The Official "Ask A Brotha" Thread - Part 2

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This is a continuation thread, the old thread is [split]376377[/split]

 

[Ant-manic]

it's a conservative estimate but 4 out of 5 white people who do blackface are insensitive a-holes. but there's still a small percentage that are good people who are just unaware of the controversy. and i'm just going by experience. rarely does someone don blackface without the intention being to shock others, gain attention, and/or be openly derisive of black people. in both occassions that i witnessed blackface, it was being carried out by all-white fraternities who had also engaged in some alternatively racist display (like putting a noose around the neck of a donkey painted black w/ big white lips). some people just find racism entertaining. for others, it's vandalism or slipping roofies into college girls' drinks.

 

[Gr0oT]

it's a conservative estimate but 4 out of 5 white people who do blackface are insensitive a-holes. but there's still a small percentage that are good people who are just unaware of the controversy. and i'm just going by experience. rarely does someone don blackface without the intention being to shock others, gain attention, and/or be openly derisive of black people. in both occassions that i witnessed blackface, it was being carried out by all-white fraternities who had also engaged in some alternatively racist display (like putting a noose around the neck of a donkey painted black w/ big white lips). some people just find racism entertaining. for others, it's vandalism or slipping roofies into college girls' drinks.

What kind of horrible ****heads do you keep company with?

 

[Arach Knight]

How does the black community truly feel about black face. If its Halloween and I am trying to portray a black character are you offended if I put black face paint on? I for one find this to be one of the more ridiculous things to be offended about.

I found an old Polaroid during Halloween when I was about 5 yrs old and my babysitter (female, around 13 with her friend) they dressed up as Steve Urkle and put on black face. I didn't find this offense I found it to be a great costume and funny.

Blackface has a lengthy and sordid history in The United States of America. Prior to the 1950s, it was common for White people to put on black shoe polish and red makeup in order to perform on stage the negative stereotypes that Whites had of Black people. These performances are known as "minstrel shows." They were a popular form of entertainment during and shortly after the Vaudeville era.

Given this long standing grievance, Black Americans have come to have a disdain for and utter distrust of White people wearing makeup in order to "pretend" that they are Black, as there have been few cases in which such behavior was undertaken with the purpose of reverencing the person being portrayed.

The other problematic aspect of such behavior is that blackface takes something intrinsic (skin color) and reduces it to something to be put on and taken off. One's Blackness is not a material thing that can be put on and off like a costume. When a Black person wants to be Peter Parker, they put on a sweater vest and grab a camera. If an Asian wants to be Superman, they slick their hair in an curl and put on the red and blue suit. Only White people have the history of painting their skin or pulling their eyes in order to portray characters that are not of the same ethnicity.

It is all highly and historically offensive. As such, the standing rule is to simply have no one use makeup to "pretend" to be another race.

 

[RockSP]

I really do want a Static movie. WB needs to just get on that one.

Static is probably really far down WB's list of movies.

Cyborg, John Stewarts Green Lantern are the most likely Black DC heroes to show up in films.

Static will probably show up in Arrow or The Flash as a guest character.

WB doesn't own the Milestone characters so I'm not sure they'd have to come out through that studio. I do remember asking McDuffie years ago on his forum if any potential Milestone cartoons had to come out through WB and he said no.

 

[terry78]

Didn't DC basically absorb Milestone though?

 

[Pink Ranger]

As such, the standing rule is to simply have no one use makeup to "pretend" to be another race.

Masks are okay though.

 

[terry78]

You asians and your rosy cheeks.

 

[RockSP]

Didn't DC basically absorb Milestone though?

If you mean they absorbed the company (Milestone Media), nah.

If you're talking about the in-story interaction between DC & Milestone characters...DC was licensing them. Similar to the deal they had with the Archie superheroes for a while.

 

[Arach Knight]

WB doesn't own the Milestone characters so I'm not sure they'd have to come out through that studio. I do remember asking McDuffie years ago on his forum if any potential Milestone cartoons had to come out through WB and he said no.

Warner Bros. is the parent company of DC Entertainment, whom is the parent company of Milestone Media. Milestone was acquired fully in 2008. The licensing deal was back in the 90s. The buyout is how the Milestone characters became integrated into the mainstream DCU, much like when Wildstorm was bought out by DC and merged with the mainstream DCU.

