Name: Puppeteer's Non-Apology For Offensive 'Sista Girl' Puppet Act Sparks Even More Backlash
Uploaded: 2022-11-11T10:54:30Z
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        Puppeteer's Non-Apology For Offensive 'Sista Girl' Puppet Act Sparks Even More Backlash
    

        @CraftBeardMI/Twitter
    
Queer puppeteer Jerry Halliday sparked controversy with his act last week at Chicago leather bar Touché.
By Koh MochizukiNov 11, 2022
Koh Mochizuki

	Koh Mochizuki is a Los Angeles based actor whose work has been spotted anywhere from Broadway stages to Saturday Night Live.

	He received his B.A. in English literature and is fluent in Japanese.

	In addition to being a neophyte photographer, he is a huge Disney aficionado and is determined to conquer all Disney parks in the world to publish a photographic chronicle one day. Mickey goals.

	Instagram: kohster Twitter: @kohster1 Flickr: nyckmo
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A White ventriloquist's non-apology for a performance many considered unfunny, racist and transphobic did not go over very well.
Jerry Halliday is a queer puppeteer who was hired to perform at the Chicago gay leather bar Touché for its 45th anniversary as part of Mr. International Rubber’s scheduled events.
His act featured a puppet that caricaturized a Black woman named "Sista Girl"  who made jokes about loving watermelon, being on welfare and having five kids. 
Halliday voiced the character by poorly imitating African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).
\u201cLeather community members are outraged after a racist ventriloquist performance at Touch\u00e9's 45th anniversary party. \n\nIt involved a Black puppet named "Sista Girl" who told jokes about loving watermelon and being on welfare. More on @BlockClubCHI.\n\nhttps://t.co/NVIm26HWPF\u201d
 — Jake Wittich (@Jake Wittich)
        1667487809
After causing outrage for his racist, misogynoir performance, Halliday declared he was retiring the racist part of his act and issued a non-apology. Halliday did not address his transphobia.
On Sunday, he told the online newsletter,  Block Club Chicago:
“I have permanently retired the Black puppet, just like the Rolling Stones recently retired their song ‘Brown Sugar’ when they received similar criticism."
“I continue with my other puppets full speed ahead.”
He further claimed Sista Girl was part of his act for two decades and never received complaints until now. 
Halliday then cried victim and skirted around taking responsibility for his choices.
"I have been doing my show for 20 years for thousands of people of all races to standing ovations and rave reviews in the press, then suddenly a handful of people at Touché attack me while the majority there were enjoying my show." 
"The one-sided attacks on my act have been greatly exaggerated and with many total fabrications."
\u201c@BlockClubCHI We should have officially \u201csanitized\u201d society by 2025, right?\ud83d\ude44\u201d
 — Block Club Chicago (@Block Club Chicago)
        1667835017

\u201chmmm something about one of Chicago's oldest leather bars inviting a racist white puppeteer to perform on their 45th anniversary... I was sad before that I missed a chance to go to @ToucheChicago last night but now I'm glad I didn't have to be subjected to actual human garbage\u201d
 — Kenny-Finch (@Kenny-Finch)
        1667404387

\u201cDude it is basically blackface\nhttps://t.co/hv8ocPNBpA\u201d
 — Matthew D Hensley, Anti-Fascist (@Matthew D Hensley, Anti-Fascist)
        1668102429
Some social media users called Halliday's act “minstrelsy and blackface.”
He frequently used expletives and told the audience members who were talking during the awkward performance to "shut the f'k up" and to leave for the bathroom to get hemorrhoids.
At one point, a White audience member shouted:
“Everyone in the crowd thinks this is a little weird for 2022.”
 You can watch the confrontation in the video shared by audience member Philip Smith, here.
WARNING: racism, NSFW language.
Touché ventriloquist performanceyoutu.be
Disappointingly, when Halliday asked the crowd if they wanted the man who voiced his concern to "shut up" and clap in response some of the audience members obliged.
White, cisgender gay men have long been accused of racism, misogyny and transphobia and this performance didn't help dispute that reputation.
\u201c@fakedansavage I thought living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago meant our community was far beyond this, and better than this. Ugh...\u201d
 — Dan Savage (@Dan Savage)
        1667419792

\u201c@fakedansavage It wasn't even an act, it wasn't funny, informative or entertaining. It was just a guy on an almost literal soapbox talking racist nonsense and using a caricature puppet to try and justify it.\u201d
 — Dan Savage (@Dan Savage)
        1667419792

\u201c@fakedansavage Everything else aside, where were the actual jokes?  This was the just a boring mess aside from being naively racist.\u201d
 — Dan Savage (@Dan Savage)
        1667419792
Some audience members got up and left before the act was over–including a bartender who allegedly left his post, mid-shift–as the puppet continued making jokes about race and skin color.
Twitter user crumb dumpster shared his thoughts as well as footage from the controversial show. 
\u201cLast night @ToucheChicago asked folks not to record during the act they\u2019d hired to celebrate their 45th anniversary, however, shortly after Jerry Halliday was introduced with his featured puppet, Sista Girl, I got my camera out.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017

