Not News, But Am I A Racist?

[Deskdiary]

My wife and I have just returned from a 'come as your hero' party.

I went as Rick James who, in my opinion, is the most unrecognised piece of brilliance ever to have uttered a note (Google Fire and Desire - just superb).

Anyway, I blacked-up. And about 45 minutes ago was told I was racist for doing so. I tried to explain that as Rick James is a hero so how on earth can it be racist, but it fell on death ears.

So, an I wrong or, if as I suspect, is my accuser a complete moron?

[woofgang]

answering Ummm's question PP

PP....I never knew you had a Marilyn fetish......

[Prudie]

No-one on here is likely to call you a racist but these days some will consider yes you are. Wasn't it only recently a Welsh labour councillor accused the carnival float who blacked up as the Cool Runnings team accused of being racist for doing so.

[mikey4444]

Prudie....it was indeed and she was daft !

[ummmm]

Woof...I'll have a read of that later.

I have no memory of the black and white minstrel show. I think had it been aired in the 70's or 80's I would have found it ridiculous.

But, for instance, someone went to a fancy dress as Bob Marley...I don't see what is racist about blacking up for it.

[-Talbot-]

Rick James isn't recognisable enough to the man in the street to get away with blacking up, you will have looked like you had blacked up for the sake of blacking up.

Reads bloody awful that too much use of 'blacking up'
Never understood fancy dress myself.

[ummmm]

I don't understand fancy dress either. Been to one...never again...felt like an idiot.

[jim360]

Quick question: *who* accused you of being racist?

[-Talbot-]

Do you mean was it a white person or a person of (cough) colour, Jim?

[jno]

it was still running in the late 1970s, ummmm.

The singers were very good. But making them up like black people, when real black people couldn't find work on telly, was just so crass.

[webbo3]

Not racist, but you could have gone as Michael Jackson and you wouldn't have needed to blacken up, he never got accused of racism when he whitened his skin.

[ummmm]

I was too busy playing out, jno :-) didn't really watch telly.

[Sqad]

Just a thought....nothing to do with racism......do they still allow, in Christmas pantomimes, for the leading "man" to be a lady(woman) whatever they are called today)?

[jno]

Sqad, yes, as long as the dame is a male

[anneasquith]

In today's climate some people will think you racist . are you racist ?

[Sqad]

jno......LOL......right.

[jim360]

Something like that.

If I were at DD's party I'd probably look at him and think it in poor taste -- whether or not I've heard of Rick James -- but I certainly wouldn't say so to his face. "Blacking up" is not necessarily racist, although it has strong historical connotations from a time when it wasn't always used in a respectful way. So in that sense I agree that it's in bad taste, ill-judged, and please please please think about this before you go and do it.

But that's different from being inherently racist. It's also possible to find the middle ground, where you mean well while doing something that doesn't come across that way, and I think people ought to make more allowances for that.

So telling you that you are racist to your face just feels wrong to me. Especially if it was someone who is only getting offended on behalf of somebody else.

[mikey4444]

Morning Sqad !.....A British theatrical tradition that I hope will never, ever go away ::::::

[Sqad]

Morning mikey........likewise..;-)

[mikey4444]

I need no excuse to post any videos with the much missed and glorious Les Dawson !

[aelmpvw]

Deskdiary is calling in sick on monday re his job at the race relations board ... his makeup won't wash off