›

Stupid (and Racist) Halloween Costume (NRR)

DustbusterDustbuster 278 Posts
edited October 2005 in Strut Central
A white friend of mine, for his party which I skipped, decided to be all "creative" and go blackfaced. His sister told me this, while laughing at the cleverness, and said that it's acceptable for Halloween. These are educated people, but have never heard of Al Jolson or anything much about the history of blackface. Now I'm a latino, though I look white, but I called that out and said that it was offensive and inapropriate. She told me there were a couple of black people at the party and they didn't mind, but the black guy they hired as server was offended. They say we're overreacting. Am I? I know that for halloween people take liberties with racial stuff. I've heard of Sarah Silverman going as Sexy Hitler, but she's always been about the edge. But some things should be left alone.
«1345

  Comments

  • funky16cornersfunky16corners 7,175 Posts
    A white friend of mine, for his party which I skipped, decided to be all "creative" and go blackfaced. His sister told me this, while laughing at the cleverness, and said that it's acceptable for Halloween. These are educated people, but have never heard of Al Jolson or anything much about the history of blackface.

    Now I'm a latino, though I look white, but I called that out and said that it was offensive and inapropriate. She told me there were a couple of black people at the party and they didn't mind, but the black guy they hired as server was offended. They say we're overreacting. Am I? I know that for halloween people take liberties with racial stuff. I've heard of Sarah Silverman going as Sexy Hitler, but she's always been about the edge. But some things should be left alone.

    Uncool....
  • meatyogremeatyogre 2,080 Posts
    your friend is a fucking idiot, and deserves a proper beatdown.
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    My $.02 before this discussion goes nuclear:

    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    BUT going with black face in the traditional minstrel stylee would be
  • hammertimehammertime 2,389 Posts
    the excuse that they saw a black person and that person didn't seem to be offended is WEAK.





  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.
    BUT going with black face in the traditional minstrel stylee would be

    WTF??????????
  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    but why would you need to darken your face for either of those costumes to be sucessful? if a black dude wanted to go as, i dunno, magnum pi, would he need to cover his face in baby powder?
  • gloomgloom 2,765 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    but why would you need to darken your face for either of those costumes to be sucessful? if a black dude wanted to go as, i dunno, magnum pi, would he need to cover his face in baby powder?
  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    but why would you need to darken your face for either of those costumes to be sucessful? if a black dude wanted to go as, i dunno, magnum pi, would he need to cover his face in baby powder?

    It's the difference between unknowingly using racially offensive imagery and "dressing up" as a person of another race.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    but why would you need to darken your face for either of those costumes to be sucessful? if a black dude wanted to go as, i dunno, magnum pi, would he need to cover his face in baby powder?

    It's the difference between unknowingly using racially offensive imagery and "dressing up" as a person of another race.

    BAN
  • noznoz 3,625 Posts
    Going as a particular black person would be acceptable. If you as a white person want to go as, I dunno, lil jon or mike tyson, and had to put on dark makeup that would be cool.

    but why would you need to darken your face for either of those costumes to be sucessful? if a black dude wanted to go as, i dunno, magnum pi, would he need to cover his face in baby powder?

    It's the difference between unknowingly using racially offensive imagery and "dressing up" as a person of another race.

    painting your face black would still invoke the image of the racially offensive black face, whether intentionally or not.

    mike tyson or lil jon have identifiable enough features and attire aside from their skin color that you could convey them without painting yourself black. look at dude in the other thread who went as eazy e. i thought that was a pretty dope costume, but imagine how stupid he would've looked in "dark makeup" (and how many cotton balls he would've wasted).
  • Big_ChanBig_Chan 5,088 Posts
    your friend is a fucking idiot, and deserves a proper beatdown.
  • sabadabadasabadabada 5,966 Posts
    it is such a popular costume idea. it did wonders for this guy's career everyone liked it so much.





