Blackface evokes the painful and painful history of how white people have codified blackness. But some white people can't help but wear artificial masks in order to experience fake blackness in all its glory.
We in no way claim that these celebrities are racist. But we are definitely calling attention to this idea: Darkening your skin and performing as a caricatured bard for the laughs of white people is actually racist. At the very least, the action is disturbing, unsettling, and historically uninteresting.
“Entertainment” was born in the 19th century. Whites applied shoe cream to their faces, wore tattered clothes, and performed exaggerated mannerisms typically associated with black people.
Historian Dale Cockrell of the National Museum of African American Cultural History notes that the practice began in the South, where poor and working-class whites felt shunned by wealthy whites.
“[White people] People who felt politically, economically, and socially oppressed not only from above but also from below invented minstrelsy as a way to express the oppression that characterized being part of the majority. It’s outside the white norm,” Cockrell said.
And before you say, “This new woke generation is attacking comedy now!” Blackface has always been seen as an attack on black people. The Associated Press points out that famous abolitionist Frederick Douglass called the blackface bit “the filthy scum of white society” in The North Star. That was in 1848. But even in 2024, not all black people feel this way.
Billy Dee Williams recently suggested that white actors can wear blackface without issue. He argued that entertainers should have creative freedom and be able to do whatever they need to do for the sake of entertainment. This kind of thinking has led to some pretty cringe-worthy moments in pop culture history. There are literally hundreds of white entertainers who wear blackface, but here are just a few who have mastered the forbidden art.
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judy garland
Image credit: Silver Screen Collection/Getty Images
The late American actress Judy Garland played Judy Bellaire in blackface in 1938. Let's all sing together. In the photo, the Wizard of Oz icon can be seen dancing in an aggressive outfit.She also wore blackface in 1939 babes in war and in 1941 babes on broadway. But this blackface incident may not be her fault. It has been regularly documented that Garland was abused from an early age.
according to newsweek, Garland's diet and body image were regularly monitored to ensure she was “perfect” by white Hollywood standards. She was reportedly given amphetamines in the morning and sleeping pills at night while on a strict diet.By the time she scored her iconic goal oz After completing the role, the abuse worsened. By age 15, she was addicted to pills and her diet consisted of black coffee, chicken soup, and about 80 cigarettes a day. Moreover, her role was chosen for her, regardless of her choice.she Let's all sing together The role may have been a product of that.
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Dan Aykroyd
Image credit: YouTube Screenshot
Dan Aykroyd wore blackface in 1983 Exchange. He co-starred with Eddie Murphy and played a Jamaican man in the film. The comedy legend recently opened up about a heartbreaking incident. Ackroyd insisted he wouldn't do blackface today, citing “the days we're living in” as a trigger.
“I was in blackface in that movie, and I probably couldn't get away with it now,” Aykroyd said. variety. “Eddie and I were there improvising. Eddie was black and all his entourage was black, but I don't think they batted an eye. There was no objection at the time. No one knew what to do. It was a very good comic beat that was true to the story.”
“I probably wouldn't choose to play a role in blackface, and I probably wouldn't be asked to do it,” Aykroyd continued. “A Jamaican accent, a white face, a black person would probably not be tolerated. All we live these days is out the window. It would be hard to get away with an English accent. They'll say, 'Oh, you're not British, you can't do that.'
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sarah silverman
Image credit: YouTube screenshot.
Sarah Silverman showed off her hateful “art” during the “Face Wars” episode. sarah silverman program. Her infamous incident involves the New York City native declaring herself black for a day while performing at her church. Her actions left the congregation visibly disgusted with her and wondering why she was there. “I look like the beautiful Queen Latifah,” she says in her video.
Sarah then goes on to address a scandalous sketch from 2018. Sarah called this part “horrible” and said she would erase it if possible. “I don't support the blackface sketches. I'm too scared to erase them. I've been changed by it and all I can do is move forward,” she said. GQ.
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jimmy fallon
Image credit: YouTube Screenshot
Jimmy Fallon wore blackface during a 2000 episode saturday night live. In this segment, he was found impersonating Chris Rock, exaggerating his speaking style and mannerisms. Twenty years later, Kimmel apologized for the sketch, insisting there was “no excuse for this.”
“In 2000, while active SNL, made the terrible decision to impersonate Chris Rock in blackface. There is no excuse for this,” he typed. “I deeply regret making this clearly offensive decision and thank everyone who held me accountable.”
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Betty White and Lou McClanahan
Image credit: YouTube Screenshot
Betty White and Lou McClanahan were widely seen wearing blackface in a 1988 episode. golden girls, It's called a “mixed blessing”” The plot finds that Bea Arthur's character's son wants to marry a black woman twice his age. When a black woman's mother visits the Golden Girls' home, the characters Betty and Lou have mud smeared in their faces. They came out to greet the black mother, but she thought they were in blackface. Betty White's character says: “This is dirt on our faces. We're not real black people.”
Hulu removed the episode from the streaming version of the show.
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jimmy kimmel
Image credit: YouTube
Jimmy Kimmel also wore blackface during a Comedy Central sketch the man show In this skit, he played NBA athlete Karl Malone.
Kimmel was painted all black and also wore a bald cap. And he exaggerated his own speech, mocking uneducated black men with no common sense. Kimmel addressed the skit in 2020, sending out his official press release and apologizing.
“For a long time, I have been reluctant to address this issue. Doing so has been criticized by people who equate apologies with weakness and support leaders who use prejudice to divide us.” “I knew it would be celebrated as a victory,” he said. CNN.
He explained that his decision to wear blackface was based on impersonating Malone. Kimmel claimed he didn't mean to make fun of him because of his skin. The late-night show host also explained that he “never thought” that the blackface could be seen as more than mere impersonation.
“In the late '90s, I continued to impersonate Malone on TV. I hired a makeup artist to make me look as much like Karl Malone as possible,” Kimmel further explained. “It never occurred to me that this could be seen as anything other than an imitation of the same human being, which has nothing to do with Karl's skin color, any more than Karl's bulging muscles or bald head. did.”
“I have done impressions of celebrities like Snoop Dogg, Oprah, Eminem, Dick Vitale, Rosie, and many others dozens of times. In each case, I considered them nothing more than celebrity impersonations. ,” Kimmel said. “In retrospect, many of these sketches were embarrassing, and these indiscreet moments became weapons used by some to undermine my criticism of society and other injustices. I’m annoyed that I’m there.”