\u201cHaving this white puppeteer mimic a stereotypical Black woman\u2019s voice was disturbing and plainly racist. The owner was seated right near the stage during the entire act and it was uncomfortable how much of the crowd was enjoying the outdated performance.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017

\u201cIn fact, at one point the audience cheered on the puppeteer when he was confronted by an audience member who told him the act was inappropriate. At the end of the show the owner went around collecting tips for the performer, who said they were going to support Sista\u2019s 5 children.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017
\u201cI\u2019m posting clips from last night because too often people\u2019s experiences of racism are reduced or denied - after viewing these clips you cannot say that folks who are upset are exaggerating, overreacting, or just lack a sense of humor.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017

\u201cWe cannot racism just slide what are supposed to be safe spaces for ALL LGBTQ people. The act must be directly addressed by David, the owner of @ToucheChicago. It is not up to me to say what will remedy this situation and in the meantime we must listen to and amplify Black voices\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017

\u201cAfter viewing the performance last night I won\u2019t be spending my money at Touch\u00e9 until the situation has been properly addressed and remedied within our community. You can watch and decide for yourself how to proceed. TRIGGER: outdated, racist \u2018comedy\u2019 acts.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017
WARNING: NSFW language, racism
\u201cSista Girl returns from a break and celebrates Touch\u00e9 and the bartenders. After the act one of the bartenders told me a coworker walked out, presumably quitting.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017

\u201cJerry reveals the doll\u2019s private parts and makes a joke about her \u2018afro puff\u2019\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017
\u201c@fakedansavage Do he really think having a stereotypical character puppet of a black woman showing her crotch and saying that she has five kids is funny?It says more about this comedian than anything he feels this is what most black women are like which is far from the truth.\u201d
 — Dan Savage (@Dan Savage)
        1667419792
\u201cSista Girl\u2019s grand finale, wherein she asks the @ToucheChicago owner to pass around a tip jar so she can support her 5 daughters, whose names include Mylanta, Propecia, and Levite\u2019s. Jerry tells David to get out of his light.\u201d
 — crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster)
        1667413017
Touché bar managers issued a statement apologizing for not having vetted the performer before booking him and addressing both the racism and transphobia Halliday incorporated into another  part of his act.
They wrote:
"We apologize for not reacting and stopping the show.  Racism and transphobia are wrong.""We need to do better.""We have and will continue to work hard to make this space more welcoming to all people regardless of their racial, ethnic, sexual or gender identities."@longostino/Twitter
@longostino/Twitter
The bar's leaders also hosted a town hall at the Leather Archives and Museum on Wednesday night, which allowed members of the community to express their concerns.
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A White ventriloquist's non-apology for a performance many considered unfunny, racist and transphobic did not go over very well.

Jerry Halliday is a queer puppeteer who was hired to perform at the Chicago gay leather bar Touché for its 45th anniversary as part of Mr. International Rubber’s scheduled events.

His act featured a puppet that caricaturized a Black woman named "Sista Girl" who made jokes about loving watermelon, being on welfare and having five kids.

Halliday voiced the character by poorly imitating African-American Vernacular English (AAVE).

\u201cLeather community members are outraged after a racist ventriloquist performance at Touch\u00e9's 45th anniversary party. \n\nIt involved a Black puppet named "Sista Girl" who told jokes about loving watermelon and being on welfare. More on @BlockClubCHI.\n\nhttps://t.co/NVIm26HWPF\u201d
— Jake Wittich (@Jake Wittich) 1667487809

After causing outrage for his racist, misogynoir performance, Halliday declared he was retiring the racist part of his act and issued a non-apology. Halliday did not address his transphobia.

On Sunday, he told the online newsletter, Block Club Chicago:

“I have permanently retired the Black puppet, just like the Rolling Stones recently retired their song ‘Brown Sugar’ when they received similar criticism."

“I continue with my other puppets full speed ahead.”

He further claimed Sista Girl was part of his act for two decades and never received complaints until now.

Halliday then cried victim and skirted around taking responsibility for his choices.

"I have been doing my show for 20 years for thousands of people of all races to standing ovations and rave reviews in the press, then suddenly a handful of people at Touché attack me while the majority there were enjoying my show."

"The one-sided attacks on my act have been greatly exaggerated and with many total fabrications."

