Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam 's blackface scandal puts ABC and NBC in very difficult positions.

[Nitram]

This is an interesting observation regarding the Northam blackface scandal.

Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam ’s blackface scandal puts ABC and NBC in very difficult positions. After all, Jimmy Kimmel and Jimmy Fallon, their respective late-night stars, each dressed in blackface earlier in their careers. In fact, Mr. Kimmel has done it repeatedly for the purpose of mocking black people. If appearing in blackface is so grotesquely racist, is so overtly offensive and warrants immediate resignation or dismissal, as we are now being told it is by many political figures and the media, how can the networks possibly sit back and not take action against them? What would it say about ABC and NBC if they allowed their stars to remain at the networks? If the networks don’t terminate their employment, would it not mean that they condone or are complicit in offensive, racist behavior?

And for all of the Democratic presidential hopefuls who have aggressively demanded that Northam resign over his racist conduct, can we assume that none of them will appear on Mr. Kimmel’s or Mr. Fallon’s shows to promote their candidacies? After all, to do so would be to demonstrate the very worst kind of rank hypocrisy, grotesque double standards and selective moral outrage — and prove that being two-faced is as offensive as being “blackfaced.”

Michael J. DiStefano, Jamestown, R.I., Washington Post Letters to the Editor, February 4

https://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/ralph-northams-past-and-future-in-virginia/2019/02/04/5e66ac14-2899-11e9-906e-9d55b6451eb4_story.html?utm_term=.8859bd5e48da

[Tom Rinaldo]

1. Blackface PLUS Klan EQUALS in your face racism

I do not mean to minimize the racist legacy of whites wearing blackface. When one does so however while posing for a photo standing next to someone in full KKK regalia, that is taking it to another level.

[atreides1]

2. Okay

So, what you're saying is that there are levels of racism?

[mr_lebowski]

3. Of course there are ... are you suggesting there's no difference between Northam

And the KKK itself?

C'mon.

[Tom Rinaldo]

4. Well, there are...

...someone who always locks the door of their car when they drive through a predominantly black neighborhood because they believe there likely are more criminals in black neighborhoods has a racist viewpoint. That person could also have a black neighbor who they know personally and feel safe and friendly toward.

Then you have the David Duke level of overt white supremacy beliefs.

Sometime I use the word prejudiced vs racist to differentiate between full blown conscious burning cross type racists, and those who harbor some racist views but support integrated schools and neighborhoods for example.

[stopbush]

16. Er, these days, car doors lock automatically once you exceed 10mph.

Just sayin.

[lame54]

19. So new cars are racists?

[Polybius]

38. Lol!

DUzy!

[Polybius]

37. Of course there are different levels

Take Hitler, David Duke, Steve King, Jesse Helms, Trump, Bush Jr., and Mitt Romney. All are at different levels of racism, in that order from highest level to lowest.

[mr_lebowski]

5. On one hand I can see that argument, but I can see a counter-argument as well ...

Which is that the honest intent ...was to be humorous, that it was meant, however ill-advised in reality, to be a light-hearted joke, a juxtaposition if you will.

In fact, we don't even know that the Blackface person and KKK'er were 'together' or just 'posed together' cause they happened to end up at the same party, randomly. But either way, I think an argument can be made that it's actually mitigating somewhat, depending on intent.

Now, what I'm saying is contingent on the occasion being 1984 (or earlier), not, say 2014.

[regnaD kciN]

26. Of course, Northam denies that's him in the photo...

...although we still haven’t gotten an answer to the question of whether he selected the photo for his page.

A question: say it can be proven that Northam was not in the picture, and yearbook staff placed it there without his knowledge or permission. That would mean the only “charge” against him was his admission that he once wore blackface to portray Michael Jackson in a dance contest. In that case, would you say Northam needs to be judged more leniently?

[tonedevil]

28. I would still say...

if this conversation took place before he was elected his explanations might hold water. As is, he is in a leaky dingy made of lies.

[octoberlib]

6. After a google search , it's obvious this commenter got his information from Fox News , The

Daily Caller and Breitbart, the only outlets that are reporting this. I need to see some evidence on these blackface videos. There's a Youtube clip that RW nutjobs are sharing with each other from Comedy Central with no proof it's even Kimmel.


