Poll: Does Transformers 2 have Racist Robots?!
By Mali Elfman
Although Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen is a major success at the box office, not everyone who is seeing the film is happy about it. There has been a argument growing that Director Michael Bay‘s portrayal of the two jive-talking Chevy twin robots are racial caricatures and offensive.
Skids and Mudflap are two twin robots disguised as compact hatchbacks who are constantly fighting and who use “rap-inspired street slang” according to THR. One has a gold tooth and when pressed by Shia LaBeouf, they both tell him that they don’t know how to read.
Some viewers are calling the twins “outrageous” and “degrading” while others are saying “They were hilarious.”
When asked about the robots Bay said, “It’s done in fun. I don’t know if it’s stereotypes — they are robots, by the way.”
What do you think?
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Thursday, June 25, 2009 5:13PM
Yes I was a high schooler one time in my life and these characters portray a personality that can be found among both white and black teens and young adults, amongst other age groups. I think the movie can be better defined as being DIVERSE instead of racist. These 2 robots are smart asses, funny, they are punks and act some what gangsta. Anyone calling it racist should be ashamed because they are truly the racist ones.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 5:14PM
NO…they do NOT…and here is why….the first movie you learn that the Transformers learned to talk English/other languages by monitoring our radio waves and other electronic signals…so it is only LOGICAL that there would be robots that "jive"….
There is enough negativity in this world…quit turning entertainment into some AGENDA or ISSUE – let's move beyond hate, beyond racism and beyond stupidity
Thursday, June 25, 2009 5:27PM
Who cares that knee grows think anyway?
Thursday, June 25, 2009 5:53PM
They have some sterotypical attributes to them but I don’t think the movie is racist. It seems like they was trying to get the message across that the two was black and sometimes you need to dip in the sterotypes. Jazz was a smart ass in the first film and no one thought it was racist.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 6:19PM
no it is just good humor
Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:08PM
I took it as they could not read the symbols
Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:42PM
In one of the fighting scenes one of the two twin robots says "Nigga"…that's not racist for you huh?
Thursday, June 25, 2009 7:51PM
@Simity: The diversity argument is a weak one, because giving characters stereotypical and shallow traits isn't diverse, just lazy.
Anyway, while I try to be sensitive to these things, it's sort of reaching to think this movie is racist and really just crying wolf. The movie didn't take itself that seriously (not to mention not that good) so I don't think it was racist. They were capable autobots, so it's not like they were worse off than other robots because they were jive talking or whatever lame cliche they were given.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 12:52PM
I’m about fed up with idiots screaming “racist”. We have a black president now, this country has taken great strides in equality. What’s the difference between someone who is racist or someone who is classist? I’ve seen white kids act ghetto, and black kids (Tiger Woods for one) act “white”. How about we just let people act how they wanna act? Regardless, those robots aren’t racist. Too many politically correct douchebags whine and cry about being offended. News flash, tards: You have no right to be offended. You also have no right to have people like me call you a pussy or a douche when you make a big deal about something that isn’t.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:11PM
I was laughing my ass off. They are twins who fight like brothers. It just like real life. I especially love it when they pick on leo aka ramon because he was all those things the twins said he was nothing racist. these are the same people who said mikchael bay ruinin there life and they wanted to kill him in the first film.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:51PM
First of all, the robots aren't racist, they don't make racist comments do they? Some idiots are arguing that the basis for their creation was racist, which it is not. There's nothing to elude that these characters represent black people or anyone else. They are characters who talk like rappers, and there are plenty of white or hispanic people out there who talk the same way. Get over yourselves, people!
Thursday, June 25, 2009 9:47PM
#1. It's just a movie
# 2. It's just a movie
#3. It's just a movie
Who cares?
Are there black men who talk in "jive"? Of course.
Are there white men who talk in "jive"? Of course.
It's amazing what one can accomplish in America by losing the chip on one's shoulder. Stop looking for "racisim" in everything, making up nuanced grievances about every little comment, and using them as excuses for personal failure, and just move on. For the love of God, lighten up!!! Enjoy life!!!
