I think SonicFox means that Mike didn't mean any malice and is actually a good guy who made a stupid joke, therefore I will overlook this one.
MikeZ, lead designer of Skullgirls, makes an "I can't breathe" joke on stream
- Thread starter Professor Beef
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I think SonicFox means that Mike didn't mean any malice and is actually a good guy who made a stupid joke, therefore I will overlook this one.
Im just not buying that apology.
If he instantly regretted it why didnt he apologize right afterwords? Was he waiting for a laugh?
You said an idiotic thing, man the fuck up and accept responsibility for it. Dont blow smoke up people's ass. It wasnt instant regret. He had to apologize after he saw the shit storm of comments.
These are the issues that need to be dealt with. Under no circumstance is a black mans murder the punchline for a joke. This shit infuriates me.
If he instantly regretted it why didnt he apologize right afterwords? Was he waiting for a laugh?
You said an idiotic thing, man the fuck up and accept responsibility for it. Dont blow smoke up people's ass. It wasnt instant regret. He had to apologize after he saw the shit storm of comments.
These are the issues that need to be dealt with. Under no circumstance is a black mans murder the punchline for a joke. This shit infuriates me.
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"much-too-soon" means that he fully plans on keeping that joke in his pocket for the future when it becomes "ok" to say again
Sharpie and SonicFox are free to forgive him if they want, but that apology was wack as hell
Sharpie and SonicFox are free to forgive him if they want, but that apology was wack as hell
Why would it not be the best look? What if black people did the side-eyeing? Would it be okay then?
To be fair I have a very dark sense of humor and will joke about things that I myself find serious. I think looking inward though it might be a defense mechanism for me "laugh instead of cry" kinda thing. However I I'm also self aware, I KNOW my words can hurt someone else and if I do make a joke in poor taste or offend someone I apologise and explain where it came from and that I'll avoid doing so in the future. I truly believe nothing is above reproach and should be some thing you can joke about. Especially if your bringing attention to a matter. Most times though you should be a ble to read the room and shut the fuck up. What may be a healing process for me I understand itis not for others. Also if you don't look like me struggling with the issues people like me deal with your "jokes" feel like poison even if in your heart you TRULY didn't mean it.
He's been consistent about why he said it and I don't know him personally so I don't want to make claims above my knowledge. But this is part of what strikes me as bizarre about this. If you wanted to start a conversation, wouldn't you make some effort to actually converse? If you thought it was unclear and it didn't land as you thought it did, wouldn't you clarify? If this is bad speaking skills, they're pretty incredible in how bad they are.
The best sub in for it on short notice would definitely be Power Rangers battle for the grid, it's got very good online play.
I think people are right to be bothered by these thoughtless remarks and they can decide whether or not they accept the attempted apology.
That said, I also think the opinions of those who know the man personally should be, or at least can be, duly considered. Not as an excuse, but as a factor.
That said, I also think the opinions of those who know the man personally should be, or at least can be, duly considered. Not as an excuse, but as a factor.
I purposefully chose Smash because it has the worst online play AFAIK. It was a condemnation of MikeZ moreso than an actual suggestion.
This is how I understood it. If your conclusion to this is that hes a racist and his friends are enabling him ... well, maybe, I dont think so, but stranger things have happened
This. There is no sincerity at all in that apology. He's sorry he got caught, not for what he said. It is really disapponting. And yeah, I get SonicFox is a friend and it is hard to stand up against friends, this whole thing is weak as hell considering the dumb apology. It all stinks and I'm quite disappointed.
The "much too soon" at the beginning of the apology, really, REALLY bothers me. He LITERALLY says the comment would be okay at a later date. Fuck him.
Yeah and, I repeat myself a lot but the clip is like a day old. Now that it made the round on the internet he suddenly apologize. "oops you caught me!"
Anyway, I trust sonicfox to keep him in check more than I trust Mike himself to keep himself in check.
