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Comic's Mahatma Gandhi Spoof Video Sparks Outrage
For New York-based comedian Gautham Prasad, what started off as a marketing ploy has spiralled into a huge controversy with the Indian government weighing in and Prasad getting death threats, the comedian told India-West during a phone conversation from Honolulu.
Prasad's skit, which shows an impersonation of India's freedom struggle leader Mahatma Gandhi in various stages of undress and making lewd movements, spread like wildfire over the online video site YouTube, with two Indian television stations offering an official apology for broadcasting excerpts after India's Information and Broadcasting Minister Priyaranjan Dasmunsi issued a scathing critique.
Prasad is not having an easy time, either. "I've been getting death threats and very threatening emails, very angry emails," he told India-West from Honolulu, where he is currently vacationing with his parents.
Asked what he had to tell offended viewers, he replied: "I apologize for offending them, I realize they are offended, and they have a right to their feelings and opinions, and I encourage them not to watch the video and tell their friends and family not to watch the video."
He told India-West he has considered removing the offending video clip. "I've been thinking about withdrawing the clip," he said. "The problem is that the damage is already done. I don't see what good it would do to withdraw the clip."
In India, Broadcasting Minister Dasmunsi said in a statement that two Hindi-language television channels - IBN-7 and Sahara - tried to denigrate Gandhi.
"Based on a Web site document, an attempt was made to denigrate the honor of the Father of the Nation, which has been in bad taste," Dasmunsi said. He also warned the Indian media against any attempt to copy or publish the video clip.
Prasad, a 29-year-old Bangalore-born comedian and yoga teacher who is also a former Ringling Brothers clown, said in a statement on his Web site that much of the brouhaha resulted from a misunderstanding of his performance.
"Let me discuss this video from the point of view of clowning," he announces in his Web site. "If you look closely, you can see that I am wearing a clown nose. Why is this? I do this because I am not playing Mahatma Gandhi, I am playing a CHARACTER who is playing Gandhiji. I am playing a fool who thinks it would be a good idea to dress up like Gandhi and do this dance. In reality, I'm making fun of myself."
More
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=030e843d23f710307784008ac480969e
Prasad is not having an easy time, either. "I've been getting death threats and very threatening emails, very angry emails," he told India-West from Honolulu, where he is currently vacationing with his parents.
Asked what he had to tell offended viewers, he replied: "I apologize for offending them, I realize they are offended, and they have a right to their feelings and opinions, and I encourage them not to watch the video and tell their friends and family not to watch the video."
He told India-West he has considered removing the offending video clip. "I've been thinking about withdrawing the clip," he said. "The problem is that the damage is already done. I don't see what good it would do to withdraw the clip."
In India, Broadcasting Minister Dasmunsi said in a statement that two Hindi-language television channels - IBN-7 and Sahara - tried to denigrate Gandhi.
"Based on a Web site document, an attempt was made to denigrate the honor of the Father of the Nation, which has been in bad taste," Dasmunsi said. He also warned the Indian media against any attempt to copy or publish the video clip.
Prasad, a 29-year-old Bangalore-born comedian and yoga teacher who is also a former Ringling Brothers clown, said in a statement on his Web site that much of the brouhaha resulted from a misunderstanding of his performance.
"Let me discuss this video from the point of view of clowning," he announces in his Web site. "If you look closely, you can see that I am wearing a clown nose. Why is this? I do this because I am not playing Mahatma Gandhi, I am playing a CHARACTER who is playing Gandhiji. I am playing a fool who thinks it would be a good idea to dress up like Gandhi and do this dance. In reality, I'm making fun of myself."
More
http://news.newamericamedia.org/news/view_article.html?article_id=030e843d23f710307784008ac480969e
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let me be clear - FUCK GANDHI!
this man was simply a tool of the british. mr. 'nonviolence' had nothing to say about the execution of his rival - bhagat singh - and he stopped cold a revolution by the masses of india in favor of one under his (and nehru's) stewardship.
the empires have discovered that neocolonialism is far far more profitable than colonialism. THAT is why we learn of gandhi and never hear of bhagat singh.
one of the most popular plays in india in recent years was a (sympathetic) portrayal of gandhi's assassin. it seems the indian peopl e are way ahead of the indian media - who are still stuck in victorian times, it would appear.