\u201c@BlockClubCHI We should have officially \u201csanitized\u201d society by 2025, right?\ud83d\ude44\u201d
— Block Club Chicago (@Block Club Chicago) 1667835017

\u201chmmm something about one of Chicago's oldest leather bars inviting a racist white puppeteer to perform on their 45th anniversary... I was sad before that I missed a chance to go to @ToucheChicago last night but now I'm glad I didn't have to be subjected to actual human garbage\u201d
— Kenny-Finch (@Kenny-Finch) 1667404387

\u201cDude it is basically blackface\nhttps://t.co/hv8ocPNBpA\u201d
— Matthew D Hensley, Anti-Fascist (@Matthew D Hensley, Anti-Fascist) 1668102429

Some social media users called Halliday's act “minstrelsy and blackface.”

He frequently used expletives and told the audience members who were talking during the awkward performance to "shut the f'k up" and to leave for the bathroom to get hemorrhoids.

At one point, a White audience member shouted:

“Everyone in the crowd thinks this is a little weird for 2022.”

You can watch the confrontation in the video shared by audience member Philip Smith, here.

WARNING: racism, NSFW language.

Touché ventriloquist performanceyoutu.be

Disappointingly, when Halliday asked the crowd if they wanted the man who voiced his concern to "shut up" and clap in response some of the audience members obliged.

White, cisgender gay men have long been accused of racism, misogyny and transphobia and this performance didn't help dispute that reputation.

\u201c@fakedansavage I thought living in one of the most diverse neighborhoods in Chicago meant our community was far beyond this, and better than this. Ugh...\u201d
— Dan Savage (@Dan Savage) 1667419792

\u201c@fakedansavage It wasn't even an act, it wasn't funny, informative or entertaining. It was just a guy on an almost literal soapbox talking racist nonsense and using a caricature puppet to try and justify it.\u201d
— Dan Savage (@Dan Savage) 1667419792

\u201c@fakedansavage Everything else aside, where were the actual jokes? This was the just a boring mess aside from being naively racist.\u201d
— Dan Savage (@Dan Savage) 1667419792

Some audience members got up and left before the act was over–including a bartender who allegedly left his post, mid-shift–as the puppet continued making jokes about race and skin color.

Twitter user crumb dumpster shared his thoughts as well as footage from the controversial show.

\u201cLast night @ToucheChicago asked folks not to record during the act they\u2019d hired to celebrate their 45th anniversary, however, shortly after Jerry Halliday was introduced with his featured puppet, Sista Girl, I got my camera out.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cHaving this white puppeteer mimic a stereotypical Black woman\u2019s voice was disturbing and plainly racist. The owner was seated right near the stage during the entire act and it was uncomfortable how much of the crowd was enjoying the outdated performance.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cIn fact, at one point the audience cheered on the puppeteer when he was confronted by an audience member who told him the act was inappropriate. At the end of the show the owner went around collecting tips for the performer, who said they were going to support Sista\u2019s 5 children.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cI\u2019m posting clips from last night because too often people\u2019s experiences of racism are reduced or denied - after viewing these clips you cannot say that folks who are upset are exaggerating, overreacting, or just lack a sense of humor.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cWe cannot racism just slide what are supposed to be safe spaces for ALL LGBTQ people. The act must be directly addressed by David, the owner of @ToucheChicago. It is not up to me to say what will remedy this situation and in the meantime we must listen to and amplify Black voices\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cAfter viewing the performance last night I won\u2019t be spending my money at Touch\u00e9 until the situation has been properly addressed and remedied within our community. You can watch and decide for yourself how to proceed. TRIGGER: outdated, racist \u2018comedy\u2019 acts.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

WARNING: NSFW language, racism

\u201cSista Girl returns from a break and celebrates Touch\u00e9 and the bartenders. After the act one of the bartenders told me a coworker walked out, presumably quitting.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201cJerry reveals the doll\u2019s private parts and makes a joke about her \u2018afro puff\u2019\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

\u201c@fakedansavage Do he really think having a stereotypical character puppet of a black woman showing her crotch and saying that she has five kids is funny?It says more about this comedian than anything he feels this is what most black women are like which is far from the truth.\u201d
— Dan Savage (@Dan Savage) 1667419792

\u201cSista Girl\u2019s grand finale, wherein she asks the @ToucheChicago owner to pass around a tip jar so she can support her 5 daughters, whose names include Mylanta, Propecia, and Levite\u2019s. Jerry tells David to get out of his light.\u201d
— crumb dumpster (@crumb dumpster) 1667413017

Touché bar managers issued a statement apologizing for not having vetted the performer before booking him and addressing both the racism and transphobia Halliday incorporated into another part of his act.

They wrote:

"We apologize for not reacting and stopping the show. Racism and transphobia are wrong."

"We need to do better."

"We have and will continue to work hard to make this space more welcoming to all people regardless of their racial, ethnic, sexual or gender identities."

@longostino/Twitter

The bar's leaders also hosted a town hall at the Leather Archives and Museum on Wednesday night, which allowed members of the community to express their concerns.

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Puppeteer's Non-Apology For Offensive 'Sista Girl' Puppet Act Sparks Even More Backlash

Queer puppeteer Jerry Halliday sparked controversy with his act last week at Chicago leather bar Touché.

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