Well, with ~13% of the population committing more than 30% of all crime, and single motherhood robbing black Americans of their future as surely as any Klan program, another negative example is hardly needed.

"Diversity" still means "skin color" to a bunch of people, even as programs promoting it fail to notice it is an obstacle to be overcome in pursuit of a common goal. Millions - I kid you not - will simply say, "See? Criminal!" Ask those around you how they tell the difference between fact and fiction. You'll get a bunch of fluff.

And how many will glamorize this criminal character?

Because to do anything else is RACIST!!!11!1!

Saw a lot of that during the last election. Don't like Obama's politics? RACIST. Think he's underqualified or too socialist in his leanings? RACIST!

Say anything mean about the poor li'l black man? RACIST!

Nevermind the implicit racism in the idea that he should have been treated with kid gloves because of his race, that he couldn't handle the heat so he needed to be "protected" from criticism?

Funny, but now that more people are daring to muse out loud, "Hmmm, it's almost like, I dunno, he's not really qualified for all this..." that people don't seem to be crying "racist" quite as loudly.

I'm sorry, but if you really want "equality" between the "races" then we have to do away with double-standards and preferrential treatment.

Because all black people who are famous must, at all times, be "role models." As opposed to famous white people who just think they are role models.

Make the movie because it is interesting. Their are many exemplary people out there but a movie about a CEO is not as exciting as movie about thieves. Plus it will be Hollywooded up.

It sounds commenter is one of those people who feel that anything you do must be for the better good.

Well if your going to make pizza why not skip the meat and go all vegetable as meat is bad for the environment and balh blah.

Bloody kill joys...

"Is this the best African-American female that Hollywood and Halle Berry can think of to make a movie about? "

Uuumm, didn't she also make a movie about Dorothy Dandridge? And didn't she play Storm (although fictinional but a hell of a good black female character) in the X-Men movies?
Regardless, no one said, "Is this the best causasian female that Hollywood and Charlize Theron an think of to make a movie about?" when she did Monster. But then again, I guess when society has such double standards, it is to be expected.
Besides, it is based on a real life character, not some ficticious one like in other "black" movies that glorify thug life and no one complained about those.
Why is no one up in arms then about all the notorious white actors who play mostly violent white criminals on screen. There is Johnny Depp in Public Enemies, Robert DiNiro in The Untouchables, Steve Railsback in Helter Skelter, Holly Hunter in The Positively True Adventures of the Alleged Texas Cheerleader-Murdering Mom just to name a few. The list goes on... I didn't hear anyone complaining about those. Surely there are better real life characters to make movies about... *insert eye roll here*

It's Hollywood people. Not church. Why do people insist on making celebrities role models? They are entertainers and nothing more. If you want to see people (black, white, and everything in between) setting a good example and being role models, how about starting with yourself and leave Hollywood out of it.

If you want to see people (black, white, and everything in between) setting a good example and being role models, how about starting with yourself and leave Hollywood out of it.

A-freakin-men, sister.

Funny, but now that more people are daring to muse out loud, "Hmmm, it's almost like, I dunno, he's not really qualified for all this..." that people don't seem to be crying "racist" quite as loudly.

Then there's this view of this man (sent to me by my dad. Sorry for the length, and the hijack, Amy, but this really needs to be seen):

Dr. Krauthammer is on Fox News. He is an M.D. and a lawyer and is paralyzed from the neck down. A friend went to hear Charles Krauthammer. He listened with 25 others in a closed room. What he says here, is NOT 2nd-hand but 1st. The ramifications are staggering for us, our children and their children.

Last Monday was a profound evening, Dr. Charles Krauthammer spoke to the Center for the American Experiment. He is a brilliant intellectual, seasoned & articulate. He is forthright and careful in his analysis, and never resorts to emotions or personal insults. He is NOT a fear monger nor an extremist in his comments and views. He is a fiscal conservative, and has received a Pulitzer Prize for writing. He is a frequent contributor to Fox News and writes weekly for the Washington Post.

The entire room was held spellbound during his talk. I have summarized his comments, as we are living in uncharted waters economically and internationally.

Even 2 Dems at my table agreed with everything he said! If you feel like forwarding this to those who are open minded and have not drunk the Kool-Aid, feel free.

Summary of his comments:

1. Mr. Obama is a very intellectual, charming individual. He is not to be underestimated. He is a cool customer who doesn't show his emotions. It's very hard to know what's behind the mask. The taking down of the Clinton dynasty was an amazing accomplishment. The Clintons still do not understand what hit them. Obama was in the perfect place at the perfect time.

