i mentioned earlier this week in a post......but who are they?
Who are the actors/actresses who you just know are on the tip of everyone's tongue as the safepick actor.....the one who NEVER jeapordizes his/her goodstanding among the hollywood "movers and shakers" with anything approaching a contoversial role?

Hollywood's House Negroes

Will Smith
Morgan Freeman
Cuba Gooding
Halle
Ice T/Cube/L.L.
Whoopi(since Ceelie that is)
Vanessa Williams

well its not supposed to be that long of a list but, who else is on there?

People are not in Hollywood to convience YOU. They are in movies to make money. Instead of looking for another conspiracy, how about gettin off your ass an making a movie of your own. Then it can be as controversial as you'd like.

"A democracy cannot exist as a permanent form of government. It can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves money from the public treasury. From that moment on the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most money from the public treasury, with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy followed by a dictatorship." - Alexander Tyler

"In general the art of government consists in taking as much money as possible from one class of citizens to give to the other." -Voltaire

"The assumption that spending more of the taxpayer's money will make things better has survived all kinds of evidence that it has made things worse. The black family- which survived slavery, discrimination, poverty, wars and depressions- began to come apart as the federal government moved in with its well-financed programs to "help." - Thomas Sowell

"Life is insensitive, and the truth can be highly offensive. To hide from either is to hide from the reality of life. Take pride in the fact that I am an equal opportunity offender. You today, someone else tomorrow. You have no constitutional right not to be offended." - Neal Boortz

Some of you still think America's a
democracy. Lemme break it down for
ya...

* Democracy:  Three wolves and a sheep
vote on the dinner menu.
* Democratically Elected Republic: Three
wolves and 2 sheep vote on which sheep's
for dinner. 
* Constitutional Republic: The eating of
mutton is forbidden by law, and the
sheep are armed.

The United States is a CONSTITUTIONAL
REPUBLIC. Not a democracy.

Yes....I am a PROUD Black Libertarian Conservative.

_________________________
http://expertise.blogdrive.com
http://twitter.com/KMBReferee
http://www.ask.fm/KMBReferee

...some of these people just can't act well enough to anything different?

>Will Smith
>Cuba Gooding
>Halle
>Ice T/Cube/L.L.
>Whoopi(since Ceelie that is)
>Vanessa Williams


RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

"a coooon is a cooooon" - Pierre's distressed mother in Bamboozled

you're right, maybe he can't do anything else. i sent him a script for my movie where he would be a member of shaka zulu's tribe as a warrior killing white people and he said that if he wasn't a soldier in the U.S. military (Pearl Harbor, Men of Honor, Tuskegee Airmen, A Few Good Men, Outbreak) or a stupid athlete (Jerry Maguire, Gladiator) or teamed alongside a white actor (Instinct, Chill Factor, As Good As It Gets, Lightning Jack, Judgement Night) or as a character with a little white kid on the inside but with a negro exterior<hhmmmm?!?> (What Dreams May Come) that he wouldn't be a part of a movie. he said that he felt he paid his dues with Boyz N the Hood. he also told me he thought about it but after talking to his wife, decided it wasn't a good idea. just my luck.

(((((PEACE)))))

"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -Talib Kweli

>i sent him a script for my movie where he would be a member of shaka zulu's tribe as a warrior killing white people

...I hope this isn't your only concept of a risky role. Never mind the fact that Cuba Gooding Jr. wouldn't look anymore Zulu than Eminem.

And regardless of his talent or aversion to risk, are you telling me that his roles in Pearl Harbor, Men of Honor and Tuskeegee Airmen weren't worth playing, or those stories didn't need to be told?

Are you telling me that it's no longer risky for a black man to play gay in a film, as he did in As Good As It Gets? Not just a man, but a black man, remembering blacks have a helluva lot more homophobia to get over?

I am not hardly trying to defend Cuba Gooding Jr., but if you're going to hate him, at least come up with some good reasons.

Spike Lee seems to hate him because he wanted to jump around on stage like a fool and give his statue to a white man.

I just think he's a bad actor.

What's your reason?

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

than anyone else....

that's a stereotype & in my experience not even true.

My gay cousin just married her partner a month back. In the ceremony and conversations afterwards they talked about how our community/family hasn't ostracized them in the way that many others peoples have. Society in general have a long way to go towards total acceptance, but there is a history of the black community dealing in a positive fashion with gay people even as we talk shit about them & skin up our faces.

