A ustralia is well known for its tongue-in-cheek sense of humour. We have no qualms with brushing off the outrage of anyone who takes the joke too seriously… an issue Australian comedians often face when their material is received by an international audience. Chris Lilley’s ‘Summer Heights High’, while well received in Australia, faced scrutiny internationally when critics apparently didn’t get the joke. What these critics fail to realise is there is more to the jokes than just entertainment value.
Peter Green from Daily Review claimed that Lilley’s character Jonah Takalua is a racist portrayal of Tongan individuals, and that the biggest issue is Australia’s lack of reaction to the apparent ‘blackface’ that Lilley wears. This miscommunication is likely because the sense of humour that is so common to Australian’s is viewed by others as offensive or uncaring.
Summer Heights High mainly …show more content…
On the surface Jonah is just another rule-breaking student who, when disciplined for his actions, claims “it’s not disruptive. That’s entertainment”. Yet as the show progresses the audience begins to see deeper into this troubled character. His lack of proper education is displayed through his inability to read properly as a year 8 student and as a result attends Gumnut Cottage, a remedial reading class. When Jonah is inevitably expelled from Summer Heights High he returns to Gumnut Cottage to see the only teacher he likes. It becomes clear that Jonah is not simply another bad egg. There are very real issues that cause his behavioral problems.
The Daily Herald described Jonah Takalua as nothing more than a ‘bully and a lout’, stating that “if Jonah had the spark of a star in the making- someone like so many standup comedians who look back on the origins of careers as the class clown- that would be one thing, but he just seems a displaced loser.” (TV Tonight,
Peter Green from Daily Review claimed that Lilley’s character Jonah Takalua is a racist portrayal of Tongan individuals, and that the biggest issue is Australia’s lack of reaction to the apparent ‘blackface’ that Lilley wears. This miscommunication is likely because the sense of humour that is so common to Australian’s is viewed by others as offensive or uncaring.
Summer Heights High mainly …show more content…
On the surface Jonah is just another rule-breaking student who, when disciplined for his actions, claims “it’s not disruptive. That’s entertainment”. Yet as the show progresses the audience begins to see deeper into this troubled character. His lack of proper education is displayed through his inability to read properly as a year 8 student and as a result attends Gumnut Cottage, a remedial reading class. When Jonah is inevitably expelled from Summer Heights High he returns to Gumnut Cottage to see the only teacher he likes. It becomes clear that Jonah is not simply another bad egg. There are very real issues that cause his behavioral problems.
The Daily Herald described Jonah Takalua as nothing more than a ‘bully and a lout’, stating that “if Jonah had the spark of a star in the making- someone like so many standup comedians who look back on the origins of careers as the class clown- that would be one thing, but he just seems a displaced loser.” (TV Tonight,