I can't watch" black comedies "anymore. (Edit: Ethnicity, not humor)

[kurupt87]

They're comedies starring black people.

A Black Comedy [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Black_comedy] is something entirely different, and they're bloody hilarious.

Aaaand I realise that people must have pointed this out, check, realise they have. But seriously, this needs to be pointed out again. I advise never say this with this meaning again, the immediate impression given is one of extreme derp.

But nevermind, onto the topic at hand.

They're not my favourite type of movie but I certainly can and do find them funny. Of course they use stereotypes, but then I view them as being part of the wacky side of humour and those nearly always massively use stereotypes in their content.

 

[Glademaster_v1legacy]

I love black comedies. Stuff like the ending scene of "The Life of Brian" is timeless.

Spoiler

Oh nevermind I thought we were talking about something else. As for comedies with Black people in them I don't particular care for them any more than any comedy and take them on a 1 by 1 basis like all comedy. Except Black Comedy in the general usage of the term.

 

[lee1287]

Yes, you Are overreacting, also you have the wrong definition of Black Comedy. I think people are always so easily offended, people need to get over it.

 

[Something Amyss]

Do you like black comedies?

Not as a rule, no. Some of them, probably. I'm still a fan of older Eddie Murphy stuff.

Do you think they enforce negative stereotypes?

Yes, though if we're talking a problem, I think there are almost certainly worse once. Hell, Chris Rock's standup is worse. He got a whole generation of white kids okay with the idea of slinging around "******" as an epithet. His movies seem harmless in comparison.

Am i overreacting ?

Overreacting is probably the wrong word for what I'm thinking. I find it weird that a guy who frequently admits to negative black stereotypes right here on the Escapist is the one making the thread, though. I wonder if maybe you should clean your own house before complaining about the way others stereotype you.

I mean, nobody's perfect, but still.

What do you think?

I think that these movies sell to a white audience to the point that it's pretty much all Hollywood will invest in with black actors, barring one or two "crossover" stars like Will Smith. I mean, I like Will Smith, but I have trouble believing he and Jamie Foxx are the only black actors capable of being serious.

That these movies are so popular with white audiences also seems troubling to me.

Wait, THAT's what black comedy means? I thought black comedy was comedy that makes light of otherwise serious subject matter.

That's the problem with the English language. Things like "black" mean multiple things. Typically, though, "black comedy" fits with your definition.

 

[Jacco]

I think it's important to make a distinction between "black movies" and "movies with black people."

So called "black movies" are ones like the OP mentioned in which they pander to the lower common denominator of the population.

"Movies with black people" by contrast are the ones like 12 Years a Slave and Glory, in which they have a reason to exist outside of simply "being for black people." They are telling a story about black people, not using black people to tell a story.

 

[shootthebandit]

I really like fresh prince of bel air. That showed audiences that black people can be as (if not more) successful than their white counterparts (without forgetting there roots). I love the moments where Will plays up to the black stereotypes and uncle phil puts him in his place by saying how he was one of the first freedom riders and hes just making a mockery of all they stood for

 

[Relish in Chaos]

I agree. The only comedy with an all-black cast I can even tolerate anymore is The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air (although one criticism is that I can?t remember Will or Carlton ever dating a non-black girl even once).

I like Eddie Murphy, though. He?s hilarious and has done a lot of good films (e.g. Beverly Hills Cop, Bowfinger). But yeah, I?m glad I?ve never seen any of Tyler Perry?s films (I don?t think we get them over in Britain).

 

[Mr Mystery Guest]

I don't think you are over-reacting at all and that a law should be made that "mmmmm hmmmm" should be banned as a punchline-line.

I would like to recomend a film called Harlem Nights, starring Eddie Murphy and Richard Pryor. It was in the Guiness book of records for most profanity in a movie until only really recently. It is a damn funny film, dark humor, very witty and a very positive black comedy.