Just because wealthy gay white males (who still have the priviledges that come with being white & male in this society) have managed to carve out a place for themselves & push their agenda into the forefront, doesn't mean that their communities or families are more tolerant towards their lifestyle. Much of the gay bashing, laws prohiting, & anti gay rhetoric is done by their peers....not black people.

>...I hope this isn't your only
>concept of a risky role.
>Never mind the fact that
>Cuba Gooding Jr. wouldn't look
>anymore Zulu than Eminem.

Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord, Lord.

singing "Go, tell it on the mount-ain!"

*swoon*

Sorry.


>And regardless of his talent or
>aversion to risk,

"aversion to risk" damn!

sorry, just jocking the words.

are you
>telling me that his roles
>in Pearl Harbor, Men of
>Honor and Tuskeegee Airmen weren't
>worth playing, or those stories
>didn't need to be told?

Ah, he's married to a white woman. Nothing else matters. Eff him. (sarcasm)


>I just think he's a bad
>actor.

I have absolutely NOTHING to add to this thread. I don't think he's a bad actor, though. I dunno, I can't name anyone (except Queen Latifah in the first season of Living Single) who was a horrible actor.

Maybe I don't pay enough attention.

http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/images/ang/broke.html - you know you want to.

angieee ('stress)

Need an answer that is not in the FAQ (http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/faq/faq.htm), e-mail help@okayplayer.com

>I dunno, I can't
>name anyone who was a
>horrible actor.
>
>Maybe I don't pay enough attention.

that or you don't have bet movies....

"To be perfect is to lack nothing essential to the whole therefore I AM."-Solarus

"And if I have to dead you, it's only cuz I love you."- Talib Kweli

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

I thought you were going to discuss the "magical negro" phenomenon that's occuring on the silver screen as of lately.
I don't feel that any of those actors & actresses have an obligation to play a specific role, they just want to get paid. Hey, Like Cuba said (in "Jerry McGuire") "show me the money!"
Unfortunately, we are at a disparaging situation where we feel misrepresented because there are so few of us in Hollywood.
Bottom line, we need more writers, producers....etc.

"suck my long middle finger with an exlax "-me

>>Unfortunately, we are at a disparaging situation where we feel misrepresented because there are so few of us in Hollywood.

a solution to this might be "stop trying to get into hollywood!!!" what a concept! as Solarus said before, instead of protesting and protesting and picketing for one student to get into a white school to integrate it, START YOUR OWN SCHOOL!!! independent artist who are probably never going to get full mainstream successes still make movies. they just do it outside of the hollywood realm. why do we continue to have to have this "settle for scraps" mentality? its almost as if black people don't really want to see actors in films but want to see them in "hollywood" films. why? not good enough to have our own if we can't compete/be recognized by the status quo. there are plenty of black actors and actresses in independent films that won't get heard of because of this mentality.

(((((PEACE)))))
"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli

Seems to me that the only people mad at hollywood at those who aren't in hollywood.

>a solution to this might be
>"stop trying to get into
>hollywood!!!" what a concept! as
>Solarus said before, instead of
>protesting and protesting and picketing
>for one student to get
>into a white school to
>integrate it, START YOUR OWN
>SCHOOL!!! independent artist who are
>probably never going to get
>full mainstream successes still make
>movies. they just do it
>outside of the hollywood realm.
>why do we continue to
>have to have this "settle
>for scraps" mentality? its almost
>as if black people don't
>really want to see actors
>in films but want to
>see them in "hollywood" films.
>why?

I suppose you would have been one of those people mad at Jackie Robinson too.

If you want to be famous, if you want to make a ton of money, if you want your face to reach the widest audience possible, then you go to hollywood.

If you want to make filmed art, you make independent films.

If you want to act, stick to theater.

That's how it is, and it's no secret.

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

acting in theatrical performances.
He even said it himself "I'm an actor, not a movie star."
So, that argument of only sticking to artsy fartsy "independant films" for the sake of being different and unorthodoxed is not a stable one.
I'm not saying that we should solely rely on Hollywood (because I'm all in favor of self-sufficient production), but let's not put things into neat homogenous categories.
White folks in Hollywood make spectacular "academy-award winning films" all the time (and some of them are actually good).
Should we make a "Black-wood"?
I think it's all about us making the kinds of movies that we would like to see, and creating a way to effectively market and showcase these.
We have the Black film festivals, but how many of us actually support it when it does happen?

