New Zealand Today - Hawera Blackface Parade

[Music] how would a southern Taranaki a town best known for the great fire of 1884 the great Howard a fire of 1912 the watertower they built in response to the fires and the great Howard of Watertown fire of 1915 but they rebuilt and not much happened in Howard after the next hundred years until just before Christmas when this tight-knit community was rocked by accusations of racism the controversy started when photos emerged of the Howard Alliance Club Parade Float which featured as members doing blackface the scandal quickly drew national media attention the controversial costumes and blackface makeup have been widely criticized for demo1 that eat their blackface it's a symbol of racism and it's a no-no blackface originates from minstrel shows a racist form of entertainment where white performers would black up to belittle stereotype and mock people of African descent these guys have got to understand that that [ __ ] is unacceptable like any attempt by the Lions Club to defend themselves only seem to make the situation worse totally plain their faces what's wrong they're small-minded bigoted person has called us races local Maori are questioning the actions the community doing something for the community they're done something for the community all right there's corner surpass was Howard a racist it was my job to find out what was going on in this troubled metropolis last year there was a big story coming out of Howard up the [ __ ] people a yeah is it funny yeah hilarious so last year how would I had a Christmas prize black ice it was massive I feel okay he's saying come up when you offended by the black place I deliver see ya I don't really know what you're talking about but our sons pretty cool it's a pretty cool subject it doesn't sound pretty cool who was it it was the Howard Lions Club for him the blackest face of the Howard I have got the heart of a lion before you hear my roar you will probably touch or feel much more yeah yeah bottom line is how is a great place just to be and I've been here for two minutes and I've loved it stick around yeah so beautiful Moeen when I was a little black ass [ __ ] the world needs love this [ __ ] and holidays please stop saying the n-word I can't I don't want to say that this is the in word literally they are on your back do something for me okay keep smiling keep passing the message a week here we love Marilyn you're the most beautiful people I've ever met you like the new Jesus is up there no he's my best friend Jesus is your best friend he's been my friend with my life I found Howard it'd be a wonderful place if not a little misguided if I bring to my face back that just means I'm in tune with the black people despite the veil of racist allegations that have been draped over the town it appeared the locals hadn't learned their lesson but had the Lions Club I hit it straight into the Lions Den to confront the organizers who had created the blackface parade hi how's it going I'm doing a story about the Howard a blackface these are frigging Mary so they're not none of us anyway yes sorry nothing nice to see so come talk to you it's Guy Williams here how's it going from the television you'll call the police they said no comment so I went to the local council to find out if they had any comments nice to meet you my name is guy weird covering the blackface story and we think y'all shall probably think you probably goes take the purse out of the town a little bit for not much the local council told me to [ __ ] off it seemed how it was to relax to care about the incident but too uptight to talk about it in the last ditch effort to make sense of it all I turned to the only person in authority who had talked to me outspoken district councillor from New Plymouth Murray Chong the media took a totally wrong angle for how they take the wrong angle it was about bringing people together so they had people in white suits and I had the black faces and they were singing Michael Jackson's song it doesn't matter if you're black and white it actually promoted doesn't matter what color how you dress whatever when you started that story I was struggling not to crack up laughing because we talked about the Michael Jackson element doesn't matter if I can understand why the parade was blown out of proportion but I also want to get across to people like you to go hey can you see why blackface could be hurtful imagine if everything about being white was being lazy or being a criminal or being a drug dealer you know first media never said they're playing that song I don't know if the song fixes the situation and the media perceived it as their own message because they didn't actually know about the song how are you a city councilor by the way thank you for telling me about the Michael Jackson element I'm not sure if that makes it better or much much worse they didn't have kids on the flight deck but you can't please all the people all of the time or in this case they please none of the people any of the time didn't worry me Marie was a bit of a [ __ ] but through his dictionary he inadvertently taught me a lesson even if Howard it didn't mean to be racist they suffered from a lack of understanding something me coming to town to mock them about certainly wasn't helping I needed advice so I turn to Jesus sirs best friend Marilyn so I feel like I've stuffed up here I've come here with bad intentions I've come here to make a comedy program and to exploit how it is problem you have yeah and what are you actually getting out of it two to three thousand dollars forget your money okay watch your emotional payback come here laugh at some people in Howard her leave do you have the right to do that I did a six-month comedy diploma and toad on the School for the Performing Arts in comedy yeah so I've got like a deployment like a certificate again what gives you the right diploma in comedy no no forget that the pause is that she lying about the diploma I didn't actually deploy my printed that off the internet what you have just said is saying this is the authentic me you're not a fraud guy I am a fraud fraud okay your fraud a debt I'm probably gonna face a lawsuit from the total and New Zealand school of course you've got to stand up and be all theme to that's why do stand-up comedy that's my job no no I'm not talking about you know gage no I'm talking about stand up and be authentic okay show New Zealand we're not just the sprite with bigger than light we need to do a biga praise no we need to show people that we really oppose we know we we are that is an incident yes but it's not the whole it's not the whole phrase it's not the whole parade I'm gonna go out there and organize a new parade that's hopefully bigger and better and less racist than any parade that Howard has ever done a parade that sees this hi Mary Ellen was rise I had to redo the parade to restore the reputation of Howard her and hopefully restore the reputation of me I invited the Lions Club I am gonna do a sickened parade with the Lions Club like to be part of that or no thanks but they weren't came neither were the council which means we were going to have to hold the parade on private property I didn't know what to do but standing in the carpark of our motel I came up with the perfect venue the car park of our motel the fellow who agreed to let us use it for free with no promotion or integration required [Music] I had a great venue with great rooms at an affordable price but I still needed almost every other aspect of a parade I'm doing a parade tomorrow it's the first annual Howard a non racist mid-year Christmas parades held in April what do you think between 12:30 and 1:00 you'll come along I can't guarantee if you don't come you're racist okay that I'll be there you gotta check it out from you could be in the parade you'll be in the parade can we do peanuts yeah All Right see you tomorrow then don't get too hung over a blindfold okay oh no I'll be too drunk but I'll just hit pics paranoids excuse me sir you came to be in a prize we need a scent course no I've already got the job can I paint my face what the people were came and I spread the word far and wide here and here I'm definitely gonna pick those up I've done everything I could to restore my reputation it was now up to the people of Howard her to make this parade heaven and banish the demons of the blackface incident forever but on the morning of the parade no one had shown up and that's when I prayed to Jesus says best friend Marilyn who sent an angel of Hope thanks Carol all right what are you up to you pushing a dog yeah I'm doing really with my dog very good a small boy humbly pushing a dog in a pram baby this is gonna be the best parade Howard has ever seen then slowly but surely that he came Wow look at this come over here guys out of the way pram dog kid you've been replaced yes you havin a good time what's your job mate what are you doing here picking out the [ __ ] Oh good on ya yeah I say clown work so yeah everything have you forgotten your costume today oh yeah didn't think to bring it you didn't think of parade or need a clown can you go on the freight anyway this is yourself yeah hopefully kids are you excited for a phrase the excite for a parade mate well I'm worried this is gonna be very disappointing for the kids yeah yeah I think what is despite some incredibly blunt criticisms it was time hello ladies and gentlemen welcome to the first annual power non-racist mid-year Christmas parade yesterday Inc rides in car parks outside discount motels and thus began the beasts endless racers parade that how would a head giver seen it handle horses a pipe and a tractor a girlonabike child acrobats a clouded forgotten his clown outfits a woman holding a baby and walking a dog a tribute to Howard as proud whaling traditions another tractor and whatever the [ __ ] debtors I just wish that Mary Lynn could have been there to sense she's not dead she was as busy that day with the power of the people of Howard ER we had done it we had lifted the veil hanging of the town and defeated racism once and for all this is who we are we're the greatest city in the world clean the greatest down in the world soy doctor boys in there my work was done it was time to leave Howard her but not before a quick word from our sponsor Guy Williams New Zealand today

