The New Voice Of Cleveland Brown: Arif Zahir

[ZariusTwo]

Youtube personality Azerrz, aka Arif Zahir, has been cast as the new voice of Cleveland in Family Guy!

https://www.hollywoodreporter.com/live-feed/family-guy-casts-new-cleveland-for-season-19

[Leo656]

Hasn't been a problem for 20 years of Family Guy or multiple Seasons of The Cleveland Show, and suddenly it's a problem. :roll:

This Crybaby Culture nonsense needs to stop, like, five years ago already. They're cartoons. It absolutely doesn't matter Who is doing What voice, so long as they do a good job.

Cree Summer voices white characters all the time. We gonna "cancel" her, next? Only little white blonde girls can be Penny from Inspector Gadget, I guess? What about "Uncle Phil" playing Shredder for most of the FW cartoon? "How OFFENSIVE!" :roll: See how insipid this is?

People losing jobs for no reason after decades of reliable service, because some rainbow-haired loser from UMass pitches a fit. Jesus, I hate the world we live in.

[Wildcat]

I agree it unnecessary but whatever as long he does a good job.

Checked out YouTube and he actually does do a good impression.

[Leo656]

"Unnecessary" literally means "Not Necessary". Which means it's a pointless waste of time trying to fix something that wasn't broken.

Being "unnecessary" means it's bad by default, and they shouldn't be doing it. Period. Everything Was Fine.

[Andrew NDB]

Definitely wouldn't support this. In any way, shape or form.

[Wildcat]

Sure it’s silly to think characters need to be voiced by the race they’re drawn as but it’s just someone else doing an impression. Not a huge deal either way.

Unless the previous person is fired but they’re not. Right? He does other voices for the show.

[Voltron]

You guys need to stop whining about this stuff. No one gives a ****. They're allowed to do what they want with their production. Stop being babies and move on.

Jesus.

[Leo656]

Nope.

/10char

[Turo602]

The fact that they got a black guy to do an impersonation of the white guy's long established Cleveland voice is the most ridiculous sh*t ever. It's not even about bringing authenticity to the role, but paying a black guy instead of the white one for the same work. Do people really think this is progress? F*ck's sake.

[Leo656]

People with Sociology degrees with a Minor in Social Justice and Gender Studies think this is very much "progress", yes.

Anyone with a working brain, however, thinks those types of people should be gathered up, stuffed in a burlap sack and tossed off the goddamn wharf for the good of all rational-minded humanity.

Of course, all that rainbow-colored hair dye would probably be none too good for the water, but "You can't make an omelette, etc. etc. etc."

[ZariusTwo]

Stop being babies and move on.

The whole point of this were because people were being babies about it.

[Coola Yagami]

Waste of money and resources. Sure they can afford it, but waste of money and resources.

[Leo656]

"We're gonna hire a guy because he does a perfect impression of the guy we already had."

"But... why don't we just keep the guy we had, then?"

"Because he's white."

"You had to let him go because he's white, even though he was doing a great job?"

"Yep. Them's the breaks."

"....Jesus, Steve, that's racist as hell."

"I know, but it's totally okay to be racist as long as you're racist against white people."

"....I'm not sure I'm okay with that."

"Right Side Of History, buddy. Right Side Of History."

[Redeemer]

You guys need to stop whining about this stuff. No one gives a ****. They're allowed to do what they want with their production. Stop being babies and move on.

Jesus.

The problem is this is the literal definition of racism. To not allow someone to work a job based on the color of their skin is literal racism and flat out discrimination. Frankly this is a very bad sign and is literally counter intuitive of the equality we have been fighting for.

[Leo656]

Yep. Completely wrong-headed thinking under a veil of "Making Things Right" when nothing was even wrong.

Sure, they can do whatever they want. But one could argue that they have a responsibility to make "Whatever They Want" include doing the right thing, and not the wrong thing and just calling it The Right Thing.

Mike Henry's had a job for 20 years. Nobody ever had a problem with his delivery or execution of his task. He's even carried his own weight as the star of an unfortunately not all that funny spin-off for several seasons. He liked the job, and people liked him in the job.

Then, out of nowhere, he was FORCED to step down because he had the wrong skin color to be "allowed" to keep doing the job anymore. Maybe not physically forced, but by the overwhelming pressure of Internet Outrage Culture. He had a job he was good at, nothing was wrong, but then one day, he was kicked out the door because of the color of his skin and absolutely no other reason than that.

This can't become acceptable. It simply isn't acceptable. It is indeed, the very definition of racism.

......Unless you're one of those people who honestly believes "There's no such thing as racism against white people." Which some people DO actually believe. And to anyone who does think that, I unapologetically invite you to staple your lips to my ass crack and take an 8-second inhale, because it can't possibly make your brain damage any worse than it already is.

