What kind of animal does Tommy sensei remind you of? - Bet you cant wait to see this.

[TommyA]

So my school is doing a questionnair to gather some info on our students, and to lighten things at the bottom, they add a "What animal does Tommy sensei and manager look like?" As soon as I saw this I said the manager looked like a koala bear and a few students put the same thing without consulting me, after the whole office thought I was crazy. So my answers have been damn interesting.

Now looking at my avatar, you can KINDA see what I look like, but I am 6'2", and the last time I weighed myself I was 220lbs, but I have lost a ton of weight since then. African American by birth, now this will come into use later on...

So the first answers I got were bear, panda bear, racoon. I had some cool answers like Tyrannosaurus Rex, jaguar and panther. Had some cute answers like cat, squirrel (which turned into a lesson on how to pronounce it right), and ferret. This is where things just went down hill...

So yesterday the office started laughing VERY hard at closing while they read some answers. The manager got Chicken Little about 10 times, all from students who do NOT share classes, and that answer is just freakin awesome for him, even better than koala bear!!! So now my roasting comes...

One of the ANIMALS I was told I look like was Bob Sapp...

Bob Sapp the human...





Bob...

Sapp...


Animal...


Bob?

Sapp?

ANIMAL?!?!?

Well of course no one in the office saw why I questioned this (besides my secret spy of a girlfriend who works with me, who agreed with me how wrong this was). So that was at least one guy. Now to make matters a little more interesting, I told one of my higher level students that another student said Bob Sapp, and he said "Uh you are WAY too small to be him, plus your face is way different!" Thanks Michio!!! (This students also says he wishes he could be big and strong like me and other black guys after he went to the US a few weeks back and made a few black friends).

So it couldn't get worst right...

I wouldn't be writing this if it didn't so there goes THAT suspense!

So today I tell one of my fav classes that someone said Bob Sapp, which made them all laugh and say "NO WAY!!!". So one guy goes "I think you look like Bobby Olguin!"

Animal...

Bobby Olguin the human...

Animal?

Bobby?

Olguin?

ANIMAL?!?!?!

It gets worst...

My so called fav class pulls out their erasers and changes their answers after the guys shouts this out and the class is in a laugh riot! Thanks favorite class. I don't know why I didn't see this coming after reading Az's rants, but damn, if it didn't come!

Mind you my students age range from 16 - 62, most are in the 24 - 29 range.

Thanks Japan media!:bang:

[RoxFontaine]

That's some bullshit. A+ for keeping your composure.

On a side note, it's worse not "worst".

[羽之助]

At first, I thought the reason they didn't put Bobby down was because he is probably on the insect level. You proved me wrong at the end, though.

Black people are probably ranked on the level of high primates. I wonder what Dave Spector would rank as? God?

Hurrah for hierarchy. I want to do this test at my schools now ... and, on a positive level, it does sound really interesting. I think I'll try it at my adult eikaiwa tomorrow night.

BTW, I volunteer to write an essay in Japanese detailing just how appaling this is should you require it.

[MNJetter]

Well, technically humans are also members of the animal kingdom. So biologocially, it wasn't an invalid answer. :D

Seriously, that's an awesome lesson activity idea. I'm gonna have to use that.

[Civilization Phrase III]

I'm looking at your avatar, and I'm see a definite "grizzly bear" there.

[[ Of course, chicken little is my second opinion ]]

[bakagaijin]

Tommy, you are an Eikaiwa manager's wet dream.

Good to see you're having a good time. Have fun!

[RandomPasserby]

You remind me of the boxer breed of dogs, your lower lip juts out a bit and your beard helps to make your cheeks like boxer's. Also your nonfatness makes you look more like a boxer than a bulldog.

[bakagaijin]

Black people are probably ranked on the level of high primates. I wonder what Dave Spector would rank as? God?


Either that or rat.

[羽之助]

Either that or rat.

Ooh, nice one!

To be honest, when I first looked at your face to decide what animal you were, TommyA, I thought ... contented cow.

[RandomPasserby]

Seems that your students can't really notice your personal features also, those bear-answers hint that they see as a big, hairy, strong and deep-voiced guy and isn't that a stereotype of black guys?

[TommyA]

Well that hair was only out in action because it was Obon, I am typically shaven or 5 o clocked at work, never grizzly like in the avy.

I had someone also say a "Happy" bear. I also got "Sleepy Owl" from the student who defended me NOT looking like Bob Sapp.

And thanks for the wet dream and boxer reference comments. I think... haha!

On a side note, I just got back from dinner in the city, and had some white british folk pretty much put me down racially after I helped them find their hotel. Told them verbally how to get there, then one shouted "Now how do we get the monkey off of our back?" Then another stated "I didn't expect to see any dark skin people here, but guess they are everywhere..."