Channel: undefined

Views: 419,914

Rating: 4.8987942 out of 5

Keywords: comedy, parody, jono and ben, guy williams, New Zealand Today, NZT, Blackface, Hawera, New Zealand, racism, taranaki, black power, jesus, parade, christmas, NZ, racist, funny, hawera

Id: 73kpMQmeyUM

Length: 11min 58sec (718 seconds)

Published: Wed Aug 28 2019

Reddit Comments

[u/Manisil]

those 2 guys on the roof were wild

[u/Astrokiwi]

guy: "Can I paint my face white?"

Guy: "Uhhhh" <camera cut>

[u/toth42]

This guy is so hilarious - "I came here to laugh at the people -And what are you getting out of it? - 2-3000 dollars"

[u/Eauor]

The whole New Zealand today series is absolutely incredible. Guy Williams is a great laugh an him just going around to the quirkier parts of NZ to pursue petty stories and talk to endearing locals always gives me a laugh. I recommend you to go and watch some of the other episodes - I'll link a few:

​

An absolute classic: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U69QBO-qSpE

Story of the double Countdown Supermarket: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WsRstKByB5U

Guy Williams goes to Haast, a super remote town on the west coast with almost nobody living there and no cellphone reception: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ee08QsJWqrA

Guy Williams follows Aucklands 'top 14 attractions' tour bus to see where it really takes people: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JYXJ4mB6izA

[u/Zombait]

"If I paint my face black that just means I'm in tune with the black people."

​

"Nonono-"

[u/vakda]

Happy to see the best part of Jono and Ben lives on.

[u/CGVega]

so, stay with me here, if i'm following this correctly - if I happen to go to New Zealand and go to a town called Hawera, I should absolutely, without a shadow of a doubt stay at the Furlong Motel.

[u/HawasKaPujari]

"If you don't come, you're racist.

Ok, I'll come!"

[u/11PercentRaise]

gold, solid gold