Chastain - Banana Booklet

The Lady in the Tutti Frutti Hat by
Carman Miranda eroticized the banana
and upset American viewers due to its
blatant sexual undertone. This song, as
well as Carman Miranda herself, is viewed
as a stereotype of Brazilian culture that
plays into the eroticism of “exotic”
cultures through the phallic association
of the banana. This also influenced and
jumpstarted the racist depiction of the
Chiquita Banana mascot that used
harmful stereotypes based on Carmen
Miranda’s image, bizarrely using both
eroticized portrayals of the fruit and
racist associations to sell more bananas.
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