Laura Bell Bundy's racist(?) caricature- Page 3

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 10:49pm

Okay, what I meant by that was she used to have a big wide thick colored lady nose. It would have been perfect.

(In case you didn't get my meaning.)

[PalJoey]

Posted: 7/15/10 at 11:57pm

Imagine what this thread would have been like if Alice Ripley had made that video!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 4:17pm

And then Alice revived Side Show with Catherine Zeta Jones! Or Catherine Zetas Jone, as her black hairdresser character would probably say it.

[Reginald Tresilian]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 5:12pm

"Catherine Zetas Jone."

Ok, THAT was funny.

[Janki]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 5:39pm

I think Laura is incredibly funny...loving it!

[inlovewithjerryherman]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 9:34pm

I'm super impressed by all of the characters - she's really funny and I love how she's created this entire world with all these people.

Apparently the mayor (who seems to be Bundy playing an middle-aged man) has gone missing? Hilsrious.

Shocantelle is probably the funniest. I like Euneeda and Tatiana too. Not as fond of Justice Goode.

[Q]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 9:35pm

Don't stop, Namo, it's perfect.

[AwesomeDanny]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:12pm

This was such a funny video! I watched it last night, and when I came to rehearsal today, our choreographer was talking about how funny this video is. "I can cut your hair, I can cut you, and for $20, I will put this thing on your head in twenty minutes!" And I love the comb!

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:38pm

The thing is, white people in our culture are racist. All of us. And any white person with half a brain (like myself) can plug right into the underevolved chunks of our brains and come up with "Catherine Zetas Jone" in our sleep. The question is, SHOULD we? And if we do, should we do it in public? I think not. And that goes for Shirley Q. Liquor, and Tracey Ullman too. Her airport scanner woman always made me very uncomfortable.

I know we want to really believe that only bad people are racist. And that since we know and love Laura Bell we KNOW what she's doing isn't racist because she's so nice and talented and funny. All of those things can be true but it doesn't mean it's not racist.

I think all white people everywhere need to acknowledge our racism and ask ourselves what we can do to work against it. I'm always a little shocked when I hear white people declare themselves to be not racist. I wonder how they lucked out and escaped what we all have in us.

[Q]

Posted: 7/16/10 at 11:46pm

It seems to me, though, that it's a little racist itself to put it simply in terms of 'white people'. I've seen a lot of the same things from Asian cultures, or Middle-eastern, or . . .

In the end, it seems we've ALL been bred and raised with the notion of US and THEM - whoever that might be. Transitioning into a one-world culture of just US is going to have to include an acknowledgment of that past. On all our parts.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:16am

Right, prejudices and whatnot. But as far as the "ism" is concerned, that's something that can only come from a member of the dominant culture when aimed at members of minority cultures.

And yes, it can come from people with good hearts and "no harm" can be meant by it, but when it's a white person "doing" racial stereotypes, it's racist.

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:28am

"that's something that can only come from a member of the dominant culture when aimed at members of minority cultures"

So it's not racism when black people make fun of white stereotypes?
Updated On: 7/17/10 at 12:28 AM

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:45am

No, it's not. It may be a prejudice, but people who have historically been marginalized by the dominant culture don't suddenly have the wherewithal to harness the systemic, institutionalized power that has been used to keep them down and turn it back on the culture that oppresses them. That's what racism is.

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:48am

Actually, racism is "the belief that all members of each race possess characteristics or abilities specific to that race, esp. so as to distinguish it as inferior or superior to another race or races."

[Q]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:55am

Semantics aside, I agree with Namo. The distinction of historical marginalization is very important.

It's interesting to be someone who follows scientific development through the ages, and realize that 'race' hasn't been a viable distinction in that realm for some time. Culturally, however, it is still dominant, and MUST be dealt with - and our current US president and the fallout has made that crystal clear.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 12:58am

Quotation marks around it notwithstanding, sond, that's really not what racism is.

ETA It's really funny, I just looked and saw you pulled that one sentence from Wikipedia quoting the Oxford English Dictionary (which couldn't possibly have any biases of its own) from the multiple paragraphs that actually do try to get at what racism is.

Updated On: 7/17/10 at 12:58 AM

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:06am

Actually, I pulled it from the actual dictionary.

Sorry, but people being offensive to other people based on their race is people being offensive regardless of their race and to which race it is directed. To believe otherwise, in my opinion, is racism. Equality, which I imagine is what everyone wants here, is a two way street.

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:15am

Yes. That's a very simple way of putting it.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:16am

Didn't we cover all of this in 2003?

[FindingNamo]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:23am

I think it's always worth looking at when people like Laura Bell Bundy take a light-hearted look at people of color.

[wonderwaiter]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 1:34am

So the Tatianna and Justice Goode characters are less offensive because of their skin tone?

Updated On: 7/17/10 at 01:34 AM

[julesboogie]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 2:33am

folks she doesnt even look black! never for once thought this character was a black woman...or making fun of them. thought she was a ghetto a$$ white girl. go to the bronx im sure youll find a few blending in.

[Q]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 3:11am

Which brings up classism - its own kettle of fish.

But maybe one of some importance, given our current world situation.

How is this supposed to be viewed? Why is it funny to you?

I can't help but feel it boils down to 'we' are better than 'them' - whatever distinction you're making in your mind.

[songanddanceman2]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 9:03am

"I think all white people everywhere need to acknowledge our racism and ask ourselves what we can do to work against it. I'm always a little shocked when I hear white people declare themselves to be not racist. I wonder how they lucked out and escaped what we all have in us."

Im sorry Namo but i have to agree with Sondhead here.Saying that when a Black/Asian etc insult white people and its about their skin coulour etc then its racism. Those people do not get a pass because 'white' is the more dominant colour in the US etc.

All race crimes no matter who it comes from and who it's directed too is racism.

[sondhead]

Posted: 7/17/10 at 9:19am

"How is this supposed to be viewed? Why is it funny to you?"

I think it's funny because it's a ridiculous character, just as I find MANY ridiculous characters funny, regardless of their race. How is this crazy gangsta-talking character any less/more offensive than the dumb blonde valley girls we love to laugh at in movies? Or dumb horny alcoholic frat guys for that matter, to take gender out of the question? Isn't to say one is "worse" than the other just categorizing crazy stereotypes into "classes" based on race? Isn't THAT incredibly racist?