[Voltron]

This can't become acceptable. It simply isn't acceptable.

How? If a company chooses to do something, they are well within their rights to do so. It's private property, and they are free to do as they please.

It is indeed, the very definition of racism.

No, it isn't.

The problem is this is the literal definition of racism.

No, it isn't.

Exhibit A: This is the literal definition of racism. (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism?s=t)

None of these things are at play here. None of them. No one is being forced into a subhuman position. No one is being held up as inherently superior because of their genetic make up.

It's recasting. If the producer wants to do it, and the actor wants to do it, then it's not racism. At all.

Exhibit B:

Mike Henry stepped down. Nothing I've seen says he was forced out of his position. Nor was he taken aside and told "whities can't be this or that."

Case in point? He still voices Consuela, a far more racially charged character.

Here's an article where the two voice actors seem comfortable with the decision.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/09/25/family-guy-cleveland-brown-voice-actor-arif-zahir-mike-henry/3531768001/

So stop whining and quit your cancel culture. Let a black guy voice a black guy. Oh, what an injustice.

I'd agree with you on the Apu thing. That was out of control. But this? Man, you guys get your hackles up over nothing. What a comfortable life you must lead when the biggest problem in your world is some other guy's job.

https://deadline.com/2020/06/family-guy-voice-actor-mike-henry-stepping-down-from-cleveland-role-1202971407/

Here's another article where Mike Henry steps down before anyone has been cast. Mike is still gainfully employed with the show.

Family Guy is a Seth MacFarlane vehicle. Seth MacFarlane is famously left wing. Do you think this is something he's upset about?

[Turo602]

Family Guy is a Seth MacFarlane vehicle. Seth MacFarlane is famously left wing. Do you think this is something he's upset about?

How is this relevant?

[Anarchistguy]

When black men voice asian characters it isn't a problem, but when white men voice black characters, it's offensive???

Oh boy....

[Jester]

When black men voice asian characters it isn't a problem, but when white men voice black characters, it's offensive???

Oh boy....
Well..I’ve been in Hollywood long enough to see that whole dynamic change. There were many times that I would see Black actors playing Asian folks or white actors playing Black characters when I was a kid, but the whole dynamic has changed.
https://tv.avclub.com/voice-actor-rob-paulsen-says-he-won-t-play-a-character-1844183726

[Coola Yagami]

How? If a company chooses to do something, they are well within their rights to do so. It's private property, and they are free to do as they please.



No, it isn't.



No, it isn't.

Exhibit A: This is the literal definition of racism. (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism?s=t)

None of these things are at play here. None of them. No one is being forced into a subhuman position. No one is being held up as inherently superior because of their genetic make up.

It's recasting. If the producer wants to do it, and the actor wants to do it, then it's not racism. At all.

Exhibit B:

Mike Henry stepped down. Nothing I've seen says he was forced out of his position. Nor was he taken aside and told "whities can't be this or that."

Case in point? He still voices Consuela, a far more racially charged character.

Here's an article where the two voice actors seem comfortable with the decision.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/09/25/family-guy-cleveland-brown-voice-actor-arif-zahir-mike-henry/3531768001/

So stop whining and quit your cancel culture. Let a black guy voice a black guy. Oh, what an injustice.

I'd agree with you on the Apu thing. That was out of control. But this? Man, you guys get your hackles up over nothing. What a comfortable life you must lead when the biggest problem in your world is some other guy's job.

https://deadline.com/2020/06/family-guy-voice-actor-mike-henry-stepping-down-from-cleveland-role-1202971407/

Here's another article where Mike Henry steps down before anyone has been cast. Mike is still gainfully employed with the show.

Family Guy is a Seth MacFarlane vehicle. Seth MacFarlane is famously left wing. Do you think this is something he's upset about?

Like no dude. Just no. Only reason he stepped down was because of the color of his skin and he saw the outrage mob a'knockin' and he tried to cut them off at the pass. He had 100% no reason to step down, he saw the pressure coming and he decided to do so before he would eventually be forced to. But if he was black.... would he still be deciding to step down? That's still the effect of racism.

It's ironic that all these shows with strong adult humor that stick their middle finger to the censors and whatever still bend the knee to Twitter mobs and allow 'the two people that complained' to still **** em up the butt.

Man I wish Twitter mobs didn't have such a strong grip on these people's balls.

There should also be some sort rule or something that if something wasn't a problem for the longest time, no one gets to suddenly decide it's a problem, and if they do, they will have to be ridiculed into submission. Now obviously I'm not referring to things that involve actual violence and whatnot but I mean, anyone that suddenly decides to say something stupid like 'the word awesome always offended me' and therefore now suddenly awesome becomes a n-word, no. **** that dude. Kick him from our society. He is not welcome here anymore.


