Robert Downey Jr controversy
- Thread starter Will E Worm
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member006
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There's a comic directing it too. What of that? Acting is just that 'acting' if the movie does well then they'll praise him. If not they'll blame him, now that they've found a scapegoat. He was hired to act, not be himself.
To say why not hire a black man for the part is silly to me. Its like saying that all Klingon's should have been played by ugly people with high foreheads. Or the whole cast of Planet of the Apes should have been played by extremely ugly people that look like monkeys.
Makeup is a HUGE part of Hollywood entertainment, always has been. The illusion is the blood of the art. Sheesh, it only makes the part harder to play. I don't even care much for him, but I do wish him the best.
No offence Christmas Ape. I hope you're not as sensitive as those Cavemen guys are.
LL
To say why not hire a black man for the part is silly to me. Its like saying that all Klingon's should have been played by ugly people with high foreheads. Or the whole cast of Planet of the Apes should have been played by extremely ugly people that look like monkeys.
Makeup is a HUGE part of Hollywood entertainment, always has been. The illusion is the blood of the art. Sheesh, it only makes the part harder to play. I don't even care much for him, but I do wish him the best.
No offence Christmas Ape. I hope you're not as sensitive as those Cavemen guys are.
LL
I think it is too reminiscant of the time when white performers appeared in what was called "Blackface".
member006
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Exactly. Its entertainment, that's all.
While I suppose it can be reminiscent of the vaudeville days. We are no longer in the turn of the century times are we? Its time to get past being sensitive to such things. We are now in 2008 and need to move on. Entertainment is illusion for the most part anyway. As I said before I feel acting is acting, its not being yourself. :dunno:
Natalie Wood had her features changed with makeup in several great movies. 'West Side Story' for one and in another I can't think of at the moment, anywho she played an American Indian in it. Many westerns we all enjoy and our parents and grandparents enjoyed used make-up. I mean come on. There weren't many American Indian actors then either.
LL
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Robert Downey is a better actor than Al Jolson :2 cents:
Minstrel 2.0 gets my approval
Minstrel 2.0 gets my approval
Blackface was used well after the turn of the century,I can post pics of Mickey Rooney doing it in the 40s. And on westerns and things like Rock Hudson who played an Indian in "Winchester 73",every time I see it I chuckle.Why weren't there more real Indians used ?,I think we know why.Just because people enjoyed things in the past dosen't mean they were right.How would you like it if they started eliminating womens parts in movies to be played by men cross dressing..While were at it let me mention I know you are a fan of the Redskins,do you know most indians find that word extremely offensive?
I'm black and I find it clever. It's clearly not trying to satire blacks. At this rate you might as well say "Why didn't they hire homosexuals to play in Brokeback Mountain?" Robert Downey Jr. is an actor and that is what he is doing. I think people try to find controversy in everything. Before you know it Al Sharpton is going to lead a boycott against this movie. There are some issues that deserve it but this isn't one of them. How are we supposed to move on if everyone has to make an issue out of every little thing that comes along? There probably were some black actors that could of played the role but Downey Jr. happened to be perfect for the role. The article clearly says that Downey Jr. opted to do this so that they wouldn't have to change the role. It's a comedy, if he had been playing a Hispanic or Native American character no one would've said anything.
member006
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No need for pictures, I believe you. I was just thinking early vaudeville off the top of my head. Wasn't Mickey Rooney playing a part of someone who played a 'blackface' in vaudeville though? Anywho, Carroll O'Connor did a bit on 'All in the Family' too. I don't see where it hurt anyone. I do know the Rock Hudson movie you speak of and yes he looked silly as hell. Makeup has come a long long way since then though.
As for the 'Redskins' name battle, I know the battle all to well. Its just as asinine as any other whine of that type. The Redskins have had that name since 1932, its only here recently that younger American Indians saw a can of worms to open. Its not been used for berating them, we wear it with pride. Even though I am sure that they like us, have felt shame of some seasons. If I can still be a devoted fan, they can get over the use of the name.
