“At the Red House, where black people and white people buy furniture!” is supposed to be the advertising line that convinces the viewer to go to the Red House for all their furniture needs. When first viewing this commercial it is easy to think that it is simply a joke, some made up commercial only meant to be entertaining. Upon further investigation, however, it was not difficult to discover that this was, in fact, a very real commercial for an actual store located in High Point, North Carolina. A local newscaster from the area went to the Red House to interview the two workers there that were the stars of the commercial, Richard Pina (aka “bighead”) and Johnny Hill (aka “10- Gauge”). In a news story Roxanna Haynes interviews Pina and Hill along with the two men responsible for filming the commercial, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, to find out where the idea for the commercial came from and what they were hoping to accomplish with it.
None of them believed the video would be this huge, having around 311,000 hits within its first week being on Youtube. They were hoping the commercial would draw some attention to their stores and, in turn, bring in more sales. Hill and Pina say that they have received numerous phone calls, many people calling just to see if the store is real.
While this commercial may have done its job of drawing attention to their small furniture company, does it cross the line into becoming racist? What is its message actually saying to those people who are viewing it? Simply because something brings up the issue of race, does that automatically make it racist?
Discussing race and the issues surrounding it are important in overcoming any racist attitudes. Ignoring race and pretending that the differences are not there would be taking steps backwards in trying to surpass discrimination. There are different races and it is progressive to recognize the differences and embrace them, not ignore them and try to make everyone fit one category. This commercial tries to make a joke about the fact that some businesses will create advertisements that tend to target one race of people. One line in the commercial goes, “this mattress is perfect for a white person, or a black person.” It makes you realize how ridiculous it would be to try to claim that a mattress is better for one race more than another. It is a mattress; of course it is good for all races.
Looking back on America’s past, there is a long history of discrimination and segregation. Things were separated, from water fountains to public schools, for black and white people. So, perhaps this commercial proves that we, as a nation and society, have moved forward and demonstrates how far we have actually come. We feel comfortable enough with our progress that a commercial can be made and broadcasted that pokes fun at the idea that there would ever need to be a separate furniture store for black and white people.
This commercial makes an effort to be extremely inclusive. Their whole message is that they are perfect to sell furniture to any race of people. Dictionary.com defines inclusive as,including a great deal, or including everything concerned. But, in making such an outright attempt at being inclusive they highlight the fact that there are often times when races are excluded. By listing the races they will sell to and making it a point to say anyone can buy furniture here, they are putting emphasis on the differences. In order for anything to be overly inclusive, as this commercial is, it tends to accentuate the differences in the various groups.
If nothing else, this commercial is successful in bringing up the issue and discussion of race. It is so obnoxiously upfront with the issue of racism and race in general that it leaves you laughing and thinking, “That is funny, but is it right?” By causing people to question our past ideas about race makes it a successful commercial. It is trying to move forward and evolve into a society that doesn’t view race as being an issue of difference but rather an opportunity to appreciate diversity.
Red House Furniture Store
“At the Red House, where black people and white people buy furniture!” is supposed to be the advertising line that convinces the viewer to go to the Red House for all their furniture needs. When first viewing this commercial it is easy to think that it is simply a joke, some made up commercial only meant to be entertaining. Upon further investigation, however, it was not difficult to discover that this was, in fact, a very real commercial for an actual store located in High Point, North Carolina. A local newscaster from the area went to the Red House to interview the two workers there that were the stars of the commercial, Richard Pina (aka “bighead”) and Johnny Hill (aka “10- Gauge”). In a news story Roxanna Haynes interviews Pina and Hill along with the two men responsible for filming the commercial, Rhett McLaughlin and Link Neal, to find out where the idea for the commercial came from and what they were hoping to accomplish with it.
None of them believed the video would be this huge, having around 311,000 hits within its first week being on Youtube. They were hoping the commercial would draw some attention to their stores and, in turn, bring in more sales. Hill and Pina say that they have received numerous phone calls, many people calling just to see if the store is real.
While this commercial may have done its job of drawing attention to their small furniture company, does it cross the line into becoming racist? What is its message actually saying to those people who are viewing it? Simply because something brings up the issue of race, does that automatically make it racist?
Discussing race and the issues surrounding it are important in overcoming any racist attitudes. Ignoring race and pretending that the differences are not there would be taking steps backwards in trying to surpass discrimination. There are different races and it is progressive to recognize the differences and embrace them, not ignore them and try to make everyone fit one category. This commercial tries to make a joke about the fact that some businesses will create advertisements that tend to target one race of people. One line in the commercial goes, “this mattress is perfect for a white person, or a black person.” It makes you realize how ridiculous it would be to try to claim that a mattress is better for one race more than another. It is a mattress; of course it is good for all races.
Looking back on America’s past, there is a long history of discrimination and segregation. Things were separated, from water fountains to public schools, for black and white people. So, perhaps this commercial proves that we, as a nation and society, have moved forward and demonstrates how far we have actually come. We feel comfortable enough with our progress that a commercial can be made and broadcasted that pokes fun at the idea that there would ever need to be a separate furniture store for black and white people.
This commercial makes an effort to be extremely inclusive. Their whole message is that they are perfect to sell furniture to any race of people. Dictionary.com defines inclusive as,including a great deal, or including everything concerned. But, in making such an outright attempt at being inclusive they highlight the fact that there are often times when races are excluded. By listing the races they will sell to and making it a point to say anyone can buy furniture here, they are putting emphasis on the differences. In order for anything to be overly inclusive, as this commercial is, it tends to accentuate the differences in the various groups.
If nothing else, this commercial is successful in bringing up the issue and discussion of race. It is so obnoxiously upfront with the issue of racism and race in general that it leaves you laughing and thinking, “That is funny, but is it right?” By causing people to question our past ideas about race makes it a successful commercial. It is trying to move forward and evolve into a society that doesn’t view race as being an issue of difference but rather an opportunity to appreciate diversity.