TVB's latest drama cops flak for showing characters in blackface

Local media broadcaster TVB’s latest drama episode has copped flak for showing some characters in blackface. In the latest episode of sitcom “Come Home Love: Lo and Behold”, which aired on Monday night, four funeral services workers in black suits and ties were seen wearing black make-up while singing and dancing as they carry a coffin out of the memorial. Meanwhile there was music playing in the background as the four rapped: “We’ll see [the deceased] one day… rest in peace.”

The episode revolved around a funeral services company trying to deliver a performance to cheer everyone up at a funeral as the deceased's family requested. However the staff of the company did not show up on the day and the agents of the client had to perform in their own way - singing and dancing while carrying the coffin, at last the family member of the deceased man was satisfied with the spontaneous performance and wished the deceased man to rest in peace. 

In a conversation with MARKETING-INTERACTIVE, TVB said the episode of the drama series “Lo and Behold” broadcast on 24 October was purely fictitious. "In the concerned episode of the drama series, the characters who wore special make-up tried to escape from the recognition of their boss during their engagement in a freelance job. The scene came after the characters’ faces were made dirty by exhaust gas of a vehicle. The characters wearing special make-up were simply designed as a dramatic story plot based on creativity, aiming to highlight the characters’ ability in quick adjustment to the changing circumstances," the statement read. 

TVB reinstated that it was never its intention to show disrespect or to discriminate any persons in any of its drama or non-drama programmes. The scene was said by netizens to reference from a video that went viral in 2020 and being known as the “dancing coffin” meme, in which pallbearers in Ghana were seen dancing carrying the coffin on their shoulders. 

For many consumers around the region, intentionally darkening of skin tones is considered offensive and racist in many countries and has resulted in many controversies over the years.

This isn’t the first time the broadcaster has stirred controversy over the portrays of its drama characters.Back in April this year, a TVB series Barrack O'Karma 2 has ignited criticism from the Filipino community as a local actress Franchesca Wong was made to darken her skin in an attempt to play the role of a Filipino domestic helper.Wong then apologised on her Instagram account after her role as a Filipino domestic helper in TVB's series Barrack O'Karma 2 which ignited criticism from the Filipino community.  Wong said on her Instagram that she has taken some time over the past few days to process her emotions, reflect, speak to members of the community and listen to the many voices that have reached out to her.

In the series, actress Wong plays the role of "Louisa" from The Philippines with visibly darker skin. A video circulating online shows that Wong applying make-up on her legs, and saying in a Filipino accent that she is transforming into another person and sun-tanning. The video was originally posted by Wong's fellow actor Lam King-ching on Instagram, but Lam deleted the video on his personal account afterwards.

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