"suck my long middle finger with an exlax "-me

>>Seems to me that the only people mad at hollywood at those who aren't in hollywood.

the only people mad slavemasters are slaves

>>I suppose you would have been one of those people mad at Jackie Robinson too.

no, just the mentality of applauding negroes who get into the status quo JUST BECAUSE of getting in without discerning whether it's good or bad. remember the scene from Malcolm X in the prison while they were playing baseball to celebrate j. robinson "gettin in" to the "big leagues". the negroe league? hello? the brother told malcolm, "sure, they throw us a bone and we're supposed to forget 400 years of slavery" nowadays we should be proud that a black person can work at a fortune 500 and not own any of it. when the company was started blacks weren't allowed to even get in the finacial circles for ownership!

>>Should we make a "Black-wood"?

wow, this shows that even when something IS owned or operated by blacks that it has a tendency to be patterned after the status quo, even in name. sad. not because of the lack of creativity but because it shows a total stepping away from this culture is not in the near future.

there's nothing wrong with getting into hollywood and making money but at least recognize that an option is there. most people desire that fame and money (bling bling) so much as to bend over and let anything happen to them and not think of the consequences.

((((((PEACE))))))

"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli

>acting in theatrical performances.
>He even said it himself "I'm
>an actor, not a movie
>star."

I wouldn't call Denzel a cool or a token, but he is a movie star, despite his protestations. In fact, he is one of the most image-conscious actors OF ANY RACE (along with Harrison Ford) in the business today. So if you want to go back to the original topic of actors who won't do anything to jeopardize their standing or position, he'd have to go to the top of my list. Name the last risky role he took. (And if you say Hurricane or Malcolm X, you better have a good explanation of why that was so risky.) The only thing separating him from those other people is the fact that he actually can act.

But as far as acting in theatrical performance, when was the last time he was in some Broadway production? Or Off-Broadway for that matter? Off-Off-Broadway?

Damn near any "movie star" with talent, and lots without, started on stage, so that means little. It's about what he's doing now. You used to hear about actors getting "back to the craft" so much that it's now clichéd. But don't think he's all about the acting just because he started in theater or because he doesn't want you to call him a movie star.

And, if I might attempt to interpret his words, I believe what he may have been talking about is where his focus is, or what he cares more about. There's no question he's talented and the roles he portrays are more important than the glitz and stardom. So I think what he was saying was that he not all about the trappings of stardom. Fine. But, YOU don't call yourself a movie star, fans and media call you a movie star. He can protest all he wants, but that's what he is. (Kevin Spacey, on the other hand...)

>So, that argument of only sticking
>to artsy fartsy "independant films"
>for the sake of being
>different and unorthodoxed is not
>a stable one.

First, no one is making an argument (never mind the fact that I didn't even say anything about being different). What I was paraphrasing was an long-standing axiom about acting in the movie business, which simpy says making movies isn't about the art of acting. Perhaps you've never heard it before, but it's a well-known joke: You want to act, stick to theater. Yes, it's a generalization. And it's also true that the world of independent cinema generally offers more challenging, risky and involving roles for actors to play, and they, more times than in mainstream cinema, will do it because the love the role as opposed to doing it for money or exposure. So, to the degree that I am making an argument, it's more than stable, it's accepted.

>but let's not
>put things into neat homogenous
>categories.

Why do people always say stuff like this? When you stop reaching to find holes in people's arguments, you realize that it's done for the sake of argument. It makes discussion much, much simpler. Geez. Without the ability to generalize, you'd have to talk about every single possibility and eventuality. You aren't prepared to do that. No one is.

>Should we make a "Black-wood"?
>I think it's all about us
>making the kinds of movies
>that we would like to
>see, and creating a way
>to effectively market and showcase
>these.
>We have the Black film festivals,
>but how many of us
>actually support it when it
>does happen?

See, this is the reason I mentioned Jackie Robinson in the other post. The fact is, people want to play in the big leagues. Is that wrong? I don't have a problem with people who want that.

Alternatives are out there. Independent cinema is alive and well. And while there may not be a huge undercurrent of black cinema, it's there and there's nothing keeping blacks from making their own movies and supporting their own film festivals. Except for the fact that they don't want to.

Bottom line is, do what you want. And stop being mad at other people who do what they want.

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

in fact, I said that these actors just want to get paid.
Okay, okay,....about Denzel, maybe I am a bit too laden with romanticising his past, and keeping with the idealistic nature of his claims. I agree with you on that.
I never said that there is something with wanting to play in the "big leagues", I just wanted to make it clear that if WE want to see certain movies, then we need to get up off our asses instead of complaining.
For the most part, I agree with you.

"suck my long middle finger with an exlax "-me

Denzel in a "risky" role? I don't know exactly what you mean but his role as Jake Shuttlesworth in 'Who Got Game?' wasn't very "safe" to me.