 

[MrMaooz]

Does Chuck Barkley have the slightest idea of what's coming out of his mouth?

 

[RockSP]

Warner Bros. is the parent company of DC Entertainment, whom is the parent company of Milestone Media. Milestone was acquired fully in 2008. The licensing deal was back in the 90s. The buyout is how the Milestone characters became integrated into the mainstream DCU, much like when Wildstorm was bought out by DC and merged with the mainstream DCU.

No. DC does not and has never owned Milestone Media. Milestone Media is owned by Derek Dingle and presumably the widow of Dwayne McDuffie, as before his death McDuffie himself along with Dingle were the owners.

 

[Lencho01]

I remember reading something about DC not having the deal anymore.

 

[Arach Knight]

No. DC does not and has never owned Milestone Media. Milestone Media is owned by Derek Dingle and presumably the widow of Dwayne McDuffie, as before his death McDuffie himself along with Dingle were the owners.

I remember there being mentions of DC acquiring Milestone back in 2008. I just checked Wikipedia and it lists Milestone's parent company as being DC Entertainment. Seems that there is some misinformation in regards to that business transaction, as the DC page for Milestone forever lists DC and Milestone continuing their partnership that began sixteen years ago. However, credibility clearly rests with DC's page.

 

[Breogan]

If an Asian wants to be Superman, they slick their hair in an curl and put on the red and blue suit. Only White people have the history of painting their skin or pulling their eyes in order to portray characters that are not of the same ethnicity.

http://asiaobscura.com/2011/11/pros...ace-american-characters-in-chinese-films.html

 

[terry78]

http://abcnews.go.com/Technology/wireStory/jesse-jackson-targets-techs-lack-diversity-22963986

So Jesse has decided to march on Silicon Valley for their lack of diversity. I agree with his stance but nobody be taking these things seriously.

 

[Arach Knight]

http://asiaobscura.com/2011/11/pros...ace-american-characters-in-chinese-films.html

So your rebuttal comes in the form of an obscure blog, listing obscure films that are decades old. On top of that, the roles being portrayed are mostly not shown with the intent to be derogatory, but rather characters being played to an effect because of the lack of casting options. Asians comprise something like 5% of the U.S. and Blacks nearly 13%. Non-Chinese people in China account for about 1%, and that is combined with other Asian nationals (e.g. Koreans and Japanese).

The contexts are incomparable. Also, Blackface continues to this day in an acrimonious manner (read: UC San Diego and the Compton Cookout). Are you seriously comparing the 50+ year old theatrical productions of a country that lacks White people to the racist behavior of current White people in America? That is utterly daft at best and disingenuous at worst.

 

[Breogan]

Only White people have the history of painting their skin or pulling their eyes in order to portray characters that are not of the same ethnicity.

listing obscure films that are decades old. .

Yeah old, hence pointing out there was a history of it, it does in fact happen in different contexts.
And Japan has a history with Blackface too. Some Bollywood too.

And not comparing them, the article clearly says it was by necessity. A world of difference.

 

[E-Man]

I think there's a difference between blackface and someone that's not black dressing up in costume as a black character. It's not really offensive if some white girl cosplayed as Storm and wore makeup to make her look black. She's just paying tribute to a character who is a different ethnicity then her. Sure she could just be a white Storm, but her trying to look black isn't something that's offensive.

Blackface is looking like the stereotypical blackface. Like Mr. Popo on a certain ****** anime that happened a long time ago. A real long time ago.

 

[Warhammer]

There's a difference between a someone who isn't black doing a cosplay of a black character (that is too much work, btw) and some frat boy saying "Oh hey, I'm going to totally be a black guy for Halloween, he he." The latter is deserving of an ass whooping.

While we're speaking of portraying another race, how about that John Wayne as Genghis Khan malarkey. Holy s***, Hollywood was ambitious back then.

 

[E-Man]

**** John Wayne.

 

[terry78]

Its still done now, onlyif its a very accomplished actor we give them a pass.

 

[Lencho01]

I've actually never seen a John Wayne film.

 

[Pink Ranger]

Its still done now, onlyif its a very accomplished actor we give them a pass.

Like Daniel Day Lewis or Kirk Lazarus.