Uh Australia You Can't Do Blackface

I'm not entirely sure that Australia knows what decade this is.  On an Australian variety show,  a group calling themselves the Jackson Jive performed in blackface as they parodied the Jackson Five.  CNN article goes into more detail.

Nobody seemed to notice it was wrong until guest judge Harry Connick Jr. pointed out how offensive it was.  Even worse it was suppose to be viewed as tribute to Michael Jackson and the Jackson Five.  That's like saying blasting African-Americans with a water hose is a tribute to civil rights. 

Is Australia as up to date on race relations as Eastern Europe is on popular American music?  I think 80s icon El DeBarge is still big in Eastern Europe.  Likewise,  it must take Australia decades longer to catch up to the rest of the world's standards on issues of race.


This may be the case as it appears that blackface with jive talking is still something that's suppose to be funny in Australia.  Hey, don't forget that Crocodile Dundee asked Reginald VelJohnson aka Carl Winslow what tribe he was from in the first "Crocodile Dundee."

All this only increases my suspicion that Australia is exactly as depicted by "The Simpsons."  Right down to the knifey-spoon game.