Oh well...

[羽之助]

Uh ...

Um, I don't quite get it. You helped them get to their hotel, and their gratitude was expressed in the form of "Thanks, darkie! Guess we can't help running into your kind, eh!"

Unless I horribly misinterpreted it, that's un-fucking-believable.

[TommyA]

You are definitely 100% in your observations. That was the thanks I got. I just pressed play on the ipod after the last comment and thought "Ahhh just like America, but with an accent!" Well America wasn't that bad often, but it had it's moments.

[japanat]

You do know that Bob Sapp's nickname/stage name in Japan is "Animal", right? So that's not quite as bad as it feels.... but Bobby? That's as bad as it feels...

And those Brits? Un-fucking-believable! I thought Americans were dickheads about race, but that's just amazing. I've never seen anyone actually be that rude, but it must be oldhat Stateside....

edit: Not 'animal', the Beast! But most students would be unlikely to remember that one.

[bakagaijin]

Racist Brits? Naaaaah.

[RoxFontaine]

Man, you have the patience of Job.

[Talking Book]

"Now how do we get the monkey off of our back?" Then another stated "I didn't expect to see any dark skin people here, but guess they are everywhere..."


Horrible. I applaud you for keeping your cool I would have kicked their ass beat them with a trout and kicked 'em again personally. Then politely ask if they crave some tea. I'm dead serious.

[TommyA]

I have the patience and lacked the numbers. It was a group of about 9 guys. I did smell some liquor on the ones I approached, but this isn't my country and know exactly who the cops would side with in any incident...

Moving on was the hardest, yet easiest thing to do...

[Talking Book]

Right. Well said. Wise decision. My family concists of all colors literally. I just can't stand ignorant racist comments like that though. I see in my own family everybody can live in harmony.

[Crowley]

On a side note, I just got back from dinner in the city, and had some white british folk pretty much put me down racially after I helped them find their hotel. Told them verbally how to get there, then one shouted "Now how do we get the monkey off of our back?" Then another stated "I didn't expect to see any dark skin people here, but guess they are everywhere..."

Oh well...

Jesus christ. I apologise on behalf of my nation. Most people here are not like that, I promise :-(

[TommyA]

I have spent a few days with some horridly drunk people in London, Liverpool and Leeds (the 3 Ls) and I know that no matter how drunk, they never got racist. This was a special bunch. I always tell people England was the LEAST racist place I have experienced in my life being black.

I kinda derailed my own topic bringing up what happened last night, I shoulda made another thread...

[Plekto]

Again, I fall back on my litmus test...

If I could possibly hit it - it's all good :) The world has so many beautiful women in it - and honestly, sex is sex, kids are kids, and diversity is a great thing.

Hair color? Skin color? Shirt Color? Meh. It's all the same when the lights are off :)

[jindojim]

You came to Japan, where there's a horrible stereotype of blacks as being lower on the evolutionary scale than Japanese.

Then ask a question to them that essentially goes, "What animal does this black man look like?"

And you're surprised by some of the results? Because I'm not. If it were up to me, I wouldn't even have put that question on that questionnaire, since it does seem to equate foreigners with looking like animals.

[DoM of the South]

I have to second Crowley's apology, that is amazingly rude, and you would expect someone in the group to react to their friend for talking like that.

[羽之助]

If it were up to me, I wouldn't even have put that question on that questionnaire, since it does seem to equate foreigners with looking like animals.

The manager was included too, though, wasn't he? Unless the manager wasn't Japanese.

[Azrael]

You came to Japan, where there's a horrible stereotype of blacks as being lower on the evolutionary scale than Japanese.

Then ask a question to them that essentially goes, "What animal does this black man look like?"

And you're surprised by some of the results? Because I'm not. If it were up to me, I wouldn't even have put that question on that questionnaire, since it does seem to equate foreigners with looking like animals.
You're right, but you know what? You shouldn't be.

Certain people warned me about racism before coming, especially towards blacks. "The polite and respectful Japanese? No! I'm sure people will stare because I'm different, but that's as far as the problem goes." That's the way I used to think, and it seems like an entire lifetime ago.

Now I know better. I'd never ask what animal or celebrity I remind them of, because I know the answers will be along the lines Bob Sapp/Bobby, at best. I personally find it a bit sad that I have to factor in Japanese racism into my potential lesson plans. All I can really do is give it the good 'ol Japanese "shou ga nai" and hope to God I can get out of English teaching.

And people wonder why I hate Bob Sapp/Bobby so much.

[Eddie Echoplex]

And people wonder why I hate Bob Sapp/Bobby so much.

After watching a few clips of the guy at YouTube, I think I know why (he was even dissed by Mike Tyson for being an ass).

So, I guess the same racist treatment goes for latinos?.

