent a Negro faggot, then? C'mon, folks, lets tap every market.
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:05 PM on May 6, 2003

Wolfdaddy:
You racist homophobe. Sensitivity training for you!
posted by sharksandwich at 4:08 PM on May 6, 2003

I don't get it.
posted by hama7 at 4:16 PM on May 6, 2003

retroactive billing... heh.
posted by quadrinary at 4:18 PM on May 6, 2003

Is WolfDaddy a "racist homophobe?" Or is he actually a "homophobic racist?"

My two cents: you would be hard-pressed to find anybody more willing to laugh (or do anything for a laugh) than me...but this goes beyond the pale. Not funny. Ten or twenty years ago, maybe, but it just doesn't ring "ha ha" in any way or on any level for me. Not irony, not black humor (you know what I mean), not "mocking the stereotype" humor.

But I'll give them points for making a pretty complete site.
posted by davidmsc at 4:18 PM on May 6, 2003

And if I'm black and/or gay you'll have to add "internalized" in there somewhere. Labels.
posted by WolfDaddy at 4:21 PM on May 6, 2003

(@_@)?!
posted by hairyeyeball at 4:28 PM on May 6, 2003

My two cents: you would be hard-pressed to find anybody more willing to laugh (or do anything for a laugh) than me...

Felt the same, age may be why too. Aged in how many times you've heard these jokes. Not timeless/priceless.
posted by thomcatspike at 4:39 PM on May 6, 2003

davidmsc: If you look more carefully, you will find a link to the creator's site at the bottom. It turns out that "they" created the site as a piece of performance art, not humor. The artist was making a point, and she is entitled to do so IMO.
posted by TreeHugger at 4:48 PM on May 6, 2003

I remember seeing a Rent-A-Negro parody in a MAD magazine from the 70s. I'd have to say that MAD's version was better than this. Unfortunately I can't remember the specific issue, but it was in one of those articles that parodied generic magazines...I don't know.
posted by foot at 5:11 PM on May 6, 2003

Pretty good satire I think....don't forget Sally and Johnny, previously discussed here
posted by ElvisJesus at 5:45 PM on May 6, 2003

hama7:

Buduhbuh pssst. . .

that's a rimshot by the way hama
posted by crasspastor at 6:03 PM on May 6, 2003

performance art, satire...it's still so yesterday and not funny.
posted by poopy at 7:02 PM on May 6, 2003

Oh come on. Lighten up, people. The first 'satisfied customer comment' is: "I would like to know more... [her] speaking and writing voices are a surprise...I expected someone not so calm and endearing."

That's funny, dammit.
posted by LimePi at 8:54 PM on May 6, 2003

It's only funny if you haven't heard it before. I have and apparently so have a lot of other people, so it's not. And the site creator's claim that it's "performance art" makes it worse than if it were simply a Mad-inspired humor site... There's nothing "performance" about it and as "art" it's about as banal as it can be.
posted by JollyWanker at 9:32 PM on May 6, 2003

I can't feel my wegs.
posted by squirrel at 9:56 PM on May 6, 2003

BlackPeopleLoveUs.com
posted by LexRockhard at 10:06 PM on May 6, 2003

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
posted by password at 12:41 AM on May 7, 2003

Except when you say something ugly.
posted by password at 12:42 AM on May 7, 2003

When did metafilter become congress? (That said, it wasn't that great. But ugly? Only in the sense that it illustrates ugliness.)
posted by Tlogmer at 1:02 AM on May 7, 2003

Is this funny?
posted by phylum sinter at 1:06 AM on May 7, 2003

"Will you tell them I'm not racist?" - $1500 per vouch.

I laughed. I feel dirty, but I laughed.
posted by fnord_prefect at 1:42 AM on May 7, 2003

phylum sinter: Not really.
posted by TheFarSeid at 2:12 AM on May 7, 2003

Well... How many times did you have to hit 'random' before it was? Just wondering :)
posted by phylum sinter at 3:11 AM on May 7, 2003

Dozy part of my brain - Hmph! I keep hitting 'random' and I just get the same comic over and over. This sucks.

Functioning part of my brain - Er, you know 'refresh' isn't the same as 'random', don't you?

Dozy part of my brain - I knew that....shut up.
posted by backOfYourMind at 4:23 AM on May 7, 2003

Mexicans are cheaper.
posted by monkeyman at 5:34 AM on May 7, 2003

Rent a midget (warning: not fake, not funny)
posted by luser at 5:50 AM on May 7, 2003

"I'm delighted to show her off!"
- G.B., University President

University. Sure.
posted by donth at 8:27 AM on May 7, 2003

It turns out that "they" created the site as a piece of performance art, not humor.

So is the persistent use of the phrase "state of the arts" intentional, then? And if so, is it supposed to be humorous? No? Some kind of non-humorous "wink?" I just find the whole thing confusing - why go to such lengths to create a site around a joke (sorry, performance art project) that's been done so many times elsewhere?
posted by soyjoy at 8:32 AM on May 7, 2003

Oh my goodness, have we left our ironic shoes outside the door today, or what?

I thought the site was great. How awful is it that discrimination is still so widespread in the 21st century that there are people who will see this site and think it's for real? I think the artist hit the mark, and while I think that those of you who don't get it, don't like it, etc., are perfectly entitled to that opinion, I think you're wrong.

It may not be funny *to you*...but I think it's bloody brilliant. And the artist herself has done some really astounding works on race and race issues.
posted by dejah420 at 1:55 PM on May 7, 2003