Thursday, June 25, 2009 10:15PM
Were they supposed to have been watching Step'n Fetchit on the internet? And yes, Jazz was totally racist and I was glad he died.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 10:18PM
i find it racist that someone would say they are portrayed as black people, that's racist in itself to say black people talk like that or act like that, and its very stereotypical that a black person would react in such a way, i have not heard anything from a white person saying the scene where Sam's oblivious white suburban mother eats marijuana brownies and gets high, the thing is, if you want to find something racist in something you will. If you are a sensible human being with better things to do than you'll see it as just diversity in characteristics. anyone can talk like these two characters skin color has nothing to do with it.
Thursday, June 25, 2009 8:03PM
Actually I kind of found it racist… 1. Mudflap has a Gold tooth, and 2. Skids' lips are pretty big. It's not that they are jive talking thugs, it's there physical appearance that got me. I'm not blasting the movie about it because I laughed my ass off, it just made me think. The reading thing is what set it in stone, they didn't just say they couldn't read the signs they said "Ummm we don't read much" hence their incapability to read. I actually brought it up to a coworker and he replied "It wasn't racist they were just lower forms of transformers" which kind of made me smirk to think that's what he thought just coincidence. Like I said I really don't care, I'm white and not racist just thoughts..
Friday, June 26, 2009 3:50AM
If you are at all familiar with the characters Amos and Andy, it is obvious that Bay was trying to create a modern version of those old racist characters for this movie. It is just unacceptable. To make things worse, Jazz the only black Transformer in the first movie does nothing but a break dance move and then gets killed. In this movie we have the two modern Amos and Andy type characters.
Those characters were racial stereotypes, plain and simple. If you think otherwise you need to watch a movie called 'Ethnic Notions", it outlines the legacy of racism in our entertainment and you will see directly how those two characters in Transformers 2 were racist.
Friday, June 26, 2009 4:03AM
you can read racism into almost anything if you try hard enough. some people will never give this a rest they have nothing to do but blame their shortcomings on the rest of the world
Friday, June 26, 2009 5:12AM
well………..Iaughed my ass of too.. Short shorts are nice(Megan Fox)…, The two robots well ya.. of course the talking, gold tooth, Limited ability to read fit the typical of black people. Ahhhh, Ohhhhh wait a sec.., Where they brought up by a good family?, role models, and good values .No. So with that being said how they talk is what they here from uneducated PUNKS, GAng thugs. With that being said a typical black person the robots did not disciminate. Trouble making thugs, gansters, that so called jive talking BS ya…… they mimiced it and it was damm funny…. . Look call it racist if you want? but robots only mimiced from what they heard? right?
So, who do you blame whn other use it in a movie?, Thats right…. . and grow up the robot held their own in the movie, and shown how working together makes them a great team..
As for magan fox..female robot, WoW……
Friday, June 26, 2009 7:53AM
so if a "robot" acts like that its racism,and when the wayan brothers do it in person on tv its all good?
go to bed america and take a damn chill pill
Friday, June 26, 2009 9:21AM
Whats wrong with nigga? i understand if that word ended with and ER but it ended with an A. there is nothing racist about that
Friday, June 26, 2009 9:30AM
its a movie people… stop being a shit disrupter and enjoy the movie!
Friday, June 26, 2009 5:44PM
Al Sharpton and the gang need to cool it with this racism thing. Everytime there is any portrayal of anyone EVEN CLOSE to acting black, someone is up in arms about it. Pretty soon, directors will choose not to use diverse characters in their movies and shrink their appeal to the masses, but hey, atleast they wont be called racist.
Friday, June 26, 2009 6:34PM
Wow! That doesn't even elicit a response.
Friday, June 26, 2009 6:37PM
We also learned that blacks are the first to die in movies too. Jazz another "black" cariture is the first and only Autobot to permanently die in the series.