Waste. Of. Money. And. Resources.

[Leo656]

Yeah, sorry, all I'm hearing/seeing is "It can't be racist because it's a white guy" and I don't get down with that. I've personally been discriminated against for being white, multiple times, in situations where it absolutely mattered, so I have a huge problem with it in general.

Like Coola said, it's being done absolutely for no reason other than "Too Many Honkies" and that should never be encouraged.

Yes, they can do "whatever they want" but what they're doing is wrong.

Are there bigger problems in the world? Sure. But by that logic we shouldn't discuss anything at all because they're all "First World Problems".

If Cree Summer was told she was never allowed to voice act for a white character again, people would rightly be up in arms about it. She voices white people all the time, her very first major role was a white person. If someone had told her, "You can't be Penny from Inspector Gadget because she's white," that would have been racist. But now, the "New Rule" is that white people can only play white characters and only people of color can play people of color. Double Standards can be fine, but I don't think so in this case.

AND, when it comes to live action, people are insisting "People of color can play anything they want, even white characters, BUT white people better stay in their lane." Which is the complete inverse of the voice acting situation and it's ridiculous how people don't see that. But it's the exact same people saying it. It's literally the exact same people saying "Black people can act for white roles, but white people can only play white people." What?

"Equality" does NOT mean, "One set of rules for Thee, and another for Me." It literally means "being equal", and that's NOT what's going on.

I'm not playing the "White Liberal Guilt" game. White people being removed from their jobs because they are white in the absence of any other reason is the very definition of racist, and to suggest otherwise is to suggest that it's impossible to be racist against white people because "they have all the power" or some nonsense like that.

If you think Mike Hill stepped down out of the goodness of his heart and not because some network executive told him he had no choice in the matter, then I have a bridge to sell you, brother. Stop believing the best about people. He was forced out. That's what happened. People don't "step down" from jobs they've been doing for 20 years because they have a guilty conscience, they do it because they're told they have to.

And the fact that they just replaced him with a guy doing an impression of the exact same thing he was already doing? Again, like Coola said: Waste of resources.

The entire thing sucks. And it's a scam. Bigger things to worry about? Sure. But by that logic, not a single thing we bitch about on here matters. And I'd argue that stuff like this actually has a ton of cultural importance, way more than a lot of the rest.

If Regina King was fired from The Boondocks and Tara Strong was given all of her roles, you would NOT say "It's their company, they can do anything they want." You'd say it was messed up. So let's not play pretend and act like it's only wrong when it happens in one direction, m'kay?

Two or three people complained, and a white guy lost a job for no reason. Racism. Period. And if you don't think it's racist because it was a white person, that's a huge problem all in itself. I'm not going to entertain that notion for a second, not from anyone. It's not correct.

[Redeemer]

How? If a company chooses to do something, they are well within their rights to do so. It's private property, and they are free to do as they please.



No, it isn't.



No, it isn't.

Exhibit A: This is the literal definition of racism. (https://www.dictionary.com/browse/racism?s=t)

None of these things are at play here. None of them. No one is being forced into a subhuman position. No one is being held up as inherently superior because of their genetic make up.

It's recasting. If the producer wants to do it, and the actor wants to do it, then it's not racism. At all.

Exhibit B:

Mike Henry stepped down. Nothing I've seen says he was forced out of his position. Nor was he taken aside and told "whities can't be this or that."

Case in point? He still voices Consuela, a far more racially charged character.

Here's an article where the two voice actors seem comfortable with the decision.

https://www.usatoday.com/story/entertainment/tv/2020/09/25/family-guy-cleveland-brown-voice-actor-arif-zahir-mike-henry/3531768001/

So stop whining and quit your cancel culture. Let a black guy voice a black guy. Oh, what an injustice.

I'd agree with you on the Apu thing. That was out of control. But this? Man, you guys get your hackles up over nothing. What a comfortable life you must lead when the biggest problem in your world is some other guy's job.

https://deadline.com/2020/06/family-guy-voice-actor-mike-henry-stepping-down-from-cleveland-role-1202971407/

Here's another article where Mike Henry steps down before anyone has been cast. Mike is still gainfully employed with the show.

Family Guy is a Seth MacFarlane vehicle. Seth MacFarlane is famously left wing. Do you think this is something he's upset about?

