Summer Heights High fans were delighted to learn that Chris Lilley had teamed up with Netflix for a new 10-part series. Unfortunately, the show also marks a return to form for Lilley in that it's ignited another blackface controversy.
In the series, called Lunatics, Lilley plays numerous characters. Among them is Jana, a woman who is described in the show's notes as a "South African lesbian and a pet psychic." The show's first trailer dropped today, and now the internet is expressing a great deal of frustration with the performer.
This isn't the first time Lilley has been accused of racism. His 2011 HBO show Angry Boys saw him play an African-American rapper named S.mouse who regularly used the N-word. Jonah Takaluah, one of Lilley's most famous characters, is a Pacific Islander, meaning Lilley had to wear brown makeup.
Lunatics premieres on Netflix on April 19. Watch the trailer and decide for yourself if Lilley has gone too far below.
In the series, called Lunatics, Lilley plays numerous characters. Among them is Jana, a woman who is described in the show's notes as a "South African lesbian and a pet psychic." The show's first trailer dropped today, and now the internet is expressing a great deal of frustration with the performer.
Hey @NetflixANZ , my mates and I were wondering which pale stale males decided that we needed more Chris Lilley on our screens? https://t.co/iv3I0lgUlv
— Amplify Magazine (@WokeAFMedia) April 11, 2019
Netflix is giving blackface a platform in 2019 and absolute your Das are name searching Chris Lilley and telling people to shut up. someone disconnect their Das internet please
— dog the bounty eater (@oatmilkstanacc) April 11, 2019
Polite reminder that Chris Lilley is racist trash.
— Andrew Not Andy (@TheCurbAU) April 11, 2019
20 bucks says Chris Lilley's new character isn't any more racist than all of his other shitty racist characters
— Mos Jeff (@DrugHater420) April 11, 2019
why did chris lilley resurface.. with more blackface... am i missing something?
— charley 🥴🧠 (@charlescarrall) April 11, 2019
What the fuck! Chris Lilley is doing another black face show??? Who keeps giving him money to do this shit!
— Leah (egg a nazi today) jaclyn (@LeahJaclyn) April 11, 2019
This isn't the first time Lilley has been accused of racism. His 2011 HBO show Angry Boys saw him play an African-American rapper named S.mouse who regularly used the N-word. Jonah Takaluah, one of Lilley's most famous characters, is a Pacific Islander, meaning Lilley had to wear brown makeup.
Lunatics premieres on Netflix on April 19. Watch the trailer and decide for yourself if Lilley has gone too far below.