Friday, June 26, 2009 8:15PM
the people who comment on youtube especially on rap videos act all tough and use "gangsta talk".this here is not racism..the autobots learnt english from the web so i bet they learnt some of it from the aforementioned idiots and you can't blame them.besides……..they are R O B O T S !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Friday, June 26, 2009 10:17PM
People. There are no black robots or white robots. They're. just. ROBOTS. And fake one's at that. Defining they're skin color by the way they talk sounds a bit like racial stereotyping to me, and if that sounds ridiculous, then please realize how ridiculous this ALL is.
Chill
Friday, June 26, 2009 10:18PM
I think lots of ppl were expecting a kick ass actin film, and some re-imagining of an awesome show we grew up watching. I for one wasnt expecting such low humor…I dont care for that in any movie, which is why I like action, adventure and scifi and for it to show up in Transformers was just a disapointment.
Friday, June 26, 2009 10:32PM
People. There are no black robots or white robots. They're. just. ROBOTS. And fake one's at that. Defining they're skin color by the way they talk sounds a bit like racial stereotyping to me, and if that sounds ridiculous, then please realize how ridiculous this ALL is.
Friday, June 26, 2009 11:14PM
Anyone who is trying to make excuses for the stereotypical lame-assed robots is retarded.
There's no other word for it.
They follow—to the letter—the classic minstrel archetype: childish, big-lipped, CANT READ, and heavy on the 'jive.' Their names may as well have been Sambo and OJ.
Whoever said that 'hey since we have a Black President, they weren't racist' is also a first order retard.
It's not so much that stereotypes aren't common in a big, dumb summer blockbuster (look at the three females—an old shrew, a loyal beautiful love, and a vile temptress)
It's that these stereotypes are so over the top and ridiculous as to be insensitive.
Just think for one second before you open your mouth with that 'oh my god stop whining' bullshit, and just try and imagine you as part of a group that was routinely made fun of for HUNDREDS of years by way of minstrel shows. Put it in perspective. They have a right to say that yes, those characters are
a) racial stereotypes
and worse, b) unfunny racial stereotypes
EPIC fail on every fucking level, like the movie.
Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:10AM
Wow pull out the slavery card. Rediculous bs patrol
Sunday, June 28, 2009 8:14AM
First of all, whoever you are "Jigga Boo", you are a racist, uniformed, imbecile. We have come to far as a people to still have idiots with this state of mind, and people like you are proof that more progress in terms of our society still needs to be made. Secondly, do some research. While the movie may not neccessarily have been racist, these characters were clearly meant to be "black," not only with the way they spoke, but in the sense that they were illiterate, and transformed from crappy sub-compact cars rather than flashy Camaros or monster trucks. Also, if anyone noticed, the only main black human character's lines were for the most part unneccessary and unintelligent. Like I said, although the movie may not be completely racist, there are many aspects and details of the film that should have been altered, as they were mostly insulting and not comical whatsoever.
Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:53PM
HOW DOES ANYONE KNOW WHAT COLOR THESE TRANSFORMERS ARE??? IT is a movie it is not real people. Lets all grow up and put this racist crap behind us. I mean really. Its comedy, they were acting funny. Oh and I have thought about all of this stuff about racial stereo types and blah blah blah. When you go to a comedy show a black comedian can talk about every race with no remorse to whom they are talking about, and I have even laughed at them. However, the second a White comedian talks about races and sometime they do they have to be careful or they will offend someone and then all hell breaks lose on them.
Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:54PM
Look people white or black we are all people if you are not happy with who your are or what color you are don't ruin the small things in life for everyone else. Black people want equality yet the second something starts looking up you all pull the race card we don't, I have tons of black friends who i love and would die for. I am sorry for slavery I had nothing to do with it. I am soooooo sorry, I mean come on what the hell does someone have to do in order to stop this crap. ONLY make fun of white people, ONLY make white jokes….
