Musical Number in Blackface
I missed the recent airing of this film on TCM. Did they cut the "Blackface" number of the Four Cohans? It must be considered offensive.
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I recorded it when it came on TCM a couple of months ago(March or april) and they showed it, and as for the July 4th airing, I'm pretty sure it was included in there as well.
Unlike today, blackface was a common part of vaudeville entertainment and was not offensive.
"After all, TOMORROW is ANOTHER DAY"
It was always offensive. That's like saying slavery used to be legal so it was morally fine then.
Wrong is wrong, man. And racism is always wrong.
It has not always been offensive. Maybe to Black people, but only white people saw it in the theatre houses they frequented. I'm pretty sure, since segregation was law of the land, black entertainment venues did not practice this. Maybe they did, maybe they didn't. Maybe they didn't care. But blacks had no voice in this day, so they really couldn't be heard.
"After all, TOMORROW is ANOTHER DAY"
"It has not always been offensive. Maybe to Black people,"
Then it was wrong- it was mocking and cruel. I really can't believe people can defend black face.
I'm not defending it.
I'm simply saying it was a different time. Even blacks, because they were made so inferior, laughed at themselves being ridiculed.
But I am NOT defending racism!
"After all, TOMORROW is ANOTHER DAY"
Do a bit of research on Minstrel-ism, folks. It it isn't as simple as it might seem. It certainly is offensive to our 21st century sensibilities but it was also the vehicle for a large part of the continuation of the song process.
Michelle Shocked (for one) has an interesting take on this subject.
My sister says they showed that segment on TCM this July 4 but I missed that part. What song did they sing in that segment? Very often, such numbers get cut from the film such as in "The Dolly Sisters" number in blackface.
share Gladiator fighting was dead wrong, but it was accepted 1900-2000 years
ago. Human sacrafice was wrong, but has been practiced for thousands of
years and maybeeven today. It is all a part of history. You can't look
through 21st century eyes back thousands or even hundreds of yesrs.
so you're saying it was 3/5 offensive?
some of the best moments we pass in this life are in the dreams of others
The point isn't whether it is offensive or not. The Four Cohans performing minstrel numbers is historically accurate. Minstrelsy was part of the American theater scene at the time period. Should we pretend that it did not happen because it is "offensive"? Rewriting history is NEVER a good thing(Are you listening, Texas?).
shareNo film should ever be cut for TV.
shareBlackface is not the same as racism, boy. Racism is always wrong. Yes, wrong is wrong. And you are wrong when you suggest that blackface was racist.
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Not offensive to whom? Rest assured that blackface has always been offensive to black people (even though many black entertainers did it themselves). Their offense taken at it was either ignored by white people or was not allowed to exist publicly at that time. To say that it was "not offensive" is nonsense.
shareIt was not offensive to the audience who came to see the show. If it HAD been, the practice would have been discontinued.
"Offensiveness" is entirely subjective and is a matter of opinion.
And slavery didn't offend everybody either while it was still occurring in this country.
Whose opinion is worth more - yours, or mine?
"Joey, have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"
Obviously it wasn't offensive to some people, or it wouldn't have happened, as you say. But that doesn't make it okay.
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