As long as we don't call it that. Effing pisses me off. BET is not entertaining me or representing me, so they should not be allowed to be called Black Entertainment Television.

We all go through stages of consciousness, I know. And there was a time when I would have been shouting coon at half of hollywood.
Now, I applaud the Wayans for Scary Movie, as HORRIBLE as I found that film to be. They found out that people will support crap as long as the cast is primarily white and made a fortune.

Most people want crap. Bottom line. And a lot the people who DON'T like crap get mad when their "exclusive" shit gets too well-known. ("underground hiphop", for example.)

Ahhh....I gotta go back to work.

May You Love God so much that you love nothing else too much; May You Fear God enough that you need fear nothing else at all. (my definition of God may vary from yours, so shut your trap.)

http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/images/ang/broke.html - you know you want to.

angieee ('stress)

Need an answer that is not in the FAQ (http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/faq/faq.htm), e-mail help@okayplayer.com

>As long as we don't call
>it that. Effing pisses me
>off. BET is not entertaining
>me or representing me, so
>they should not be allowed
>to be called Black Entertainment
>Television.

Are you serious? Does LifeTime represent all women?
I'm not a fan of BET but they obviously entertain enough
Black people to stay on the air.

Shaun G.

>Are you serious?

Yes. Black is too diverse for me to advocate calling anything "Black" this or "Black" that.

Or maybe I should just look for a new name for myself.

Does LifeTime
>represent all women?

What's their motto? Women something or other? TV for Women? I dunno if they entertain women. I have never watched Lifetime.

Television FOR women is different than Women's Television.

My big mouth is just one of my attributes, whereas if I call myself Big Mouth Angie, that's what I will be known as. That will be my outstanding attribute.

>I'm not a fan of BET
>but they obviously entertain enough
>Black people to stay on the
>air.

I'm sure they do. Just like DMX is crazy entertaining to millions, just not me. I never said they should be off the air.

But, I ain't trying to change BET (yet), just the neighborhood I grew up in and hopefully a small slice of Hollywood. So, go Bob Johnson (or Viacom or whomever).

So, yep, excuse me if I don't like that, given the state of a large percentage of our youth, the only thing labeled BLACK on the dial is the one with the naked breasts in my face. Yes, it's entertainment, but Black entertainment is even more diverse than what I see there. I am Black and not entertained by that. Call it the "Titty and a Little Bit of Tavis Smiley" network. Shit. Call it something.

Lenny Kravitz is Black. He entertains me. I'm Black. How can I see a LK Video? I go to VH1. So, for me, VH1 is my BET. I should call them and tell them to start selling African Pride relaxers (god, what a funny name) after every Lenny Kravitz video. They're missing a whole market.

MTV = Music Television. Hey, it's music. I might not like it, but sonically, it's music. HBO - It's a Home Box Office. Essence Magazine, nice title!

But, hey, that's just my opinion...and yes, I am doing something about it.

angieee ('stress)
Co-founder Okayplayer.com

http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/images/ang/broke.html - you know you want to.

Need an answer that is not in the FAQ (http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/faq/faq.htm), e-mail help@okayplayer.com

>>African Pride relaxers (god, what a funny name)

hahahahaaha yes it is, everytime i see it in he store or hear women crying from a burn, i laugh thanks for bringing me a smile.

(my black history month stuff, read fire's post)
DENMARK VESEY

An ex-slave of a slave trader, he knew the wickedness of slavery and that man was not meant to slave for man. It got to the point where Vesey couldn't bear to have a white person in his presence. He was very outspoken with his hatred for YT. When slaves bowed to YT in the street, he would rebuke them. When the slaves replied, "But we're slaves," Vesey would reply, "You deserve to be slaves." An infamous quote of Vesey was when he said, "We are free, but the white people here won't let us be so; and the only way is to raise up and fight the whites." One of his plans was to takeover of arsenals, guardhouses, powder magazines and naval stores in Charleston, South Carolina, but, he too, was betrayed by a house negro. Vesey and 5 of his aides were hanged on July 2, 1822.

Hotep

Some movies with good stories can be made within the realm of Hollywood or at least mainstream films (See Spike Lee) and also we must consider that all of movies with black people in them DON'T HAVE TO BE discussing the notion of "struggle." There are many aspects of life that don't focus on this notion. This may seem to be a gross example but how many "revolutionaries" play some type of sport or even video games? When one is indulged in this type of activity the focus of THE MOMENT is not "struggle."

However I do believe that their an overabundance of disgusting roles played by black actors and actresses in Hollywood. Also most roles show BLack people from a Western perspective thus creating only a "stereotype" or false image. For instance the Black man in "Gladiator" (the dude who played in Amistad) was disgusting.