Edit to add: Jimmy Fallon did a Chris Rock impersonation at the Golden Globes, not in blackface , which bombed.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

8. The Kimmel one is real. I remember watching it back in the 90s.

He was doing a Karl Malone impression on The Man Show.

ETA

Fallon as Chris Rock on SNL.

[lame54]

20. So SNL is complicit as well

[theboss]

7. When has Fallon done blackface? Kimmel too for that matter?

I don't put anything past Kimmel, because The Man Show was kinda gross. But that seems way out of character for what Fallon does.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

9. Kimmel, on The Man Show in the 90s.

https://m.

Fallon as Chris Rock on SNL.

[Empowerer]

10. That's not blackface

[Dr Hobbitstein]

11. True, but it IS what the right is referring to.

Posters were asking what was being to referred to, I supplied said answers.

[Empowerer]

12. I know YOU know

[Nitram]

18. I believe it is considered blackface anytime a white person colors their skin black.

Northam (allegedly) had the bad taste to do it full bore Minstrel Show.

[Empowerer]

23. No

No. Simply darkening one's skin to play a particular character, while sometimes referred to as such, is not actually blackface.

[Nitram]

25. Look it up. I'm afraid you will find that the definition of "blackface" has indeed extended to ANY

situation where a white person puts on black makeup to look like a black person.

Definition of blackface
: makeup applied to a performer playing a black person especially in a minstrel show
also : a performer wearing such makeup
https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/blackface

blackface in American
(ˈblækˌfeɪs ; blakˈfāsˌ
adjective
1. having a black or blackened face
2. US: black makeup used by a performer, as in a minstrel show
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/us/dictionary/english/blackface

blackface
noun [ U ] UK ​ /ˈblæk.feɪs/ US ​ /ˈblæk.feɪs/
​dark make-up worn by a white person in order to look like a black person, or the practice of doing this:
Laurence Olivier played Othello in blackface.
https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/blackface

blackface
NOUN

1A sheep of a breed with a black face.
Example sentences
2mass noun Make-up used by a non-black performer playing a black role.
https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/blackface

[Empowerer]

27. I've more than just "looked it up"

I know what I'm talking about

You might want to read some of Effie Black's posts on this topic to get a better understanding of the issue.

https://www.democraticunderground.com/100211785013

[Nitram]

29. Effie is sadly mistaken. That is the traditional meaning of the term. As we have become more aware

of white entitlement and cultural appropriation the term has ben extended to include any situation in which white people masquerade as black people. Please try to catch up. I know things are changing more rapidly than some can handle (Ralph Northam, for example), but it behooves us all to pay attention to what the African-American community has been trying to tell us.

[uponit7771]

30. Googled it, couldn't find the extension from any official source, do you have a link? tia

[Nitram]

32. I provided links to definitions above. What would you consider "an official source?"

[uponit7771]

35. I grepped the thread, I don't see any links to definitions that include the extension of what

.. black face is beyond freedictionary or websters

[Empowerer]

36. Lol

Ok. Thanks for the instruction about what the African-American community has been trying to tell "us."

[theboss]

13. Oh God....we're going to debate Tropic Thunder again, aren't we?

I'm going to kill myself.

[Dr Hobbitstein]

15. Indeed. nt

[Sneederbunk]

14. What next? Godfrey Cambridge doing whiteface in Watermelon Man?

[lame54]

21. Or Eddie Murphy on SNL...

Hilarious skit
Look it up if you haven't seen it

[OnDoutside]

24. Or Eddie on Coming to America. Shocked I tells ya.

[Blue_Tires]

17. That's an incredibly shitty take

Might as well say Robert Downey's career is over...

[Hortensis]

22. MLK called people red and yellow many times. Remove his statues

and rename the boulevards. The era in which he indulged what are now seen as intensely insulting and racist behaviors does not make them all right.



Btw, I think anyone who's been using the terms black or white on line and elsewhere should start worrying big time. We now know that this permanent record of use of race-loaded terms may in future kill any chance of association with politicians, much less elective or appointed positions, or even of responsible position in private industry.

[uponit7771]

31. That's not blackface in context of Mistrel Shows or programs

[Nitram]

33. That's beside the point. White people masquerading as black people is considered

racist, and cultural appropriation.

[Polybius]

39. Blame SNL then

n/t

[KWR65]

34. Kimmel & Fallon need to be driven off of network TV

Just say no to racists.