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Vow-renewal ceremonies are always inherently offensive, but Seal and Heidi Klum really took the (Hostess, cream-filled) cake when they decided to give their ceremony a "white trash" theme. Which begs the questions: Is the concept of white trash offensive? Is it mostly or only offensive when implemented by a German model and a British black man wearing a mullet and American flag jacket?
Here's the thing with Heidi Klum: She's never been one to tread carefully when it comes to issues of race, either because she's German and doesn't understand America's brand of political correctness, or because she's kind of dumb and incredibly self-centered. (We'll venture to guess it's a combination.)
For example, we had never really thought much of Heidi and Seal's relationship, despite their best events to prove to a mostly uncaring public how in looooove they are with one another, until we discovered that she got a tattoo on her forearm made in the "same color as Seal's skin." Then there was the time she dressed up as the Hindu goddess Kali for Halloween, wearing someone's faith as a garish and attention-grabbing scary costume. And now this.
We can't help but feel that anytime someone pokes fun at a culture - especially one to which they don't belong - they had better be careful in expressing why they chose to do so and what they hope people will take away from it. We think this also holds true for subcultures that are defined by race or nation. We can't help but feel that if Heidi and Seal had decided to throw a "Chola" or "AZN" or "Gangsta"-themed party, the outcry would be greater, as was the case when mostly Anglo Tulane students threw a party based on Mexican stereotypes. And while we've been known to poke fun at the stereotypes associated with white trash culture or the fashions worn by chongas, we like to feel that being from Florida and being directly related to people whose houses have wheels and whose trucks do not (Thanks, Jeff Foxworthy) and having been something of a chonga ourself mean that our jokes come from a fondness for these cultures. Because, here's the thing: We don't think we're above white people who are poor and speak with a drawl, and we don't think we're above girls who wear hoop earrings and think acrylic nails are pretty. We don't think we're above people because they choose to wear a certain style of clothing, or because they come from a certain part of a country.
We kind of get the feeling that Heidi and Seal, being kazillionaires who are not American, think they are somehow hilariously above this inherently American subculture. And, you know, t isn't even the fact that a black man is making fun of a white subculture (Because, seriously, go ahead) or even so much that two Europeans are making fun of Americans that bothers us about this, really. It's the fact that two extraordinarily wealthy people think it cute or amusing to make fun of a segment of the population defined by their poverty. That, to us, is tackier than any lawn ornament or regional hairstyle.
But maybe that's just us.
What do you guys think of Heidi and Seal's decision to throw a white trash vow renewal party?
Is Seal And Heidi Klum's "White Trash"-Themed Vow Renewal Ceremony Racist?
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Vow-renewal ceremonies are always inherently offensive, but Seal and Heidi Klum really took the (Hostess, cream-filled) cake when they decided to give their ceremony a "white trash" theme. Which begs the questions: Is the concept of white trash offensive? Is it mostly or only offensive when implemented by a German model and a British black man wearing a mullet and American flag jacket?
Here's the thing with Heidi Klum: She's never been one to tread carefully when it comes to issues of race, either because she's German and doesn't understand America's brand of political correctness, or because she's kind of dumb and incredibly self-centered. (We'll venture to guess it's a combination.)
For example, we had never really thought much of Heidi and Seal's relationship, despite their best events to prove to a mostly uncaring public how in looooove they are with one another, until we discovered that she got a tattoo on her forearm made in the "same color as Seal's skin." Then there was the time she dressed up as the Hindu goddess Kali for Halloween, wearing someone's faith as a garish and attention-grabbing scary costume. And now this.
We can't help but feel that anytime someone pokes fun at a culture - especially one to which they don't belong - they had better be careful in expressing why they chose to do so and what they hope people will take away from it. We think this also holds true for subcultures that are defined by race or nation. We can't help but feel that if Heidi and Seal had decided to throw a "Chola" or "AZN" or "Gangsta"-themed party, the outcry would be greater, as was the case when mostly Anglo Tulane students threw a party based on Mexican stereotypes. And while we've been known to poke fun at the stereotypes associated with white trash culture or the fashions worn by chongas, we like to feel that being from Florida and being directly related to people whose houses have wheels and whose trucks do not (Thanks, Jeff Foxworthy) and having been something of a chonga ourself mean that our jokes come from a fondness for these cultures. Because, here's the thing: We don't think we're above white people who are poor and speak with a drawl, and we don't think we're above girls who wear hoop earrings and think acrylic nails are pretty. We don't think we're above people because they choose to wear a certain style of clothing, or because they come from a certain part of a country.
We kind of get the feeling that Heidi and Seal, being kazillionaires who are not American, think they are somehow hilariously above this inherently American subculture. And, you know, t isn't even the fact that a black man is making fun of a white subculture (Because, seriously, go ahead) or even so much that two Europeans are making fun of Americans that bothers us about this, really. It's the fact that two extraordinarily wealthy people think it cute or amusing to make fun of a segment of the population defined by their poverty. That, to us, is tackier than any lawn ornament or regional hairstyle.
