Essay 1324

Extreme makeovers in a MultiCultClassics Monologue…

• KFC’s Colonel Sanders got a makeover (see above). He’s now wearing a red apron, and there appear to be slight facial modifications. “This change gives us a chance not only to make sure we stay relevant but also communicates to customers the realness of Colonel Sanders and the fact that he was a chef,” said the president of KFC’s U.S. division. The president of Yum’s international restaurant division added, “The thing that’s distinct about the Colonel is that he was a real person, he did spend time in the kitchen, he did develop the original recipe himself, and I think what this logo does is reinforce that in a very simple but dramatic way.” Wow, these guys are really full of chickenshit.

• The Census Bureau reported racial gaps persist — and even increased — in the areas of income, education and home ownership. White incomes were two-thirds higher than Black incomes, and 40 percent higher than Latino incomes. “Race is so associated with class in the United States that it may not be direct discrimination, but it still matters indirectly,” said a sociology professor at New York University. “It doesn’t mean it’s any less powerful just because it’s indirect.”

• Turns out Borat may not be banned in Russia after all (see Essay 1305). The Federal Agency for Culture and Cinematography decided to halt Borat’s release, charging the film “might seem disparaging in relation to certain ethnic groups and religions.” But the theatrical sales director at Twentieth Century Fox C.I.S. hopes the organization will change its mind and insists the decision is not final. “This story is not over,” said the theatrical sales director. This can only mean one thing: Borat’s bribing the theatrical sales director.