Mes Deux Cents: Different sides of the same coin?

Tuesday, March 11, 2008

Different sides of the same coin?

Is this...

really that much worse than this...

or this?

What do you think?

Is a White man mocking Black women really that much worse than a Black man doing it?

19 comments:

Don said...: I think it is. Im somewhat delusional though. Nah, let me stop playing. Ive never laughed when another color mocks a black person (male or female), so that has to mean something.; March 11, 2008 at 4:41 AM
Ann Brock said...: Mes Deux Cent I don't consider what Tyler Perry do as mocking or harming Black Woman. I can relate to Tyler Big MaMa roles. I have read on the net what this white guy is doing it is total different from what Mr. Perry do. I really don't even think they should be compaired to each other.; March 11, 2008 at 4:46 AM
Sleeperwithheavyeyes said...: Its different the same way saying the n-word is different.; March 11, 2008 at 8:00 AM
Brown Girl Gumbo said...: I do believe it's very different. There's just no acceptable explanation for someone who isn't black to put on makeup and act as if they were black. It's totally disrespectful and should not be tolerated in any form.

I do have a problem with so many black actors who always end up in a dress in movies. Thankfully, Will Smith hasn't gone there yet!; March 11, 2008 at 9:13 AM
Brown Girl Gumbo said...: Oh yeah...you should find a photo of Martin as "Big Momma" to put it up there too!; March 11, 2008 at 9:18 AM
Eb the Celeb said...: I think it is... I think its the old notion that we can talk and make fun of ourselves but you cant do it.. .Like you can joke all day about how crazy your family might be but if someone else says something about them you are ready to fight. Why cant white men make fun of white women... big black women should be off limits to them!; March 11, 2008 at 9:59 AM
Tami said...: It is no different.

It is denigrating and playing on stereotypes of black women as loud, sassy, crude, fat, aggressive, domineering and hypersexual. Why would black men who claim to care about us want to perpetuate those ugly images? It is worth noting that in Norbit (which I did not see), the true love interest, played by Thandie Newton is fair skinned, dainty, silky haired and very much in keeping with European beauty standards.; March 11, 2008 at 1:45 PM
Liz Dwyer said...: I can't stand and refuse to support any of it. I hate the images of us that are put out there. It's exactly what Tami said. If they can't get Mo'Nique to play the loud, fat and violent black woman, then the studio heads dress black men up. It's disgusting.; March 11, 2008 at 2:50 PM
tasha212 said...: I like Tyler Perry's movies. As a southern girl, I can say that I have people in my family like the characters in Madea's movies. I listened to Shirley Q. Liquor and that is now even comparable to Tyler Perry.; March 11, 2008 at 8:15 PM
Mes Deux Cents said...: Don, JJ B, Ensayn, HC, BGG, Eb,

But the problem is t hat some people think that if Tyler Perry or Eddie Murphy do it then it's okay for them.

I think that there should be zero tolerance for this kind of stuff, whether it is a Black or a White man doing it.
___________________________________

Tami & Liz,

I think we are on one accord about this. I, like you Liz, have never seen a Tyler Perry film and have no plans to.

And Tami you make a very good point about Thandie Newton playing the 'opposite' of the mocked stereotypical Black woman.; March 11, 2008 at 9:30 PM
Mes Deux Cents said...: Tasha,

I understand that there may be certain recognizable aspects of Tyler Perry's character but it's a fine line between entertainment and mocking.; March 11, 2008 at 9:32 PM
Anonymous said...: No... I don't see a huge difference.

It's minstrelsy... and I refuse to be part of it or support it.; March 12, 2008 at 6:12 AM
GoldenAh said...: >>What do you think?

I'm familiar with the heavyset bw characters done by Eddie Murphy and Tyler Perry. I don't know the other one.

I no longer spend any money on anything Murphy is in. I wouldn't spend money to see anything by Tyler Perry: a friend showed me a clip from a DVD of the stage show (Diary) years ago. She liked it. I did not.

So, whenever I see the heavyset black woman in a TV show or movie I avoid it. The media isn't complementary or nice to black women, the heavyset one is just a punchline to these people.

>>Is a White man mocking Black women really that much worse than a Black man doing it?

Since it's men mocking the same stereotyped black woman: no.; March 12, 2008 at 2:01 PM
Don said...: @ mes: Umm, I prefer if you addressed my comments seperately. Thank you.

Im just playin with you. Always down to make a person smile. LOL.; March 12, 2008 at 2:17 PM
Don said...: @ those who dont watch tyler perry movies: actually his plays are very entertaining, in other ways too. Im biased though. Dude took nothing and turned it into something. Thats the big picture I see when watching his movies. Although he could stand to buckle down on his scriptwriting.; March 12, 2008 at 2:20 PM
Mes Deux Cents said...: Gunfighter,

I totally agree; it is minstralcy.

_____________________________________

GoldenAh,

I think Sherri Shepard and Mo'Nique are perfect examples of how the media likes us to be portrayed.

___________________________________

Don,

Lmao....Okay pal! :); March 12, 2008 at 9:42 PM
Lady Di said...: Not trying to clog up your box but I had to repsond to this on this one Mes. Eddie & Martin's characters are playing on big woman which is used as more comic story than "Madea". Tyler's role STARTED out as he was a big MAN in a woman's outfit so fitting and dealing with real issues with a (church but not preachy) moralistic theme. I recall Tyler's plays back years ago prior to the weight loss you see today. He was not slim and his "Madea" costume just added topmost portions but not a negative steeotype to a very, very healthy woman... in my eye. All have portrayed a women and it really is not that deep for me.

But yes, I do have a problem with any white person trying to be a person of color OUTRIGHTLY and vice versa.; March 13, 2008 at 7:45 PM
Lady Di said...: Oh I forgot, Norbit was a one off movie right? Well what about Robin Williams as Mrs. Doubtfire, Dustin Hoffman as Tootsie and the horrific Two Wang Foo or whatever it was called that Patrick Swayze, John L and Wesley Snipes did?!?! Are we counting those?? A couple of those are white mocking white. Is that bad?!?!; March 13, 2008 at 7:48 PM
B said...: I think there is a difference too. One is racist and sexist and the other is just sexist.; May 29, 2008 at 2:36 PM