His character was TOTALLY unbelievable because we saw no difference or conflict between him and the Roman society that we saw him in. He could have easily have been Roman. Understanding the actual cultures of historical Rome and its neighbors, we would understand that there should have been an expressed difference between his actions and that of the Romans. Not only this but the line that he said upon seeing the Coloseum, "I did not know that men could build such things," exposes the fact that this character was not only historically inaccurate but also culturally misleading and offensive because knowing the accomplishments of Africans that the Romans had come in contact with, the Coloseum was pale in comparison.

PEace
Solarus

"To be perfect is to lack nothing essential to the whole therefore I AM."-Solarus

"And if I have to dead you, it's only cuz I love you."- Talib Kweli

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

after she posed in playboy and was stripped of her ms. america or usa title, the media had a field day with that and every body thought she would never have a career. she handled gracefully and came back strong and kissing no ones ass in the process. she made herself a star and had media folk droppin' their jaws. now they love her.

"be careful of how you treat strangers. many of you have been in the presence of angels without knowing it."

"you funny duke-'cause really you think you could do me when you roll a 500 that's really a 320."

"don't forsake you. you are what you own. when you love you you'll never be alone."-me

check this out!
www.aliamarie.com

don't forsake you, you are what you own. when you love you, you'll never be alone

be aware of strangers. many of us have entertained angels unaware

Hotep

I don't think that being a Token is necessarily a bad thing. I also think that there is a difference between being a token and a House negro. A house negro does anything that can prove him/herself to white folk while also trying garner their acceptance. A token negro is someone who white folk has chosen as someone who for whatever reason they want to keep around. Most often the tokens ARE house negroes but not necessarily.

For instance I don't think that Denzel Washington is a House negro although he is definitely a token. One thing I can say about the majority of his roles is that he usually doesn't take shit from anyone. Although they still portray the Westernized African, this is acceptable considering that many are Africans ARE Westernized anyway. The thing that is redeemable about his role is that he portrays independence, strength, resourcefulness amidst a white world and he usually comes out on top. These are characteristics that can be rarely attributed to Black characters in mainstream hollywood movies. Also it must be noted that these same roles are indeed characters who were MEANT to be Black. In some movies, Black characters are only black by skin and could have easily been played by others.

Considering the deplorable conditions of Africans on screen I believe that actors and actresses should make themselves of the functions and images that the characters they choose have. It is no mystery that Cuba Gooding Jr. is a damn coon. Geez, to think he debut role was "Boyz 'n the Hood" is amazing. Not that this role was great but at least he wasn't a damn coon.

I have always like Morgan Freeman but I realize his is the token of token negroes but at least he got skills and plays in decent roles. His role in "Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves" will always hold a soft spot in my heart though the movie was garbage. He played a Moor who made the English look pitiful, dirty, stupid and uncivilized. One could see that this was only permitted to occur on a movie whose premise was based on a fictional story even though historically MOORS were culturally superior to Europeans and ushered them out of the Dark Ages.

Morgan's wish to protect his tokenness made itself fully evident
when he was on the Chris Rock Show. He made a comment about not liking the South for some reason and Chris Rock joked that he really wanted to say "Those damn crackas!" Everyone laughed but Morgan Freeman. Freeman had this scared look on his face like "I hope they (massa) don't think I meant that!" Also Chris commented that Morgan must have respect for being able to play the president of the United States on Deep Impact. Chris was like damn only Morgan would be allowed to play president. Morgan was like he didn't think anything of it and that it was "just a role." A black president is just a role?? That sounds like some house negro "We are the world" bullshit to me. Morgan Freeman is a coon. (He's still a good ass actor though)

PEace

Solarus

"To be perfect is to lack nothing essential to the whole therefore I AM."-Solarus

"And if I have to dead you, it's only cuz I love you."- Talib Kweli

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

I will not support that "Driving Miss Daisy" shit that he did.

"suck my long middle finger with an exlax "-me

for some of us....but you seem to have summed up the sentiment of the post pretty much...I applaud those actors and actresses who are not afraid to broaden their horizons and to play a variety of roles....i named those who seem to not only play the same role over and over...but, who appear to be the first choice on everyone's (hollywood)list.
To call me a hater is by far the easy way out. My comments were as much an indictment of the underworkings of the moviemaking machine as it was criticism of the individuals choice of role. True, some of them are NOT the best at their trade...but, my point was not necessarily about talent.....

i named those who seem
>to not only play the
>same role over and over...but,
>who appear to be the
>first choice on everyone's (hollywood)list.