2. Obama has political skills comparable to Reagan and Clinton. He has a way of making you think he's on your side, agreeing with your position, while doing the opposite. Pay no attention to what he SAYS; rather, watch what he DOES!

3. Obama has a ruthless quest for power. He did not come to Washington to make something out of himself, but rather to change everything, including dismantling capitalism. He can't be straightforward on his ambitions, as the public would not go along.

He has a heavy hand, and wants to level the playing field with income redistribution and punishment to the achievers of society. He would like to model the USA to Great Britain or Canada.

4. His three main goals are to control ENERGY, PUBLIC EDUCATION, and NATIONAL HEALTHCARE by the Federal government. He doesn't care about the auto or financial services industries, but got them as an early bonus. The cap and trade will add costs to everything and stifle growth. Paying for FREE college education is his goal. Most scary is his healthcare program, because if you make it FREE and add 46,000,000 people to a Medicare-type single-payer system, the costs will go through the roof. The only way to control costs is with massive RATIONING of services, like in Canada. God forbid!

5. He has surrounded himself with mostly far-left academic types. No one around him has ever even run a candy store. But they are going to try and run the auto, financial, banking and other industries. This obviously can't work in the long run. Obama is not a socialist; rather he's a far-left secular progressive bent on nothing short of revolution. He ran as a moderate, but will govern from the hard left. Again, watch what he does, not what he says.

6. Obama doesn't really see himself as President of the United States , but more as a ruler over the world. He sees himself above it all, trying to orchestrate & coordinate various countries and their agendas. He sees moral equivalency in all cultures. His apology tour in Germany and England was a prime example of how he sees America , as an imperialist nation that has been arrogant, rather than a great noble nation that has at times made errors. This is the first President ever who has chastised our allies and appeased our enemies!

7. He is now handing out goodies. He hopes that the bill (and pain) will not come due until after he is reelected in 2012. He would like to blame all problems on Bush from the past, and hopefully his successor in the future. He has a huge ego, and Dr. Krauthammer believes he is a narcissist.

8. Republicans are in the wilderness for a while, but will emerge strong. Republicans are pining for another Reagan, but there will never be another like him. Krauthammer believes Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty & Bobby Jindahl (except for his terrible speech in February) are the future of the party. Newt Gingrich is brilliant, but has baggage. Sarah Palin is sincere and intelligent, but needs to really be seriously boning up on facts and info if she is to be a serious candidate in the future.. We need to return to the party of lower taxes, smaller government, personal responsibility, strong national defense, and state's rights.

9. The current level of spending is irresponsible and outrageous. We are spending trillions that we don't have. This could lead to hyperinflation, depression or worse. No country has ever spent themselves into prosperity. The media is giving Obama, Reid and Pelosi a pass because they love their agenda. But eventually the bill will come due and people will realize the huge bailouts didn't work, nor will the stimulus package. These were trillion-dollar payoffs to Obama's allies, unions and the Congress to placate the left, so he can get support for #4 above.

10. The election was over in mid-September when Lehman brothers failed, fear and panic swept in, we had an unpopular President, and the war was grinding on indefinitely without a clear outcome. The people are in pain, and the mantra of change caused people to act emotionally. Any Dem would have won this election; it was surprising it was as close as it was.

11. In 2012, if the unemployment rate is over 10%, Republicans will be swept back into power. If it's under 8%, the Dems continue to roll. If it's between 8-10%, it will be a dogfight. It will all be about the economy. I hope this gets you really thinking about what's happening in Washington and Congress. There is a left-wing revolution going on, according to Krauthammer, and he encourages us to keep the faith and join the loyal resistance. The work will be hard, but we're right on most issues and can reclaim our country, before it's far too late.

Do yourself a long term favor, send this to all who will listen to an intelligent assessment of the big picture. All our futures and children's futures depend on our good understanding of what is really going on in DC, and our action pursuant to that understanding.

John and Sabrina, I think what people are afraid of is that because the lead character is black and female, political correctness will wind up ruining the movie. We all know that it's a general Hollywood rule that minority characters must always be shown in a good, or at least sympathetic, light. The fear is that Berry's character will wind up being portrayed as a righteous moral crusader, while the people from whom she steals will inevitably be white and will be portrayed as one-dimensional, stereotypical, right-wing bad guys. The result will be a boring, preachy movie that will win all kinds of awards despite being a box-office flop.

