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Blackface in Chinese Lunar New Year sketch draws criticism
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BEIJING (AP) — A comedy sketch that featured a Chinese woman in blackface has drawn accusations of racism after being broadcast on Chinese state television's Lunar New Year variety show, although some people in Beijing were left wondering why it would be considered offensive.

The skit was shown Thursday night on state broadcaster CCTV and depicted the opening of a Chinese-built high-speed railway in Kenya. It featured actors in monkey and giraffe costumes, while the actress in blackface donned an exaggerated false bottom and a basket of fruit on her head.

The segment was meant to celebrate Sino-African relations but many viewers blasted it online for cultural insensitivity.

The performance was part of CCTV's annual Lunar New Year gala, which draws an audience of up to 800 million and is said to be one of the most watched programs in the world.

The 13-minute segment opened with a dance sequence set to Colombian singer Shakira's "Waka Waka (This Time for Africa)" featuring Africans dressed in zebra, lion and gazelle costumes, and actresses playing attendants on Kenya's new Chinese-built high-speed rail line.

The skit then began with a black woman asking the show's host to pose as her husband when meeting her mother in order to avoid being set up on a blind date.

A Chinese actress playing her mother then strides in made up in blackface followed by an actor in a monkey costume.
The host's Chinese wife then appears, ending the deception. But the African mother says she can't be angry because "China has done so much for Africa."

"I love Chinese people! I love China," the actress in blackface exclaims.

Although the skit, titled "Same Joy, Same Happiness," was meant to celebrate Sino-African relations, many viewers condemned it online, with some calling it "cringe worthy" and "completely racist."

But the reaction on the streets of Beijing on Friday was muted, with some saying the criticism was overblown.
"It's normal for Chinese actors to dress up like foreigners when performing a foreign play," said Zhou Hengshan, 80. "This wasn't meant to demean any specific ethnic group."

Xue Lixia, 20, said she trusted CCTV's judgment in assessing whether the skit was racist.

"After all, this is a sketch that was broadcast on the Lunar New Year gala. If there was any racism, then it would have already been cut," Liu said.

Chinese society is overwhelmingly dominated by the Han ethnic majority and racial sensitivities are generally much less pronounced than in the West.

Blackface is considered especially offensive in the United States because of its strong connections to slavery and bigotry against African Americans.

This isn't the first time CCTV's Lunar New Year gala has come under fire.

The show is laden with praise for the ruling Communist Party and its policies, especially on culture and ethnic relations, and its portrayals of China's own ethnic minorities, particularly Muslim Uighurs from the northwestern region of Xinjiang, have sometimes been derided as crude.

Allman Brothers tribute band a treat
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Entrancing the crowd with their Allmanesque vocals and guitarmony, End of the Line brought a powerful performance to an enthusiastic audience at the Park Theater Saturday night. From left is Justin Smith (keyboards and vocals), Adam Gorman (guitar), Ryan McClanahan, (drums) and Conor Kelly (guitar). Out of shot is drummer Dave Czuba and bassist Casey Conway.

“Guitarmony” was promised and delivered Saturday night when End of the Line: An Allman Brothers Tribute Band brought their scintillating Southern rock, country and blues roots musicianship to the Park Theater.

Before the band took the stage, Thin Lizzy’s “The Boys are Back in Town” played on the historic speakers setting the seventies mood for the fans as they settled in their seats.

As a nod to the 55th anniversary of the band’s 1969 debut album, The Allman Brothers Band, the first songs were note for note from that seminal album beginning with “Don’t Want You No More.” When Smith launched into “It’s Not My Cross to Bear,” a time warp seemed to overcome the theater. 

The screen behind the band flickered with alternating images of lava lamps, colorful mushrooms, and the original live footage from the Fillmore Live album.

Playing to a large and seasoned crowd, this collection of Nashville musicians and songwriters reveled in their playing. 

For a little over two hours, the audience was transported to a time over a half a century ago. The soulful blues and melodious Southern jams filled the space as these young musicians channeled their inner Gregg and Duane Allman, Dickey Betts and Derek Trucks among others.

With a deep blue’s growl, Justin Smith rivaled the original Gregg Allman as he played the organ with grace and grit. 

Adam Gorman, hailing from Macon, Georgia, seemed to know his way around a blues guitar fo’ sho.’ Along with the fantastic Conor Kelly and Casey Conway on guitar and bass, they created that sweet guitarmony the band has been hailed for.

“How about that bass?” yelled an appreciative fan from the balcony and the whole theater roared in agreement.

Not one but two drummers kept an amazing synchronized beat: Ryan McClanahan and Dave Czuba.

Other highlights included “Revival,” “Idle Wild South,” and the eloquent jazzy “Stand Back” from the Eat a Peach album. 

After intermission, the band jumped into the iconic “Ramblin’ Man,” the highest charting song of all the band’s tunes.

 “Statesboro Blues” was arguably the finest moment in a litany of fine moments. Covering the black blues artist Blind Willie McTell, the Allman Brother’s classic is a tribute and an infectious cross between black Southern blues music and white Southern musicianship.

“Sweet Melissa” and “Blue Sky” were both artfully done.

They also covered a tender version of “Desdemona” from Hittin’ The Note, one of the later Allman Brother gems. “Trouble Me No More” was a sweet moment as well.

The band are currently touring. They plan on performing in the home of more modern and famous Southern rock bands, The B-52s and R.E.M. in Athens, Georgia on April 20,

You can read more about the band and their touring schedule on Facebook, Instagram and the band’s website: endofthelineband.com.