Controversies

The Freddy Pharkas series (like many other Sierra series) contains material which some have found controversial, and it has had its own share of controversies over the years.
This page discusses a number of the controversial aspects of the series as defined by reviewers and players over the years. Note: the 'controversies' are just opinions by different individuals, commentators and writers (some maybe interpretation or biased projection, and therefore the accuracy of opinions cannot be vouched for).
Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in this article are those of the cited authors, writers, commentators and other individuals, and do not reflect the official policies or positions of this wiki.
==Political Correctness Policy==
As stated in the 'canon' policy:
This wiki is not politically correct and is about a game that didn't care about political correctness and may have been offensive to some players.
This wiki may contain subject matter, words, phrases, jokes, and other material that some may find offensive. These topics are discussed largely from a NPOV: From an 'in-universe' perspective (from 'original intent' and 'canon' perspective) in relation to the source material, with no censoring or revisionism allowed.
Only specific terms used in the game (including guides/documentation) should be utilized when describing content from the series in articles.
Discussion of the games from a modern perspective where subject matter is found 'offensive' should only be added to this controversies article, and in this article only. Or in very limited fashion pointing to the 'controversies' page in the "Behind the scenes section' of an article. Note: However that this page is restricted (changes by non-admins must be vetted and discussed first, before a decision is made).
If you wish to discuss soapbox and advocacy against certain topics refer back to Number 1 of Advertising and Off-topic discussions...
:1.Advocacy, propaganda, or recruitment of any kind: commercial, political, religious, sports-related, or otherwise. Of course, an article can report objectively about such things, as long as an attempt is made to describe the topic from a neutral point of view. You might wish to start a blog or visit a forum if you want to convince people of the merits of your favorite views.
Some might see this article as a 'soapbox' in and of itself. However, this article only reports complaints made about the games and potentially offensive content. Consider, this article to be the exception to the rule. As it is the only location where critical comments, disagreements and related rebuttals are listed. Some sources may include supporting documentation, as in articles pertaining to history of why somthing might be found offensive based on current social, diversity, cultural, or political trends). 
However, remember that no side is taken by the wiki.
==Politics==
*The game makes fun of American politics including Democrats and Republicans.
*While references are limited the Civil War is referenced in the game. The game takes place in the years after the war.
*The game takes place around the period of President Cleveland.
*There are a number of references to modern politics and people from the time the game was made such as Kay Graham (a hybrid to former owner of Washington Post and reference to King Graham of KQ series. Another example being to Vice President Dan Quayle’s misspelling of potato.
==Minority Representation==
*The game is accused of racism, stereotypes, etc. The game portrayal of minorities are stereotypes that people may find racist. From the chinese laundromat Hop Sing, to the native american "Indians", to the Indian "Srini" from India, and the mexican banditos. It should be noted as its revealed at the end of the game, that most of these 'stereotypes' and exaggerations are actually because its game is a Hollywood western production, and all the characters are 'actors', so its poking fun at the often exaggerated nature of Hollywood or Italian spaghetti western productions.
*thumbOne author complained the game comes "...with a slit-eyed Chinaman thrown in for some light '90s racism."https://www.pcgamer.com/best-sierra-adventure-games/ However, this was not intended to be 'racism', but the character Hopalong Singh is rather a satirical reference to the famous character Hop Sing played by the Chinese actor Victor Sen Yung born Sen Yew Cheung. The character appeared in the 1950-1970's classic Western TV Show, Bonanza. Like Hop Singh, Hopsing/Hop Sing was a Chinese cook/house keeper (though in this case he works at local restaurant). The characters are very similar to, and possibly based on historical figures such as Quong Keehttps://www.findagrave.com/memorial/7650162/quong-gu-keehttps://www.loc.gov/item/2016710910/ and Sam Kee, who also became well loved cooks/restaurant owners, who had their stories told in another western Death Valley Days.https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0556712/https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0556719/plotsummary?ref_=tt_ov_plhttps://www.imdb.com/title/tt0556767/ The history of Chop Suey can be traced back to Chinese-American pioneer immigrants adapting a dish for western miners tastes.https://www.foodandwine.com/news/many-origin-stories-chop-suey
*Hopalong Singh is also a deconstruction of racist stereotypes in that he's acts like an exaggerated stereotype because his boss pays him to do so, for customers and tourism purposes. Those visiting her restaurant expecting that kind of 'atmosphere'. It's part of the satire and a gag, and a criticism on 'racist expected characterizations', and those who enable it (his boss). He is also the cousin of Lo Fat from Laura Bow, who does a similar commercialized "expected" Chinese atmosphere with his Chinese Laundry, along with the bad accent, despite being second or third generation+ Chinese-American.