I hate that "too soon" thing he slipped in there, which just reads to me like he feels like he wasn't really wrong... just that the "timing" of it was bad. C'mon now. That's what people do when they feel like they have to say something, but they aren't actually sincere about it. :(
Maybe not so much for the female characters, but aside from that I'd say Lab Zero has historically been pretty good about having a diverse cast that have agency in the story.
That's my take on it. Too Soon? Black people are still getting choked & killed by the police when will it ever be appropriate for a joke like that?
I hate that he said it was "too soon." If you're white, it's not "too soon." It's never. We never get to joke about this. Not when racism is "over." Never.
How is this hard?
In exchange for literally every other aspect of privilege, we white people sometimes can't say certain dumb shit, even as a really hilarious joke. It's so hard.
How is this hard?
In exchange for literally every other aspect of privilege, we white people sometimes can't say certain dumb shit, even as a really hilarious joke. It's so hard.
I feel like two or three times a year since it release I've seen a thread talking about something positive surrounding Skullgirls but my knowledge is primarily based on thread titles as I don't play the game - possibly fuzzy memory as well.
I've never been a fan of "he's a good guy" or "he's always been nice to me" type defenses, they only hold water if you are with someone like 100% of the time.
They are free to forgive but I won't be following them
Big Band is a pretty cool black character, Cerabella is also black I believe.
I'm seeing the Skullgirls wiki list Cerebella as "Brazilian" which doesn't really clearly state anything; there are white, black, indigineous, etc. Brazilians.
She's dark skin in her tradtional outfit, so that's really the only thing to go from. As far as I know there's no "real-world" countries in the game, most of the takes place in the Canopy kingdom.
Man I fucks with sonicfox but nah bruh. Just cuz this white dude is ya buddy n supports trans ppl doesn't mean he gives a fuck about black ppl as a whole.
If this was a trans/gay joke I doubt he would let it slide so easily. Fuck outta here bruh.
If this was a trans/gay joke I doubt he would let it slide so easily. Fuck outta here bruh.
MikeZ has an account here, can we give him a ban? Really want this toxic fuck to think about what he said.
Skullgirls finally got into EVO due to circumstances we may never see again in our lifetimes and he goes off and does this.
It's like getting a wide open layup and then kicking the ball into the stands. And then mooning the home fans while flipping them off.
Having black friends doesn't give a person a free pass to make racist jokes. Even if they tolerate it. That doesn't necessarily mean they think it's ok. Maybe they just don't want to draw attention to themselves but it's lame and cringey at best and disrespectful and offensive at worst.
It's like getting a wide open layup and then kicking the ball into the stands. And then mooning the home fans while flipping them off.
Having black friends doesn't give a person a free pass to make racist jokes. Even if they tolerate it. That doesn't necessarily mean they think it's ok. Maybe they just don't want to draw attention to themselves but it's lame and cringey at best and disrespectful and offensive at worst.
Mike Z's horrible joke is even more baffling considering that Big Band, in his own backstory, had the shit beaten out of him by corrupt cops. Granted, it was because he happened to be the only cop in his unit that was by-the-book, but still..
Damn, he dropped the "too soon". He will just say this joke later after the protests, it will be the right time for MikeZ.
There are a lot of dark skinned people who aren't black. What I'm seeing is that she's officially considered the Skullgirls' world equivalent of a Brazilian, including being associated with Portuguese. So, again, that's not that she isn't black, but just that it's not really clear that she is, either.
Damn and I really liked Mike Z, thought he was a great member of the FGC and obv Skullgirls is amazing.
What an absolutely idiotic and tone def comment, so disappointing. What the fuck is going through these people's heads to say so much dumb shit at the worst times...
What an absolutely idiotic and tone def comment, so disappointing. What the fuck is going through these people's heads to say so much dumb shit at the worst times...
"for the lulz"
..which is usually a precursor to "to own the libs"
Goes to show that people can make inclusive games but not actually internalize racism. Being an ally isn't just a checklist.
I was honestly expecting a flood of "Poggers" and I'm really happy to be wrong.
