Comedian and TikTookay star Stanzi Potenza created extra controversy than laughs with a latest video portraying prejudice towards “clankers.” This pejorative time period for something you would possibly name a robotic grew well-liked in July, and the jokes made some folks traditionally focused by prejudice uncomfortable then, too.

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This explicit video by Stanzi hit too near residence for Black Americans, a few of whom accused her of dying to say a slur.

Stanzi’s anti-clanker skit

On August 20, Stanzi (@stanzipotenza) posted certainly one of her typical solo sketch comedy movies with a caption studying, “POV: you’re a clanker in 2050.” The skit reveals Stanzi as a waitress within the American South who realizes that her subsequent clients are robots and responds by insulting them and kicking them out.

“Well, well, well, look what the Roomba dragged in,” she says. “Didn’t you see the sign outside? We don’t serve clankers here.”

@stanzipotenza

Don’t fear I’ve robotic associates

♬ Dark Western – Gary O’Slide

“What are you two called, Nuts and Bolts?” she continues. “We only serve human food here, wirebacks. We don’t have none of your oil or microchips or whatever it is you rust buckets eat.”

The video goes on in that vogue till Stanzi’s character threatens the bots with a wire-wrapped bat. She then congratulates herself for ejecting the 2 “walking USBs” from the restaurant.

The new anti-bot slur: Clankers

The time period “clanker,” used to explain something from generative AI to these customer support telephone menus, went viral on X with a July 20 publish by @tekbog. The reputation of the joke utilizing that phrase sparked discussions on each the rising hatred of AI and the propensity for sure people to invent and embrace slurs.

“The internal white disposition to say slurs, make slurs, even in jest,” @Liriminal identified.

“To make this as you being a waitress in a diner themed after a ‘specific’ time in history with certain sentences is so..” added @cremmedelafemme.

TikTookay skits just like Stanzi’s popped up in file time because the anti-bot slur unfold. One by @thebrookboys depicted a father plagued with “robophobia” appearing hostile towards his daughter’s new robotic boyfriend. In sure elements of the world, a scene like this would possibly nonetheless play out for males of shade who dare up to now white ladies.

@thebrookboys This bout to be the largest worry for all Dads in 12 months 2050 😂😂 #meme #clanker #robotic ♬ Bell Sound/Temple/Gone/About 10 minutes(846892) – yulu-ism venture

Just just a few weeks in the past, the backlash to this slur was dwarfed by those that jumped on the probability to make use of it. Both anti-AI sentiments and long-standing frustrations with firms changing human assist with automated programs that always work poorly appeared to gas this fervor.

While this anger doesn’t appear to be dying down in any respect (individuals are nonetheless mad at Will Smith for that alleged AI video), Stanzi’s video hit a distinct nerve.

“ITCHING to be racist again”

Stanzi’s clanker TikTookay video didn’t acquire as a lot traction as a few of her different work, however a repost on X gained over 9 million views. The response there, nonetheless, was largely unfavourable. Users of shade, and particularly Black people, failed to seek out the humor in a white girl appearing out what might have been a scene straight from the Nineteen Fifties had just a few phrases been modified.

User @playingeasyy remarked that “roleplaying actual 50s racism with f*cking robots is egregious in so so many ways.”

“SOME of #them are ITCHING to be racist again but cant really do that without dealing with the consequences so they just start making racist ‘jokes’ towards a fictional race so they won’t get as much hate,” stated @stellermeowmeow.

Some accused the folks making movies like this of being over-eager to spout the brand new slur.

“White people got a little too excited to be talking like this man,” wrote @MonkeyDrinkPP.

The backlash quickly leaked again over to TikTookay, the place the highest feedback are actually overwhelmingly crucial of Stanzi’s selections.

“No. You’re not too woke,” @randomtonberryonline reassured readers. “This is a white woman making light of very real travesties and atrocities in the middle of an administration hellbent on returning to the time where those atrocities can be done without consequence.”

“I am sorry but this is literally so weird,” learn one of many feedback on the video, under one other studying “No way you wrote this, planned it out, got dressed, filmed it, edited it, and at NO POINT in that process that ‘hm. what am i really projecting here.’ really? No critical thought whatsoever?”

One of her invented slurs made even her followers cringe.

“Stanzi I love you but this feels bad,” stated @moodengnugget. “Like especially wireback… as a Mexican American I won’t lie it kinda bugs me to see these jokes tossed around.”

The Daily Dot has reached out to @stanzipotenza for remark through TikTookay.

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