TV brings back Leon Schuster’s films following five-year removal

MultiChoice has returned several of Leon Schuster’s older films to its DStv and Showmax platforms after previously banning them over alleged racial insensitivity.

The TV broadcaster removed the titles in June 2020, following the global Black Lives Matter movement sparked by George Floyd’s death.

Broadcasters worldwide reassessed content at the time to identify material that could be considered offensive.

MultiChoice reinstates banned movies

The decision focused on Schuster’s use of makeup and disguises in his comedies, where he portrayed characters of different races, including Black and Indian people.

Broadcasters flagged this practice, often linked to blackface, as problematic.

To address this, in 2020, Showmax pulled six Schuster movies, including

• Sweet n Short
• Oh Schucks, It’s Schuster
• You Must Be Joking
• You Must Be Joking Too
• Schucks… Pay Back The Money!
• Frank & Fearless

MultiChoice also banned Mr Bones, Mr Bones 2: Back from the Past, and Mama Jack. After review, only Frank & Fearless, Schuster’s 2018 comedy, was temporarily restored.

At the time, Showmax emphasised that while the movies were “products of their time” and created with “positive intent,” it had to strike a balance between sensitivity and its role as a unifying platform.

With the ban now lifted, Leon Schuster’s earlier works will once again be available for streaming. MultiChoice has not elaborated on what prompted the policy change.