Comedian Leon Schuster has just become a hot topic again – but for all the wrong reasons.
The actor and filmmaker has been trending on social media after several of his movies were shown on TV over the weekend, with many people asking the question: is Schuster a racist?
The 65-year-old filmmaker has been making movies since his first feature film You Must Be Joking debuted in 1986.
Some of his films were viewed as controversial because they included Schuster disguised as a black person for several of the pranks he played on unsuspecting South Africans.
An angry @StaggaSays said he didn’t “respect any black people that like Leon Schuster or Mr Bean” in response to @CulpritEnter, who said he hated himself “for liking Leon Schuster as a kid. All along he was mocking us as black people.”
On Facebook Simphiwe Mahaluba wrote: “But Guys is this even an issue of debate? Leon Schuster is a racist pig! finish!!!”
And Thula Siyo posted: “So some of y’all are only realising now that Leon Schuster is racist?”
Some fans stuck up for him. On Twitter a fan of the There’s a Zulu On My Stoep actor, @brent2708 tweeted: “SAns are a funny bunch! Looking for crap where there is none! Leave #LeonSchuster alone whether Indian coloured black or white he’s funny!”
But Schuster said yesterday he was not aware of the complaints and criticism: “No, only became aware when I read your mail,” he said in response to a Daily Voice enquiry.
Schuster adds: “I play different characters from different races and the majority of movie-goers in this country love it.”
And he has some straightforward advice to all his critics: “I say to them I laugh it off [as] I have been for the last 30 years.”