You say this as if there's something wrong with being first choice on everyone's list. And who's list is Ice Cube on? or LL? The typecasted-gangsta list?

Besides, do black actors have any special obligation to broaden their horizons? I know you're not concerned about what the white actors are doing, but look at it this way: This hollywood thing is a vast and overwhelming machine. It takes a lot of people to keep it going. Not everyone is going to be performing at the top. There's always going to be bad actors, and typecasted actors, and actors who don't want to go get a regular job so they do what ever they can to hold onto their little piece.

> To call me a hater
>is by far the easy
>way out. My comments were
>as much an indictment of
>the underworkings of the moviemaking
>machine as it was criticism
>of the individuals choice of
>role. True, some of them
>are NOT the best at
>their trade...but, my point was
>not necessarily about talent.....

Gee, I hope this wsan't primarily directed at me. If so, we need to have a whole different post about taking the easy way out.

Or, maybe, perhaps taking the easy way out is making an indictment of a system that isn't really worth indicting.

This post struck no nerve with me, it's just a too easy to show not only the fallacy in your points, but the futility in being concerned about the issues involved.

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

>You say this as if there's
>something wrong with being first
>choice on everyone's list. And
>who's list is Ice Cube
>on? or LL? The typecasted-gangsta
>list?

Yes exactly

>Besides, do black actors have any
>special obligation to broaden their
>horizons? I know you're not
>concerned about what the white
>actors are doing> Actually, i am...it this just isn't THAT discussion

>Gee, I hope this wsan't primarily
>directed at me. If so,
>we need to have a
>whole different post about taking
>the easy way out.

No, i don't really need to single anyone out....just general sentiment

>Or, maybe, perhaps taking the easy
>way out is making an
>indictment of a system that
>isn't really worth indicting.

True,but we're discussing it anyway

>This post struck no nerve with
>me, it's just a too
>easy to show not only
>the fallacy in your points,
>but the futility in being
>concerned about the issues involved.
>
> Again, no one specific was in the crosshairs...it's cool...actually this was taken from a convo with OKP-Phraktal....

>RED
>
>I'm still writing 20th century on
>all my checks.

>These are characteristics that can
>be rarely attributed to Black
>characters in mainstream hollywood movies.
> Also it must be
>noted that these same roles
>are indeed characters who were
>MEANT to be Black.
>In some movies, Black characters
>are only black by skin
>and could have easily been
>played by others.

You know, sometimes, it's a good thing to write characters that aren't race specific.

>Considering the deplorable conditions of Africans
>on screen I believe that
>actors and actresses should make
>themselves of the functions and
>images that the characters they
>choose have. It is
>no mystery that Cuba Gooding
>Jr. is a damn coon.
> Geez, to think he
>debut role was "Boyz 'n
>the Hood" is amazing. Not
>that this role was great
>but at least he wasn't
>a damn coon.
>
>I have always like Morgan Freeman
>but I realize his is
>the token of token negroes
>but at least he got
>skills and plays in decent
>roles. His role in
>"Robin Hood: Prince of Thieves"
>will always hold a soft
>spot in my heart though
>the movie was garbage.
>He played a Moor who
>made the English look pitiful,
>dirty, stupid and uncivilized.
>One could see that this
>was only permitted to occur
>on a movie whose premise
>was based on a fictional
>story even though historically MOORS
>were culturally superior to Europeans
>and ushered them out of
>the Dark Ages.

Come on. Do you even hear the bias in your words? So you're saying that even when they get it right in a movie, they're wrong. Geez. They made the Moor character superior, what more do you want?

>Morgan was like he didn't
>think anything of it and
>that it was "just a
>role." A black president
>is just a role??
>That sounds like some house
>negro "We are the world"
>bullshit to me. Morgan
>Freeman is a coon.

Damn. It is just a role. It is just a movie. Some of y'all be looking for movies (and movie stars) to save the world. He's just a fucking actor.

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

Because that is all you've offered to this entire post.



Pitiful and Typical.