You are correct in that it shouldn't be Hollywood's job to be the nation's moral light, because that isn't realistic. But it is no more realistic for Hollywood to be the nation's universally corrupting and divisive influence, and yet that is the job Hollywood has taken on for itself. And in the process, it has totally subsumed its art to politics -- Hollywood has willingly and with malice aforethought transformed itself into a propaganda machine. That's where critiques like Steve B's are coming from.

I'd rather see Halle Berry present a postive role model for Lesbians. With Beyonce. And Pam Grier. And Angela Basset.

Geez, give me a molehill and watch me make a big-ass mountain out of it.

Villains are more fun to play, and they usually get the best lines, okay? I've read more than once about actor's and actresses who were delighted to get to play a villain.

As another commenter mentioned, Hollywood and the public have been in love with villains from Robyn Hood to Bonnie and Clyde, Al Capone, Dillinger,etc, for as long as they've been making movies.

Heck, it would be just as easy to complain that there are no good black villain roles, or there are no good villain roles for old black women, or whatever bug you have up your butt.

Samuel L. Jackson played a villain in a wheelchair in Unbreakable. I'm sure someone was pissed somewhere at the idea of a handicapped bad guy, and totally overlooked his color.

In A Fish Called Wanda, there were complaints about Terry Palin's character having a bad stutter. As if making fun of a stutter wasn't bad enough, he was a criminal, too! Oooooh!

Now that I've given someone bait to accuse me of calling skin color a handicap, my work here is done. Mmmmooowahhhahahahaha!

K-K-K-Ken's cu-cu-cu-cu-coming to k-k-k-kill m-m-me!

>>We all know that it's a general Hollywood rule that minority characters must always be shown in a good, or at least sympathetic, light.

Cosuin Dave,
You're not up to date with albinism focus groups, I take it:)

They get seriously pissed off with Hollywood's portrayal of albinos as stock minority baddies.

And Ken totally lost his stutter after he ran Otto over with the steamroller. Hmmmn, new type of therapy?

The woman in question is a glorified shop-lifter, jewelry was her prime target, hardly a compelling story to me, but, if the studios want to spend their money on something so mundane, good luck.

Culture doesn't demand it of white women because there isn't a general perception of white women being evil in our culture. They do play murder victims a lot.

Culture is trying very hard to make minorities look good and to provide role models with minority children, because they get a bad enough rap already.

The bigger question is, why is every book by a black woman about little girls in the poor, rural south who get raped by their relatives? You'd think black people would want to write about black men who AREN'T incestuous rapists...

Now, NicoleK, you're forgetting about 'Push' which was made into the movie 'Precious'...That was about a big girl in the poor, urban northeast who got raped by her relatives.

Cousin Dave, I can understand that. And in some ways can agree to it. Especially the part about the PC-ness that the movie will most likely be spewing all over the place making whitey evil and greedy therefore making it okay to steal from them (although, none of us have seen it yet so that is a huge assumption on our part. But, based on history, you are probably right).
But, my main argument is that people fail to remember that Hollywoods purpose is to entertain and make money. I will agree that there are some movies (and tv for that matter) that are filled with so much propoganda that it can make one quesy. There are also some movies based on true stories that are so twisted and convoluted to suit the writer or directors agenda that they no longer remain to be "true" anymore. But, at the end of the day, it is still just a movie. It shouldn't be taken that seriously. If I don't like it, all I lost was ten bucks and I learned not to watch another movie by that director or producer without researching it first (which in all honesty, people should do anyway).

I have to say though that I find it a bit funny that people are already critizing Berry for the movie, and it hasn't even been released yet. Although, on the other side, the fact that the critisicms got us talking about it can't be bad plubicity now can it?

Here's something else that just occurred to me: I've heard girls on talk shows or in movies complaining about people in stores always acting like they are there to steal something.

Obviously, Doris Payne did not have that problem. Girls could learn something about cultivating an air of class and elegance, even if they shouldn't use her as a role model in moral behavior.

As for that commenter, David--I wonder if he had a problem with Ms. Berry's "Catwoman"?

>>The bigger question is, why is every book by a black woman about little girls in the poor, rural south who get raped by their relatives? You'd think black people would want to write about black men who AREN'T incestuous rapists...

What do your black friends say when you raise this point about "every book by a black woman" with them, NicoleKKK

(Oh, pardon me. Like Michael Palin (not Terry!) in "A Fish Called Wanda" - see Pricklypear's comment above, I seem to have a stutter...)