But maybe that's just us.
What do you guys think of Heidi and Seal's decision to throw a white trash vow renewal party?
Click Below For Pictures of Heidi and Seal's Party
What do you think?
- LOL
- CHISPAS
- AY DIOS MIO
- QUE CUTE
- NERDO
- NACO
- CURSI
- QUE COOL
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Comments
I don't think one can have it both ways. Either everyone can make fun of whatever group, ethnicity or subculture they find funny, or no one gets to. And that means you too Alex - even if your jokes are based in "fondness" . Hell for all we know Heidi K is similarly fond of Das weisse Lumpenproletariat.
ReplyIs Seal wearing a MacGyver wig?
ReplyClassist maybe, but not racist.
ReplyPlease, get a sense of humor before you have a heart attack.
ReplyYou are reaching. Were you out of subject material and decide to take a wild stab in the dark? Also, who do you think created the term "white trash"? It wasn't minorities. It was introduced by white people to create a delineation among themselves based on CLASS.
ReplyThe White Thrash community frowns upon your shenanigans.
ReplyPeople, this post is not saying Heidi Klum is a racist euro bitch and we should all hate her. The salient and HUMOROUS questions that strike me are as follows: Why do people renew their vows in a big damn ceremony? Is having a white trash party any different than having a ghetto black folks party or a chingchong Chinaman party? Is it worse for people to make fun of something they have no connection to rather than something they identify with (despite it being a hidden element of their redneck past)? I just think Klum and Seal are really freaking weird, but I love mullets and I have all kinds of country in my family.
ReplyI'm only offended by the way Seal looks. It's pretty scary.
ReplyGive me a break. Do you think "White Trash" is an american phenomenon? Europeans have their equivalent of White Trash, you know. In the UK they're called "Chavs", in Germany "Asi". It doesn't have anything to do with them being european and "not understanding American culture". Please. Also, why do you equal white trash with being poor? There are plenty of people that I'd consider White Trash, yet they're rich. (Celeb Example: The Hogan Family.) Are Heidi & Seal suddenly not allowed to dress up anymore because they're rich and MIGHT offend SOMEONE with their costumes? Should Wiccan People be offended when someone dresses up as a witch for Halloween? Should Police Officers be offended when twenty-year old college girls throw on a slutty police officer costume and handcuff guys going:"You are under arrest, you bad boy!" ?
ReplyYes, because celebrities should never, ever do anything that could possibly be taken as offensive. Nor should any human for that matter. Everyone should never say or do anything that could possibly offend others. Lighten up. Even normal to poor people have trailer trash parties. It's a common thing.
Replyso because a practice is common this means it isn't worth taking a look at it and evaluating why people do this? good to know. i guess i can relax about domestic abuse and rape now. i think a lot of people commenting here are really missing the point and their unwarranted anger in their responses points to some kind of projection. why get so upset when someone asks whether people think something could possibly be racist? is the asking of that inherently offensive to you, is making fun of other people such a beloved and inherent part of your way of life?
ReplyTo clarify my original post. I am in fact in favor of everyone making fun of everyone all the time. Except maybe of quadriplegics. Nahhhhhhhhh. fuck the crips if they can't take a joke. let's make fun of them too.
Replyi think this is really interesting food for thought. i particularly enjoy this quote: "We kind of get the feeling that Heidi and Seal, being kazillionaires who are not American, think they are somehow hilariously above this inherently American subculture." situating seal and heidi in their social, racial, and geographic locations is very important, seeing as how to me, a young lower middle class french-canadian woman, this just screams racism at worst, classism/ignorance at best. the way this wedding is viewed these people clearly seem to think this is funny and look like they are having a really good time. even if the goal was not to be disrespectful or to situate themselves as "better" than people who actually have cornrows or mullets/wear cut off shorts, it can easily, easily be seen that way. we often laugh at those who we think are "lesser" than us, especially in very public ways (think of minstrel shows, early racist television, blackface/yellowface, etc). this is really well-written and interesting. thanks for writing.
ReplyNo, it's funny. The incongruity. I am not offended; I'm laughing. My brother-in-law called our cousin's family rich white trash--they were--so I think white trash is an ethnic group, and it's mine. Go here for 291 racial slurs for "white trash" (I love this website!) http://www.rsdb.org/search?q=white+trash Seal looks like a mulletard (#10 on list). That's so doubly offensive i'm LOL..Can't stop.
