Despite the show being off the air for 20+years, new blooper footage has recently surfaced from the popular show ALF.  A sitcom based on a friendly alien named ALF who lived with the middle class Tanner family after crashing on Earth.  However, recently blooper footage has been released on youtube showing ALF pretending to snort coke, cussing, using the N-word, some inappropriate sexual remarks and suggestions (as much as a puppet could do), as well as frustration on set.  Warning: The video is below but does contain curse words and the N-word (about 4:40 in

Alf’s Use Of Hate Speech

Under the Constitution, we are given the right to the freedom of speech.  However, there are some types of speech that are not covered by the Constitution.  One example of unprotected speech is hate speech. Hate speech, which is any communication which disparages a person or a group on the basis of some characteristic such as race or sexual orientation, is not protected by our right to freedom of speech.  While ALF seems to be acting in jest, he used a word that has an incredibly negative connotation that is based on someone’s race.  Will this get the backlash that Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld) got when he used the word at a comedy club?  It’s unlikely, but possible.  Of course, both ALF and Richards claimed that they did not mean to offend anyone, but hate speech doesn’t necessarily examine what the intent behind the speech was.   

Just Joking?

Sometimes a joke will go too far and turn into harassment.  Harassment is any physical or verbal of a person because of their race, religion, age, gender, disability or other legally protected status.  Harassment is something that causes you to feel uncomfortable or putting you at risk in some way.  You could be harassed because of your sex or sexual orientation.  It’s not always easy to tell what harassment is and what isn’t harassment, but overt sexual harassment usually involves unwanted sexual advances or a sexually explicit environment.  However, just because it was literally the puppet making these sexual advances towards actors and actresses, doesn’t mean that the voice actor would not be liable.  He was the one who was controlling the puppet after all. 

What do you think?  Is this no big deal and people should lighten up, as has been suggested by some or is this someone trying to hide the fact that they used the type of speech that is inappropriate?