 

[Ghaleon640]

I saw one that was a parody off of the 'paranormal activity' series... and yeah, exactly as you said. Reinforced negative stereotypes and just a really bad movie. I think I remember laughing a bit, but it wasn't exactly 'good'

 

[MacChris1991]

I always felt that these types of "black people" Comedies were dark comedies designed to point out either the ridiculousness of certain stereotypes from outside of or behaviors of in the African American community by taking them to or past their logical extremes. And a lot of times they would pad the rest of their movies with blue or physical comedy. And I am fine with pretty much all of that. It can even be done well, I think the op mentioned The Boondocks. The problem became that some people ended up coming out of these movies assuming that those caricatures and silly plot points were every day occurrences for black people. And then these movies started to get returns, so more and more of these movies start getting green lit and thrown out: many either soulless imitations or thoughtless cash grabs made without a basic understanding of the ideas or writing involved in the original products. In my experience these films are the problem they don't have anything to say and fill their running time with horrible caricatures and stereotypes, buffoons and monsters, unsympathetic and inhuman, and to top it all of the comedy rarely rises above the blue or physical, almost always performed by our black characters.
Anyway, no you aren't wrong to feel uncomfortable with or dislike watching "black people" comedies (really comedies marketed to black people) since they tend to not be very good comedies. A lot of these comedies do enforce negative stereotypes and do nothing to elevate their characters or their material. None of this would be a real problem if there were more entertainment options, ideally better options, marketed to us ( people of color, black people), but the fact that we rarely ever see anything of substance is a problem. I don' think posting a thread is an overreaction.

 

[Eternal_Lament]

Do you like Black comedies:
Generally no. There are some exceptions, and those exceptions tend to be hilarious as fuck. Otherwise? They tend to be bad movies not because they're Black-centric, but usually because the writing and comedy is just terrible.

Do they enforce negative stereotypes:
Yes and no. The thing is that, from what I've seen, the general audience for Black comedies is, well, Black people. In that sense it could be enforcing stereotypes by promoting an image to Black youth that is quite frankly a bad image to uphold or aspire to.

Are you overreacting:
You're definitely impassioned about it, but overreacting? Overreacting would be yelling at people who go to see or actually like these movies, which you haven't done. You're just voicing your opinion without stepping on anyone else's, so I would say you're actually rational about this.

As an aside: I quite like The Boondocks as well, and I suspect you're giving it an exception because the show realizes that, while society has placed upon or attributed certain stereotypes about Black people which are just not true, that Black culture hasn't really done anything to dissuade those stereotypes, and sometimes even makes those stereotypes worse. The MLK episode puts this all into perspective.

 

[Cerebrawl]

Eddie Murphy has done at least one good black-cast comedy, in the 80s. Coming to America. (Best seen after Trading Places).
There's not much racist black tropes in those, there's a few like over-bearing black parent stifles their child, but none of the "ma nigga", "she so fat", etc. Indeed in Coming to America they pretty universally act educated and refined.

 

[Robert Marrs]

Some of them are god awful but some of them are in my lists of favorite movies. For example I think the Tyler Perry stuff is awful but I loved Friday (I actually liked all of them). Its either a good movie or its not. Writing off a whole genre because some of the movies in the genre suck is kind of weird. Every genre has crappy movies.

 

[Someone Depressing]

I don't like black comedies, because I don't think they're funny. Most of the time. In a way, the Fresh Prince of Bel-Air deconstgructed it and also played it straight, which is the only one that comes to mind that I don't despise.

I think they enforce ethnically negative stereotypes. |Honestly, I have a black friend and quite a lot of people are genuinely suprised when they get to know him. He's actually somewhat misophonic, and stereos, headphones and really loud music tend to get to him.

You are overreacting a little. But it's justified.

I think that writers should improve; compare "Uncle", a crappy British thing that's funny but pretty serious when it wants to be, to "My Wife and Kids", which should be more serious than funny simply because of its concept, but isntead it ends up like a Fresh Pince rip-off. It needs exactly one "nigga' where you at?" before it does become something completely insensitive and absoloute garbage.

