Politically incorrect Eddie - Sitcoms Online Message Boards

frani · 10-07-2003, 04:44 PM

I was very disturbed by Eddie and his treatment of Beav's friend Chuey in the ep where Beav is friend's with the diplomat's sun and Eddie has Beav say something mean in Spanish. I think it makes Eddie to be little more than a racist redneck. I do think it was before Eddie was developed into a more sympathetci character later on, but he was still one dimensional in these early eps.

I mean, I love Eddie's character so much, but we all know that there is no way a character could or should do something like that on tv today, except as being a totally evil person. Thoughts, please?

Mijada · 10-07-2003, 05:57 PM

Yeah, that was pretty mean of Eddie to do that. I never understood what Wally saw in him or why June and Ward continued to allow him to set foot in their house after all the stunts he would pull. If I were Wally I would have went and beat him up anyway. I wouldn't have cared if it was Sunday or not.

bandito · 10-07-2003, 06:18 PM

I think Eddie was just doing his "wise guy" deal. I don't think what he said was being racist, It was just being plain old ignorant.

MikeZ · 10-07-2003, 07:16 PM

Chuey was such a great little guy, with a beautiful smile. The look on his face, when Beaver spoke the Spanish words that Eddie gave him, was heart-breaking.

Eddie then made it even worse, by tellling Wally that he had not done anything.

I did not enjoy that episode at all; I think it made Eddie out to be just very mean and heartless, not just amusing as he usually is.

WardOleMan · 10-07-2003, 07:47 PM

I think it is just how you entitled your thread. Politicall incorrect in "todays" world. Back in the 50's it was no big deal, and treated like any other mischeavous deed. Today things are a bit out of hand.

MikeZ · 10-07-2003, 07:59 PM

Making a young boy that age leave the room in tears is much more than a mischeavous deed. In my opinion, Eddie went way over the top on this one, and became outright mean, way past the usual harmless, silly stuff that he usually did.

I was amost hoping to see Wally "clobber" Eddie!

frani · 10-07-2003, 08:22 PM

I actually titled the thread "Politically Incorrect Eddie" to soften it a bit. I was thinking of calling "Was Eddie being racist." I really that it wasn't being truly a racist, more like a xenophobe, (a fear of foreigners) but it all boils down to the same thing. Being mean to someone who has a different culture or ethnicity. And Eddie went way beyond that. I think Eddie was just being mean. I think that would have been true even in the 50's.

MikeZ · 10-07-2003, 08:38 PM

I have seen that episode several times, and have never, until now, thought of it as being racist

I thought of it as Eddie just being very mean, and not being "cute or funny" at all. Usually his "pranks" made someone feel stupid or foolish, but not hurt to the point that Chuey was.

I wonder what the writers were thinking.

Did "Chuey" appear in any other episodes? If so, I would love to see them.

Frnk55 · 10-07-2003, 09:32 PM

I myself don't see this as a racist ep. I agree this was the meanest trick I've seen Eddie do but I did laugh out loud when Beaver said those words. And Chuey's look on his face....I laughed again.

GidgetCleaver · 10-07-2003, 11:15 PM

Remember how Eddie said that Chuey's family was stuck up? I think he said his father told him. Anyway, they may have been showing how kids pick up those attitudes from their parents.

What exactly happened at the end, with Eddie? I know everything got straightened out with Chuey and his parents and the Cleavers, but I can't remember what happened with Eddie. Did he apologize?

tdr · 10-08-2003, 03:08 AM

No, Eddie does not apologize, and I don't think the viewer is led to believe he ever will. But it is interesting how when Wally says he is going to slug Eddie and June stops him because it's Sunday (???) and then he says he will slug him the next day, Ward refuses to say any words to dissuade him.

But really, I think Wally is made to look foolish when he sees Chuey going away in tears and Eddie laughing, and he does nothing right then and there. He should have known exactly what had happened, but he seems to give Eddie the benefit of the doubt, and even more.

Did Wally slug Eddie the next day? That's entirely up to your imagination.

