‘Anchorman 2’ and the Normalization of an Ethnic Slur - Higher Education

‘Anchorman 2’ and the Normalization of an Ethnic Slur - Higher Education: You have to be literally living under a rock to have escaped the holiday marketing blitz of “Anchorman 2.” From muscle car ads to real news shows, the fake newsman Ron Burgundy (alter ego of actor Will Ferrell) has reared his ugly hair-sprayed head all over the media.

I’m more concerned about what the movie says about diversity.

Nothing good, really.

Yes, I know this movie’s a silly trifle, especially with more important things to write about like starving kids in the Philippines, the victims of Typhoon Haiyan.

But that’s my point. When Ron Burgundy/Will Ferrell tells a joke about Filipino dog eating, it’s just not funny. It’s a tasteless and unneccessary re-telling of an old ethnic slur.

Am I being oversensitive?

Blacks, I’m sure hear different notes when people talk about African-Americans eating watermelon and fried chicken. That strikes a chord of an ethnic slur from way back.