this post was submitted on 19 Dec 2024
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submitted 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) by [email protected] to c/[email protected]
 
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[–] [email protected] 45 points 3 days ago (5 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 33 points 3 days ago

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."

[–] [email protected] 25 points 3 days ago (4 children)
[–] [email protected] 13 points 2 days ago

I'll have a look, sir.

MMmmmnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnnno.

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago

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

[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago* (last edited 3 days ago)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

We're fucked

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

But grape and cherry are the best

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago

Blasphemer!

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 days ago

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

[–] [email protected] 18 points 2 days ago

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!

[–] [email protected] 18 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 15 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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.

[–] [email protected] 12 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] [email protected] 10 points 3 days ago (1 children)

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

[–] Enkers 4 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Do you bite your thumb, sir?

[–] [email protected] 3 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

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

[–] [email protected] 11 points 3 days ago (1 children)
[–] [email protected] 6 points 3 days ago
[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 days ago* (last edited 2 days ago) (1 children)

So if you offer a black person a pink Jolly Rancher it’s racist?

Edit: I’m so confused by the downvotes. Isn’t that what the Venn Diagram is saying? That watermelon-flavored Jolly Ranchers are racism?

[–] [email protected] 2 points 2 days ago

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

[–] [email protected] -2 points 3 days ago

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

[–] [email protected] -1 points 3 days ago

This is dumb.