6/10
ostriches don't really stick their heads in the ground, and Africa doesn't have kangaroos, but it's got some neat gags
4 August 2008
Obviously, Bob Clampett's "Africa Squeaks" has some of the most racist images of African people. But, as was usually the case in Warner Bros. cartoons containing racist depictions of Africans and African-Americans, the portrayals were not based on hostility; rather, the people making the cartoons had seen only these images of African people, and repeated them. For example, Clampett's "Coal Black and de Sebben Dwarfs" contains some of the most offensive depictions of African-Americans, while simultaneously exalting their contributions to popular culture.

Anyway, this cartoon has Porky Pig on vacation in Africa - which they obnoxiously call "the dark continent" - and coming across a series of spot gags. His stereotypically-drawn porters are basically Stepin Fetchit types. Like I said, the cartoon's good for a few laughs, just as long as we understand the racist portrayals.

BTW, Cake Icer was a parody of band leader Kay Kyser. Also, one scene was lifted out of "The Isle of Pingo Pongo", and another scene later got used in "Crazy Cruise".
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