A Brief History of White Dudes Playing Black Dudes in Movies
When you think about it, it’s actually surprising how much press Robert Downey Jr. is getting for his role as a black man in the new film Tropic Thunder. After all, white dudes have been playing black dudes in movies since the dawn of Hollywood. Here’s a brief look at some of the more fascinating instances of white dudes playing blacks.
Al Jolson - The Jazz Singer (1927)
In this first-ever talking picture, Al Jolson gives a fair and balanced portrayal of a black man, as is demonstrated by this ACTUAL STILL from the movie.
Laurence Olivier - Othello (1965)
Sir Laurence continues the long tradition of whites playing Othello that stretches all the way back to Bill Shakespeare’s time. Because apparently back in the day white dudes couldn’t even bare to watch a black guy PRETEND to bang a white broad.
C. Thomas Howell - Soul Man (1986)
I remember there being a lot of outrage at the time about this movie being racist. But where was the outrage about how retarded the premise was?!?! Now I can suspend my disbelief just as much as the next guy, but how much of a mongoloid would someone have to be to buy C. Thomas Howell, in the above get up, as a black man? Indian maybe, but black?
Will Smith - Various films (1991 -present)
No white man has tackled the task of playing black with as much grace and aplomb as Mr. Will Smith. From his humble origins on The Fresh Prince all the way up to his latest work in Hancock, Will has somehow managed to effortlessly portray black men. In fact, he is so dedicated to his craft that he married a black woman and had a black kid. Now that’s dedication.
(And with that the Donkeysosa era begins at Pointlessbanter.net. I would like to welcome Donkeysosa as the newest writer for Pointless Banter…)
On 08/18/08 at 9:40 am
sarah said:
oh maaaaan i can’t believe you listed will smith– hilarious.
On 08/18/08 at 1:40 pm
donkeysosa said:
why? i don’t get it…
On 08/18/08 at 9:44 am
Sarahh said:
I had a friend blog about this and I see her point about how a white man playing a black man can bring up reminders of a horrible time for African Americans.
From what I understand though, it is Satire. Complete and utter satire. A play on how outrageous actors can be. He is a White guy playing an Australian white guy pretending to be black for a movie role.
That being said, does that make it right?
THAT being said, what about black men wearing white face? Eddie Murphy, Dave Chappelle, Eddie Griffin. Just to name a few. No one seems to bring up these fellas.
So are they all wrong? If so, who protested “Coming to America”???
Just my .02
On 08/19/08 at 9:16 am
Sarahh said:
Jeez, sorry for leaving the thought provoking comment on a funny blog. I got it was funny.
Just was fresh on my mind because a friend blogged about it.
Just trying to prove I can type one sentence without sarcasm. Admitting I have the problem is the first step.
Soul Man = Ray Dawn Chong and she was never seen again….
On 08/19/08 at 10:44 pm
donkeysosa said:
I forgive you. now, wanna do it?
On 08/18/08 at 11:22 am
Molly said:
people who leave serious thoughtful comments on Pointlessbanter make me laugh.
On 08/18/08 at 1:41 pm
donkeysosa said:
lol
On 08/18/08 at 11:35 am
Marcie said:
YAY donkeysosa is gona write for pointlessbanter.net…
I miss his blogs…plus he’s local to me..lives the next town over which makes it better to know intelligent people are in NH (for the most part…
And i think your mistaken….i think Will smith might acually be black..put Tiger Woods on the list as a “sports” figure…and Obama as a presidential hopeful lol
On 08/18/08 at 11:41 am
JiMoe said:
Woo! I missed Donkey!
On 08/18/08 at 1:42 pm
donkeysosa said:
you can’t keep a good donk down
On 08/18/08 at 12:47 pm
Hank said:
I don’t think I’d describe Jolson as “playing the role” of a black man. In “The Jazz Singer,” he played the role of a white man through 95% of it, and he was shown putting on blackface makeup for his stage performances only. And those performances were the first time the new “jazz” music, a black creation, was presented to all white audiences.
By the time this movie came out, Jolson had been the most famous entertainer in the world, and this was the first “talkie.” Both through the title of the movie, and singing the songs in blackface, he was giving credit where credit was due. Even though all the songs were written by whites, Jolson was making it clear where this newly-acquired sound came from.
In the 1920’s, calling a movie “The Jazz Singer,” was equivalent to calling the movie “The Music of the Black Man.” America was a stongly musical society, and still is. This movie, with its title, was a brave fusion of two American cultures.
On 08/18/08 at 1:34 pm
Bobby Finstock said:
This was really all a giant setup for a Will Smith joke.
On 08/18/08 at 1:43 pm
donkeysosa said:
BUSTED
On 08/18/08 at 2:49 pm
Meghan said:
DAMMIT! I was just going to write that!
On 08/18/08 at 2:04 pm
moooooog35 said:
My vote for worst makeup in this category goes to Vanilla Ice.
Horrible.
He still looked white.
On 08/18/08 at 2:52 pm
Meghan said:
C. Thomas Howell looked more like a black mannequin in Soul Man. He could pimp out the Kim Catrall mannequin and Andrew McCarthy would be none the wiser.
On 08/18/08 at 3:23 pm
donkeysosa said:
The best part of that get-up is the faux kinky hair.
On 08/18/08 at 3:32 pm
Meghan said:
I’d argue the best part of the whole movie is that they didn’t make a sequel.
On 08/18/08 at 5:41 pm
Jeff said:
Meschach Taylor in “Mannequin” and “Mannequin 2.”