  • ariel_calmerariel_calmer 3,762 Posts
    painting your face black would still invoke the image of the racially offensive black face, whether intentionally or not.

    mike tyson or lil jon have identifiable enough features and attire aside from their skin color that you could convey them without painting yourself black. look at dude in the other thread who went as eazy e. i thought that was a pretty dope costume, but imagine how stupid he would've looked in "dark makeup" (and how many cotton balls he would've wasted).

    I'm not going to get drawn in to a drawn-out discussion.

    There's a world of difference between naively "dressing up" as a patently racist stereotype (symbolizing a race en masse with a dated, tacky, offensive cliche) and "dressing up" as an african-american celebrity by tinting your skin tone brown.

    Neither here nor there but a black friend of mine down here put on white makeup to go as a ghoul for halloween this year.
  • hogginthefogghogginthefogg 6,098 Posts
    A white friend of mine, for his party which I skipped, decided to be all "creative" and go blackfaced. His sister told me this, while laughing at the cleverness, and said that it's acceptable for Halloween. These are educated people, but have never heard of Al Jolson or anything much about the history of blackface.

    Now I'm a latino, though I look white, but I called that out and said that it was offensive and inapropriate. She told me there were a couple of black people at the party and they didn't mind, but the black guy they hired as server was offended. They say we're overreacting. Am I? I know that for halloween people take liberties with racial stuff. I've heard of Sarah Silverman going as Sexy Hitler, but she's always been about the edge. But some things should be left alone.


  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    painting your face black would still invoke the image of the racially offensive black face, whether intentionally or not.

    mike tyson or lil jon have identifiable enough features and attire aside from their skin color that you could convey them without painting yourself black. look at dude in the other thread who went as eazy e. i thought that was a pretty dope costume, but imagine how stupid he would've looked in "dark makeup" (and how many cotton balls he would've wasted).

    I'm not going to get drawn in to a drawn-out discussion.

    There's a world of difference between naively "dressing up" as a patently racist stereotype (symbolizing a race en masse with a dated, tacky, offensive cliche) and "dressing up" as an african-american celebrity by tinting your skin tone brown.

    Neither here nor there but a black friend of mine down here put on white makeup to go as a ghoul for halloween this year.

    Me too! But all people look grey when they're dead.
    I hear what you're saying Ashrock, but I still think someone would have to be pretty clueless to walk around in Blackface, no matter how specific the attire. I don't think it qualifies as "oppressive", but it underscores a lack of consciousness about the history of it.

    And wether or not a Black person finds it offensive is not the only indicator of what is considered racially offensive. I would hope this person would get an earful from White folks too.

  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    I'm now going to die sad if I never see a black man dresed as Magnum PI







    oh... wait... I've met Reynaldo!













  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    I'm now going to die sad if I never see a black man dresed as Magnum PI



    oh... wait... I've met Reynaldo!





    Crink, next year I am going as

  • faux_rillzfaux_rillz 14,343 Posts
    look at dude in the other thread who went as eazy e.

    Bite your tongue! That was no mere "dude"!
  • hcrinkhcrink 8,729 Posts
    I'm now going to die sad if I never see a black man dresed as Magnum PI



    oh... wait... I've met Reynaldo!





    Crink, next year I am going as


  • Salary_DizSalary_Diz 735 Posts
    I'm now going to die sad if I never see a black man dresed as Magnum PI



    oh... wait... I've met Reynaldo!






    HAHAHAHAHAHAHA

    Actually Adam was a Jew dressed as black man with whiteface makeup. its a little confusing, but it works.
  • batmonbatmon 27,574 Posts
    painting your face black would still invoke the image of the racially offensive black face, whether intentionally or not.

    mike tyson or lil jon have identifiable enough features and attire aside from their skin color that you could convey them without painting yourself black. look at dude in the other thread who went as eazy e. i thought that was a pretty dope costume, but imagine how stupid he would've looked in "dark makeup" (and how many cotton balls he would've wasted).

    I'm not going to get drawn in to a drawn-out discussion.

