Harry Connick Jr. Denounces Black Face Sketch

Harry Connick Jr. got himself involved in a TV scandal on Wednesday, when the singer served as a guest judge on an Australian variety / talent show.

Connick was visibly upset with a group of doctors who performed a Jackson Five routine wearing black face and Afro wigs on their heads on the show “Hey Hey It’s Saturday”. The man imitating Michael Jackson was covered in white makeup.

Connick scored the sketch a zero and added that if they had pulled such a stunt in the U.S., the show would have been canceled. A second judge also gave the performance a low score while a third gave the group a seven while complimenting the choreography.

The host of the show, Daryl Sommers, apologized to the singer when the show was over, adding that it was insulting to Americans. Connick concurred.

“I just want to say, on behalf of my country, I know it was done humorously, but we’ve spent so much time trying to not make black people look like buffoons, that when we see something like that we take it really to heart,” he said.

Here is the video from the Harry Connick, Jr. black face routine. Do you think it’s offensive?

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