An Australian comedian who posted a skit online showing her mocking Indigenous people has been slammed as "disgusting" and "embarrassing" by Aussie celebs amid a tidal wave of backlash.
Internet Comic Faces Growing Outrage
Internet comedian Lisa Jane Spencer has amassed a following of more than 55,000 followers on Instagram, among them celebs like Kate Langbroek and Natalie Bassingthwaighte, by posting innocuous comedy skits like 'Ordering at a cafe in Byron Bay' and 'What your dog says about you (roast edition)'. Much of her content skews more political, with critical posts about topics including climate change, feminism and multiculturalism.
The Controversial Skit
One skit posted yesterday showed Spencer depicting herself in a mock interview as a character named Aunty Lisa, captioned with: "Aboriginal person". "I started identifying as a black fella a few months ago … And I finally feel at peace with who I am, one of the mob," Spencer says in the video, which she has tagged #satire, #parody and #comedyskit. The video then cuts to the comedian dancing barefoot, chanting and singing, while she clapped two sticks together. She then appears to sniff petrol from a red jerry can. The video also featured an SBS Insight logo in the top right corner of the screen, which the broadcaster confirmed to news.com.au was an "unauthorised" use of their logo. "The posts and individual are in no way associated with our content and have been reported," an SBS spokesperson said.
Celebrities React
Many well-known Aussies flooded the comment section of Spencer's post to decry her skit since it was posted yesterday. "I don't think I've been this shocked by someone on the internet. Ever. This is disgusting," wrote radio host Mitch Churi. "Did they pick you yet," wrote fellow radio host Bridget Hustwaite, echoing one popular sentiment that Spencer was pivoting her content to appeal to an anti-Indigenous audience. "I'm so confused how you could come up with this concept thinking that it would be remotely funny or resonate with an audience. What is actually wrong with you?" asked influencer and author Sophie Cachia. "Absolutely foul. I cannot believe you carried through with filming and uploading this. Its shameful," said RuPaul's Drag Race Down Under star Hannah Condah. "Look at you, calling yourself a comedian but no one laughs so you say 'I know, I'll do racism but put it under the satire umbrella,'" said comic Scott O'Halloran.
Brooke Blurton Calls for Cancellation
Former Bachelor star and Noongar-Yamatji woman Brooke Blurton shared a video of her own denouncing Spencer's skit. "I really hate that I have to make this video, but I cannot sit back and just let this happen," Blurton began, saying that she was "so sick of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people being like the brunt of the joke, because it's not funny." She claimed Spencer's skit is trading in "racist stereotype[s]" that have been used "to humiliate, dehumanise and to diminish First Nations' people." She called on her followers to report the video and to "cancel" Spencer. "I would never say that out loud, but I think this person clearly knows exactly what they're doing." She also addressed several questions to Spencer: "Why do you choose to do that? Why do you chose to humiliate and create more hate for a community that is already facing such prejudice and racist discrimination all the time?"
Spencer Refuses to Apologise
Speaking to news.com.au yesterday, Spencer said that she has no intention of apologising to anyone. "I stand by the jokes. This is comedy. I make fun of everyone equally. Plenty of people loved the video. I find the welcome to country offensive," she said. She also addressed criticism on social media, taking to Instagram to insist that she was simply making a "joke" and that she likes to "push boundaries". "This is comedy. If you can't make jokes about certain people and things, then that is a form of privilege and hierarchy, and comedy is about tearing those down. this is what I do, I push boundaries … and that's never going to change," she said.
