Who -- or what -- embarrasses us?

Is there a black actor or actress who embarrasses us?

Is there a "black" movie that embarrasses us?

Comments

[johnny wishbone]

Tyler Perry

[theblackactor.com]

Thank you Johnny Wishbone!

I will revisit this question from time to time.

Thank you for responding! If people respond to this, I will post something about the responses. If not, this topic is still not going away on this blog. LOL.

[LaJane Galt]

*interlocks fingers, reverses hands, cracks knuckles, kicks back w/ feet on desk*

-Soul Plane: I would have sent Mohammad Atta an offering through PayPal, some boxcutter blades and a Tupperware full of falafel to take that one down.

-Tyler Perry: I remember the commercials for his chitlin circuit plays. He jumped up and down on the stage w/ those big, floppy titties. Plus, the "professional black woman can't get a man 'cause she's too uppity" gets old and is destructive (& is kinda odd coming from someone who is...SUSPECT).

-Any black man in a dress: Late 90s Eddie & Martin. Honorable Mention to Martin's show. (This exludes those where drag is integral to the character e.g, Holiday Heart, Wong Foo.)

-Any "black family sittin' around a big ol' table" & "soul train line" film. [Yes, I like Mac & Cheese and dancing, but not all the time/at the same time.] Don't we have irony or film noir moments too?

-Virtually anything with a rapper in it. (good movies w/ rapper in a skill appropriate role = Lackawanna Blues; Chicago). Belly was one looong, bad video.

-Magical Negro pics (Bagger Vance, Bruce Almighty, Unbreakable)

-Mo'Nique: NO you don't have to be a size 4 (or a 6, or an 8) but obesity is NOT ok. It.is.deadly. See Big Mama's leg.

-Chris Tucker - he single-handedly brought "jive-talkin'" back...in a falsetto that could make Barry Gibb weep.

-Any black woman who does ads in the tradition of Mammy (Pine Sol, ad w/ roller coaster, bug-eyed frowny lady who gets hit on head while on a plane)

-Gone w/ the Wind (I'll let Hattie & Butterfly off the hook 'cause it was 1939)

[theblackactor.com]

@ LaJane

Hee hee (*interlocks fingers, reverses hands, cracks knuckles, kicks back w/ feet on desk*) you make me laugh. :)

But anyhoo,

1. I figured Soul Plane might come up. I refused to go see it when it was out. But, regrettably, I will have to see it now... for the blog. Oh Lawd. LOL

2. professional black woman can't get a man 'cause she's too uppity" gets old

I agree.
Suspect! Chile please. LOL.

3. Yeah, I posted on that. "Show me your tits, black man..."

4. black family sittin.
OMG! - I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!

6. Monique...
OMG! - I TOTALLY AGREE WITH YOU!

7. Chris Tucker
LMFAO - LaJane, you make me laugh. :)

Any black woman who does ads in the tradition of Mammy (Pine Sol

Goddamit, I wish this mammy bitch would die!

Anyhoo, your post was great, LaJane. And funny, too! Thank youuuuuuuuuu!

[jazzyphile]

The pinesol babe. I tinking the actress is saying, "Honey, that's easy money".

[Dominic]

Not that I can think about right off the top of my head. Probably The Amistad Character. You mentioned him before. I just really get tired of see these black actors playing underneath white actors. The all black films get played out to.. I love seeing us but we need to be mixed in with everyone else. Like the way will smith was mixed in with Eva Mendes. Two strong characters. Its tough I know. Also I'm tired of Ice Cube playing the smart one and whoever playing beside him be the dumb fool. Ex: Friday (chris tucker) Next Friday (Mike Epps). Every comedy he does he needs a comedian that he can make feel stupid cause he himself is a sorry actor

[theblackactor.com]

@ Jazzyphile...

Ha ha :) I'm thinkin' you're right. :)

@ Dominic

Tell it! Yeah, you were talking about Djimon Hounsou. I so agree with you about the all black films being played out. Good point!!

[aulelia]

lol @ la jane about gone with the wind -- you hit the bulls eye there!!

*what does embarrass me is any BLACK CHARACTER that is a token or the only black character in a cast full of whites. so while beverly hills cop was jokes, eddie was on his own there!

*@Dominic + Black Actor -- may I ask, why do you think that black actors need to be 'mixed' in with everyone else?

[theblackactor.com]

@ Aulelia

cuz that's how the real world is. Of course, I believe there's a place for films that depict scenarios where it's all us. After all, that's our lives every day. But there are other lives and other realities -- realities wherein blacks and whites and asians and latinos and... mix -- in professional, social, familial environments. This is reality. The people I work with and the people I socialize with -- for the most part, it's two very different worlds. That is true of many black people.

[Shion]

Marlon Wayans in " Dungeons & Dragon" ...pick it up at your own risk...you are warned!!!
New York from "Flava of Love"...I am sure I am not the only one.I never saw her other show and refused to do so.I saw her in a couple of episodes of "Flavor" and just cringe...she seems like every negative stereotype you can say about a black woman. I hear that she is actually an actress playing a part but that is just a little to trifling.

[theblackactor.com]

@ Shion

Ha ha. :) As for New York, you're definitely not the only one.