*The term Indian-giver is often seen as problamatic and controversial by many.https://www.npr.org/sections/codeswitch/2013/09/02/217295339/the-history-behind-the-phrase-dont-be-an-indian-giverhttps://www.businessinsider.com/offensive-phrases-that-people-still-use-2014-11 In this case of Srini using its 'ironic'.
*Some reviewers have outright called the developers racist: 
::"Or, possibly, Mandel and Lowe spent the time they could have used developing the game to a finished state adding utterly unnecessary racism. The chef at Ma’s Cafe is a racial caricature of a Chinese man. This is after early on in the game the “drug store Indian” who Pharkas hires to stand outside his shop talks to Freddy about how comprehensively the US government had broken all its treaties with the Native American peoples during Westward expansion. Later, you encounter a racial caricature of an actual Indian Indian, who after the end of the game becomes a shaman of a Native American tribe because the type of Indian he is seems to vary from scene to scene depending on what flavour of racism the scene requires. As with Leisure Suit Larry 6, the game’s throwing so many jokes at you that there’s plenty of gags that don’t rely on racism, but having those present do mar the whole thing"https://fakegeekboy.wordpress.com/2020/07/19/gogathon-sierras-1993-stockpile/
==Female Representation==
*The series has been of accused of sexism, misogyny, etc
*The game is filled with "sexy" portrayals of "Ye Olde Whorehouse" girls.
==LGBTQ Representation==
*There is a notice by Graham (marked as "K. Graham") in the General Store, talking about how he is no longer going to pay support for his wife Valanice, his son Alexander, or his daughter Rosella. It appears he has ran off with Passionate Patti (P. Patti), or that P. Patti is acting as his attorney. Freddy assumes that K. Graham stands for Kay Graham, implying that Graham is either a lesbian (with P. Patti, and formerly with Valanice), or a trans character who has come out as female, after breaking up with his previous family. Note: that Graham is a he is also established by other characters in the game including during one of Whittlin' Willy's ballads.
*There are a number of homosexual/gay jokes/inuendo: "Geez! In Europe, I hear men touch each other all the time, and hardly ever shoot each other for it. Yeah, well, over here, we're much more civilized.", "You don't want to touch these hombres. They don't look like they're into close physical contact." "Dab-nab it, Pharkas! Real men jes' don' go 'round a'touchin' other real men! 'Specially when they're as homophobic as we is!", "Salvatore O'Hanahan, the town barber, doesn't appreciate men touching his pole.", "We've spoken about this before, Mr. Pharkas. If you keep touching me, I'll have to speak up if you ever run for office.", "You touch the statue gently. Shmeros glares at you as if to say, "I trusted you to just BE FRIENDLY, and what did you do? I told you, we no longer have a physical relationship.", "It's only an image on glass. You can't take it, touch it, or even show it tender loving care.", " Hey, there! Don't be touching me, fella! Don't want the womenfolk to be gettin' the wrong idear! I'm a MAN'S man, y'know? I mean, I'm a woman's man, but a MANLY man.", "Touch me and you'll get a bullet in the heart before you know it. Geez! Talk about homophobia!", "Being a little touchy-feely today, aren't you, Pharkas?" 
==Bestiality & Pedophilia==
*The game has lots of sheep and cattle raping jokes.
*There are a couple of nods to pedophilia: "MA! MA! THAT MAN TRIED TO TOUCH ME!!"
==See also==
*Controvesies in King's Quest
*Controversies in Space Quest
*Controversies in Police Quest
*Controversies in Quest For Glory
*Controversies in Conquests series
*Controversies in Leisure Suit Larry
*Controversies in Laura Bow
*Controversies in Gabriel Knight series
*Controversies in Phantasmagoria series
==References==