My apologies, I was under the assumption that he lost his job due, not that he stepped down of his own choice. As long as it was completely his choice and he was forcefully or threatened if he did not bow then I see no problem with this. As long as the role was open to all races and gender then I don't care who the cast. If they thought this Black voice actor was best for the role then by all means he deserves it. I will just go back over to my corner and be quiet. :lol:

[Leo656]

My apologies, I was under the assumption that he lost his job due, not that he stepped down of his own choice. As long as it was completely his choice and he was forcefully or threatened if he did not bow then I see no problem with this.

na·ive·té
noun
lack of experience, wisdom, or judgment
Ex. 1: The naivete of some of the members of the Technodrome Forums is borderline depressing, if not tragic.
Ex. 2: It takes a whole lot of naivete to believe that people step down from well-paying jobs of their own volition.

gul·li·ble
adjective
easily persuaded to believe something; credulous
Ex. 1: Some people on this forum are so gullible it's amazing they don't get robbed blind every time they leave the house.
Ex. 2: No one should be gullible enough to believe what they read in Entertainment Weekly.

[AquaParade]

It's racism. You can be okay with it or not. Those who are okay with it think the ends justify the means, but they likely won't concede that it is in fact racism.

[Leo656]

It's racism. You can be okay with it or not. Those who are okay with it think the ends justify the means, but they likely won't concede that it is in fact racism.

Exactly.

It's like when some far left types claim that they're against anyone being prejudiced for any reason at all, but they'll openly mock Christians because "clearly they're mentally ill." Or they'll say they're "against violence" on a general basis, but they'll say certain political figures should be shot because "It serves them right". Or when a corporation pays its workers below par or denies them health care for nebulous reasons, "They're monsters!" and they'll write a whole thesis about it, but when it's a case like this, all of a sudden "It's their company, they can do whatever they want." Because white people can't ever be victims, so says The Liberal Agenda.

I see these types of things online Every Single Day, from many people who I otherwise respect, and it's disturbing. At times it's downright chilling.

Horseapples. I've been homeless and denied government assistance because I'm white. Had to scrape and claw my way back up from nothing, because "White people can't be victims, you don't qualify for help because, As A White Person you are supposed to be doing better in life." So said the black lady at the desk who arbitrarily decided based on the color of my skin that my wife and I should just sleep in our car despite our situation at the time. White people are discriminated against all the time. This is just One More Example of "It's okay to treat white people unfairly, they deserve it Because History" or some nonsense.

So yeah, I get really quite upset when people insist Only People Of Color Can Ever Be Treated Unfairly, everything else is "Just Desserts." Don't say that sh*t when you're in the same room with me or you'd best duck and run, that's all I'm gonna say.

[oldmanwinters]

they got a black guy to do an impersonation of the white guy's long established Cleveland voice

That is very well stated.

[ssjup81]

I personally find all of this ridiculous. As mentioned, it wasn't a problem years ago. It shouldn't matter if someone is black or white or whatever, just as long as the person is right for the character. By this logic, if someone dubs over an anime, every single character should be voiced by someone Japanese.

My mother was saying that if it's a black character, why can't a black person voice that character since she just assumed that was how it was anyway. I was telling her that they usually just go by who sounds best for the role and then I brought up James Avery voicing a Japanese character (Shredder) from the original TMNT. I also brought up Cree Summers and how she's voiced white characters, like Penny from Inspector Gadget and then she agreed with me on how this is extreme.

[turtle1237]

I personally find all of this ridiculous. As mentioned, it wasn't a problem years ago. It shouldn't matter if someone is black or white or whatever, just as long as the person is right for the character. By this logic, if someone dubs over an anime, every single character should be voiced by someone Japanese.

My mother was saying that if it's a black character, why can't a black person voice that character since she just assumed that was how it was anyway. I was telling her that they usually just go by who sounds best for the role and then I brought up James Avery voicing a Japanese character (Shredder) from the original TMNT. I also brought up Cree Summers and how she's voiced white characters, like Penny from Inspector Gadget and then she agreed with me on how this is extreme.

Cree Summer was great as Penny. And Avery had a amazing Shredder voice.
2020 is the year of pretty much pick on the white man. Look I guess it would be "Ok" if people of there own race voice there own people, blacks voice blacks, whites voice whites, Asians voice Asians ete. But I know and you know this is not going to go down like that, pretty much like said before people of color can voice who they want and the white people can only voice white people unless some body of color did not nab the role first.

[Coola Yagami]

My apologies, I was under the assumption that he lost his job due, not that he stepped down of his own choice. As long as it was completely his choice and he was forcefully or threatened if he did not bow then I see no problem with this. As long as the role was open to all races and gender then I don't care who the cast. If they thought this Black voice actor was best for the role then by all means he deserves it. I will just go back over to my corner and be quiet. :lol:

He didn't though. He saw the shitstorm coming and stepped down before it would come to him. If nothing was going on, he would have still been Cleveland and we wouldn't be even talking about it.

It would be like riding a bus and seeing a big fight about to break out and you get off at the next stop. Sure, you got off the stop by choice... but now you're late for work and stuck waiting for the next bus. No one made you get off the bus, you chose to do so to avoid getting caught in the shitshow, and if there were no shitshow, you would never have decided to get off the bus.