Oops, mixed him up with Terry Gilliam. I'm old, sue me. Sorry, I'm also cranky.

Anyway, I just looked up Doris Payne and the article said her daddy was a coal miner. Maybe they can do a re-working of the Loretta Lynn biography!

True, Jenny, "Push" really changed that.

Jody, that twist on my name was inappropriate.

You're right, I am sure that there are books out there in which black girls DON'T get raped by their relatives, but the well-known ones tend to feature this plot theme. Personally, I think it is fucked-up. My theory is that they become popular because we as a society like to read about black men being evil and incestuous. It makes everyone else feel smug and superior.

I do NOT believe that it is because incest is so common to the black experience that it has to be written about so frequently, but I'm sure that other people read these books and DO think that.

Sabrina writes: "But, my main argument is that people fail to remember that Hollywoods purpose is to entertain and make money. "

I know, and if that was all there was to it, I'd agree. They're just responding to what the customers want. Except these days, a lot of the time, they don't seem to be. Anti-war movies which portray American solders as psycho killers keep being made, despite the fact that every one of them loses money. Where is the money to make those coming from? It isn't coming from the audience, because there isn't any. Are there really that many gullible rich investors around? (Hmm, wait a minute, I may have answered my own question...)

And as for Catwoman, I didn't see it, so I can't say.

However, this whole thread reminds me of something I read about a year ago; I wish I could find the reference now. I think it was one of the first things published on Big Hollywood. It was from an industry insider, who answered the question of why so many awful movies are being made these days. His answer: The really talented and creative people are all working on video games now. Movies are being made by the people who weren't good enough to get gaming jobs.

>>I do NOT believe that it is because incest is so common to the black experience that it has to be written about so frequently, but I'm sure that other people read these books and DO think that.

NicoleK,
My comment was barbed, but your latest one is rather feeble - and a waste of energy.

You can insist you're only fretting about what you think other people might be thinking.

But you should try to cut out the middle man - & figure out what you think yourself.

Translation - "black people should only play certain types of people". That the people in question now are all positive upstanding members of society, and fifty years ago they were maids and butlers is largely immaterial.

Personally I've been wanting to see someone like Will Smith play a Raffles-like "gentleman thief" for some time now. This might be what I'm looking for if they play her as sexy and glamorous, as opposed to the more mundane real-life story alluded to above.

And congratulations, Internet, in getting from Halle Berry to Barack Obama in only six posts. That's a lot of distance to cover in only six steps.

Cousin Dave writes: Where is the money to make those coming from? It isn't coming from the audience, because there isn't any. Are there really that many gullible rich investors around? (Hmm, wait a minute, I may have answered my own question...)

That 'splains it Lucyyyyy!

I actually agree with that 100%.

As a Black woman, I believe that you can make any movie you choose to. However, I guess my problem would be that I don't need to see a movie to know that the bad characters were my neighbors (moved out of the neighborhood) and sometimes people in my own family.

The reason most people want positive black characters played is because the people who tend to see these movies are non-blacks (considering they are only 12% of the population) and think that's "how blacks are". The blacks that see the movies perpetuate the stereotype because there is a lack of positive role models OUTSIDE the movies. From athletes to movie stars, to even politicians, blacks tend to have a higher likelihood of getting negative attention to positive. I'm not saying that they commit more crime, but for every "positive" black role model, there are three "negative" ones, thus giving the poor of the poor, the meek of the meek to only aspire to be what they see on television (movies AND news).

It would be different if there were more black successful people showing their face, they are out there, but they aren't on television, on the news, etc. They are living their lives like the rest of America.

Flynne,

That email that you cut, paste, and posted has been circulating for a while in emails as a chain letter.

http://www.snopes.com/politics/soapbox/krauthammer.asp

Dr. Krauthammer released a statement negating the authenticity of that email:

http://www.americanexperiment.org/events/2009/2009-06-26.php

Thanks, Jen. I hadn't seen it before my dad sent it to me. I really should check with snopes before I post stuff like that. Mea culpa!

First it was the shameless misrepresentation of pink panthers by focusing on the one famous jewel thief in the bunch, and now this.

Hollywood. They just make me so mad.

Nothing to say on this one, except maybe I should watch To Catch A Thief again.

In other news, I'd like to share prosti-tot news ...

http://www.celebuzz(dot)com/noah-cyrus-pioneers-childrens-lingerie-s170501/

"Noah Cyrus and her friend Emily Grace have their own clothing line—Ooh! La, La Couture— and it's not your standard children's collection. It's basically a line of "sexy French maid" lingerie, for nine year-olds."

