Frumpzilla

So I finally caved to peer pressure and signed up for Netflix yesterday, and, like I am with nearly all new “toys,” once everything was setup, there was a fairly lengthy, obsessive session of exploring its functionality in an effort to maximize the return on my investment.

I was advised that simply rating a whole butt load of movies I’d seen was a good place to start, because this would enable the service to make better suggestions. Made sense.

So I’m sitting there, rating up a storm under all genres, and intrigued by how Netflix classifies each type before asking how often I watch that type: Old School, “College Movies”; Full Metal Jacket, “Military Movies”; Gangs of New York, “Period Pieces”; Rudy, “Movies Based on Real Life”; Once Upon a Time in America, “Gangster Movies,” etc. etc. etc. You know, enjoying seeing how all the pieces come together.

Well, at some point I come across Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle (which I find quite entertaining under certain circumstances), rate it, and then get the message that you see pictured here…

Now, remember that I’m a complete Netflix novice, and everything I’m writing is expected to be read in that context, but would it be a stretch to suggest that there’s at least a brief hint of bizarre hilarity here?

I mean, I certainly understand there are a lot of jokes based on racial, ethnic and cultural stereotypes in Harold and Kumar, but is “Racism” an actual genre? A sub-genre, even? Am I watching the celluloid embodiment of racism, in glorious 1080p, when I pop in the Harold and Kumar Go to White Castle Blu Ray? If I am, is that, like, wrong?

Is Netflix trying to tell me that by enjoying Harold and Kumar, I’m at least passively endorsing bigotry? If that’s the case, can some more experienced Netflix users warn me about what other films fall into this category? I mean, I obviously have a lot of questions, and I think I have a right to know.