HaskellGirl · 10-08-2003, 04:18 PM

I thought Eddie was being mean, but not racist. I don't think he was being specifically mean to Chuey because Chuey was hispanic. I think he did it because he could.

Just Popped In · 10-08-2003, 08:38 PM

Actually, I didn't feel like he was being racist either (and I am part Latin). Eddie was just being himself really....you know, he just likes to play mean jokes sometimes.

desilu #1 · 10-09-2003, 07:49 PM

I don't think the episode itself was racist but I was very offended by Eddie's treatment of Cheuy. I think the writers crossed the line with that story. It seemed as though someone had an issue with Mexicans and took it upon themselves to bring it out on the show. I have Mexican relatives who I love dearly and I thought that if they were in that situation(which I'm sure they have been) my heart would just break for them.

HuskerTornado · 10-09-2003, 10:52 PM

No offense but, some people have nothing better to do than sit around and find something bad about something. You're looking into this too much. I can't stand how politically correct out society is anyhow. This is far from racist. It's just Eddie having fun. Get over it.

Wait....I just realized that someone was "offended" by Leave it to Beaver. You need to loosen up. I get so tired of people complaining about everything. Anyway, that's all I have to say on this subject. Eddie Haskel is one of the greatest TV characters of all time!

10-07-2003, 06:18 PM	#3
bandito Going Topless Forum Veteran Join Date: Sep 28, 2002 Location: The Steel City Posts: 6,320	I think Eddie was just doing his "wise guy" deal. I don't think what he said was being racist, It was just being plain old ignorant.
	__________________ bandito

10-08-2003, 08:38 PM	#13
Just Popped In Lucy & Ricky forever Frequent Poster Join Date: Nov 16, 2002 Location: Monterey Peninsula, California Posts: 304	Actually, I didn't feel like he was being racist either (and I am part Latin). Eddie was just being himself really....you know, he just likes to play mean jokes sometimes.
	__________________ Sanity is simply the ability of the mind to adjust to reality. If we can't adjust, we either hide from reality, or we put ourselves above life, where we're super-beings who don't have to follow the rules. ~Sidney Sheldon ("The Naked Face")

10-09-2003, 07:49 PM	#14
desilu #1 Lucy/Desi 4-EVER Forum Regular Join Date: Sep 23, 2000 Location: Battle Creek, Michigan USA Posts: 724	I don't think the episode itself was racist but I was very offended by Eddie's treatment of Cheuy. I think the writers crossed the line with that story. It seemed as though someone had an issue with Mexicans and took it upon themselves to bring it out on the show. I have Mexican relatives who I love dearly and I thought that if they were in that situation(which I'm sure they have been) my heart would just break for them.
	__________________ Amy M. Weaver

10-07-2003, 04:44 PM	#1
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	Politically incorrect Eddie I was very disturbed by Eddie and his treatment of Beav's friend Chuey in the ep where Beav is friend's with the diplomat's sun and Eddie has Beav say something mean in Spanish. I think it makes Eddie to be little more than a racist redneck. I do think it was before Eddie was developed into a more sympathetci character later on, but he was still one dimensional in these early eps. I mean, I love Eddie's character so much, but we all know that there is no way a character could or should do something like that on tv today, except as being a totally evil person. Thoughts, please?

10-07-2003, 05:57 PM	#2
Mijada Spencers mom Forum 4000 Club Member Join Date: Dec 02, 2001 Location: eastern US Posts: 4,093	Yeah, that was pretty mean of Eddie to do that. I never understood what Wally saw in him or why June and Ward continued to allow him to set foot in their house after all the stunts he would pull. If I were Wally I would have went and beat him up anyway. I wouldn't have cared if it was Sunday or not.

10-07-2003, 07:16 PM	#4
MikeZ The Phoenix Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2003 Posts: 208	Chuey was such a great little guy, with a beautiful smile. The look on his face, when Beaver spoke the Spanish words that Eddie gave him, was heart-breaking. Eddie then made it even worse, by tellling Wally that he had not done anything. I did not enjoy that episode at all; I think it made Eddie out to be just very mean and heartless, not just amusing as he usually is.

