Jolly Ranchers

[homesweethomemrl@lemmy.world]

Haha - I was just having this conversation about JR flavors yesterday. There are often people who don't know what Jolly Ranchers are or care about them, so here's my attempt at explaining:

Jolly Ranchers are a hard candy in the following flavors: Cherry, Apple, Blue Raspberry, Watermelon, and Grape. There are pockets of people who have Jolly Ranchers regularly, and those who know them who get Jolly Ranchers regularly - for example, if your ears have trouble readjusting after a plane flight, sucking on a Jolly Rancher may help.

Now, among those pockets of people, there are strong allegiances to the "best" flavors. Some people really like the Blue Raspberry. Some people like everything but one or two flavors. But the One True Jolly Rancher Flavor Aficianado understands that the best flavor is, of course, Watermelon.

Unfortunately the casually racist and actually super racist people of the world love to associate Watermelon with black people as a racist trope. (See trump MSG rally "comedian"'s comment to random black trump supporter in the crowd)

So, in this comic, the white guy shares a Jolly Rancher with the black guy and it's not the Watermelon flavor - specifically to get around the baggage of the trope.

Whether it's funny or not is of course subjective, but it's funnier if you have accepted into your heart the truth that Watermelon JR is the best flavor.

[acockworkorange@mander.xyz]

I get all that. It’s the punchline that makes no sense.

[radix@lemmy.world]

This is the most correct explanation, but the first panel is still written poorly.

"Not to be racist, but" implies he's about to do something that could be interpreted as racist. They both know it's the watermelon candy that would carry that baggage. It would make more sense to say "I'm not racist, so here's a blue jolly rancher."

[0ops@lemm.ee]

But grape and cherry are the best

[homesweethomemrl@lemmy.world]

Blasphemer!

[ninjabard@lemmy.world]

The three best flavors of jolly rancher are, in order: Watermelon, Green Apple, Blue Raspberry.

[wogi@lemmy.world]

Sir I respect you but you are so wrong it's embarrassing.

The correct three flavors of jolly rancher are, in order:

Green apple, watermelon, blue raspberry.

[cm400@lemmy.world]

Indeed you are correct about the wrongness of the first conjecture, however, the correct flavor order is:
Watermelon, Peach*, Green Apple

*Peach is not included in the typical assortment, but is widely available on its own

[lime@feddit.nu]

is the us okay

[edvinyazbekinstein@discuss.tchncs.de]

No, no we are not. But thanks for asking!

[0laura@lemmy.dbzer0.com]

what does this comic mean and why do all the comments sound like they're made by bots?

[wogi@lemmy.world]

Sir I will not tolerate such reckless disregard for decorum. You are a scoundrel sir. A SCOUNDREL.

[enkers@sh.itjust.works]

Do you bite your thumb, sir?

[anticorp@lemmy.world]

"Here's a worse option to avoid any impression of racism" is very indicative of current attitudes.

[tpihkal@lemmy.world]

I do bite my thumb, sir.

[cm400@lemmy.world]

And I’d wager to say it was better than blue raspberry, twere’nt it?

[cheesenoodle@lemmy.world]

Fuck watermelons being a racist symbol, the whole thing comes from free'd slaves growing watermelons and being really really good at it and being really successful so racist people had to make up some dumb shit to undermine them. They should be a symbol of empowerment dammit, don't let the assholes win!

[xenny@lemmy.world]

We're fucked

[excessshiv@lemmy.dbzer0.com]

Yes that is exactly what the Venn diagram is showing, I have no clue why you're being down voted.