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Thread: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

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    Default Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    So inTropic Thunder, the new Ben Stiller movie coming out.... Robert Downey Jr. is in blackface. Does no one else find that offensive? I saw it in the trailer a week ago and have heard no mention of it in the mainstream media until today on AOL.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Im not sure. What's offensive? What is it about??
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    What's the context?

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    I do not find this offensive. Robert Downey Jr. is playing an Aussie method actor that gets so into his role that he undergoes a skin pigmentation surgery. This movie is a satire on the craziness of hollywood. I hope that clears up in misconceptions.
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    ^ Um, yes. That's the point. The film is a parody. The other characters in the movie find it offensive, too, especially Brandon Jackson, a rapper, who rips him a new one.

    The whole "blackface" gag is a parody of the absurdity of blackface but even more than that, a parody of method acting itself. Some actors often become comically self-righteous about becoming the characters they play and then remaining in character at all times. Downey is parodying himself here, by the way.

    The use of the term "retard" has also come under attack, but once again, it's used in the movie to point out the hopeless idiocy of people who would actually use that term.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    i do find that offensive but supposedly the "joke" is that downey's character is completely oblivious to the offensiveness of the situation while everyone else is offended to hell.

    imho, it takes a LOT of guts (or stupidity) for him to even do/take that part though.

    i mean, when he got the offer from his agent he was probably like: "wtf? you want me to do a 'blackface' character?!?! are you frickin' insane?!! do you want me to be ostracized and lambasted by the entire establishment and society...again? ...hmmm, maybe i will take it then."

    he's such an amazing actor but yeah, this role rrrrrreally pushes the 'tasteful' factor into the really baaaad zone. i'll have to see the movie to judge if it's completely racist hate garbage or if it's just really funny.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Pure View Post
    So inTropic Thunder, the new Ben Stiller movie coming out.... Robert Downey Jr. is in blackface. Does no one else find that offensive? I saw it in the trailer a week ago and have heard no mention of it in the mainstream media until today on AOL.
    like 40% of me does find it offensive..but the rest of me is curious to see who this will play out in theaters and in the media as well.

    Quote Originally Posted by snoopy View Post

    imho, it takes a LOT of guts (or stupidity) for him to even do/take that part though.
    That's how I look at it. Controversy sells.







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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Not offended. There was a movie in the 80s or 90s where a white comedian wore black face and maybe a jerrie curl. it was another parody.

    Flava' Flav IS offensive on the other hand.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by ahmeerah View Post

    Flava' Flav IS offensive on the other hand.
    Definitely!!!!!!







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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Well, as me being a black girl, I do find it offensive to an extent...it didn't stop me from seeing the movie and I thought it was super funny...when I 1st heard that he was going to playing a character in blackface, I was like, "Oh hell no...thats not even right." I just did NOT agree with it at all...

    But its just a movie...I know that sounds like total BS to some people...but I've seen alot worse in other movies...

    The only part that kinda pissed me off was how his character was talking in the movie...like all black men don't talk like that...thats the kinda stuff that ticks me off...

    I guess I'm indifferent about it...besides the controversey behind it, overall, I thought it was a really funny movie.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by ahmeerah View Post
    Not offended. There was a movie in the 80s or 90s where a white comedian wore black face and maybe a jerrie curl. it was another parody.

    Flava' Flav IS offensive on the other hand.
    Oh...I second that...lol. And IMO, how is this movie any different then when the Wayans Bros. did White Chicks??? Its just a total switch around...

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    ........
    Last edited by Lexi; 05-16-2020 at 07:49 PM.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    That movie is causes quite an uproar. Between the blackface and the use of the word "retard", folks are all kinds of up in arms.
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by PaigeDWinter View Post
    That movie is causes quite an uproar. Between the blackface and the use of the word "retard", folks are all kinds of up in arms.
    Just imagine if Mel Brooks tried to make Blazing Saddles today.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by lezmaka View Post
    Just imagine if Mel Brooks tried to make Blazing Saddles today.

    Holy.... shit. That would be... wow.
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Spike Lee made the same joke in Bamboozled and nobody blinked. What's different?

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by lezmaka View Post
    Just imagine if Mel Brooks tried to make Blazing Saddles today.
    Ok, maybe it's my youth..but someone please explain this "blazing saddles" to me please..I've never heard of this before.
    Quote Originally Posted by PaigeDWinter View Post
    Holy.... shit. That would be... wow.
    Quote Originally Posted by MissNicole21 View Post
    Oh...I second that...lol. And IMO, how is this movie any different then when the Wayans Bros. did White Chicks??? Its just a total switch around...
    I never saw White Chicks because I found it to be offensive.







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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by cinammonkisses View Post
    Ok, maybe it's my youth..but someone please explain this "blazing saddles" to me please..I've never heard of this before.

    Blazing Saddles was a comedy about the old west. Lots of racism, but it was making fun OF the racism. It had some crude humor also, most of which would have all of the PC people shitting themselves now.
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    ^ Actually, a lot of people blinked. That media turned on the film, giving it terrible reviews, obviously missing the point that Lee was parodying modern-day African-American performers as having recreated much of the same social damage that resulted from the early minstrel shows.

    Having said that, I don't think any Caucasian in our culture has a clue about how persistent and pernicious racism is in our society. I don't want to turn this into a racism debate, but I think there's a reason why Ben Stiller was limiting his parody to how method actors perform in films. He didn't want to overreach, and he's not the most qualified to do so, anyway. It's not a broader social commentary like Spike Lee's was.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Yeah, I'm not usually a Spike Lee fan, but he has his moments of brilliance. I thought Bamboozled was excellent and it made a very good point. Of course, anytime Spike Lee does something truly insightful like Bamboozled or She's Gotta Have It, nobody gets the point and the movie flops.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Oh-My-God


    That's all I can say. I could only watch the 1st flick though...Wow, that movie is *ahem* something







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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Quote Originally Posted by Yekhefah View Post
    Spike Lee made the same joke in Bamboozled and nobody blinked. What's different?
    The fact that 1) nobody saw Bamboozled 2) It's not a comedy and 3) Spike Lee is black are the first differences I can think of off the top of my head.

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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    Disclaimer: I am a loooong time Robert Downet Jr. fan
    I thought the trailer was funny as HELL!! That was some silliness! I thought it was shocking that he actually looked black! Funny!! When he says "what do you mean by YOU people", so full of indignation, and then the actual black actor/rapper says " what do YOU mean by you people" PRICELESS!
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    Default Re: Uh....Blackface??!!!!

    a lot of people are offended by this movie. midnight openings had protestors in a lot of big cities, i heard on the radio. the "retard" thing has a looooot of mental disability advocacy groups pissed off. ive heard about that a lot more than his face being painted.

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