Channel 10's 'I'm a Celebrity Get me out of here' Australia - Season 2, is a clear and unsettling reminder of how the majority of the Australian media remains out of touch with its African Australian viewers and strongly demonstrates a lack of cultural sensitivity, awareness and understanding. The marketing team behind this season have chosen to blatantly misrepresent and make a mockery of the complex, diverse and rich cultures of Africa by reducing it to a misinformed and offensive generalisation -drawing on the Tarzan and Jane Jungle theme with (quote) "leather, leaves and leopard print".
In their recent trailer (among other cringe worthy acts), Dr Chris Brown swings half naked through the "African jungle" on a vine with co- host Julia Morris on his back also adorned with offensive stereotypical garments where he lands to beat on his chest like the original 1932 "Tarzan the Ape man" film. Is this what we have to accept in 2016? The ignorance and oversimplification of a beautiful multifaceted culture who only seems to be shown in a savage, barbaric light?
This kind of negative role modelling fuels the ignorance and lack of understanding that our African communities have to face on a day to day basis by individuals who are not yet enlightened by African culture and rely heavily on mainstream media for their information and entertainment.
We won't accept it.