Sunday, June 28, 2009 1:54PM
oh wait that would be racist because then there would be no black movies. Tyler Perry has done more racial shit and made fun of the black community more than these two (green and red) transformers did. OH OH OH, but he is black so he can do that. SHUT UP!!!!!!!!! have fun with life and get your heads out of your BUTTS people… White and black alike, come on, there are things at hand here and I want to know when crap hits the fan that I have brothers and sisters (not being Racist Here) that will be beside each other when our country needs us the most. Lets get along here… Although i guess if racism ever ended there would be a lto of people out of work that deal with these racist issues, so I think whom ever is thinking racial, congrats keep up the good work so that others like you can keep hurting the rest of us… go to hell
Sunday, June 28, 2009 5:06PM
What rappers are only black? YOU ARE RACIST!!!!
Sunday, June 28, 2009 6:21PM
We will still have people complaining about things bring racist in 100, 200 even 500 years. Why not, I mean the people complaining about it have no idea what racism is because they haven't been there. No idea what real racism is. It happened at one time in history and thats all people care about.
I found both characters pointless but I found nothing to be racist in the movie.
Monday, June 29, 2009 1:23AM
Looking at the grosses and I would have to follow the lines of epic success. More EPIC FAIL on your part loser. Some people just need to develop thicker skin and get the hell over it.
Monday, June 29, 2009 2:22AM
to say there are no black or white robots then we might as well say there are no male or female robots even tho we know the motorcycle robots in this movie were female. how do we know this? they spoke, we heard they voices and then we, as adults, made the call.
clearly mudflap and skids were there to portray typical black characters. the jive talking, the big nose, the jawline, the eyes, the goldtooth and etc. so say otherwise to me mean you're walking around this world with your eyes closed. race plays a part in everything. time to face facts. race plays a part in everything.
gun to your head right now without any options of retreat, what race would you say the other robots are? when you hear them, see them and watch them, what does you gut say about them?
Monday, June 29, 2009 12:09AM
People, they are ROBOTS! they listened in on our satellites which is how they learned English.
I can think of many friends from different races which talk, act and even have gold teeth just like they did. I fail to see how it is racist. I heard no comments of vulgarity from anyone else directed at them during the film.
I fail to see why robots in a film get called “racist” but then a movie like Bring it on all or nothing where the main charter is referred to as “white girl” the whole movie is looked at as fine.
There are things to offend everyone in this world, get over it.
Monday, June 29, 2009 8:01AM
I definitely did enjoy the movie and I don’t want to sound like an old fart, but I thought that many of the scenes were tasteless and totally innappropriate (those 2 robots are guilty on both counts) for the hordes of young kids who are obviously dying to see this movie. Sure- they gave it a PG-13 rating, but I think a majority of parents today would ignore that… especially when this movie is based on toys that HAVE been and WILL be marketed to children. They knew that, and ignored an unspoken responsibility to act accordingly. It’s a shame, because I thought they did a great job striking a balance in the first movie- it was satisfying for all ages. Also, anyone denying a stereotype is lying to themselves. You may have some people of different races representing one given stereotype, but be honest- this one is predominantly referring to SOME members of one race. And it’s not a compliment- the characters were crude, ugly, hapless, foul-mouthed, bumbling, violent, ignorant idiots! Anything for a low-brow laugh. My friend and I looked at each other every time Mudflap and Skids were on screen- we couldn’t believe how far they went. With our ridiculously politically correct society, I couldn’t believe all that material was even written as a viable Hollywood script. It could have been a much better (and less offensive) movie easily, had they taken out their tasteless material. In my best old lady voice I’ll say, “They should be ashamed.” THAT BEING SAID… despite racist robots, an over-the-top drug-crazed mom, an annoying (poorly developed)roommate, and romantic dialogue that rivals the worst ever written by George Lucas… I still loved watching this movie. Now it’s my turn to be ashamed.
Monday, June 29, 2009 5:06PM
i am not a black person so i can't speek as one, but as long as people let that kinda shit get to them it will. Anyway FUCK IT it's just a movie, and michal bay sucks either way you look at it.
