To think that the Peter Brookes cartoon of Joe Biden in the Times is pretty offensive towards Irish people?

[Hedwigharlot]

The cartoon depicts him dressed as a leprechaun. It's like a depiction of Irish people from a Punch Magazine in the 19th century. Who thought it was appropriate? And why are the British media working themselves up into such a jealous frenzy over Biden coming to Ireland? Very poor behaviour.

I would have interpreted that as a pop at the rather unrealistic idea of what Irishness is that is held by many of the Irish American community. But if it offends you fair enough. Your perogative etc.

Unrealistic as opposed to what - the British stereotype of the Irish?

I think the joke is supposed to be that Biden is indulging in stereotypes, hamming up his Irishness in a phony and politically insensitive way.

I think it is mocking Biden’s rather fake and cringy Irishness.

Is it satirising Americans' sometimes offensively ignorant and stereotyped 'celebrations' of their own 'Irishness' - So that it isn't a dig at Irishness but rather a dig at US politicians' electoral milking of whatever appeal their often sentimental evocations of Irish ancestry has?

I don't think the leprechaun/Guiness/etc schtick has any life anymore outside of the allegedly affectionate co-pting of it for marketing St Patrick's Day tat, politicans, etc

Unrealistic as opposed to what - the British stereotype of the Irish?

What stereotype is this? I'm old enough to rember the hideously racist depictions of Irish people as unintelligent. But do we really still see this?I mean, is it really still a cultural phenomenon that extends beyond a very small number of out-and-out racist dinosaurs?

Leading figures in Ireland have branded it racist. If it stereotyped any other race, it would be called racist by everyone.

"I don't think the leprechaun/Guiness/etc schtick has any life anymore outside of the allegedly affectionate co-pting of it for marketing St Patrick's Day tat, politicans, etc"

A lot of Irish people find the stereotypes offensive, not affectionate. St Patrick's day was about Irish culture, it's been asked that people don't go with the stereotype. This shouldn't have gone to press.

I wouldn't expect anything else from The Times and most of the rest of the media.

When I lived in the UK there was plenty of anti Irish feeling still. Unfunny jokes about potatoes and car bombs were quite common across all kinds of people. One staff member insisted on calling me Paddy and I was even told here on MN to just suck it up. I try to be gracious and think it's more to do with ignorance and lack of knowledge rather than hatred.

Unrealistic as opposed to what - the British stereotype of the Irish?

Or British stereotypes of Americans?

Yes it’s offensive and racist. Even if it is intended to represent an American/stereotyped view of Irishness. If Biden visited an African country and Brookes drew a cartoon of him as a golliwog it wouldn’t be acceptable so I’m struggling to see why this is.

Yes it is at times all a bit John Wayne in The Quiet Man, but his pride in being Irish American is authentic, and the idea of it being mocked by crude outdated stereotypes says a lot about core attitudes to "Johnny foreigners" by certain sections of UK press. Let Irish people say what they want but leave out this colonialist commentary. GRMA

It's such an intellectually lazy cartoon - could have been used interchangeably for any visitor to Ireland over the last century and a half (the then Prince Charles did a bit of irish dancing and Guinness drinking on his last trip).

Why not point and laugh at the community unprepared to utter a gracious word to one of the most influential visitors they'll ever have while whining about their lack of benefit from the post GFA peace dividend?

I think the use of the leprechaun costume is extremely unfortunate and it's mockery whatever way you cut it. I can't imagine another nation/ethnicity being mocked like that and people considering it OK. I think it's really nasty.

This website itself is extremely anti-Irish yet it never gets called out on here. People would be outraged if a cartoon like that was aimed at blacks and Asians, but of course it's okay because Irish people are white. The British are whipping themselves up into a frenzy because they're obsessed with the Irish and always have been.

Fyi

My Irish friend is always going on about plastic paddies - is this what it is alluding to maybe ?

This ^

It was worse him mixing up the Black and Tans with the All Blacks.

That was a jaw dropper.

@Srin · Today 14:15
I think it is mocking Biden’s rather fake and cringy Irishness.

This

I’d taken it as a pop at Biden being a plastic paddy rather than anything else. Rather like the image on Lucky Charms cereal in the US

https://www.luckycharms.com/

Yikesies, his media crew must have been on the brink of a nervous breakdown with that clanger!

I'll see your plastic Paddy @vera99 and raise you a professional Yorkshireman. There is nothing worse than these people and it's always bloody men !

I am from there btw.

What @ZeroPlastic said. Whatever other ancestors they may have, American politicians so often seem desperately anxious to emphasise whatever fraction of Irishness they may possess - Biden is just following in a well worn path. The Irish-origin vote is a huge thing in certain areas, e.g. Boston.