Peace

Solarus

"To be perfect is to lack nothing essential to the whole therefore I AM."- Solarus

"And if I have to dead you, it's only cuz I love you."- Talib Kweli

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

>>So you're saying that even when they get it right in a movie, they're wrong.

no its just a shame that this very real type of character was portayed in a fictional movie. try to get a story of Black Moors giving europe civilization and watch it go straight to video, if it ever gets made at all. the types of movies coming out NOW are just disgusting!!! a good example: cuba gooding jr's latest PEARL HARBOR where the description of the movie i saw was "a time when america lost her innocence, and gained her greates honor" WTF!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!???????????????????!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

america...innocence...honor??? when was it innocent where is this thing called honor?

i almost lost it at the arrogance and ignorance of such a statement. almost had to walk out of the theater during the preview. the audacity. but make a movie of a true event about say "the MAROONS killing europeans" and you see it bashed on politically incorrect for obvious reasons! and TRY, just TRY to get good ol cuba do be in it. his wife won't let him. (maybe i shouldn't have said that)

(((((PEACE)))))
"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli

Cuba Gooding, Jr. playing:

Cudjoe, leader of the Maroons in Jamaica, cutting off the heads of the English? NO!!!

Amos of "Amos and Andy"? YES!!!

Nat Turner, leader of the Southampton Rebellion (Massacre to some folks)? NO!!!

Clarence Thomas? YES!!!

Hannibal, Carthaginian general? Big MAybe...

Thomas Jefferson's favorite negro? YES!!!

General al-Tarik who led the Moors to conquer Spain? NO!!!

Olaudah Equiano, native African who was enslaved at youth and later became a Catholic who wanted spread the "WOrd" to his heathen AFrican brothers? HELL YESSS!!!! He'd probably win an Oscar for that too.

That damn coon

PEace
Solarus

"To be perfect is to lack nothing essential to the whole therefore I AM."-
Solarus

"And if I have to dead you, it's only cuz I love you."- Talib Kweli

____________________________
"the real pyramids were built with such precision that you can't slide a piece of paper between two 4,000 lb stones, and have shafts perfectly aligned so that you can see a tiny aperture through dozens of these mammoth blocks

hahahahahahahahahahahahahahahahha!!!!!!
(can't breath,stomach hurting) i just had some big supervisor from Oracle turn his head when i laughed then. especially at the last one, i can...barely...type...this...out

good one, wonder if others in cyberspace can feel this. just showed it to some coworkers here who heard me bust out laughing, they're dying, a coon truly is a coon.

(((((PEACE)))))
"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli

All quotes from posts in this thread:

"the one who NEVER jeapordizes his/her goodstanding"

"why do we continue to have to have this "settle for scraps" mentality?

"when the company was started blacks weren't allowed to even get in the finacial circles for ownership!"

"there's nothing wrong with getting into hollywood and making money but at least recognize that an option is there."

"His character was TOTALLY unbelievable because we saw no difference or conflict between him and the Roman society that we saw him in. He could have easily have been Roman."

"A black president is just a role?? That sounds like some house negro "We are the world" bullshit to me. Morgan Freeman is a coon."

"try to get a story of Black Moors giving europe civilization and watch it go straight to video, if it ever gets made at all. the types of movies coming out NOW are just disgusting!!!
but make a movie of a true event about say "the MAROONS killing europeans" and you see it bashed on politically incorrect for obvious reasons"


Cuba ain't portraying "African" characters. Boo fucking hoo.

Morgan Freeman thinks playing president of this fucked up country is no big deal. Boo fucking hoo.

Hollywood don't give a fuck about the Moors and they don't give a fuck about you. Boo fucking hoo.

Hey, either make your own pro-african-agenda movies or stop your fucking bitching about what hollywood ain't doing.

I'm doing my part, making my own damn movies. What the fuck are you doing, besides griping on a message board and showing off you pathetically narrow-minded knowledge of African history?

RED

I'm still writing 20th century on all my checks.

RED
http://arrena.blogspot.com

>All quotes from posts in this
>thread:

>Hey, either make your own pro-african-agenda
>movies or stop your fucking
>bitching about what hollywood ain't
>doing.
>
>I'm doing my part, making my
>own damn movies. What the
>fuck are you doing, besides
>griping on a message board
>and showing off you pathetically
>narrow-minded knowledge of African history?

Let the hate mail begin! But, damn, I feel you. Ain't no okayplayer message board going to make Hollywood do shit. Yes, it's good to talk about it, because this thread has gotten me hyped to finish my script.

Somehow, every generation except mine, seemed to follow up their words with *fight*, be it physical, economic, or social. We still had varying strategies but we still fought.

So, everything that's pissing us off and making us cry...what are we going to do about it? I hope NOT sit and moan because others aren't seeing our points. Regroup your shit, fam. *Make* me see your point through your actions.

I expect a full report from everyone next month.