Monday, June 29, 2009 11:14PM
796 nigger votes
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 12:22AM
some people argue that the transformers learned their english from radio broadcasting so why werent there characters that stereo typed the mexican aspect of life. the two twin robots couldve just acted hip hop and it would have been okay, the fact that this two robots acted ignorant, used foul language, and one even had a gold tooth contributed to the contreversy at hand. i think it would have been different if they wouldve had a taco truck transforming into a robot that spoke like a mexican homeboy. if that were in the movie alot of mexican americans wouldve felt it inappropriate. to sum it all up we as Americans with all of our diversity should try our best not to stereotype each other and producers should honestly think about what types of script they write.
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 2:30AM
(im looking at all the people who said it was racist with a very blank look on my face and im about to talk…..try to imagine this…)
there robots, its a movie, get some balls and move on….pussies…
Tuesday, June 30, 2009 6:06PM
No the robots are not racist. white, mexican, black and other colors talk like this.
The robots also say they cannot read that language, because its decepticon.
Pay attention before assuming something racist.
I bet if it was two black guys making fun of white people the whole movie, and people claimed it was racist, no one would care.
grow up people and stop making everything out to be what it is not.
Saturday, July 4, 2009 10:06PM
"childish, big-lipped, CANT READ, and heavy on the 'jive.'"
Basically what you said is because the robots contained those qualities you assumed they were 'black'. Perhaps you should look in the mirror before throwing out racist cards.
Thursday, July 9, 2009 7:58AM
bill
those are minstrel characteristics, a stereotype used historically demean black people with. The robots are updated minstrel characters.
And bullshit that cos they’re robots they don’t have race. The t-800 endo doesn’t have a race. It’s disguise does. But if I asked you to guess at what colour Jazz could be, or Prime, or what gender the bikes were, you could have a fair guess. They’re not just robots, they’re human characteristics wrapped up in a robot shell. Unlike the t-800, which has few characteristics at all, because it really is a robot. Had the two autobots not had simian features (again, minstrel association, not a personal association) they may have gotten away with it as a parody of hip hop culture. But I think you’re kidding yourself if you don’t see what they’re supposed to be. I don’t think bay intended to be racist. Doesn’t mean it isn’t.
Racism is an abused term. It’s why people throw their hands up when people play the race card and rightly so. But this isn’t someone trying to advance themselves by chanting racism, this is actual demeaning BS.
Thursday, July 9, 2009 3:00PM
bill
those are minstrel characteristics, a stereotype used historically demean black people with. The robots are updated minstrel characters.
And bullshit that cos they're robots they don't have race. The t-800 endo doesn't have a race. It's disguise does. But if I asked you to guess at what colour Jazz could be, or Prime, or what gender the bikes were, you could have a fair guess. They're not just robots, they're human characteristics wrapped up in a robot shell. Unlike the t-800, which has few characteristics at all, because it really is a robot. Had the two autobots not had simian features (again, minstrel association, not a personal association) they may have gotten away with it as a parody of hip hop culture. But I think you're kidding yourself if you don't see what they're supposed to be. I don't think bay intended to be racist. Doesn't mean it isn't.
Racism is an abused term. It's why people throw their hands up when people play the race card and rightly so. But this isn't someone trying to advance themselves by chanting racism, this is actual demeaning BS.
Monday, July 13, 2009 5:54PM
To a point yes, but only because they made the "black" robots good guys. We all know that blacks cause more then 50% of all crime. Blacks just want something to scream racist to. I liked the movie and the honesty that came with it. Too many movies these days make the Black man look like a hero who can speak proper English and act human. Thank God for this movie.
Sunday, July 19, 2009 10:46PM
ya about jazz, he wasn't stupid and illiterate!!!
Tuesday, July 21, 2009 7:11PM
jhgckj,.
