John Safran offended pretty much everybody in his eyebrow raising documentary series John Safran Vs. God. Released in 2004, the eight part exploration of modern religion saw Safran receive an exorcism, place a fatwa on Rove McManus and send concerned citizens to their keyboards while pussy-footing around the group that most deserved ridicule – atheists.
In his latest series Race Relations however, not even secular non-believers will escape Safran’s wrath. Focusing on “cross-cultural, interracial and interfaith love” the bespectacled comic travels to Israel, Palestine, Togo, Japan, The Philippines, Thailand, The UK, The Netherlands and the United States to explore the melting pot of love that is planet Earth.
Much like his previous work, Safran draw us in with a plethora of heavy handed shock tactics. In the trailer alone he turns black in Chicago, explores his fascination with Eurasians, becomes a ladyboy and an Elephant Man and in the series’ climax gets crucified in the Philippines. Should we stick to our tribe or escape it? asks Safran. Well, in a World where my Vietnamese housemate is dating an Irishman, my Sri Lankan boss is dating a Caucasian and my other Caucasian boss is dating a Eurasian perhaps we already know the answer to that question. Either way, the promise of ballsy stunts and skin crawling awkwardness will ensure we’re tuned in anyway.
John Safran’s Race Relations starts Wednesday October 21 at 9.30pm on ABC1. Check out the trailer below…
