POLL: Skids, Mudflap. Racist?

[Gutsman Heavy]

After reading various forums about ROTF one issue (other than the films quality) seems to be popping up.

Skids and Mudflap being racist caricatures.

A parody of African-american stereotype, "blackface" characters. But is this the case? I think not. IMO, they come across more as try-hards than anything else, two dorks who wish they were cool. Essentially the Autobot equivalent to food-court grommits.

However I can see why people would think otherwise, with their monkey-esc bodies, the jive talking and Skids gold buck-tooth. Hmm maybe they are racist...

Yay or Nay?

[Sleeve]

I'm saying 'yes', and I've been saying it since the first previews with Skids and Mudflap came out with the use of the line "read? Oh, we don't do much reading".

That along with Skids gold tooth, their mannerisms, language and vocabulary, (especially when they're hiding immediately after the forest battle and again in the fight with Devastator), left me with an immense distaste as the tinge of racial stereotyping was too much. And here I was thinking the way they characterised Jazz in the first film was bad enough.

[roller]

no they're not

there just 2 robots imitating a certain culture within the Continental united states

Quick lets ban Jazz and blaster next

[Robzy]

Bay gets accused of being racist in every film he's ever made! (even TF1 had claims)

And, for the record, Bay has openly admitted that he created those two characters coz he thought they'd be funny!

He probably does it now just to piss people off!

I don't think he really cares what anybody thinks of him...

[dirge]

I'm saying no. Sure there are elements of their mannerisms which are "black", but I don't see them being treated as inferior. Why? Because Bay's not that deep. They're comic, and the unusual nature of the characters is just a way to anchor that for a fairly shallow film.

I don't see them being ostracised or shown as wholly inadequate - they do their part for the Autobots' cause.

[roller]

In the late 21st century Prof. Roller proved that there is no such thing as race, we all have the same internal circuits and lungs.

I hate those 2 characters cause there really bloody annoying.

I wish the ice cream truck mode got more time, and skids is Blue damn it hollywood!

[jaydisc]

I can see why people would think otherwise, with their monkey-esc bodies, the jive talking and Skids gold buck-tooth.

Gee whiz. That's racist.

[Starscream212]

Voted No, they are just taking on a sterotype like all the other transformers as explained by Prime in the first movie.