Paint It Black
by Danielle Henderson

About two weeks ago, I shit a solid gold brick. It fell out of my body, rolled across the floor, and smashed into my television, where an advertisement for the FX show Black.White. was showing.

While I cannot bring myself to watch the show, my severe bodily reaction was brought forth from my brain's inability to process the production of a television show in the year 2006 where PEOPLE ARE ACTUALLY PAINTED A DIFFERENT COLOR IN AN ATTEMPT TO SIMULATE A RACIAL EXPERIENCE.

In a world where poverty, bias, and hatred know no boundaries, is it necessary to create a show and hire actors to simulate the ignorance people face on a daily basis? Does painting your skin give you the insight of racial and familial history?

It angers me that we are so lazy and sensationalist that in order to understand the plight of others we would sooner paint our skin than open a book, or actually talk to someone of a different cultural background in order to find some link of commanality.

The "Black Like Me" approach to television is offensive. It's offensive to people of color that are judged daily by the shade of their skin. It's offensive to the only black kid at the punk rock show, for whom listening to Black Flag is a political act.

Also of note: The show is produced by Ice Cube. Ice N.W.A., Boyz in the Hood, Straight Outta Compton motherfuckin' goddamn CUBE. I'm not sure where to go with that. I just find it hilarious.

(apologies for my absence - I just drove from Alaska to Rhode Island and it's taken some time to get my life back in order.)

Submitted by Danielle Henderson (view blog) on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 09:43

Comments

 

OK Can I Just Say.....

I am so glad you said this. I've been trying to figure out why this show exists. Who thought it was a good idea. And what someone might actually learn or gain from this (though I do believe in television purely for entertainment, I can't imagine what entertainment value someone would gain either).

Shit a brick, indeed.

~Denise

Submitted by Denise on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 08:35
 

So glad you brought this up

My boyfriend TiVos this because he thought it was an interesting concept, but oh. my. god. I can't bear to be in the room.

Now, I suppose they tried to address some of what Danielle's complaining about by having the black and white families live together during this whole experiment. So they're supposed to be "coaching" each other or something. Mostly they're just being like normal reality show people and finding any excuse to bicker and revel in conflict.

It's like "Attack of the sterotypes" when its intentions are supposed to be the opposite (I think.)

I most of all cannot stand Clueless White Man, who seems to enjoy being painted black, so he can throw around the 'N' word. Truly vile.

Then again...NONE of these people come off very well. The black son claims there is no such thing as racism, that he doesn't even know what it is...which just about kills his parents. Meanwhile his parents come off as way uptight and over-sensitive...again, nice sterotypes on display. The white wife is the dim, "means well" kind of white woman we've all seen before. They all are just unpleasant to watch.

Except maybe the teenage white daughter. She is the only one who really puts herself out there in any risky way by joining a slam poetry group, so I have to give her some props.She seems to be a thoughtful and sensitive person, although she cannot write slam poetry to save her white ass. So that is also excruciating because I don't enjoy watching people suck at something they're trying hard to do well. (Same reason I don't enjoy the early weeks of American Idol, even though I love the show later when it's just the talented people.)

Meanwhile like any reality show you know it's all about the editing, so you're still wondering what these people and their experiences are really like.

To Denise's point...this is anti-entertainment! I'll have to ask the BF if he's still watching it and what he thinks.

Elisa Camahort
BlogHer and Worker Bees
elisa@blogher.org/elisa@workerbees.biz

Submitted by Elisa Camahort on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 09:13
 

Sadly, it isn't editing

that makes these people look clueless. I saw a couple of interviews with them prior to the show airing and that was enough to convince me that the show would be too cringe inducing to watch. Even the daughter who, by all accounts comes across in the show as the only thoughtful and sensitive one, spent her time on Oprah defending her mother's actions on the show. Understandable that she didn't enjoy seeing her mother attacked but also demonstrated that ultimately she didn't emerge from the experience with an ability to see the point of view of the black family she lived with.

Unfortunately, it seems that none of these people who participated in this "experiment" emerged any more aware or willing to question their beliefs - just more defensively entrenched in their beliefs.

The "stunt casting" premise of the show makes it clear that, however well intentioned the creators may have thought themselves to be, it's really just "for entertainment purposes only" and not to provide any genuine psychological or sociological insight. What might be interesting would be a show that looks at people who live this experience without needing paint. I think that would be some compelling television that might actually open some hearts and minds and challenge beliefs.

Or it might just cause viewers to collectively reinforce their points of view. I don't know... challenging assumptions and beliefs about race, having honest conversations, figuring out how to move forward - it's difficult. Ultimately, I think this show illustrates why these are conversations we need to have, why they are so hard to have and that a poorly-conceived television "experiment" designed to entertain (and enlighten on the side) will fail miserably at achieving anything other than collective disgust.

The series African American Lives and Professor Skip Gates genealogical investigations on PBS last month did a much better job of illuminating and challenging some of the preconceptions we hold about race and identity. It was fascinating and engaging and well worth a watch if you have a chance to catch a repeat airing.

Submitted by Maria Niles on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 11:54
 

Great post! I haven't seen

Great post!

I haven't seen this program--purposefully! I find the fact that it is produced by Cube to be very much in keeping with the state of much of (mainstream) hip hop today. Just as hip hop is "Black" culture marketed by and to Whites, this program (from what I have heard of it) seems to be for the enjoyment of Whites.

I agree with you, Maria: Folks would do better to watch the wonderful "African American Lives" if they really want honest and challenging discussions of race in America.

Submitted by Yvette Perry on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 15:28
 

Nothing better to do

I'd have to have nothing better to do, be strapped to a chair and have my eyelids propped open to watch this drivel.

What asshat came up with this? Oh, yeah. Ice Cube. Here's a better experiment: give me his clothes, his money, his connections and let's see what come of it. Ummmmmm... absolutely nothing. If this qualifies as a social experiement then I'm in trouble, because the real life racism that I see daily will get shoved to the background so we can postulate on how wearing a costume changes people.

Yvette is right: this isn't entertainment for Blacks who suffer racism every day. It's just pain on the screen that typifies how we're supposed to get sensitive to the needs of Blacks by NOT participating in anything resembling real life.

Oh, and I've been posting about race all week. I've got a bug up my ass.
Link Text

Submitted by Kelly Wickham on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 16:12
 

Maybe I should leave the

Maybe I should leave the actual text link of WHERE I've been posting.

That bug. Really bothering me.

Link Text

Submitted by Kelly Wickham on Fri, 03/31/2006 - 16:14
 

Kelly, great blog. I can't

Kelly, great blog. I can't wait to catch up on your posts!

Submitted by Yvette Perry on Sat, 04/01/2006 - 06:30
 

Jenn, over at Reappropriate

Jenn, over at Reappropriate has several entries on this particular "reality" show. If you haven't checked out her blog, do so.

As an aside, I am thrilled to see that you are allowed to say shit a [gold] brick over here.

Submitted by NursePam on Thu, 04/06/2006 - 19:33
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