[TommyA]

Manager is Japanese and short, which is why Chicken Little makes me laugh like a madman, to myself...

I am honestly not surprised by this because another website I frequent, breaks down and openly discusses the black life in Japan, and I knew how and when to expect pretty things. I was just sharing a similar story to those that happen with Az. If I was the only teacher mentioned on the questionnaire, I would have brought it up before it even got handed to one person, trust me on that. I do know how to choose my fights...

[Azrael]

So, I guess the same racist treatment goes for latinos?.
Honestly, I dunno.

Japan primarily gets its image of the west from the media, and unfortunately all they have to go on for blacks is MTV wanna-be thugs and what not. Then you factor in all the African guys peddling sex shops/hip hop goods and pretending to be American, and the mass exposure of complete idiots like Bob Sapp and Bobby on TV...and it's just not a pretty picture.

Latinos don't have that problem, at least not as far as I've seen. They probably have no idea what to think of you. If you're light-skinned enough you can probably get away as white.

[Eddie Echoplex]

Honestly, I dunno.

Japan primarily gets its image of the west from the media, and unfortunately all they have to go on for blacks is MTV wanna-be thugs and what not. Then you factor in all the African guys peddling sex shops/hip hop goods and pretending to be American, and the mass exposure of complete idiots like Bob Sapp and Bobby on TV...and it's just not a pretty picture.

Latinos don't have that problem, at least not as far as I've seen. They probably have no idea what to think of you. If you're light-skinned enough you can probably get away as white.

Nope, my skin is... Well, more red than brown, actually (what can I say, my great-great grandmother from my mother's side was native american, and her husband was a spaniard).

Geez, I think with what I've read the editorials that the MTV references are not good in Japan (in fact, they're not good anywhere) but the rest is gotta be downright insane. Gotta hate the whole "We're an island" mentality, right? I mean, with the whole bombardement of information now, you'd think people would be less, err... Shocked? But I guess languaje is still a very tought barrier.

[mikem]

Geez, I think with what I've read the editorials that the MTV references are not good in Japan [...] But I guess languaje is still a very tought barrier.

It's worse than that actually. They can't even comprehend that there is an entire hip-hop culture. To them its all clothes and music videos. A friend of mine loves black guys who dress in the hip-hop fashion, yet she can't understand why she only ever find players. To her the clothes and the mentality behind the culture aren't interdependant.*

The converse is also true. Several years ago I ran right into a kid who was straight out of a music video visually. If his attitude matched his dress I should have at least been in for a some verbal abuse, but instead he apologized to me and moved along.

(*I apologize to any nice/decent guys who wear hip-hop style. Hopefully we can at least agree that the culture glamorizes the player lifestyle.)

[RoxFontaine]

You should be apologizing for holding a complete idiot in such high regard.

[TommyA]

Here is a response to this situation I have on another board...

To be perfectly honest with you, yeah my post may seem serious or like it bothers me, but it honestly makes me laugh more than anything. I didn't even feel the least bit down from hearing those comments.

Why? I came here with the thought of, Japanese are smart when it comes to convenience and technology, but they lack social and human difference skills, and are kind of like babies learning that right now. More white people could afford to come here, so their image is higher on the scale, and the blacks who come here, fuck up. I can NOT blame a society that's whole existance has been ruling this tiny island. I can put the blame on Bob and Bobby for fucking up the image though.

[bakagaijin]

I can NOT blame a society that's whole existance has been ruling this tiny island. I can put the blame on Bob and Bobby for fucking up the image though.


They're not fucking up the image. They're making a plethora of money off of it. The blacks who work in the entertainment areas of Roppongi, Shibuya, Shinjuku, and American Town (Osaka) do the same thing, but don't make nearly the money Bob and Bobby do. To change the image of blacks in Japan, interaction in necessary. Those who work for JET or an Eikaiwa and don't perpetrate the image of blacks that most Japanese have is helpful, but not far reaching. I'd like to see a black Dave Spector. Someone who can come on to a television program, discuss serious topics, and speak Japanese eloquently. While this won't change the image of blacks overnight, it would be a nice step.

[雨]

[...] I am honestly not surprised by this because another website I frequent, breaks down and openly discusses the black life in Japan, and I knew how and when to expect pretty things. [...]
This website, would you kindly share it? ^_~?

[Eddie Echoplex]

I'd like to see a black Dave Spector. Someone who can come on to a television program, discuss serious topics, and speak Japanese eloquently. While this won't change the image of blacks overnight, it would be a nice step.

A Denzel look-alike?.

Seriously, from what I've seen/read/heard (I know a few people that have gone to Japan) about the treatment of foreigners and people who are belong to the US minorities, and I think there should be some kind of unified front of sorts. But that's just me and my socialist view of things.