*I just threw up in my mouth a little*

Why do black actresses necessarily have to make films about exemplary people who are black?

Hack Hollywood writers still stuck on the "Magic Negro" device.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Magical_negro

NicoleG...

First of all, blaming the movies for a "meek person" becoming a criminal is a cop out. No one (black or white) "aspires" to be a criminal. If they do, then their problem goes way beyond movies.

People don't see "how blacks are" by watching movies. Let's face facts, most stereotypes are based on some form of truth. They don't just make them up out of thin air. It is just more exagerated on screen.

I could also argue that the Redneck stereotype is being perpetuated on screen. In a lot of movies based in the south, Southern white men are portrayed as racist, backwoods, ignorant, evil, sometimes dirty and toothless, incestuous, Klan members. And the one white "hero" is usually a northerner or a too good to be true southern good ol' boy with a Jesus complex and a clean white shirt who is out to save the poor defensless mistreated black man. And us white women are either rich bitch racists or too damn meek to stand up to our racist men out of fear of being beaten. That or we are all Larry the Cable Guy and Luanne Platter. I come from a long line of proud-to-be-a-Jeff Foxxworthy joke-Rednecks and not a single one of us is that stereotype. (although I will admit to a few Larry's). However, when I lived in Georgia, I could also see enough reality in front me to know that the stereotype was alive and well in some parts and I didn't need to see it in movies. But I don't go around demanding more a positive Southern role model in Hollywood. I have enough brains to understand that they are creating a "character" to drive the plot of the movie.

NicoleG wrote:It would be different if there were more black successful people showing their face, they are out there, but they aren't on television, on the news, etc. They are living their lives like the rest of America.

If more of black succesful people "aspired" to be in the public eye, then they would. Besides, the fact that they are out there living thier lives like the rest of America just proves your argument that they are aspiring to be what they see on screen is false.

NicoleG writes: "The reason most people want positive black characters played is because the people who tend to see these movies are non-blacks (considering they are only 12% of the population) and think that's "how blacks are". "

And see, I think that either way, it's an unfair expectation because it makes the skin color the determining factor in how the character is portrayed. What I'd like Hollywood to do is to let black people be just plain people. Delve into their characters and come up with something that's more interesting than their pigmentation. If they can't do that, then maybe they need better characters. I think that a movie about, say, George Carver could be great, and I would happily go see it.

Sabrina, you beat me to it. I, for instance, have lived in trailers more than once, but never behaved in the stereotypical "trailer trash" way. I did, however, see enough of that behavior to totally understand where the stereotype came from. What I've never understood is why people act that way.

I don't know that there's a single stereotype that isn't BASED in reality. Unfortunately they are the ones that attract the most attention, and are often assumed to BE the reality.

I wish people would pry themselves out of their comfortable (or uncomfortable, but familiar) shells and check out another part of the country sometime. There's a lot going on between New York and California.

>>I don't know that there's a single stereotype that isn't BASED in reality.

Killer albinos?

Don't know; maybe we should check with Edgar Winter on that...

Killer albinos? I missed that one. Sounds like a good name for a rock group, though.

The really talented and creative people are all working on video games now. Movies are being made by the people who weren't good enough to get gaming jobs.

I have never thought about that and it might be true. My friend in high school who wanted to go into screen writing/movie production has ended up working on store lines for video games.

Don't know; maybe we should check with Edgar Winter on that...

Johnny will be around here in a couple of weeks, I'll ask him...

My husband thought maybe there was a killer albino in the DaVinci Code book. Neither was of us has read it, though, and his guesswork is based on the game, so he may be wrong. The only other albino I know anything about is Elrod from the Cerebus comics, and he's no killer. He's Foghorn Leghorn.

"The only other albino I know anything about is Elrod from the Cerebus comics, and he's no killer."

Whitey Jackson from Foul Play is our favorite.

Witness Lawrence Auster's First Law of Majority-Minority Relations:

"The worse any designated minority or alien group behaves in a liberal society, the bigger become the lies of Political Correctess in covering up for that group."

It can be quite appealing the majority of talented celebrities are originally from the us. there can be not often originating from different nations around the world which will tends to make availability of movies bigger. therefore i usually help talents from additional international locations with which i think it can reach alot more viewers

Buenas, Igual no es el sitio, ¿cómo me puedo poner en contacto contigo? Un saludo, gracias!