ok no more hate thread. (1 Viewer)

[Saint by the Bay]

i feel like they did that because that was the only work they could get being an actor or entertainer...they had to feed their famlies...i think they would have rather not done this and would rather had done something fullfilling but had no other choices...they had to do it so others could do better things in the future...kinda like when jackie robinson came into mlb...do you think he enjoyed having to go through the idignities that he went through or would he have just liked to play baseball like all the white folk where...he had to do it so others could follow.

You also have to remember the amount of degradation these people experienced on a daily basis. Many of them saw themselves as subhuman and not deserving of respect because that is all the had ever experienced. Imagine the psychological effect of being told day in and day out that you were basically only slightly above the level of an animal and not deserving of respect, dignity or even basic human rights.

Wearing a little black face and acting like a fool was minor compared to the rest of their everyday lives.

 

[saintanism]

To tell the truth I am reluctant to chime in on this thread for fear of getting grilled or being misunderstood. But here goes. I think EVERYONE needs to loosen their sphincters just a little. In my opinion being hyper-sensitive over certain stereotype is just ridiculous. Sometimes we (Americans) need to find humor in our differences but also embrace what brings us all together. If Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor movies have taught me anything, it is to always be able to laugh at yourself. America hasn't been able to laugh at itself in many years thanks to political correctness. Being PC may sound noble but ultimately it only serves to divide us even more.

 

[TulsaSaint]

To tell the truth I am reluctant to chime in on this thread for fear of getting grilled or being misunderstood. But here goes. I think EVERYONE needs to loosen their sphincters just a little. In my opinion being hyper-sensitive over certain stereotype is just ridiculous. Sometimes we (Americans) need to find humor in our differences but also embrace what brings us all together. If Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor movies have taught me anything, it is to always be able to laugh at yourself. America hasn't been able to laugh at itself in many years thanks to political correctness. Being PC may sound noble but ultimately it only serves to divide us even more.

And, of course, this is very easy for us white males to say, isn't it? White males spend the better part of five centuries colonizing the rest of the world and pretty much screwing over everyone else, and then as soon a we're finally forced to stop (or at least become less blatant about it), we say, "Come on, everyone, lighten up, let's just be friends and forget all that rotten stuff from the past!"

In addition, I believe it's also very important to distinguish which types of humor might really be funny, and which might play off of centuries of historical baggage that still hurt a lot of people and bring up some bad social memories. For example, when associated with black men, nooses, whips, and slave ships are generally not considered funny. When associated with Jews, gas chambers are not very funny. And people have every right to be offended by that sort of joke. That's true with any joke - if people are offended, it's probably best to joke about something else.

 

[saintanism]

And, of course, this is very easy for us white males to say, isn't it? White males spend the better part of five centuries colonizing the rest of the world and pretty much screwing over everyone else, and then as soon a we're finally forced to stop (or at least become less blatant about it), we say, "Come on, everyone, lighten up, let's just be friends and forget all that rotten stuff from the past!"

In addition, I believe it's also very important to distinguish which types of humor might really be funny, and which might play off of centuries of historical baggage that still hurt a lot of people and bring up some bad social memories. For example, when associated with black men, nooses, whips, and slave ships are generally not considered funny. When associated with Jews, gas chambers are not very funny. And people have every right to be offended by that sort of joke. That's true with any joke - if people are offended, it's probably best to joke about something else.

Really? Are you sure? When Dave Chapel spoofed the mini-series, Roots, on his show on Comedy Central, he was tied to the whipping post with a white man saying "your name is, Toby", while he simulated flogging the "Kunta" Character. I don't know about you, but I thought the way Chapel presented it was painful, embarrassing, irreverent, and yes, damn funny! Risky? Yes. Edgy? Yes. Offensive? Probably. Funny? Damn straight it was.

The "N" word seems to be the lightening rod that gets people in a twist. But when when you heard Gabby Johnson in Blazing Saddles say "Hey, the Sheriff is a _____", you have to admit you laughed you butt off. That is unless you are either an American with no sense of humor at all, or you are German.

The point is that most great comedy is rooted in pain. Humor is just a way to mock that pain. So yes, some people will be offended by edgy jokes but no one ever said you had a right to not be offended in the U.S. Constitution. I am offended all the time by certain comedians. Bill Mahr practically insults everything I stand for each time he opens his mouth. Do I think he should be censored for it? Hell no! Do I think he's funny, Yes, sometimes I do. He is entitled to his opinion and has every right to say what he thinks. It's up to his audience to decide if it is funny, or not.

 

[Superfan]

saintanism you hit the nail on the head. thats what i been saying but i get flamed for it. remember the movie when richard pryor was blind and thought he was white and would act like he was reading newspapers. i think gene wilder was in it. Blazing saddles was funny as well. as you said the point is people need to lighten up. I think people have too much emotion in them. some people want to live in the past for all the evil that was done and not move on. you know the evil who slaughtered the indians who probably had a 2nd grade education took a crap in a hole. the point is we learn from our mistakes but don't hate me because of what others have done.

misery loves company with some people.

 

[saintanism]

saintanism you hit the nail on the head. thats what i been saying but i get flamed for it. remember the movie when richard pryor was blind and thought he was white and would act like he was reading newspapers. i think gene wilder was in it. Blazing saddles was funny as well. as you said the point is people need to lighten up. I think people have too much emotion in them. some people want to live in the past for all the evil that was done and not move on. you know the evil who slaughtered the indians who probably had a 2nd grade education took a crap in a hole. the point is we learn from our mistakes but don't hate me because of what others have done.

misery loves company with some people.

There are some who believe that we all have to atone for the sins of our fathers. I believe there is some truth to that. But I also believe that at some point there has to be place where we all have to say enough and try to come together. What better way to do that than with a good laugh?

I am a person who finds irony in almost everything. I also believe that each and every person on God's earth are subjects for jokes and satire. No one or no group of people should be safe. But then there is a big difference between satire and just plain bad taste. Sometimes it's a very thin line. Remember when Michael Richards (Kramer from Seinfeld) had his meltdown on stage? That is a case where he went too far. When Mel Brooks and Richard Pryor wrote the script to Blazing Saddles they were not out to hurt anyone. They were out to make us laugh at ourselves. They didn't pull any punches either. Every race and nationality took a hit or two in that film. Too bad a movie like Blazing Saddles would never make it out of the idea phase in todays politically correct Hollywood.

I knew America was going the down a politically correct slippery slope about twenty years ago when I noticed Ted Turner and company were starting censor old Warner Brothers and MGM cartoons. Anything Turner thought was the least bit edgy or politically incorrect was unceremoniously butchered from every Bugz Bunny, Foghorn Leghorn and Road Runner cartoon for our protection. They wouldn't even broadcast a Speedy Gonzalez cartoons for about 15 years. Today instead of mindless cartoon violence that is actually funny, kids get to watch Sponge Bob and Yugioh...How sad.