File photo of Ty & Emily from MTV's 'The Challenge' (© MTV)

‘Real World’ star dons blackface because she's bored

3/8/2012

High-profile racist humor is making an uncomfortably insidious comeback. Don't believe us? We give you this year's Oscars, Korean pop stars and now MTV's attempt to jump on the blackface-resurrection bandwagon. In last night's episode of "The Real World/Road Rules Challenge," former cult-member Emily smeared chocolate all over her face as part of an "innocent, funny, theatrical set to make people laugh in this house because there's really not much else to do." Her ex-boyfriend Ty, a remarkably restrained gentleman considering the circumstances, wasn't amused. Nor were people on Twitter, who called the stunt "despicable," "hurtful" and "the worst night in reality TV ever." We thought we had left blackface-for-cheap-laughs in 1980 with Neil Diamond. Sadly, we were wrong.

 

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Is this the worst reality TV stunt you've ever seen?