Re: Race row over 'blacked-up' actors


"Johnny" <Johnny@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote

I am curious to understand why this subject has you so worked up!

I'm not worked up.

The more you write, the more I think there's something I'm missing. It's
this whole aspect of what sounds like frustration with the nanny state
and political correctness in Britain. I'm not really experienced with
that.

Yes it's PC bull and the stupid thinking behind it.

To me it's fairly simple - the blackface characters in Showboat are
fictional constructs of it's white authors.

Yeh, this is where we're going wrong and where we're going off at a tangent.
As far as I gather it isn't the Showboat characters, be they stereotypes or
not, that are the problem. Showboat is much loved. The fuss is about the
black parts being played by white guys blacked-up. If they had some black
actors there wouldn't be a problem.


So if a black commmunity is suggesting that Showboat is offensive to
them, who are we to argue with them?

Why can't anyone argue? If you get any other complaint you can voice both
sides views. The Wiki article show how it is not condescending.
"However, even many of those who denounce the stereotyping of blacks and
black language admit that the intentions of Hammerstein were noble, since
"'Ol' Man River' was the song in which he first found his lyrical voice,
compressing the suffering, resignation, and anger of an entire race into 24
taut lines and doing it so naturally that it's no wonder folks assume the
song's a Negro spiritual".[16]
Many writers have also conceded that the novel contains caricatures of
blacks, but believe that they were used by the author to scrutinize and
criticize racism in the United States, since "cringe-worthy caricatures like
Show Boat 's 'black men...with rolling eyes and great lips' exist alongside
some very thoughtful explorations of American racism, including Show Boat 's
sympathetic treatment of a mixed-race couple".[17] For example, the theatre
critics and veterans Richard Eyre and Nicholas Wright believe that Show Boat
was revolutionary, not only because it was a radical departure from the
previous style of plotless revues, but because it was a show written by
non-blacks that portrayed blacks sympathetically rather than
condescendingly:"


So my question is: is the resistance to Showboat coming from black groups
or white? I am assuming it's coming from black groups as it doesn't make
any sense otherwise.

The article doesn't make it clear. As I said it only mentions one black
person.

It sounds to me like you are suggesting that you know better what should
offend blacks.

I'm saying what shouldn't. If an actor dresses up to portray a character,
that is not regarded as offensive. If they portray a black character
shouldn't they attempt to look right ?
I've just watched the horrowing film, the Autobiography of Miss Jane
Pittman, a former slave who lived to 110. The actress wore blacked-up makeup
to depict the 110 year old she clearly wasn't.
It's wearing makeup to helpact the part of a character, fictional or
otherwise. The wearing of makeup shouldn't be veiwed as offensive.

It's fiction at the expense of a subjugated group. I think the inter-
racial marriage plot line is interesting. Did you notice how the two were
not allowed to be married? They would never have been allowed to open the
show if they had.

But that sort of thing did happen. How is it such a false image to you?

I too despair the content of the modern entertainments. American TV can't
show any skin or use any curse-words, but there's got to be guns and
murder and maiming in every popular show! And they love to import your
British ideas for 'reality' shows. Yikes! Otherwise it's just try to be
more shocking than the show last week. It's grim.

So which is more offensive, wearing makeup or murder, rape, torture,
swearing and so on that we do get in TV programs and films here?

Give me a good game, a mini-series, or an old movie anytime. Even a
musical. The problem here is that Showboat is a particular problem
production. I still say you have to respect a request by blacks not to
produce it if they ask. It's not that I'm offended. It's that whites owe
them at least that.

Everyone deserves to be treated repectfully. That would include people that
want to go and watch musicals. It's a bit like porn. Plenty of people find
it offensive but you don't have to buy it. Why can't those that want it have
access whilst those that find it offensive can keep away? Freedom is about
having a choice, not submitting to someone else's view.

I don't owe any people from the past. I am not responsible for past deeds.
Separating victims and guilty parties meerly on the grounds of what race you
are is unrealistic. We only owe each other the respect and dignity every
member of the human race deserves. No more, no less.

Steve M




.

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