Posts of the Day 1/15/13

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

[Younger Brother]

However you feel about it, it's their opinion. Why does a thread need to be created about it?

[Patronus]

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

You're right, Younger Brother. I apologize for trying to refute Dave19's opinions about Chicken Wing Sauce.

[bjh2114]

Well... for one thing, he said "we all know ethnicity does not matter in this story". Have you seen the movie? Ethnicity, while not a hot button topic the way it is in some films, DEFINITELY comes in to play.

Secondly, who said that the producers didn't consider white actresses? Perhaps Heather Headley was just BETTER than them? Did you ever consider that?

I'm with Phyllis. The post is all kinds of ridiculous. Opinions are fine. But uninformed statements and legitimate opinions are not the same thing.

[bjh2114]

^Also the thing about the chicken wings lol.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Or, you know, racist comments.

[Jordan Catalano]

Did you guys know that Victor Garber burst out of the closet yesterday screaming "I'M QUEER, BITCHES!!

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

I heard that, but since I'm a BWW poster I have to be smug and dismissive about it.

[Jordan Catalano]

Oh. Yeah, I don't really care. I mean, I heard it but y'know, whatever.

[PattyO'Furniture]

While Dave19's sentiment might not be the most popular, it is valid.

I think there's a gender double-standard, too. When a male plays female, I think it is sometimes for comic effect, whereas when a female plays a male role, it's sometimes considered more "legitimate".

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

What is valid about his thoughts that a white Rachel in The Bodyguard would result in broken windows and chicken wing sauce?

[Reginald Tresilian]

"While Dave19's sentiment might not be the most popular, it is valid."

Ok, I'll confess my ignorance here. What are some examples of white actors playing black roles and all hell breaking loose? (I assume we're talking about recent instances, not latter-day reactions to things like Amos and Andy.)

[PattyO'Furniture]

RT, There are none that I can think of, but - I hope I'm not stepping on the OP's toes - I think that's exactly the point being made. It's not even attempted or suggested.

In THE LION KING, I feel it is safe for me to say that the role of Simba is traditionally played by a black actor even though the story does not mandate it - they're animals, after all. I feel some, maybe many, would actually verbalize, "I can't believe they cast a white Simba. Afterall, Sarabi and Mufasa are black. That makes absolutely no sense!" I'm expressing my ignorance here - does anyone know of any white actors who have played Simba?

However, in LES MISERABLES, when Eponine is played by a black actress, most of the audience/industry accepts the colorblind casting. Does the show & story call for a white actress? Not really, I suppose, but if the Thenardiers are both white, shouldn't Eponine be...not black?

In short: if a white actor were to assume a traditional black role, people seem to be encouraged to express confusion, even slight outrage. When a black actor assumes a traditional white role, expression of confusion is considered insensitive and a little racist.

This, to me, constitutes a double standard, but it is one that I acknowledge and accept. It's just part of the bigger picture.

[Reginald Tresilian]

PattyO'F, I think if you examine theater history, you'll find there's a plethora of white actors playing roles written as nonwhite characters.

And if you examine just this board's history, you'll see there were any number of vehement objections to, to take one recent example, the casting of blacks in a couple of Tennessee Williams plays.

[Reginald Tresilian]

And if you think there are no examples of blacks taking over white roles, why do you think the OP was correct to assume there'd be broken windows and chicken wing sauce splashed on the walls as a result?

[PattyO'Furniture]

RT - I think we're on different pages of different chapters in different books. Anyway, different casting choices do help to keep this industry alive and exciting, and that's very important.

[Yero my Hero]

I'm expressing my ignorance here - does anyone know of any white actors who have played Simba?

Not exactly, off the top of my head, but Adam Jacobs is Filipino, not black.

[AEA AGMA SM]

And I believe that Adam Jacobs is only half Filipino.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Any word about chicken wing sauce spattering the walls of the Disney Theatrical offices?

[My Oh My]

Just got done reading that thread, and boy, aspirin, anyone?

All warped logic aside, I'm rather impressed by the majority of this board stepping up to the plate and not falling into some of the more overused diversion subtopics that have plagued similar threads on here before. For example, racism being a matter of strictly skin color and the number of posts focusing on trivial crap like hair color and historical accuracy. I really dug the level-headed posts by Phyllis Rogers Stone and Gaveston among all the madness; loved the fat Jesus story as well; and was reluctantly entertained once again by the way Newintown is this forum's punching bag. They helped me stop making grunting noises at the screen, even if I'd whimper every now and then for the punching bag.

In the end, I agreed with at least one point that every last person in that thread made. It wasn't surprising that it got heated; it's a topic that most people don't think enough about to know how to handle.

I almost didn't post this, because I felt it may come across as if I think I'm some authority on everything and I'm appearing to give either my stamp of approval or to declare y'all dumb. Meh, not at all. Just reflecting. And of course I value what I think, doesn't mean you should. And that's OK.


In the end, it's OK if people want to make it about the latest forum troll, Newintown, or Dave, or whomever. I think it's far more important to question and explore other people's reasoning than to tiptoe around them and be complacent. That's not the same as taking cheap shots and being dismissive, just like saying something you feel should be said, isn't necessarily being self-important and a bully. It was great until the end, where most everyone got sloppy and then it fell apart.

I love this board! :)

[SNAFU]

Actually in recent years The title role of The Emperor Jones was played by a white woman in blackface. It didn't encourage Hell breaking loose but critical raves.