10-07-2003, 07:47 PM	#5
WardOleMan Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 06, 2003 Posts: 43	I think it is just how you entitled your thread. Politicall incorrect in "todays" world. Back in the 50's it was no big deal, and treated like any other mischeavous deed. Today things are a bit out of hand.

10-07-2003, 07:59 PM	#6
MikeZ The Phoenix Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2003 Posts: 208	Making a young boy that age leave the room in tears is much more than a mischeavous deed. In my opinion, Eddie went way over the top on this one, and became outright mean, way past the usual harmless, silly stuff that he usually did. I was amost hoping to see Wally "clobber" Eddie!

10-07-2003, 08:22 PM	#7
frani Member Frequent Poster Join Date: Jul 09, 2002 Location: New York City Posts: 445	I actually titled the thread "Politically Incorrect Eddie" to soften it a bit. I was thinking of calling "Was Eddie being racist." I really that it wasn't being truly a racist, more like a xenophobe, (a fear of foreigners) but it all boils down to the same thing. Being mean to someone who has a different culture or ethnicity. And Eddie went way beyond that. I think Eddie was just being mean. I think that would have been true even in the 50's.

10-07-2003, 08:38 PM	#8
MikeZ The Phoenix Frequent Poster Join Date: Oct 01, 2003 Posts: 208	I have seen that episode several times, and have never, until now, thought of it as being racist I thought of it as Eddie just being very mean, and not being "cute or funny" at all. Usually his "pranks" made someone feel stupid or foolish, but not hurt to the point that Chuey was. I wonder what the writers were thinking. Did "Chuey" appear in any other episodes? If so, I would love to see them.

10-07-2003, 09:32 PM	#9
Frnk55 Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Dec 31, 2001 Posts: 54	I myself don't see this as a racist ep. I agree this was the meanest trick I've seen Eddie do but I did laugh out loud when Beaver said those words. And Chuey's look on his face....I laughed again.

10-07-2003, 11:15 PM	#10
GidgetCleaver Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Jul 07, 2002 Posts: 85	Remember how Eddie said that Chuey's family was stuck up? I think he said his father told him. Anyway, they may have been showing how kids pick up those attitudes from their parents. What exactly happened at the end, with Eddie? I know everything got straightened out with Chuey and his parents and the Cleavers, but I can't remember what happened with Eddie. Did he apologize?

10-08-2003, 03:08 AM	#11
tdr Member Senior Member Join Date: Mar 23, 2001 Posts: 1,454	No, Eddie does not apologize, and I don't think the viewer is led to believe he ever will. But it is interesting how when Wally says he is going to slug Eddie and June stops him because it's Sunday (???) and then he says he will slug him the next day, Ward refuses to say any words to dissuade him. But really, I think Wally is made to look foolish when he sees Chuey going away in tears and Eddie laughing, and he does nothing right then and there. He should have known exactly what had happened, but he seems to give Eddie the benefit of the doubt, and even more. Did Wally slug Eddie the next day? That's entirely up to your imagination.

10-08-2003, 04:18 PM	#12
HaskellGirl Member Forum Regular Join Date: Jul 15, 2002 Posts: 590	I thought Eddie was being mean, but not racist. I don't think he was being specifically mean to Chuey because Chuey was hispanic. I think he did it because he could.

10-09-2003, 10:52 PM	#15
HuskerTornado Member Occasional Poster Join Date: Aug 29, 2002 Posts: 71	No offense but, some people have nothing better to do than sit around and find something bad about something. You're looking into this too much. I can't stand how politically correct out society is anyhow. This is far from racist. It's just Eddie having fun. Get over it. Wait....I just realized that someone was "offended" by Leave it to Beaver. You need to loosen up. I get so tired of people complaining about everything. Anyway, that's all I have to say on this subject. Eddie Haskel is one of the greatest TV characters of all time!