Norbit: A Short Review of Hollywood Racism
Not since Do the Right Thing has the film industry come up with such stereotyped/racist behavior trying to pass itself off as mainstream theater. Norbit cannot be considered a simple farce/comedy, because its implications are clearly designed to hinder fat black women world wide. Eddie Murphy should have his accolades for Dreamgirls revoked after supplying the storyline for this movie with his brother, Charles Murphy. The Murphy boys then passed off the story to Jay Scherick and David Ronn, collaborators on Guess Who, a remake of the equally offensive original, in which miscegeny is laughed at. Racial purity is no laughing matter. The fact that this movie could get made in modern Hollywood shows just how conservative the film industry really is…and by conservative, I mean racist Republican in nature.
Suggesting that all fat, black women are irritating, loud, and incapable of getting a man clearly means the producers of this movie have never seen a group of fat black women talking. However, the most offensive element in this movie may be Eddie Murphy’s “acting.” A black man playing a fat black woman has been done every year for the past decade. Perhaps Murphy will bring this disgusting practice to an end since he originated the mockery in The Nutty Professor (1996). While Tyler Perry has perhaps elevated the role to an art form in the Madea series, he may only be dating Tyra Banks to mine more material for his future projects. Either way, black men should not continue the humiliation of black women on film, because ethnic groups must unite or risk facing further hegemonic domination from the powerful white caste.
The very least the producers could do would have been to cast the real life version of Murphy’s character Rasputia, MoNique, so that a fat black woman could get paid for this role. Instead, Eddie Murphy adds more bank to his roll so that he can continue his child support payments. Surprisingly, the most powerful black woman, Oprah Winfrey, has not yet commented on the movie. One word from her would have squashed this movie faster than the dreams of most under privileged South African girls.
In short, the clear audacity that white Hollywood has shown in taking advantage of fat black women exposes the true prejudices prevalent in society today. The fact that white people are not outraged even just a little bit over this shameful movie confirms their covert racism. What's next, a remake of Gone With the Wind from Mammy's perspective?
6 comments:
I agree with everything in this article, except for the comment about Hollywood proving itself to be "conservative...racist Republican conservative". I am really sick and tired of seeing that stereotype about conservatives being perpetuated. Though there are some conservative Republicans who are racist, there are many who are not. By the same token, though many liberals are truly open-minded and accepting, there are many who are not. When I used to work in Hollywood (only a couple of years ago), I met many liberals (who were white) who pretended to be tolerant and said all the politically correct things with regard to race. However, I watched these same people treat non-whites like second-class citizens. For example, I saw many people get turned down for parts because they were "too ethnic". I'm sure we all know what THAT really means. The way that liberal Hollywood portrays non-whites in the same, tired, stereotypical way proves how prejudiced the higher powers of Hollywood really are. "Norbit" is just one of many examples.
I cannot believe that Eddie Murphy would put this together. I just find it unbelievable. I also find it unbelievable that Thandie Newton would play the part she played. This movie is filled with black self hatred. The whole idea of a black man being in a forced relationship with an ugly over weight black woman, as he dreams of being with a svelte mixed race woman. It would have been a little different if they would have chosen a pretty black woman to play the role of Kate, but they went with the oldest saddest stereotype in the world. How disturbing. This is really how Eddie sees us. And I used to credit Eddie Murphy as my favorite comedian. As if us, fully black women don't have deal with being almost invisible in Hollywood. We basically only have mixed race women to represent us, especially in big Hollywood movies. Then we have to deal with this disgusting representation. I'm kind of heart broken over the whole thing. I don't even have any words for already established successful actress Thandie Newton, only that you should be ashamed of yourself, to perpetuate this. There’s no need to mention all the other tasteless stereotypes as they’ve already been mentioned in many other critiques of this horrible movie.
Its a bit of fun people. Get over it. Ha america slammed Hey Hey its saturday for being racist and backward.
Its a bit of fun people. Get over it. Ha america slammed Hey Hey its saturday for being racist and backward.
Hey anonymous #1 do you work in political PR. So there are "some" Republicans who are racist but there are "many" liberals (the word is Democrat dumbass) who are racist. What universe do you live in?
Dear JD Labels,
The review is good. But I have to bring some important points out:
If you can recall, the company that did Norbit is Dreamworks. That's owned by Spielberg, Katzenberg, and Geffen. They are liberals. They got away with it because they had two black men create the story.
But I want you all to remember this: black men are ultra- exploited in Hollywood. And Spielberg himself did that in 1985's The Color Purple, which many liberals and conservatives think is a great movie, both blacks and whites. I find that the most offensive black film ever made because it portrays black men as bad and beyond that. But that is what liberal Hollywood wanted at the time and still do.
Most people that own Hollywood are liberals and many make believe they like black people. As long as they can exploit them for money is what it's about. Just remember that.
But a very good review and do not stop your viewpoints because you're on the dollar.
Yours, Stillio
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