Monday, August 11, 2008

Robert Downey Jr. In Blackface

Huh.  Who knew Robert Downey Jr. was a Republican?

image

Actor Robert Downey Jr. (R) is shown wearing blackface in a scene with co-star Ben Stiller from the upcoming film ‘Tropic Thunder’ in this undated publicity photo released to Reuters August 11, 2008.

Of course, there is this:

“I have a really interesting political point of view, and it’s not always something I say too loud at dinner tables here, but you can’t go from a $2,000-a-night suite at La Mirage to a penitentiary and really understand it and come out a liberal. You can’t. I wouldn’t wish that experience on anyone else, but it was very, very, very educational for me and has informed my proclivities and politics every since.”

(Suffice it to say he is not one of the Hollywood types who weeps over innocents trapped behind bars.)

As for the “controversy” itself, it’s a non-issue.  If black guys can portray white chicks, there’s nothing wrong with a white guy portraying a black guy.

(5) Comments
Posted by Owen at 1840 hrs
Culture

  1. Is it that hard to understand the difference between a joke about racism and a racist joke?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 12, 2008 at 1109 hrs


  2. Hmmm, I remember seeing a picture of Al Jolson in the 1920’s wearing blackface in ‘The Jazz Singer’, that was with his face painted black with his mouth outlined in white.  Robert Downey Jr. actually looks like an American Black, and not the stereotypical minstrel ‘black man’ from days gone by. If I hadn’t read that that was Robert Downey made up I would’ve thought I was looking at Richard Roundtree (from ‘Shaft’ fame).  Methinks the double standard card can be safely played here; that a black man can pass himself off as a white man (as Bill Murphy has in some films) and no one utters a peep, but Robert Downey Jr. as a black man is a humongous no-no.  Refresh my memory, but didn’t a certain liberal actor once get a lot of heat for appearing in the minstrel black face as a Halloween custome?  Can anyone name this actor…or was it a politician?

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 12, 2008 at 2123 hrs


  3. I think you are thinking of Ted Danson

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 12, 2008 at 2159 hrs


  4. Thanks for the memory jog, manbearpig.  It was Ted Danson.

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 13, 2008 at 1915 hrs


  5. Correction:  Eddie Murphy.  I hate it when I get actor’s names mixed up. D’oh!! gulp  shut eye

    Posted by .(JavaScript must be enabled to view this email address) on August 13, 2008 at 1943 hrs


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