Racist hats

[Gob]

A Mexican restaurant has been banned from handing out free sombreros to students because the publicity stunt was branded 'racist' by university officials.



Pedro's Tex-Mex Cantina, a Norwich restaurant, gave the hats to University of East Anglia students at a freshers' fair in the city in a bid to drum up business from the student population.

But officials at the students' union, where the fair was held last week, took the sombreros from students and ordered the restaurant to stop giving them out because they thought it was offensive for non-Mexicans to wear them.

The union said it breached an advertising policy sent to stallholders, which said: 'Discriminatory or stereotypical language or imagery aimed towards any group or individual based on characteristics will not be permitted as part of our advertising.'

The policy specifies 15 types of discrimination, some of which include colour, ethnic origin, and nationality.

The union said the sombreros were seen as racist and a form of 'cultural appropriation'.

One first-year student told student newspaper The Tab: 'It's ridiculous – it's a comedy hat, not some sort of sacred religious dress. Who is going to get offended? Speedy Gonzales?'

[dales]

What is more:

That "rainbow motif" is a subversive way for homosexuals to recruit unsuspecting youth.

GET RID OF THOSE HATS!

[Joe Guy]

It's a gay caballero conspiracy and it's been stopped in its tracks by the estudiantes unidos.

[Gob]

[MajGenl.Meade]

I think it's easy to recognize the racists in this story - they stole hats. Pity I wasn't one they tried to steal from. "Officials" my burro!

[Sue U]

It's a gay caballero conspiracy and it's been stopped in its tracks by the estudiantes unidos.

Homosexicans!

[Mexican Hat Dance]

Gob, how in the world did you know about Allan Sherman?

[Lord Jim]

'It's ridiculous – it's a comedy hat, not some sort of sacred religious dress. Who is going to get offended?

[MajGenl.Meade]

Sue, U kidding, right? When Gob and I grew up in the UK (well, in his case I used "grew up" loosely)(and he did)... as I was writing... when we did, Alan Sherman was a radio staple. 'Hello muddah, hello fuddah" was really big, as was the Hat Dance and the 12 Gifts of Xmas

Blast from the past..... this is what he might have sung on the sad passing of Yessir Arabfat:

Goodbye mullah, 'bye intifada,
I am leaving Camp Ramallah.
Camp was very
near a failure,
But we will get Gaza with no Israelures!

Now I don't want this should faze ya,
But my body'€™s in hyperesthesia
And I don'€™t think they give diplomas,
For sensitive terror chiefs in terminal comas!

Take me home, I promise I will not make noise,
Or mess the house like other goys.
Oh please don't make me stay;
I won't last another whole day!

Wait a minute; I stopped breathing.
My wife is banking, guys are leaving.
Hating each other, gee that's better.
Intifada, kindly disregard this letter!

[Sue U]

Sue, U kidding, right? When Gob and I grew up in the UK (well, in his case I used "grew up" loosely)(and he did)... as I was writing... when we did, Alan Sherman was a radio staple. 'Hello muddah, hello fuddah" was really big, as was the Hat Dance and the 12 Gifts of Xmas

I had no idea he was an international hit. I would have thought he was strictly an American thing, and more particularly for the nerdier/East Coast Jewish audience (like me ... we had all his records when I was a kid; my Brooklyn nieces have them now). I never heard him on the radio until much more recently -- and then only "Hello Muddah."

When I played in a parody lounge act, we referred to ourselves as "the bastard spawn of an unnatural liaison between Allan Sherman and Spike Jones."

[oldr_n_wsr]

Were any Mexicans consulted on this?

[Sue U]

Were any Mexicans consulted on this?

That was my thought; it would have been easy enough to Ask A Mexican.

[oldr_n_wsr]

[rubato]

I had no idea he was an international hit. I would have thought he was strictly an American thing, and more particularly for the nerdier/East Coast Jewish audience (like me ... we had all his records when I was a kid; my Brooklyn nieces have them now). I never heard him on the radio until much more recently -- and then only "Hello Muddah."

When I played in a parody lounge act, we referred to ourselves as "the bastard spawn of an unnatural liaison between Allan Sherman and Spike Jones."

He was a big hit on the Rez with "take an indian to lunch" and often played on Dr Demento in LA starting 74-75-ish? when Barry Hansen switched to an all-novelty format.


yrs,
rubato

[TPFKA@W]

Dr Demento was the reason for knowing about Sherman

[Lord Jim]

Dr Demento was the reason for knowing about Sherman

Me too...

Ditto Spike Jones...

[Econoline]

He was a big hit on the Rez with "take an indian to lunch" and often played on Dr Demento in LA starting 74-75-ish? when Barry Hansen switched to an all-novelty format.

"Take an Indian to Lunch" was Stan Freberg, not Alan Sherman.

• Two, four, six, eight, who do we tolerate?
  Indians, Indians, rah, rah, rah!

[rubato]

Godfrey Danielberg you're right!


yrs,
rubato

[Guinevere]

How old *are* you people??

[Gob]

21 yrs old, permanently.

[dales]

777 dog years.