[Dominic]

We need to be mixed to Brake Barriers. Brad pit with Denzel. Al Pacino and Will Smith. Julia Roberts and Halle. When we brake barriers like that we show that we are "in" America. Yes Being in all black films are inspiring and I love them (especially that movie "G"). I would eventually love for America to see us not just as "Black American Actors". But more importantly as "Actors". Look @ Will Smith in the movie " Enemy of the State". Will Prominence has everyone wanting him. Every American Loves him. Notice I said every "American". Some how we have to brake the barriers. Wesley Snipes did it. He lead in the superhero film "blade". We can do it. Miss Nathan in "something new". She lead. We as black actors can do it. We need to for future actors/actresses
Peace

[LaJane Galt]

BA - I'm glad you appreciate my humor. If I didn't laugh I'll cry, like I almost did when I saw the trailer for
Who's Your Caddy. In the interest of candor, I didn't make it past 10-15 minutes of Soul Plane (disclaimer: I was at home on the couch lying down, I did not go to the theater).

Shion~ I hope that's not true. But then again....maybe it's some sort of NYU film school/grad school interdisciplinary project? (can I be any more desperate?)

Dom- I actually agree w/ the part about us mixing. Most actors are either American or British. We are part of the society and should be viewed as such. We also have "separate" lives. I wouldn't want to see black actors relegated [anymore] to a cinematic ghetto.

This is not a film, but the worst movie moment of my life occurred when "It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" won an Oscar. It out-cooned Cuba "backflip" Gooding by spades [pun intended]. I usually have a glass of pinot noir and watch the awards. That year I had a bottle and called my friend in hysterics.

[theblackactor.com]

@ LaJane

Yikes. Pimp. Girl, I still cringe when I think of this

"It's Hard out Here for a Pimp" won an Oscar."

I've written a post about that; nothing much. I'll put up here one day.

It out-cooned Cuba "backflip" Gooding by spades [pun intended].

It did indeed. :) :)

When they won for that, I was moritifed; wanted to crawl into a hole. LOL.

[LaJane Galt]

I forgot....Miguel Nunez & Juwanna Mann

[Orville]

Oh my goodness I love this topic! I have mixed emotions about Tyler Perry. I agree that the Madea character is the classic stereotypical black mammy. I also question why does a black man have to put on a dress to garner a box office hit? I think Eddie Murphy has to be on the list he is such a joke I have zero respect for Murphy. The way how Murphy was so disrespectful to Melanie Brown I cannot forgive him for that!
He lied and said he wasn't sure if the child was his. Melanie stayed strong and the truth came out the baby was is. Yet Eddie attempted to humiliate Melanie and her reptuation. Murphy also has so many other kids. There are rumours he has at least a bunch of babies out of wedlock.

Another black actor I don't like is Chris Tucker. I am embarassed about is Chris Tucker. Chris Tucker is the stereotypical black coon. Tucker talks with that weird nasal voice and he bugs his eyes out. I know Tucker does this on purpose but he's such a stereotype of the black minstrel.
Tucker just cares about making money but he looks like an idiot on the silver screen he's such a joke.

I also do not like 50 CENT. Yes I know 50 CENT has only done one movie but I think he's the stereotype of the black buck.

Halle Berry is another person I have lost respect for. Yeah I know people will bitch at me for this one. However, I just find Berry so false these days. It has taken me so long to figure out the game hse is playing. Halle comes across as very selfish she complains every single time she has a movie out about how hard her life is.

Yes it must be so hard making over $10 million per movie, endorsements with Versace, and Revlon and other companies. Its got to be tough living the A list lifestyle and being the only black woman that gets consistent mainstream press besides Beyonce.

And no its not just because of Monster's Ball either. Although I think Berry made a big deal about Monster's Ball as I revisit that movie I think that film is all about perpetuating a lot of racist and sexist stereotypes about black female sexuality. I wish someone more young black women can be A LIST. Yes Halle Berry is a solid actress but my goodness the crap she is doing these days from Perfect Stranger, Catwoman, Things We Lost In A Fire. What went wrong?

[Orville]

I am going to "disagree" with black actors needing to "mix" with whites to make it in Hollywood. I think it all comes down to "writing" and the "gatekeepers." Shonda Rhimes is a gatekeeper. Yet the black media haven't taken her to task. Yes I know Rhimes is on TV. However, Rhimes made Ellen Pompeo and Kate Walsh two white women the stars of "Grey's Anatomy" and "Private Practice". My question is here you have a black woman Shonda Rhimes she has the power to make a black actress the star but chooses not to. Shonda once again resorts to the tired and true stereotypes of black female sexuality. Chandra Wilson is a mammy on Grey's Anatomy, Audra McDonald is a step up from Mammy she's the white girl's best friend. But of course Audra cannot be the star of the show.

Denzel Washington and Will Smith are the only two leading black men. And in Smith and Washington's movies they are ALWAYS THE STAR. The white actors in their films are subordinate to them and everyone knows that.

My question is when will "other" black actors get to do movies that move beyond race? I mean beyond the Soul Food style movies, beyond the Tyler Perry type of flicks? Enough with the black comedies.

I want to see black women and men besides Smith and Washington in a powerful and serious dramas, action flicks ect? When is that going to happen?