http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TVLEB0lv1rw

When I saw the commercial for the new Double Down at KFC, my initial reaction had nothing to do with the preposterous “sandwich” being portrayed on the commercial (2 chicken breasts as the “bread” with cheese and bacon in between.  Goodbye heart, hello toilet seat).  No, that reaction came a little later.

What I found to be the most outstanding and outright hilarious is KFC’s blatant use of an African American gentleman who loves chicken so much it puts a heart warming (burning?) grin on his face.  They obviously didn’t think through to the fact that they have this guy with his gap-toothed grin saying “and two pieces of chicken” with such a lustrous tone in his voice I thought he was going to spit watermelon seeds at me and say “zippity do dah!”

Hi, I'm black. And I loves me some chicken.

Now am I accusing KFC of being racist? No, but I think they’re not being conscious to the fact that they are in a way enforcing a stereotype that’s been around for decades. Their commercials always seem to star predominately black people with a few white guys thrown in to try and cool the racial flames. It’s usually pretty silly, but this time takes the cake. This man might as well be drooling over the fried chicken sandwich he is holding.

My question to KFC is this: Really? You produced this commercial and not a single thought to its ridiculousness, nor its possible racial connotations came to mind? A black man talking about chicken like it’s his second wife doesn’t raise any red flags? Really?