Reply"White trash," is the last acceptable racist term. At least that's what John Waters says. I think it's a classist term with a racist implication. The implication being that if you're white you should be rich otherwise you're trash like the poor minorities. For some reason, though, Americans just don't like looking at class. We're not supposed to have it here, you know. But even people who think they're racist against people of color are often just classist against poor people--many of whom happen to be of color. Have you ever been told, "But you aren't a Mexican Mexican." (Assuming you're Mexican.) It means, but, you're not poor. You have gone to college. You make six figures (or even five.) You can't be Mexican.
ReplyTouche'. (Not as in I'd like to touch, but like good point).
ReplyOops! You used the phrase, "begs the question" in an improper manner! "Begging the question" (Latin petitio principil) is a form of logical fallacy in which an argument is assumed to be true without evidence other than the argument itself. For example: "A white trash wedding is trashy because it's tacky and low-class". That is begging the question. It does NOT mean "to raise the question". I just thought you should know for future reference. Have a nice day!
ReplyGet the stick out of your ass and develop a sense of humor for fucks sake. What an epic fail.
ReplyExcuse me, I paid for four years of liberal arts college to get this stick and it is ribbed for MY pleasure so, no, I am not taking it out.
ReplyDumb bitch is dumb. Who let you out of your cage?
ReplyWhoa whoa whoa. Alex Alvarez is not dumb. She's one of the smartest, wittiest, sexiest and FUNNIEST bitches on the internet. She might omit letters from words from time to time and apparently she enjoys sticks up her ass, but she truly is smart as hell and you Guest, need to STFU. SHUT. THE. FUCK. UP.
ReplyI dn't omit lttrs frm wrds! (Thank you.)
ReplySTFD. SIT.THE.FUCK.DOWN. Did you read the same fucking thing? She a stuck up bitch without any sense of humor and should be smacked for the bullshit she wrote.
Replywhite trash?? I thought this was a lesbian themed wedding
Replyhey stfd guy/girl pretty fucking brave trolling as a guest. why gon't you come out and show us your fucking face
ReplyOk, as much as I am eager to ride or die for shit I believe in, namely Alex Alvarez, I refuse to feed the troll.
ReplyLeave Alex alone, you bastards!!!! She's just a white girl trying to stand up for her people. White pride?
ReplyThe theme of the party was the 80's. For your information Heidi is an American citizen. It has nothing to do with class or race. Not that there is anything wrong with it if it was. I smell a xnenophobe. Just chill Alexa!!
ReplyI heard they chose that theme because she is pregnant and really showing. So, evidently, a pregnant woman in a wedding dress led them to the idea for this theme.
ReplyWow! This is some touche(y) subject! 80's, lesbian theme? Naw, I go with classless, white trash. And damn he looks ugly! You done did good Alex.
ReplyThis is the second themed party that has caused controversary. I am a long time Seal fan, but I don't think that this helps in the PR department. It just doesn't look good to be "mock" smoking when pregnant. What kind of role model is that? I have also lived in a trailer and I AM PROUD of my heritage. What if they had done a "Slum Dog Millionaire" party, or a "Darfur" party? Same insensitive thing. If they wanted to make fun of a culture, they could have done so in private. I enjoy Seal's music, but I think they are going overboard with the party themes. It is not cool to make fun of people. Sometimes I question Heidi's sense of humor.
ReplyWord! I prefer to make fun of other cultures in private, 'cause I have class!
ReplyI'm white but I it's hard to be insulted by a mutant looking scarface from Nigeria who makes really, really shitty pop music that anyone with half a brain would vomit if they heard it. The woman is just Euro trash who makes a really really shitty tv show that only dolts and dumbasses find entertaining, How could I be offended by these losers?
ReplyOk, I'll bite. So stfd thinks Alex writing this article leads to rectal stiffening (rod in ass syndrome). But no way would he/she/it be upset by the obvious equivalence of, say "rednecks" having a po blackie theme party, or is the fact that they are a bi-racial couple give them that special something putting them above sensitivity? I think they have the right to do as they feel in their ever-so-public renewal of vows... I really don't care. Fact is our whole society has a rod in ass regarding racial sensitivities and political correctness. By the way the europeans have it worse... read up on their mad rush to pass legislation limiting immigration. It was just easier to criticize the U.S. when their countries were more racially homogeneous. Thanks Alex for not failing to speak your mind and for the invitation to share our views. As always, great piece.
ReplyObama is president! White trash flourishes, go figure!
ReplyWell seeing those Tulanes students stereotypical mexican boder party I think Heidie & Seal were just making fun of those White trash Students Lol BUT Europeans picking on Americans makes it so much better xD
ReplyLOL yeah I have White trash parties in Private too
ReplyYou look like a creeper child molester..... xD
Replyhey great post, came here from racialicious, i'll be RSSing you. http://www.racialicious.com/2009/05/15/quoted-alex-alvarez-on-seal-and-heidi-klums-white-trash-wedding/ the "white trash" label is a difficult one, but worth unpacking. i haven't read it in awhile, but i enjoyed this: http://www.amazon.com/White-Trash-Race-Class-America/dp/0415916925
ReplyAw, I'm a huge fan of Racialicious. And I'll definitely check out that book; thanks for the link.
