Heard "Ay-hab the Ay-rab" on the radio the other night

[Orrex]

Granted, this was from 1962, before the US invented other cultures, but holy shit what an offensive piece of garbage.

Although I recognize that the esteemed Ray Stevens targets a demographic bracket to which I do not belong, it's amazing to me that anyone can find him (or could ever have found him) entertaining.

I listened to the whole thing only out of a sense of horror.

[Metsie Casey]

1. Never heard of

It. Is it like Amos and Andy ?

[Orrex]

3. I first heard of it a long time ago but hadn't heard it in many years

It's the tale of the titular Ahab and his trusty camel Clyde who undergo a series of adventures presented in the most culturally sensitive manner possible.

[Metsie Casey]

4. Found a clip

On YouTube. Guy riding a muppet like camel. Strange.

[Orrex]

6. Yes, one of our finest cultural ambassadors

[Bucky]

2. Are you accusing the singer/songwriter of "Come to the USA" of bigotry?

(you're under no obligation to watch the whole thing)

[Orrex]

5. Hard to believe, I know

Countrified shit like this helps reinforce the ugly "racist southerner" stereotype, which incidentally under-represents the equally ugly (and equally common) racist northerner.

[rock]

7. Musically I find him quite good

Even excellent at times (q.v. "Indian Love Call" which does not contain any of that CONservative shit). And one that I particularly enjoyed, "Can He Love You Half As Much As I", (I'm an old Kentucky boy).

[Dave Starsky]

8. He also did "Cholly Wolly Chang Chang".

A real pioneer, that one.

[gratuitous]

9. It took me a long time to figure out that simmer dog by his side

It was really a scimitar.

Yeah, different age. But is it any more offensive than, say, The Big Bang Theory, where the Sheldon character goes on about little hot dogs cut up in his spaghetti as being real "Eye-talian" food?

[MosheFeingold]

10. The distinction

Is Sheldon is the butt of the joke.

Same with Archie Bunker, for those who lived before cable TV.