LL
No need for pictures, I believe you. I was just thinking early vaudeville off the top of my head. Wasn't Mickey Rooney playing a part of someone who played a 'blackface' in vaudeville though? Anywho, Carroll O'Connor did a bit on 'All in the Family' too. I don't see where it hurt anyone. I do know the Rock Hudson movie you speak of and yes he looked silly as hell. Makeup has come a long long way since then though.
As for the 'Redskins' name battle, I know the battle all to well. Its just as asinine as any other whine of that type. The Redskins have had that name since 1932, its only here recently that younger American Indians saw a can of worms to open. Its not been used for berating them, we wear it with pride. Even though I am sure that they like us, have felt shame of some seasons. If I can still be a devoted fan, they can get over the use of the name.
LL
The movie that Rooney did blackface in was called "Babes in arms".
http://us.imdb.com/title/tt0031066/
And it was not a spoof of it .
On the redskins thing ,you may be unaware of the words history.So here is the wik link on it.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Redskin_(slang)
I find it interesting that on the issue of womens day men are not supposed to whine and as you know I agreed ,but you are fine it seems with being insensitive to the issue of a despicable word like "redskins".The words origins actually refers to a bounty paid on the skin of people.And all this "get over it" talk is just a way people like to deny the past and its legacy.How would it be if there was a team called the Pittsburgh Spearchuckers, or would you tell jews who will not forget the holocaust to "get over it"? All people deserve respect,men,women,whites,blacks,indians,etc.When we start defining which offensives we will tolerate and which ones we won't it is a slippey slope that leads to treatment we would not want for ourselves of some peoples.
member006
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I never said a spoof. I said he was playing the part of someone that played a 'blackfaced' part in the storyline.
We should learn from the past and move forward too. I don't deny the past or the wrongs that were done to many races. Also I don't have an insensitive bone in my body. We are a wiser and more educated society now in my eyes and should spend our time united and battling the important things like global warming. Things that affect everyone no matter their color and are far more important. Not fighting amongst ourselves over things that are in the past. Or none of us will have a future.
Pittsburgh Spearchuckers is a stretch don't you think? Come on now. Of course that would not be acceptable. Everyone should pick their battles, not waste energies on things such as makeup in acting rolls and a football teams name that they've had since 1932. Lets all work on the big picture.
LL
No its not as blackface at least I don't think it is lol.Its him actually transformed by make up to be a black.Its actually pretty good job on the make up if you click the link,you will see.He is playing a part that was enviosioned would be played by a black.
I didn't mean to say "blackface". I just got caught up with you guys saying it.:tongue:
Will E Worm
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I don't like the name either and it needs to be changed. Because it is a racial slur.
As far as controversy about playing a race that isn't your own that doesn't bother me.
On the other hand if I was a struggling black actor it would irritate me that they would pick somebody that wasn't black and make them that way instead of going with a more logical choice and just choosing a black person. It sort of reminds me of the movie Monster with Charlize Theron where instead of actually getting an unattractive person for the role they get somebody that looks good and them make her unattractive just so she could be in the movie.
If I was a producer I don't think I would do something like that,...unless the person I choose was the definite best person I could ever possibly get or at least among a group of only a few that were good enough for the part and where they were so uniquely suited to the part that nobody else in the world could possible do it as well as they could if they could do it at all. Then I might make an exception.
On the other hand if I was a struggling black actor it would irritate me that they would pick somebody that wasn't black and make them that way instead of going with a more logical choice and just choosing a black person. It sort of reminds me of the movie Monster with Charlize Theron where instead of actually getting an unattractive person for the role they get somebody that looks good and them make her unattractive just so she could be in the movie.
If I was a producer I don't think I would do something like that,...unless the person I choose was the definite best person I could ever possibly get or at least among a group of only a few that were good enough for the part and where they were so uniquely suited to the part that nobody else in the world could possible do it as well as they could if they could do it at all. Then I might make an exception.
How come I don't remember a fuss when some of the Wayans brothers went white for the classic "White Chicks"?
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