Saturday, August 8, 2009 12:46PM
its just a movie…dont cry…who cares if it showed robots that followed a stereotype WHO CARES? quit whining….its a movie about robots…geez…
Wednesday, August 12, 2009 4:57PM
Interesting that those who find it racist comment with intellectually sound arguments in correct English grammar while those who say it isn't racist have trouble spelling and using correct punctuation (Shane). This movie is so ridiculously awful that I didn't really want to take the time to argue one way or the other but, based solely on the fact that this movie (never film) is geared toward a highly influential demographic, it seems like it's fair to take a moment to reflect on the level of ignorance this piece of Michael Bay garbage is putting out into the world. Yes, these characters were undoubtedly the most absurd coagulation of racist stereotypes that cannot be found on radio, television (Wayne's brothers included) or any other form of popular media because most people, Michael Bay apparently excluded, realize that such characters may as well have the name Nigger and Blackie in addition to their outlandish attributes and, therefore, yes these characters are absolutely racist. I also want to make note of the fact that these characters are also heterosexist and their homophobic commentary in the movie was additionally nauseating.
Tuesday, August 25, 2009 9:31AM
for crying out loud! get a life people! How can you enjoy a movie if you're taking it so seriously that you happen to notice a pun made by a 'robot' about racism! It wasn't actually racist when you think about it…
It's your opinion, but life isn't perfect and you will always have those things that get you down and racism maybe one of them but for god's sake relax, laugh, get a new life- how can you enjoy it if you take everything so seriously? LEARN TO TAKE THE PISS OUT OF YOURSELF.
Monday, December 28, 2009 11:12PM
This question is very loosely worded, asking if the robots are racist or not, and actually consists of several questions;
Firstly; do the robots exhibit characteristics of a racial stereotype? Where people have answered this, they all seem to agree, yes these robots are almost perfect representations of the minstrel stereotype (only they aren't actually coloured black.)
Secondly; Does it matter whether they act like a racist stereotype as they're robots and not people?
My answer is that whether they're robots or not they're still representations of people created by people. (if it looks like a duck, quacks like a duck and swims like a duck, then the person who built it probably meant it to be an artificial representation of a duck)
So the real question being asked here (and surprisingly one that has been answered quite directly by some people) is; is racism important?
(And FYI, don't use 'they picked up internet signals and radio signals and that's why they talk like that" as an answer to whether or not the person who created them based them on racist stereotypes as the person who created them also created that as a way to explain it within the context of the film)
And finally i is sorry if some of da grammar in dis ain't right, i ain't no english student.
Tuesday, February 9, 2010 2:59PM
was it really necessary for them to throw the 'n' word in there? last time i checked, the 'n' word wasn't really part of the transformers franchise. i never like michael bay, but that just sent me over the edge.
Saturday, May 22, 2010 8:08PM
ahh so the characters talk like rappers… how many white rappers are there as apposed to black rappers. Now how many hispanic rappers are there as apposed to black rappers.
Now what comes to mind when you see them on the screen, If I were to ask you if you thought the robots were or represented black people in any way while you were taking a lie detector test would the results support your arguement?
I find this so vexing how white people argue that something isn't racist… but its not their race. I also want to know why your argument is so lame. Why is a fucking 14 year old explaining why your argument is a peice of dog shit?
You should feel bad.
Wednesday, November 17, 2010 12:14PM
First of all I would like to say that the twins are annoying and I hope they do not return in TF 3, second I think personally think they are portrayed as hill billies or something, they do not sound black at all.
Friday, November 11, 2011 10:31AM
I apologize for my ignorance, but I'm not sure that I can accurately determine what is racist. Is it racist to model a non-human animation after anyone whose race can be assumed (although not positively identified) by their mannerisms? Part of the problem with identification here is that, although not all black people behave as these robots do, everyone immediately identifies these behaviors as inherently black. Doesn't that make everyone who made that realization racist? And is it racist only if the person who designed that representation is of a different race than the one it is identified with? Is the creator of the television series "The Boondocks" racist, or not, because he is black? Every character on that show I can think of represents a specific racial stereotype, does that make it okay because they cover all their racists bases? At what point does satire cross the line?