Liverpool's Jose Reina has been caught up in a race row after complaints that a television commercial he appears in is racist and homophobic. Campaign group Operation Black Vote has complained to Spanish insurance firm Groupama Seguros about an advert in Spain featuring the goalkeeper. They claim it "depicts black people in a jungle scenario as stupid, backward, animalistic homosexuals." OBV say the advert has been pulled from Spanish TV since their complaint. The advert played on Reina's surname, which means "queen" and shows the Spain international being introduced to a tribal chief who chooses him as his partner. Campaigners claim that Groupama said it does not "contain either offensive or any discriminatory content". OBV director Simon Woolley said: "I'm shocked on so many levels. Firstly, how would the Spanish feel if the English stereotyped Spanish people as backward, stupid, and animalistic homosexuals Secondly, what does this say about Pepe Reina? The Liverpool goalkeeper has lived and worked in the UK for nearly a decade, does he think it's okay characterise black people this way? Does he think his black team-mates will laugh at his joke?" Reina, 29, joined Liverpool from Liverpool in 2005 and helped them to win the Carling Cup against on Sunday. Liverpool have already been involved in one race storm this season after striker Luis Suarez was banned for eight matches for abusing Manchester United defender Patrice Evra. (Source: BBC website) Unbelievable!
[video=youtube;YdoHlxcbyDU]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YdoHlxcbyDU&feature=player_embedded[/video] Hmmm...
So, MNS, do you think the add was a good idea, bearing in mind the recent debacle at your club, during Klan-gate?
If he is anything like the trolls on the 'pool board he will defend it to the hilt, none of them seeing the contempt they are bringing on their club. I had my say earlier and the response was my reaction was political correctness gone mad. Political correctness when used properly is just showing respect and they can't see it.
In the adverts they portray a white steroid induced biker as backwards and stupid. They portray a white skinny skydiver as backwards and stupid. They portray a white bus driver and his elderly mother behind the wheel as backwards and stupid but as soon as the tribes men appear it is racist even though the same light has been shone on other backgrounds. So to answer your question HIAG...do I think it was a good idea for him to do these adverts? Well I think if the black actors playing the part of the tribesmen thought it was ok to do so then why shouldn't Pepe? Ridiculous non story. I think black people would have more of a problem that it has been dragged up in this way, I will ask what my Mrs (of many ethnic backgrounds) thinks of this.
Spot on HD. I've always thought it odd that showing respect to your mates is just being polite while showing it to others is called political correctness
Much as I've stuck the boot in on Liverpool's recent balls ups over the Suarez affair, I'm not sure why this is supposed to be offensive, to be honest. How does it portray the tribesmen as anything other than, er... tribal? Only the chief could be suggested to have any negative attributes and that's only if you take homosexuality to be one, which I don't. Does the first clip portray Spanish grannies as being glory-hunting liars?
It hardly even suggests that, he thinks Reina is a "Queen" (from the translation of his name) therefor he thinks he is a woman. If any thing the adverts depict Reina as a bit 'silly', only on that basis do I question why he took part in these adverts. Personally I thought his little jingle lines were quite amusing.
Queen's another term for homosexuals MNS, though I'm not sure if it translates in the same way. That's certainly what OBV seem to be saying, too.
Didn't see it like that but if you want to tell him that to his face, feel free. It did show the granny as a two faced, liar though and I'm not afraid to say that to her face! Not sure how the advert is meant to be racist though, doesn't even look offensive. The problem with the advert is that Reina can't act, sing and the company have a terrible jingle... la la laaaa
Reina's acting skills were certainly better than Rooney's. [video=youtube;Q6MkmonoaSw]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q6MkmonoaSw[/video]
It wasn't a dig at Reina, I don't think that many footballers would make particularly good actors, even if Suarez and Bale have been accused of play acting at times
Whilst we're posting adverts with footballers in: [video=youtube;ZvjviANgbj4]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZvjviANgbj4[/video]
Rooney can barely speak, so it's a bit much to expect him to act and read his lines, too. Giggs, on the other hand, has plenty of acting experience. "Did you shag my missus, bro?"
I think the ad is offensive, though I don't know how much I condemn Reina. He's working with an ad agency that's supposed to know what it's doing. It would be a little odd for the "talent" to be the one who has to say, hey, don't you think this ad is offensive? What's offensive about it? The fact that the ads portray very primitive people, and all of them have dark skin. Why should primitive people have dark skin? The least technologically developed people in the world right now as far as I know are probably those in New Guinea and in the Brazilian rain forest, both of whom have a hue about halfway between African and Northern European. So the answer to why the primitive people in the ad have dark skin seems to be either that it reflects, or is meant to play into, a negative stereotype of people with dark skin. The gay angle? I dunno. They were aiming for a slightly risque joke and it failed, to me, though I don't find it offensive by itself. I think it certainly is possible to overdo political correctness. It happens frequently. But this example, to me, is offensive and should never have been made, let alone shown. Again, though, while I certainly blame the ad agency, I'm not sure I'd blame Reina too much. While I would have hoped Reina could have seen what was wrong and objected to it, I could see him saying, hey, I assumed they knew what they were doing, would see to it that it wasn't offensive, etcetera.
What's negative about African tribesmen? They certainly exist and they're far closer to Spain than Brazil or New Guinea are. If they were going to eat Reina, then I think it'd be a negative portrayal, but they're welcoming him at first, albeit so that the chief can marry him. The guide's black too, so it's not like it's saying that all black people are primitive tribesmen. If the advert had portrayed a stereotypical English gent in a bowler hat, would that be offensive? It's a stereotype, certainly, but I'm not sure why it'd be negative.
