Obviously, Walmart.com's "Similar Items" feature is a poorly coded piece of functionality and it looks like some of their developers will be up all night fixing this goof. Someone at digg revealed this page where potential buyers of The Planet of the Apes are suggested "similiar items" that are all African American themed films. It's hard to figure what in their database is linking Planet of the Apes with an MLK documentary. Oh well, here's the screenshot since this may not be up for too long.
UPDATE:
The Planet of the Apes page is now suggesting "Everybody Loves Raymond" and "Friends" (two of the whitest offerings imaginable) and Walmart has actually sent us a statement about the matter so it's only fair that we post it here. Click below to read the statement.
We are heartsick that this happened and are currently doing everything possible to correct the problem.The offensive combinations that have been identified will be removed from the site by 5:30 CT today.
However, with thousands of movie items available, there is an almost endless number of possible combinations.
Because of that, we will be shutting down our entire movie cross-selling system until the problem is resolved.
We are deeply sorry that this happened. Our system, like those of most other on-line buying sites, refers buyers interested in a particular movie to other movies through a technical process known as "mapping."
Walmart.com's item mapping process does not work correctly and at this point is mapping seemingly random combinations of titles. We were horrified to discover that some hurtful and offensive combinations are being mapped together.
To further illustrate the bizarre nature of this technical issue, the site is also mapping movies such as Home Alone and Power Puff Girls to African American literature.
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Everybody Loves Raymond?? WTF? You would have thought they at least could have recommended Gorillas in the Mist, or Every Which Way But Loose.
Their suggestion feature may be on the fritz as they say, when I was looking around the site before I made my initial post none of the suggestions I found made any sense whatsoever. I wouldn't be surprised if it never really worked to begin with. I'm sure the backend of their site is as shoddy as the upkeep of their physical stores.
I think I understand it now, you idiots are living in some kind of alternate reality where everyone is overly sensitive and feels the need to be offended for other people too. Grow some balls!!!
John Walton, is that you? :)
Anyone who buys "Planet Of The Apes: The Complete TV Series" is a total TV fag anyway, so link it to 'Extreme Home Makeover' or 'Queer Eye,' it would make more sense. It sucks, either way, to be sure.
Only a podunk Walmart anonymous fucker employee who's getting $6.00 an hour with no benefits who's frustrated that they're seeing black people (and people of color in general) "getting over" on them could get into the system like this and set it up.
This is the White man's way. Do it so no one sees them, fuck em over in the dark, it's easier for them, you know how they are. They're some sneaky bastards, them Whiteys...
(Smell that? That was SARCASM, folks.)
Anyway.
Besides, what is intrinsically wrong with linking it to MLK or Dorothy Danderidge? Whomever it was that set it up like that, sure their intentions are racist, but think about this a moment: if you sat down the average 10 year-old and got them to see this page, then they went to either of those two DVD packages, and then you asked them about who MLK or Dorothy was, and they'd give you the same blank stupid vacant stare that they have when they're playing "Spatterhouse II" on their Supergame system.
We're living in a society where it's easy to keep our kids quiet, just sit them down in front of the screen and turn on the game system. Parents are erasing their children's brain cells faster than alcohol or drugs cold ever do by letting them play that shit. Good going, folks. They're getting dumber every year... God fuck America.
(We 'celebrate' all these holidays, and for what? What is Washington's birthday? What is the 4th of July? Does anyone really "observe" the holiday for what it is anymore? To steal from comedian John Pinette, I say nay nay.)
Anyway.
This whole thing about the webpage? Racist, yes.
The light at the end of the tunnel for our children is obscured with game titles and we are becoming sheep who are glad for the day off with pay, but for what???
And all of this would be a no...?
Just for the record, in response to kerwinjr, I don't think there is one person on the planet that was offended by this, but I think it's really god damn funny especially if it's some sort of random system malfunction and especially because it happened to Walmart.
Well its like this, if you never worked for walmart you wouldn't know the fukd up things that go on at these stores.It's not exactly walmart it's the racist ass upper level management who lets this type of shit go on, their calling shots,Huh? Next, YES THEM RACIST BASTARDS KNEW ABOUT THAT SHIT!!!Of course, like always someone else will be blamed for walmarts responsibility to keep these type of things from happening. The district in which I work have these issues alot but guess what they never get heard about.
Erric - Feel free to use the comments section here to expose whatever issues you feel are being ignored.
Funnily enough, Monkey Planet by Pierre Boulle, the book POTA is based on (which i read many years ago when i was a big Planet of the Apes fan) was actually written as a social commentary on racism in society. So, in a weird way, pairing it with the MLK documentary makes some sense.