Yeah...and? What?

http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/images/ang/broke.html - you know you want to.

angieee ('stress)

Need an answer that is not in the FAQ (http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/faq/faq.htm), e-mail help@okayplayer.com

whatever happened to THIS blast from the past?

http://www.okayplayer.com/cgi-bin/dcforum/dcboard.cgi?az=show_thread&om=173&forum=DCForumID1&archive=yes

i miss the old days....

>i miss the old days....

don't ever miss the old days. Waste of time, they ain't coming back. concentrate on making great *new* days.

I posted once about my goals again, and my progress (or at that time, it might have been *lack of* progress) I haven't been posting as much as I used to, mostly because my work at this site has quadrupuled. We really need to have a BEHIND THE WEBSITE show.

My goals have changed slightly, but as I work on them now (and yes, tangible work like speaking to kids, working with Mr. McGruder (Boondocks) on quality stuff for people not entertained by most of BET, plain old donating money, taking better care of my family) I realize and learn more and more. Hopefully soon, I will have a VOICE and that may be dangerous, as I am good at cloaking activism in comedy and entertainment.

I won't pull a digable planets / grammy jawn. I won't pull a Sinead jawn. Good rebel hearts, them kids had. Thing is, most people aren't ready for rebels. They like their medicine with a little milk.

I'm rambling. But, yes, my goals are intact and being worked on every moment I'm not chained here or dancing some stress off.

Read what I said again about the past.

May You Love God so much that you love nothing else too much; May You Fear God enough that you need fear nothing else at all. (my definition of God may vary from yours, so shut your trap.)

http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/images/ang/broke.html - you know you want to.

angieee ('stress)

Need an answer that is not in the FAQ (http://www.okayplayer.com/etc/faq/faq.htm), e-mail help@okayplayer.com

>don't ever miss the old days.
>Waste of time, they ain't
>coming back. concentrate on making
>great *new* days.

disagree if only for the reality of the fact that things come in cycles and without remembering your past you may repeat it's mistakes. similarly, as yesterday was a foundation for today and tomarrow - i enjoy looking back to see how far i've come.

good to hear about the goals, btw.

i may not get to talk to you as much, but you're definitely still on my prayer list and i still abundantly admire your works.

stay blessed...and tell your boy to come get his spear

>Hey, either make your own pro-african-agenda
>movies or stop your fucking
>bitching about what hollywood ain't
>doing.

Word! Hollywood owes us NOTHING!!! Why should we expect shit from them?

Personally, I feel Ice-T and Cube and just about all the others on the list can act. As far as these actors taking on the "risky" "controversial" roles, what was the last hollywood flick that was risky or controversial?

Hollywood supplies junk food for the average consumer. I won't knock someone for wanting to be a part of that, but there better be a way for me to get my vital nutrients. Nobody else can sustain me but me. The answer (as so many others have stated in this thread) is maintaining our own network of black films, animation and such!

>>Hey, either make your own pro-african-agenda movies or stop your fucking bitching about what hollywood ain't doing.

just for the record, work is being done.
Solarus, let's get this "Maroon and White" film up and out this year. With that Pearl Harbor drivel coming out, we need it. Maybe angieee can help with advice and stuff.

Also, it's not always that people are just complaining about stuff going on in hollywood and other areas, cuz i know it can sound like whining at times. Just that along with ACTION against the status quo, there has to be a retraction from it at the same time. The way i see it hollywood is just pitiful in too many areas to justify its purpose. There's tolerating something, getting away from that same thing and doing your own, and realizing that even when you do, it still poses a problem. Do i think the whole thing should be burned to the ground? yes. sort of like the what the native american speaking at the capitol during the MFM, "let's burn this ish down". Speaking in non-physical terms, this would mean a "total separation" mentality for people, not just a "hey let's have our own that's just like the other one, but for us" mentality. This just changes the hands to which the object belong, never really ending the problem.

(((((PEACE)))))
"if i dropped African thought, you'd probably lie and say it's greek philosophy" -TalibKweli

unless we're are an industry insider or aspiring actor/director/producer we're to withold comment for fear of being branded a disillusioned/shiftless/hater type?....
I mean, i respect everyone's right to do their thing...but we're well aware that just b/c it was given someone else's stamp of approval doesn't necessarily preclude global acceptance.....

I do however applaud and support the new blood....cuz we know either route is a struggle

> unless we're are an industry
>insider or aspiring actor/director/producer we're
>to withold comment for fear
>of being branded a disillusioned/shiftless/hater
>type?....

No. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion. What may be a coon to you may not be to others. Sure, we can attack Hollywood for these so-called discriminatory practices, but what is the ultimate goal here? Are we trying to force someone to represent us who could otherwise care less? Or do we recognize the BS and provide other alternatives?