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IamA Ahmed Best actor/writer/director, best known for playing Jar Jar Binks in Star Wars Ep. 1,2,3. Ask me Anything! (self.IAmA)

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[–]tupper93 337 points338 points  (38 children)

Did you come up with Jar Jar's voice and speech patterns, or was that given to you by the writers? If the latter, what was that conversation like?

[–]bestahmed[S] 489 points490 points  (37 children)

It was all scripted. I just did the voice.

[–][deleted]  (26 children)

[deleted]

    [–]valeyard89 247 points248 points  (4 children)

    Slappin da bass mon

    [–][deleted] 128 points129 points  (2 children)

    Meesa slappa da bass.

    [–]Keisaku 11 points12 points  (1 child)

    I can't stop doing the voice.

    You deserve more upities.

    [–]joebell93 3 points4 points  (0 children)

    You sound like a leprechaun

    [–]ridingshotgun 19 points20 points  (18 children)

    Am I the only person who doesn't get the Jamaican accent thing with him? The only way Jar Jar is racist is because people consider him racist. I don't see any connection at all.

    [–]Stinky_Eastwood 54 points55 points  (9 children)

    Can we assume you never picked up on the strange Asian racism of the Neimoidians? Or the uncomfortable Latino racist portrayal of Nien Nunb (the guy who co-pilots the Millenium Falcon with Lando in Return of the Jedi)? Or the racist Jewish appearance and voice of Watto (like seriously, he has a hook nose)?

    [–]dkl415 11 points12 points  (4 children)

    I'd like to add that the Neimoidians are part of a sinister, secretive trade federation, and that Watto was a scheming trader.

    [–][deleted] 2 points3 points  (3 children)

    Slave owner*

    [–]dkl415 0 points1 point  (2 children)

    Hm ... the scheming trader fits with stereotypes of Jews. Does slave owning?

    [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (1 child)

    Maybe not a jew but just a middle eastern haggler?

    [–]dkl415 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    I can see that. Curiously I always saw similar issues with the Jawas.

    [–]ridingshotgun 4 points5 points  (2 children)

    The only one of those I'll really agree on being pretty racist is Watto. (mainly because of his fixation with money) I just have never ever heard of Jamaicans speaking like the way Jar Jar did lol.

    [–]Stinky_Eastwood 7 points8 points  (1 child)

    Jar Jar is a combination of many stereotypes. Mainly a strange speech pattern that is vaguely Jamaican, with hints of minstrelsy. Exaggerated physical features. He's lazy and stupid. And unlike the island of Jamaica, Gungans live in a underwater city, which is, like, totally different.

    [–]BrotherChe 0 points1 point  (0 children)

    Which leads my view of him and the Gungans to lean more towards a slight Bayou Cajun style.

    [–]Hoobleton -3 points-2 points  (0 children)

    I got the middle one, and I can see that other two now they're pointed out, but I still can't see the Jar Jar one.

    [–][deleted]  (4 children)

    [deleted]

      [–]stringerbbell 1 point2 points  (3 children)

      Is there anything racist that people don't consider racist?

      [–][deleted]  (2 children)

      [deleted]

        [–]stringerbbell 2 points3 points  (1 child)

        Like niggerdly?

        [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

        The only way anything is racist is because people consider it racist.

        [–]CheatedOnOnce 0 points1 point  (0 children)

        You don't understand how racism works, do you?

        That's like saying -- "The only way that white supremacist is racist is because people consider him racist"

        "Mesa called Jar-Jar Binks. Mesa your humble servant."

        This quote should sum it up for you tho...

        [–]dogalarmsux -1 points0 points  (0 children)

        "Meesa, no! Don't a eat da poo poo!"

        [–]Sum_Bitch 120 points121 points  (0 children)

        Did you ever go up to George Lucas and ask "What the fuck?"

        [–][deleted]  (6 children)

        [removed]

          [–]swiley1983 81 points82 points  (5 children)

          Haha, yes it did:

          JAR JAR No...no! Mesa stay...Mesa yous humble servaunt.

          QUI-GON That wont be necessary.

          JAR JAR Oh boot tis! Tis demunded byda guds. Tis a live debett, tis. Mesa culled Jaja Binkss.

          [–]complex_reduction 94 points95 points  (0 children)

          Gee, thanks. Now I have eye cancer.

          [–]blarghable 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          that just made everything even worse...

          [–]trevaaar 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          wont

          Somehow that bothered me the most.

          [–]grandmaster_zach -1 points0 points  (1 child)

          Why do I have you tagged as 'Spits Hot Fire'?

          [–]swiley1983 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          IAmA DYLAN, AMA!

          [–][deleted] 1 point2 points  (0 children)

          ...and at no point thought "hey, I sound like a Jamaican minstrel show?"

          [–]50missioncap 0 points1 point  (0 children)

          Just curious, was the scripting phonetic?