 

[krazykidd]

And sure boys n the hood probably don't belong on that list, but i was just listing some movies majority of cast being black. And that have negative stereotypes to give an example.

Say, have you ever watched Precious? I'd like to learn you opinion about that one, since it's pretty much all lower class black stereotypes in one bag.

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0929632/

I haven't seen Precious, but i have heard a lot about it. As far as i know, that movie isn't a comedy. It's a movie about hope when you've hit rock bottom. While it may have negative stereotypes ( let's face , some people do act like their respective stereotype), that movie doesn't "glorify" them like most "black people comedies" do. Again i've not seen that movie , and i don't want to talk out of my ass. There is a difference between movies like "Big mama's house" and "12 years a slave". One glorifies negative stereotypes .

 

[Lono Shrugged]

You might want to reconsider the title, "black comedies" are usually movies with a very dark sense of humor. Monty Python's Meaning of Life would be a grade A example.

I wouldn't consider the movies you listed "black" comedies either, they just happen to have a black lead actor. They would have been just as cringeworthy with a white paintjob.

Boyz n the hood

wat

I know that movie, and it's anything but a comedy, it's a social drama playing in a black neighbourhood in L.A..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101507/

Unless you consider it a comedy for some reason I don't understand...

Okay, i should change the title, but for the life of me, i can't think of what to change it to to be honest. I don't know if it's a cultral difference or because people on the escapist are more knowledgeable, but if i said black comedy to anyone here where i live, they automatically think "Tyler perry" rather than Monty python. I usually call "grim" comedies "dark" comedies because of the dark humor.

And sure boys n the hood probably don't belong on that list, but i was just listing some movies majority of cast being black. And that have negative stereotypes to give an example.

I am sorry OP, but you have lost any understanding I have. You seem like you have not even watched most of the films you listed. And Boyz in The Hood is nowhere even close to a comedy. You are racially profiling films due to their cast. You are saying you don't like films with black people. That is pretty prejudiced in my book. Try this thread over at Stormfront or somewhere.

 

[krazykidd]

You might want to reconsider the title, "black comedies" are usually movies with a very dark sense of humor. Monty Python's Meaning of Life would be a grade A example.

I wouldn't consider the movies you listed "black" comedies either, they just happen to have a black lead actor. They would have been just as cringeworthy with a white paintjob.

Boyz n the hood

wat

I know that movie, and it's anything but a comedy, it's a social drama playing in a black neighbourhood in L.A..

http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0101507/

Unless you consider it a comedy for some reason I don't understand...

Okay, i should change the title, but for the life of me, i can't think of what to change it to to be honest. I don't know if it's a cultral difference or because people on the escapist are more knowledgeable, but if i said black comedy to anyone here where i live, they automatically think "Tyler perry" rather than Monty python. I usually call "grim" comedies "dark" comedies because of the dark humor.

And sure boys n the hood probably don't belong on that list, but i was just listing some movies majority of cast being black. And that have negative stereotypes to give an example.

I am sorry OP, but you have lost any understanding I have. You seem like you have not even watched most of the films you listed. And Boyz in The Hood is nowhere even close to a comedy. You are racially profiling films due to their cast. You are saying you don't like films with black people. That is pretty prejudiced in my book. Try this thread over at Stormfront or somewhere.

Except it's not limited to just comedies.

 

[krazykidd]

I haven't seen Precious, but i have heard a lot about it. As far as i know, that movie isn't a comedy. It's a movie about hope when you've hit rock bottom. While it may have negative stereotypes ( let's face , some people do act like their respective stereotype), that movie doesn't "glorify" them like most "black people comedies" do. Again i've not seen that movie , and i don't want to talk out of my ass. There is a difference between movies like "Big mama's house" and "12 years a slave". One glorifies negative stereotypes .

I asked because you mentioned Boyz 'n the Hood for negative stereotyping. Precious takes it up to eleven, in the most depressing ways imaginable. Kinda like The Color Purple in a more recent scenario.

Mentioning Boyz n the Hood, annoyed more than a few people. Damage is done though i guess.