Merle Dandridge: African American, Ryukyuan, Japanese, and Korean???

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:04am

According to Wikipedia, her father's African American and her mother is an Okinawan of Japanese and Korean descent. That would make her the most famous (if not the only) half-African half-Asian Broadway performer.

[TheOldQueenie]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:04am

OH



MY



GOD

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:05am

Wikipedia lies!

Anyway, how is that relevant to Broadway?!?

[Kalimba]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:06am

mtf3, pathetic as usual.

[TheOldQueenie]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:07am

That's the funniest question anyone has asked in a long time...

We ask that question EVERY SINGLE DAY when it comes to Emma Zaks, wishingonly.

Emma Zaks never posts anything relevant to Broadway.

that's why I am shocked when he does.

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:12am

She's in Spamalot on Broadway.

[TheOldQueenie]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:13am

Please.











Stop.

[Marianne2]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 2:05am

Because being in Spamalot has everything to do with her ethnicity. Seriously, quit while you are ahead and make no sense as usual.

[eatlasagna]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 2:13am

Sharon Leal is half black and half Filipino.... she's more famous than Merle Dandridge.... do your research!

[Jon]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 11:40am

She played Andrea in ONCE ON THIS ISLAND at my theatre in 1998.

[Phyllis Rogers Stone]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 12:02pm

Has Merle Dandridge ever had an abortion?

[kissmeimirish]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 1:45pm

let's just call her gorgeous and talented and leave it at that.

[Jon]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 2:18pm

Well, she was IN an abortion called "Tarzan".

[FriedmanFan]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 3:14pm

I find the "Phyllis Rogers Stone" post to be incredibly offensive. I don't care if the question was in jest or completely serious. And Jon's response about Tarzan was equally childish and irrelevant.

Personally, I am a fan of Merle Dandrige. I believe her to be a very sophisticated actress with a beautiful voice and strong presence. Why care about her personal life or what ethnicty she is?

[winston89]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 3:25pm

FriedmanFan, the abortion question had nothing to do with Merle, Phyllis was mocking musicaltheatrefan3 and not personally attacking Merle.

[NGD2225]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 3:29pm

Does this matter AT ALL?

[WishingOnlyWounds2]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 3:34pm

mtf3 is a boy?!?

Anyone else notice how MTF3 and Coolkid post absurd threads, but are never online at the same time?

[My_Candle]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 6:58pm

Merle has a new interview:

http://www.playbill.com/news/article/121941.html

[Jon]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 7:11pm

FriedmanFan - a sense of humor goes a long way around here. You should try it some time.

[Schmerg_The_Impaler]

Posted: 10/3/08 at 7:14pm

I think FriedmanFan just didn't know about the whole MTF3-is-big-on-the-abortion-issue thing. I can see where it would be a bit disturbing to see a post out of the blue that says, "Has [Insert Random Perfomer Here] ever had an abortion?" (Especially if the random performer's a guy...)

But yeah, it doesn't usually do well to get 'incredibly offended' by things on BWW...

[FriedmanFan]

Posted: 10/4/08 at 10:44am

Sorry all...I didn't mean to come across like I don't have a sense of humor. Maybe it's just that I truly don't find abortion funny. And when I read it, I imagined what Merle Dandrige would feel seeing that question posted on BroadwayWorld. When a question like that is put out there (even if it's only purpose is to be a joke) people wonder if it may be true and somehow that adds validity to the question. Look at the stupidity around the rumors that swirled about Orfeh having a sex change. It's simply ridiculous and yet the poor actress had to come on here herself to ask people to stop perpetuating the lie. Thanks to Schmerg for understanding my confusion. I'll definitely take the advice to lighten up on the old broadway threads in future.

[Weez]

Posted: 10/4/08 at 10:50am

OMG Schmerg I find it incredibly offensive that you imply Merle is a man!

(Sorry FriedmanFan, I just had to mock Schmerg for that; this mockery is all aimed at her and meant in a good-natured fashion, promise. )

[musicaltheatrefan3]

Posted: 10/4/08 at 12:03pm

I wasn't offended by the abortion comment, because I knew that you were mocking me, because I am strongly pro-choice. I was fine with it.

[winston89]

Posted: 10/4/08 at 12:09pm

musicaltheatrefan3, we aren't mocking you because your pro choice we are mocking you because we hate you.

[orangeskittles]

Posted: 10/4/08 at 12:15pm

But is she Jewish? That is what's really important.