https://twitter.com/TheChainsmokers/status/906379677077565441
The Chainsmokers were among the highest paid DJs in the world over the past year, but that doesn’t mean everybody is into them: Critics could do without the electronic duo and Deadmau5 is “100% convinced [they’re] s**t.” Alex Pall and Drew Taggart previously said that they’re not bros but actually just “making fun of bros,” but their apparently elevated level of satire doesn’t mean they’re going to get a pass for their recent racist joke that targets Asian people.
In a video interview that was posted on their Twitter account and has since been deleted, Pall was asked if he brings his dog with him on the road. His response, which references the stereotype that Chinese people eat dogs, got a laugh out of Taggart: “I try to, but she’s like really ill behaved, so, yeah. I mean, if she could come anywhere, I’d bring her to… well, I don’t know if I’d bring her to China.”
https://twitter.com/Iushtae/status/907075620751892481
Although it is true that dogs were previously eaten in China for many years, the practice has become taboo and frowned upon as canines have become increasingly domesticated and present in everyday life, so making fun of the stereotype definitely isn’t a cool thing to do. Perhaps the worst part of the “joke” was that it happened during a conversation with an Asian interviewer at the Ultra China electronic festival, not to mention that the video was initially posted on the same day it was announced the duo collaborated with K-Pop group BTS.
Twitter wasn’t too pleased with the duo’s sense of humor:
https://twitter.com/Iushtae/status/907073873136410624
https://twitter.com/trbljimin/status/907074546934571013
I tried to give the chainsmokers a chance but then their racist comment was brought to light neither disappointed nor surprised
— tiff (@firtsIove) September 11, 2017
https://twitter.com/highkeyairolg/status/907068678817988608
https://twitter.com/szabts/status/907077446364790785
UPDATE: The Chainsmokers have acknowledged the backlash to their insensitive joke, tweeting out an apology accompanied by a link to the website for Stop Yulin Forever, an organization that is trying to stop the slaughter of “some 10,000 dogs” every year by the Yulin Dog Meat Festival in Yulin, China.
“I made a comment in an interview about being hesitant to bring my dog, Cheddar, to China, because I have read reports about dogs being slaughtered in certain provinces,” Pall wrote. “We originally posted a video to share how much we love China and our fans there. We would never intentionally do anything to upset our fans and we apologize if we offended anyone.”
https://twitter.com/TheChainsmokers/status/907319766481747968
Revisit our review of the duo’s new album Memories… Do Not Open here.