ReplyHey Alex! AJ from Racialicious here. I can't thank you enough for expressing why I really didn't 1) get the reasoning/humor and, therefore, 2) didn't appreciate Heidi Klum and Seal feeling this was cool to do. I also sorta wondering about another reason why they feel they are able to do this: the fact that they are an interracial couple. It's a fallacy that some folks like to believe, namely that being in an interracial couple either excuses or disabuses the people in the relationship from racism and possibly other -isms as well. So, with this, the feeling is Seal and Klum couldn't possibly be making fun of poor and working-class whites because, hey they "saw beyond" their own skin colors to marry and have children so they can't possibly have any negative intent towards other races, right? Right? (/sarcasm)
ReplyHi AJ! Yeah, that fallacy became most apparent to me when Heidi spoke out about her tattoo. While I think it's lovely that she thinks every part of her husband, including the shade of his skin, is beautiful, tattooing a black man's skin color on a white woman's body as a token of love did strike me as extremely odd. Like, this is what you want people to take away from your husband - that you love his name and his skin color?
ReplyWhite trash guys use $10K Leicas?
ReplyAJ again--Oh, and let's not forget her famous/notorious statement on one of the reasons she said she was initially attracted to him when she saw him: his, ahem, "package." But, ya know, some folks will give her a pass on that statement, too, because of the resulting coupling. It's so slap-and-tickle slippery, that attitude.
ReplyWell boo-hoo and howdy doo ain't THAT something whitefols DON'T like being made fun of!! Welcome to MY world bitch!! You assholes have been getting away for YEARS with talking shit about others and calling and inventing hateful names for every other race and ethnicity not your own but NOW you can't take what you have been dishing out for the longest?! Or if anyone DID say something you bitches would whine about 'poltical correctness' and claim it was 'just a joke' you people are the ones that are the fucking joke! As for it being 'racist' yeah like a black male should give 2 shits about what 'offends' poor white Southerners funny noone seems the LEAST bit offended by c-o-u-n-t-l-e-s-s years of lynchings/burnings/family picnics. Why don't you read the horrific story of Mary Turner and then come back and tell me if I should still give a shit about what offends you! Signed Lavern
Reply@Lavern--I can't and won't speak for the other commenters, but I'm African American, and my parents came to Ohio from Mississippi during the Great Migration. And I grew up in town full of working-class and poor white folks. And my ex-husband was white and working-class himself. So, I got a very experiential schooling on ways and mores of a particular group of white poor and working-class folks--including the prejudice towards them (and they towards me and other Black folks and other PoCs). And I'm still working hard on challenging that bigotry in myself. In that challenging I was able to dig why Alex didn't dig about what Seal and Klum did.
ReplyI'm going to put aside my new rule of not responding to people who refer to me as a bitch to make it clear, Lavern (and others), that I am not saying Heidi or Seal's party was inherently racist, nor am I specifically call them racists.. I am offering my take on it and why this party's theme and then opening the question posed in the headline up for discussion. In the future, should someone decide to call me a "bitch" - or an asshole or a cunt, etc. - for having the audacity to express my thoughts, I'm going to go ahead and assume that this individual lacks the proper skill required for adequate reading comprehension and intelligent discussion and will skip over their comment. Calling me - and other commenters - an epithet of any sort shows me you choose to not be a part of this discussion and would prefer to yell on your own.
ReplyUltimately what Klum and Seal did was provoke people to think about the insidious logic of racism. And yes that includes white folks (regardless of class). "white trash" is not the last acceptable or permissible group to racialize. Historically, poor white folks had to be racialized in order to make something called "the American dream" plausible to its citizens past and present. Imagining a quality of life bordering the abject poverty and servitude of enslaved Africans, and indentured servants made the idea of "white trash" plausible. The fact that we are now debating whether or not to "poke fun" is racist, assumes that we somehow live outside of a racist culture in the West (in particular). Working class people are now coming to the realization that they too, are affected by living in a racist culture. In this day and age - though I love John Waters, the most acceptable racist epithet, or category in most Western nation states (the U.S. in particular) is "immigrant".
Replyi think hiedi should have done black face. and seal should have done smooth face.
ReplyActually I wasn't calling YOU a bitch that's how the phrase is said and that's how I've heard it said but I do stand by my point and yes I know not ALL poor whites or poor white Southerners have racist attitudes and idealogies or 'white skin privilege' but COME ON!! There are still plenty of white folks,poor and otherwise, who would see NOTHING wrong with a Darfur party or anything else that is racially insensitive to 'others' so I'm saying what it says in the Bible 'what you sow you shall also reap'.
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