Keeping up with this story on other websites its interesting to read the responses. On fanboy haven Aint It Cool News after learning of Boris’ casting one poster (whom I will assume is white) wrote that he hoped a black, Hispanic or Asian woman was picked as the wife. Just as long as she wasn’t white. Hmmm. Maybe it was a black dude. Anyway there were a bunch of posts and that was the only one that blatantly mentioned that he didn’t want a white female to be chosen for the role. But interesting enough a bunch of posters did throw out some names of black actresses to be cast. And that got me thinking…if the first lead chosen was the actress to play wife and if she was black would those same posters throw out a names of black actors as possible leads for the husband role? Or would they stick exclusively to the names of white males? When a role is not specifically made for a black actor, you almost never read posts by fans that suggest hiring a black actor.
Then I went to EurWeb’s coverage of the announcement. (EurWeb is a site for African Americans for those that don’t know). There were 8 comments and I just had to click them on to see what was being said. No surprise the majority if not all the folks replying were females. And more of them were more interested (or concerned) over who would be picked for the wife than they were in giving Boris props for getting the gig. Not a surprise. Those ladies were nervous at the possibility the female could be white. One used a code word by saying “I bet they cast a BECKY” or something like that. Others were irritated and claimed “you know they aren’t going to cast a black woman”. The key comment came from one who said TPTB better cast a black women if they knew what was good for them. She went on about how Taye Diggs had a show called “Kevin Hill” that was pulled because “sisters’ were mad that he only dated one “sister’ on the show and they sent in their complaints as well as refused to watch the show.
Now how much of the failure of “Kevin Hill” has to do with this is debatable, but it has been suggested before. I’ve read comments by black women in which they crow about taking down another Taye Diggs show “Day Break” as well because his love interest was not black (se was Asian or Eurasian if you like). Now these women may exaggerate their clout for a show aimed at a more mainstream audience (Day Break) than a show like “Kevin Hill” which was heavily promoted in black circulations. Casting a guy like Boris for this new JJ show brings with it certain risks based on Boris’ skin color. But to be truthful if white and other non-black people like the show and watch it wouldn’t matter if every last black women boycotted it (not that that would be the case). Still I’m seeing more upfront evidence of black women’s intolerance and double standards. You give them a real motion picture or an animated feature like ‘The Princess and the Frog” in which a black woman is paired with a man who isn’t black, and what you mostly get from black women is all this talk about how its wonderful to see interracial relationships on screen; how its overdue; how they are overjoyed by it. But these same type of women lose their minds when it’s the reverse and it’s a black male with a non-black woman. Particularly so if that woman is white. All of a sudden they find the time and effort to write letters, send e-mails, make phone calls to complain, rally other black women to not support the product, etc.
Listen I’ve been writing about this problem for a couple of years and while some agree, some folks try to dismiss any such concerns on this front. There have been both black men and a couple of white ladies who don’t see it as a big deal or think we should all accept the situation as it is. Meanwhile black women mobilize and try to put pressure on networks and studios to pair black men with anyone but them. They claim they are sick of always seeing black men on screen with white women when anyone who has the slightest awareness understands that pairing a black male and a white female, especially in film, is rare.
I now hope they cast a white women for this show just to piss off a bunch of women who are no less bigoted and insecure than southern rednecks. And as a black man I will actually support the show as long as its of reasonable quality. I’ll even write e-mails or make phone calls if I have to counter the negative responses the show is likely to get.
I hope we get this in Australia.
