"I Wanna Be Like You"

[SpottyOrange]

Not sure if this is an AIBU but is that song from the jungle book racist?!
Yes: it's dated and awful
No: don't be daft

The song "I Wanna Be Like You" was sung by Louis Prima, an American of Italian antecedence, who was a very successful stage performer and recording artiste.

The number in the film is a typical Louis Prima performance.

The lyric and performance do accentuate King Louie's ape/monkey-like characteristics. After all, the narrative of the song is that he wants to change or lose them.

I don't really see that the orang-utan is portrayed as a black American, even if the music is of an originally black American genre.

orangutans are not native to India , but that's the animal chosen. You might say it's a coincidence.

Sorry I’m missing the point here, what is the connection between orangutans and African Americans?

@ThatIsMyPotato

He got it from battle and it's meant to make him look tough, and scary to the other lions. that's my problem with it. Scars do not equal scary

It's a lion. Lions fight each other.

[quote SimonJT]@Regularsizedrudy I know, imagine pretending you don’t realise why black magic is called black magic etc.[/quote]
Enlighten me.

@OppsUpsSide

orangutans are not native to India , but that's the animal chosen. You might say it's a coincidence.

Sorry I’m missing the point here, what is the connection between orangutans and African Americans?

They're orangey coloured. It must be a Donald Trump reference and therefore racist against Mexicans.

It's a lion. Lions fight each other. yet only the evil one has a scar and is called scar.

If I didn’t know about how racist Walt Disney was then I would have said don’t be silly, it’s not racist.

When you really look in to what he was like then you see it for what it was, racism.

They're orangey coloured. It must be a Donald Trump reference and therefore racist against Mexicans.

I see you chose superficial. Fair enough.

Stellar goady click-bait thread @SpottyOrange 👏🏼

Posts the original post, and then bogs off and posts nothing else.

Slick...........

@OppsUpsSide

orangutans are not native to India , but that's the animal chosen. You might say it's a coincidence.

Sorry I’m missing the point here, what is the connection between orangutans and African Americans?

The link to apes in general, and also used specifically as an insult against black people.

Honestly who cares?

@Cornishandproudofit

Honestly who cares?

People who aren’t racist.

I tried reading the actual jungle book to my dc and had to stop because it is racist af.

how the heck did that stretch come about .... I just see an orangutan saying that he wants to be a human not any particular colour/race/ethnicity/religion just a 'human'

It's not just about the animals used, it's the tone and voices used. It's always a key staple of characters in films, such as how British accents means either villains or sarcastic aides. Disney always used classic American voices/accents as the protagonist, not because they're an American company but because they're the 'heroes'. The accents and vernacular or regional background used for each character is representative of how those characters are stereotypically seen or how the creators want us to visualise them.

They have improved greatly in the last few years, thankfully, especially since moving into 3D and finally being more culturally sensitive not racist as hell .

Sebastian from little mermaid is problematic too

@ThatIsMyPotato

It's a lion. Lions fight each other. yet only the evil one has a scar and is called scar.

To be fair, Scar is his 'nickname' and not his real name. The storyline of the Lion King is derived from Hamlet, and I would say it's more butchered by American 'jock vs the nerd' plot rather than racism. However, there is again little denial that 'dark is bad' has racist connections.

I think I voted the wrong way but king Louie = racist. The crows in Dumbo = super racist.

According to Disney+ the original Aladdin is also racist but I'm giving that one a free pass because it's so good.

@AccidentallyOnPurpose

They're orangey coloured. It must be a Donald Trump reference and therefore racist against Mexicans.

I see you chose superficial. Fair enough.

Yes. The entire premise of the racist orang is superficial.

I do find the Dumbo crows a bit tasteless though.

@BewareTheBeardedDragon

I tried reading the actual jungle book to my dc and had to stop because it is racist af.

I found it disturbing in several ways.

BrumBoo Apologies yes I was off the subject of racism and onto visual differences. The Hyenas in Lion King are problematic in terms of racism for me. And the Huns in Milan, why are they portrayed as almost part of the mountains with their rock like angular features.

*Mulan

So any representation of apes (even Orangutans which are orange and from Asia) is viewed as a representation of an African American? I can see that is problematic.

Thanks for clarifying, @Accidentally. I'd forgotten the full lyrics, and you're right, in the context of segregation it isn't great having a character who 'sounds' Black singing those lines.

I honestly hadn't thought of it prior to now, and I say that as a degree-educated BAME person 😬
(Still one of my favourite Disney films.)

@OppsUpsSide

So any representation of apes (even Orangutans which are orange and from Asia) is viewed as a representation of an African American? I can see that is problematic.

What was an orangutan doing in India then?

There are so many Disney films that are very troubling. I did not realise the crow in Dumbo is called Jim Crow. That is awful. I broke down sobbing as a child when Dumbo was taken off his mum and never saw the end of the film.

Belle from Beauty and the Beast has a bad case of Stockholm syndrome. What are harmful idea that a terrifying monster who kidnaps you really loves you and will turn in to a prince.

Have the completely deleted Song of the South now?

I do love the Jungle Book though.