Whiteface

[kddani]

With all the blackface debate, I wanted to start a thread about this.

I don't know what the movie is called, but last night I saw a commercial for a movie coming out with two black guys who dress up as white girls, complete with whiteface.

Yes, whiteface doesn't have the historical context.

But when fair is fair, how is this right?

[1savvydiva]

Originally posted by kddani
With all the blackface debate, I wanted to start a thread about this.

I don't know what the movie is called, but last night I saw a commercial for a movie coming out with two black guys who dress up as white girls, complete with whiteface.

Yes, whiteface doesn't have the historical context.

But when fair is fair, how is this right?

...so, this might be a BIT of a stretch.

[ZZ-kai-]

Turn-about is fair play, right? Well, I doubt that Ben Aflack and Matt Damon could dress up in blackface and shoot a movie. God forbid, they do it, they'd be racist??!!

[smiley21]

The movie is "White Chicks"- i think that is what it is called. It stars the Wayans Brothers.

Turn about is fair play. Maybe they are trying to put the shoe on the other foot. Whatever the reason, I dont support it.

[SiKeS]

OMG I'm enraged. Petitioning and protests begin tomorrow.

[LeslieAGD]

Originally posted by smiley21
The movie is "White Chicks"- i think that is what it is called. It stars the Wayans Brothers.

http://movies.yahoo.com/shop?d=hp&cf=prev&id=1808512469

After messing up a major drug bust in New York City, two African American FBI agents, Marcus and Kevin Copeland (Shawn and Marlon Wayans), try to impress their boss by volunteering to protect the Wilton Sisters, Tiffany and Brittany, the heiresses of a hotel empire, from a kidnapping scheme. Deciding to change the strategy drastically, the brothers use themselves as bait, wearing lots of pale makeup and dresses to pass as the Wilton sisters, while the real sisters are hidden away, safe from harm.

[smiley21]

so obviously based on the Hilton sisters

[Rudey]

Originally posted by kddani
With all the blackface debate, I wanted to start a thread about this.

I don't know what the movie is called, but last night I saw a commercial for a movie coming out with two black guys who dress up as white girls, complete with whiteface.

Yes, whiteface doesn't have the historical context.

But when fair is fair, how is this right?

Who financed this movie? Were they white by any chance?

-Rudey

[CarolinaCutie]

While I don't think this movie is offensive, it is tasteless. What's the POINT?

I was thinking the same thing myself the other day. I guess it does depend on the context of the movie.

Turn about is very fair play.

I can't remember an outrage over Soul Man. http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0091991/

I don't think it will be very funny. If I were white I'm not sure how I'd feel. It just seems like a corny ass plot to me.

Whoever financed this film seems bit out of touch with current affairs in the college world at least.

[SouthrnBelle]

Has anybody seen trailers? I seriously DOUBT the Wayans Brothers will have WHITEFACE. I think they will be wearing "pale makeup" and you'll also still be able to tell they are African American. Anywhoo, the movie sounds dumb as hell anyway.

[KillarneyRose]

Really, no good can come from anyone in whiteface...

[KSig RC]

Originally posted by kddani
With all the blackface debate, I wanted to start a thread about this.

I don't know what the movie is called, but last night I saw a commercial for a movie coming out with two black guys who dress up as white girls, complete with whiteface.

Yes, whiteface doesn't have the historical context.

But when fair is fair, how is this right?

A.) you should have stopped at the "historical context" line - counselor, you've cracked the case right there

B.) if you've seen a trailor for the movie . . . it's not "whiteface" a la "blackface", it's wearing a full frigging headmask that makes them appear, to all eyes, white. If you don't see how this is different from blackface, then we'll have a little Al Jolson speech delivered on what blackface actually was.

[smiley21]

Originally posted by SouthrnBelle
Has anybody seen trailers? I seriously DOUBT the Wayans Brothers will have WHITEFACE. I think they will be wearing "pale makeup" and you'll also still be able to tell they are African American. Anywhoo, the movie sounds dumb as hell anyway.

i have seen the previews many times. they have very whitish pale makeup on. it is obvious that they are black guys. however, if you look at them really hard and forget who they really are, they could pass for white girls....not

[sugar and spice]

Originally posted by CarolinaCutie
While I don't think this movie is offensive, it is tasteless. What's the POINT?

I agree with this.

Also, when you ignore historical context, you miss the entire argument. As I have stated over and over in the "white Chingy" thread. Historical context is a HUGE part of any racial debate.

But, to take the topic and run with it, blacks are not the only ones subjected to "blackface" in the history of American film. In fact, some other races were subjected to it long after blackface fell out of favor -- Mr. Yunioshi in Breakfast at Tiffany's? It's still quite popular to have Italians play Hispanics or vice versa in films, sometimes for the point of parody. Where should the line be drawn?