Meet TV's Newest 'Gay' Skateboard Champ and His Ambitious Mom
Angry Boys is an irreverent new series premiering sometime this year (speculation is, this summer) on HBO from the creators of Summer Heights High. In the show, writer/performer/director Chris Lilley plays six different characters, including overprotective and "ambitious tyrant" mother Jen Okazaki, whose son Tim is a skateboarding champion.
She decides that Tim's career (and her income) needs a marketing twist, and comes up with one.
In this teaser clip, Okazaki describes how she made her son the gay champ he is.
Watch, AFTER THE JUMP...
Jen Okasaki - Gay Style from Luke H on Vimeo.
I would totally buy one of those GayStyle hats...
Posted by: Kuhnsy | Apr 20, 2011 11:11:44 AM
There's so much Po's Law here, I don't even know where to begin...ironically enough.
And that's issues of yellowface aside.
One big meta satire?
Posted by: luminum | Apr 20, 2011 11:36:22 AM
Chris Lilley is a comic genius. His "summer heights high" characters were a riot. This should be very good but I'm not sure it will be popular.
Posted by: Jonathan | Apr 20, 2011 11:36:31 AM
Mind not made up yet, but interesting, initially seems amusing, harmless enough. I think.
Some haters could do wrong with it, but haters are gonna hate anyway I guess right.
Posted by: just_a_guy | Apr 20, 2011 11:51:53 AM
Very smart. Comedy about those parents who live through their children, about reality tv, on which so called ordinary people already know what to say, do, how to act.
Posted by: Matt26 | Apr 20, 2011 12:11:22 PM
I seem to be in the minority here in Australia as I loathe Lilley's comedy. Blackface and Yellowface were bad form in the Fifties, and it's still being done in the C21st?!
Posted by: Wirrrn | Apr 20, 2011 12:22:41 PM
Instead of crypto-geeky "laws" and a bunch of multi-culti 90s-speak, maybe this could be judged just for what it actually is?
And why is he supposedly wrong for playing a character that isn't his race, but not wrong for playing a character that isn't his gender? Of course, he's not wrong doing either because, in the 21st Century, we're fine with actors playing parts. Over-sensitivity is very last century.
But, yes, just possibly this comedy sketch is satire, "meta" not necessarily included, but, sure, if it makes you happy.
And the teenaged actor/skater is adorable.
Posted by: ilovedthe90stoobuthonestly | Apr 20, 2011 12:36:17 PM
I, too, had to ask myself what I thought about this. But since I laughed all through it, watched it twice and emailed it to a friend (who also lived in Japan for many years), I have to say-- FUNNY!
Part of what's funny is that having lived in Japan and seen some of the crazy fads they embrace, it wouldn't surprise me too much to see this actually happen!
Posted by: Jack | Apr 20, 2011 1:03:51 PM
@ILOVEDTHE90STOOBUTHONESTLY: This was honestly boring, but the reason why people might take offense to yellow face drags or any cultural appropriation, has possibly nothing to do with the minstrel or stereotyping aspect of it (the engrish here was not adding anything to the sketch).
There is this idea of the white male being a cultural black hole. He's just assume the default human, while this couldn't farther from the truth. If you can laugh at something like this while making abstraction of the underlying racist content, this is actually a great thing, laughter is a great thing, i cannot go a day without it. But don't paint legitimate criticism for oversensitivity, it's so late 19th century.
Posted by: craig | Apr 20, 2011 1:06:42 PM
Chris Lilley is a genius, period. Oh, and hilarious.
Posted by: Daniel | Apr 20, 2011 1:10:24 PM
his mother reminds me of TOOTSIE
Posted by: Disgusted Gay American | Apr 20, 2011 1:13:59 PM
Amen, Craig.
Posted by: luminum | Apr 20, 2011 2:08:07 PM
I loved Summer Heights High but I have to say I didn't laugh once during this video. I didn't find it offensive, just not funny. The jokes seemed too obvious and I'm not sure where the characterizations could go. I will still give it a chance when it airs but my expectations are very low based on that clip.
Posted by: jamesintoronto | Apr 20, 2011 3:17:57 PM
If people really talk like that, then there shouldn't be an issue.
Heh-Ro Mista.
Posted by: boo | Apr 20, 2011 3:23:09 PM
Lame.
Posted by: Rob | Apr 20, 2011 3:32:54 PM
Maybe I'm reading too much into it but it seems like:
It's like how gay athletes are told to stay in the closet to keep a certain image and sell products. This mom is making her straight son be in the closet so she can capitalize on a gay image and sell products.
Posted by: lookyloo | Apr 20, 2011 8:56:55 PM
You need a real appreciation of Japanese pop culture to 'Get' this humor.
Posted by: ratbastard | Apr 20, 2011 10:30:19 PM
The first time I saw Summer Heights High, I didn't quite get it (being an American). But the second time it caught me and it brings freaking joy to my heart as I re-watch each episode and laugh harder each time. Can't wait for the new show. Lilley is a riot.
Posted by: Tigger | Apr 21, 2011 8:16:52 AM
Starts here in Oz on May 11... Can't wait! :)
Posted by: nudel | Apr 27, 2011 8:14:04 AM