On 08/18/08 at 5:42 pm
Jack Payne said:
Once again, great “take” on a delicate, politically incorrect subject.
But, how about the 1930s Step ‘N Fetch-It? This was a black dude playing a black dude in an era that is as far different from now as Earth is from Mars.
Well worth a Stumble and a Digg.
On 08/18/08 at 6:15 pm
donkeysosa said:
Or how about all of the racist cartoons from the 40s and 50s?
On 08/18/08 at 8:16 pm
Karl Rove said:
Donkeysosa blogging again?
And when I was a kid I thought C. Thomas Howell was the child of the Howells from Gilligan’s Island. I know that didn’t make sense, but my entire childhood didn’t really make sense.
On 08/18/08 at 11:48 pm
donkeysosa said:
What’s up Rove? How have you been?
On 08/19/08 at 12:11 am
Karl Rove said:
Keeping busy, I guess. This summer has been shitty, so I’m hoping the year can only get better.
How’s fatherhood treating you?
On 08/19/08 at 3:23 am
Jeff said:
Rove, you are definitely the best here at picking out the trannies from the real deal.
On 08/19/08 at 2:03 pm
Karl Rove said:
That’s one of my many pimp powers.
On 08/19/08 at 10:43 pm
donkeysosa said:
everything’s going well. little guy’s running me ragged though
On 08/18/08 at 11:11 pm
Chris (insert smartass comment here) said:
heh…honorable mention, Angelina Jolie playing Daniel Pearl’s wife
On 08/18/08 at 11:48 pm
donkeysosa said:
Damn, GOOD ONE
On 08/19/08 at 12:33 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
No, this article is not funny. It only goes to show how ignorant the writer is.
The elaborate set up for a Will Smith joke just tells me that you think a Black Man that speaks and carries himself well is pretending to be White.
In other words, Your joke says: If you’re black you’ve got no business being a respectable professional. That role belongs to white people only.
A joke is no excuse for racism. It only serves to display what you are afraid to says seriously.
On 08/19/08 at 12:46 pm
Bobby Finstock said:
Yes you cut to the deeper meaning… oh wait no you didn’t.
On 08/20/08 at 12:43 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
No I didn’t.
It was right on the surface…
You just don’t want to see it.
On 08/19/08 at 2:06 pm
Karl Rove said:
Please, it’s a humor blog. People are way too willing to throw around accusations of racism. Lighten up.
On 08/20/08 at 12:42 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
“Oh those lil’ niggers….always trying to play like ‘Massa’. they’re so silly”.
light enough for you?
Because I pointed out a shitty joke that’s been going on for far too long. I’m being ’sensitive’.
Forgive me for not watermelon shuckin’ and jivin’ like all would obviously LOVE black people to do. ‘Cause we all know…that’s not racist…it’s HILARIOUS!
On 08/20/08 at 4:06 pm
Karl Rove said:
Yes, me telling you to calm down is equal to asking you to “shuck and jive”. It’s funny that you just assume that I’m some white supremacist. If you knew who I was then you’d realize that your “argument” is completely stupid.
On 08/19/08 at 10:22 pm
donkeysosa said:
Wow, you got me. I am ashamed of my racist self.
On 08/19/08 at 12:34 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
*correction
A joke is no excuse for racism. It only serves to display what you are afraid to *say* seriously.
On 08/19/08 at 10:42 pm
donkeysosa said:
Yes indeed. I’m sure that the makers of such comedies as Airplane! and Police Academy would agree that there is a deeper truth to every joke. Like say, for example, when the blow-up autopilot in Airplane! receives oral from the stewardess…obviously a comment on the sexual mores of the time.
On 08/19/08 at 3:00 pm
supernik said:
DONK!!!!!! YOU’RE BACK!!!! (yeah i just noticed, sorry) YEAY!!!!!!!!! I MISSED YOU!!! how’s the babydonk? and mrs.donk?
On 08/19/08 at 10:46 pm
donkeysosa said:
oh, we’re all…surviving
On 08/19/08 at 3:08 pm
supernik said:
i thought it was funny! that must be why will smith is the only black guy i find attractive! budum ch! great blog so glad you’re back!
On 08/20/08 at 12:29 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
It’s not racist because its funny!! hahaha!! yayy!!
Please explain how the above sentence makes sense.
Somehow it’s still ok to disguise racism with a thin veil of shittly thought out humor. Its a great amazing excuse for stupidity. It ensures people laugh along with your dumb beliefs rather than question it.
You all have brains. Please use them.
On 08/20/08 at 12:36 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
And to donkeysosa…
Quit pulling on straws.
The airline reference you made was a play on a pun. And yes, it did speak to sexual mores of its time.
The above joke/article makes no sense whatsoever. It just lets us know that black men should be professional. Otherwise, they’re not “Black”.
On 08/20/08 at 11:20 pm
donkeysosa said:
airline. lol
On 08/20/08 at 12:36 pm
Your ignorance is showing. said:
ugh. correction
should *not be professional
On 08/31/08 at 1:45 pm
I-Kim Hutcherson said:
robert downey jr. playing a black man was hilarious. personally i thought my boy did a hell of a good job. it’s mostly white people who became offended. it’s like they don’t want 2 be reminded of the those times, but it’s history. if you were wrong you were wrong, that’s it. personally i think they get concerned becaused they think we might get angry and they don’t want to be heckled for that.
On 09/2/08 at 12:35 am
donkeysosa said:
great comment