Netflix removes comedian Chris Lilley’s controversial shows from their Australian and New Zealand services
Chris Lilley’s controversial mockumentary comedies have been removed from Netflix in light of the Black Lives Matter movement.
On Wednesday, Deadline revealed four of his shows – Jonah From Tonga, Angry Boys, Summer Heights High and We Can Be Heroes – have been taken down from their services in Australia and New Zealand.
In the past, those shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface.
Removed: Netflix removes Chris Lilley’s controversial mockumentary comedies from their Australia and New Zealand services in light of the Black Lives Matter movement. Pictured
On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse and performed a song called ‘Squashed N****’.
For Jonah From Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua.
Meanwhile in We Can Be Heroes, Chris played Chinese physics student Ricky Wong.
Controversial: In the past, those shows raised questions about racial discrimination as several of the characters were portrayed in blackface and brownface. On Angry Boys, he portrayed African-American rapper S.mouse (pictured) and performed a song called ‘Squashed N****’
Raising questions: For Jonah From Tonga, he painted his face brown and wore a curly wig to portray troubled teen Jonah Takalua
Despite the removal of four of his shows, Chris will still have two series available on Netflix – Ja’mie: Private School Girl and Lunatics, in which he dons brownface to play dog whisperer Jana Melhoopen-Jonks.
Daily Mail Australia has approached Princess Pictures, which produced the shows for the ABC, for comment.
Chris has previously defended his style of comedy. Last year he told The Weekend Australian: ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment.’
Still streaming: Despite the removal of four of his shows, Chris will still have a couple of series available on Netflix – Ja’mie: Private School Girl (pictured)
Available: Lunatics, in which he dons brownface to play dog whisperer Jana Melhoopen-Jonks (pictured), will also still be available on Netflix
The award-winning comedian went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters.
Defending his controversial characters, he said: ‘When you meet them, you think “I know that type of person”, but then there is a twist, something crazy.’
‘[In] the end you think “Actually, I kinda relate to this, she just did that thing that I do everyday”.’
Story telling: Chris has previously defended his style of comedy, last year he told The Weekend Australian : ‘I’m not trying to do the thing that is trendy at the moment’. The award-winning comedian went on to say he would continue making ‘clever, layered’ characters