    There's a world of difference between naively "dressing up" as a patently racist stereotype (symbolizing a race en masse with a dated, tacky, offensive cliche) and "dressing up" as an african-american celebrity by tinting your skin tone brown.

    Neither here nor there but a black friend of mine down here put on white makeup to go as a ghoul for halloween this year.


    Is a ghoul a caucasian? Blackface is Blackface.

    What year r u in?



    Wake up son.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    my same friend who wore a nice suit with fake seaweed all over it to emulate a dead JKF jr. dressed up like "a taliban" this year. he called me on saturday, to invite me to the warner bros. party up here, and i just shook my head. this guy is probably the most over-educated guy i know, is a lobbyist for labor unions to the democratic party at the washington state capitol, and is the stingiest person i know. just goes to show that a full-ride pepperdine education doesn't necessarily make you smart.
  • KARLITOKARLITO 991 Posts
    blackface in any way is just no good. I was like "hey I might go as Juicy J from the stay fly video...but I'm not black sooo..." I mean sure, do what adam did and dress up but skip the makeup or shit, just go as someone white and skip the hastle all together. So many opportunities for misunderstanding that it just ain't worth it. Some white chick at a party I was at went as "foxy clepatra" I bet she thought it was so clever...
  • jjfad027jjfad027 1,594 Posts
    OK so I got some blackface stuff from my grandfather when he passed. Mainly a sweater( with blackface dudes on it). I want to try and sell it cuz I think its worth money. I just worry about selling it on ebay or whatever cuz I dont want to seem like Im promoting it or anything. I just want to get rid of it, and dont feel like giving it away for free. Anyone collect this stuff??? any suggestions??
    I know it's from my grandfather but Id rather remember/associate him with something other than racist memorabilia.
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I'm not sure how successful you'll be at putting it up on ebay anyway - I think they have a policy about selling this kind of stuff now.

    Aren't there museums/societies in the States that collect this stuff as educational tools?

    How will the ad read?
  • GambleGamble 844 Posts
    I want to try and sell it cuz I think its worth money. I just worry about selling it on ebay or whatever cuz I dont want to seem like Im promoting it or anything.

    If you try to turn a profit on it, you ARE promoting it, IMO.

    Maybe im tripping?
  • bassiebassie 11,710 Posts
    I want to try and sell it cuz I think its worth money. I just worry about selling it on ebay or whatever cuz I dont want to seem like Im promoting it or anything.

    If you try to turn a profit on it, you ARE promoting it, IMO.

    Maybe im tripping?

    if you are, then i am too. i agree.
  • SoulOnIceSoulOnIce 13,027 Posts
    She told me there were a couple of black people at the party and they didn't mind, but the black guy they hired as server was offended.

    No shit.
  • Birdman9Birdman9 5,417 Posts
    OK so I got some blackface stuff from my grandfather when he passed. Mainly a sweater( with blackface dudes on it). I want to try and sell it cuz I think its worth money. I just worry about selling it on ebay or whatever cuz I dont want to seem like Im promoting it or anything. I just want to get rid of it, and dont feel like giving it away for free. Anyone collect this stuff??? any suggestions??
    I know it's from my grandfather but Id rather remember/associate him with something other than racist memorabilia.

    Contact Spike Lee's production company, he's a huge collectro of that type of 'memorobilia'. Seriously.
  • SwayzeSwayze 14,705 Posts
    blackface in any way is just no good. I was like "hey I might go as Juicy J from the stay fly video...but I'm not black sooo..." I mean sure, do what adam did and dress up but skip the makeup or shit, just go as someone white and skip the hastle all together. So many opportunities for misunderstanding that it just ain't worth it. Some white chick at a party I was at went as "foxy clepatra" I bet she thought it was so clever...

    ugh sayin

    if you have to change your race for the costume to work, it's not a good costume

    and anyone who uses "my black friends don't think it's racist" as an excuse should get the backhand.
Sign In or Register to comment.