Re: The Portrayal of Blacks in Popular Media

There is the idea that blacks were/are portrayed as bad guys to the man, side kicks to the man, athletes or puppydogs. That's it.

Blacks can and have been portrayed as fathers, mothers, business men, friends, kids trying to get through life in the hood - sometimes it comes out real sometimes not.

The Cosby show may have been buyable, but it didn't represent the majority of black families in the country. The Jeffersons was funny, but it didn't really either.

Snood - do you read Aaron McGruder's Boondocks? What do you think?

Aaron McGruder is a genius and a maverick. I've been reading Boondocks since I first heard of him about 4 years ago. A lot of major papers are scared to run him - BS.

I could go on, but the point is that even with their best efforts, Hollywood can only seem to be able to tolerate a person of color as the central figure in very limited circumstances. The person or people of color must be accompanied in the central aspect of the story with a white figure. Or, the character or characters (witness Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide) must be involved in a story that has little to do with race- the only thing 'black' about them must be their skin color - no reference or acknowledgement of their "otherness'. Or (again Denzel Washington in Training Day), the story must focus on the underside of human character - the pimping, hustling, criminality of the characters must play a large part in the storyline. Over and over, what one sees if one cares to scratch past the surface is a society - mirrored by its popular media - that has never come to terms with the reality of race.

I am fully aware that some who read this will frantically search their memories for exceptions to what I have presented here - much like the republicans like to answer the statistics about 2% Black support of their president with yet another reference to Condie and Colin. But I stand by my assertion - White America has a huge problem with portraying blacks and people of color in their media.

I agree- msolga. By the way, I like your avatar. Is that KrazyKat?

Mortkat wrote:

I agree- msolga. By the way, I like your avatar. Is that KrazyKat?

"Felix the Cat, the wonderful, wonderful cat..."

snood wrote:

I could go on, but the point is that even with their best efforts, Hollywood can only seem to be able to tolerate a person of color as the central figure in very limited circumstances. The person or people of color must be accompanied in the central aspect of the story with a white figure. Or, the character or characters (witness Denzel Washington in Crimson Tide) must be involved in a story that has little to do with race- the only thing 'black' about them must be their skin color - no reference or acknowledgement of their "otherness'. Or (again Denzel Washington in Training Day), the story must focus on the underside of human character - the pimping, hustling, criminality of the characters must play a large part in the storyline. Over and over, what one sees if one cares to scratch past the surface is a society - mirrored by its popular media - that has never come to terms with the reality of race.

The "reality of race?" What does that mean? On the one hand, you want Hollywood to stop ignoring race, yet on the other you want it to portray blacks as average, mundane people. In other words, you want stories that emphasize the centrality of race populated with characters whose race is peripheral. I don't think anyone can square that circle, least of all Hollywood.

snood wrote:

I am fully aware that some who read this will frantically search their memories for exceptions to what I have presented here - much like the republicans like to answer the statistics about 2% Black support of their president with yet another reference to Condie and Colin. But I stand by my assertion - White America has a huge problem with portraying blacks and people of color in their media.

There's no need to search frantically for exceptions to what you've posted here, snood: the exceptions are numerous and easily recalled. You cite Glory, I cite A Soldier's Story. You cite Crimson Tide, I cite A Color Purple. You cite Training Day, I cite A Raisin in the Sun. No doubt those movies have something objectionable, too (why did Sidney Poitier have to help white nuns?), but I suppose a gross generalization can embrace all sorts of disparate examples.

The "reality of race?" What does that mean? On the one hand, you want Hollywood to stop ignoring race, yet on the other you want it to portray blacks as average, mundane people. In other words, you want stories that emphasize the centrality of race populated with characters whose race is peripheral. I don't think anyone can square that circle, least of all Hollywood.

There's no need to search frantically for exceptions to what you've posted here, snood: the exceptions are numerous and easily recalled. You cite Glory, I cite A Soldier's Story. You cite Crimson Tide, I cite A Color Purple. You cite Training Day, I cite A Raisin in the Sun. No doubt those movies have something objectionable, too (why did Sidney Poitier have to help white nuns?), but I suppose a gross generalization can embrace all sorts of disparate examples.