Black Male Actors & Wearing Dresses

[tay1]

Seeing the amount of people who have done in makes it a bit harder to write off as coincidence. It truly does seem to be a barrier to entry.

It feels like that to me a bit. I believe more often than not, male actors would prefer not to do than to do it. Unless of course there’s a crazy check that comes with it.

 

[tr1ll]

So what about all these dudes on SM putting on wigs and acting like women? They just trying to get in the door or something? Sus?

 

[KHUFU]

what era are we speaking of? Because a lot of the examples here are from multiple eras.

Any era in which Black people were, and are not, allowed to control our own images on film.

Orlando Jones speaks on this wonderfully, especially while discussing his un ceremonial exit from American Gods.

 

[deusavertat]

Any era in which Black people were, and are not, allowed to control our own images on film.

Orlando Jones speaks on this wonderfully, especially while discussing his un ceremonial exit from American Gods.

so Tyler Perry who owns his own company and studio couldn't have said no to dressing up as a woman?


And don't you dare bring up him wearing that to entertain white people. I literally know ZERO white people who watch Tyler Perry shows and movies.

 

[DCAllAfrican]

Seeing the amount of people who have done it makes it a bit harder to write off as coincidence. It truly does seem to be a barrier to entry.

I wonder the amount of creative control some of these folks (black or white) have when it comes to turning down those roles.
Have people gotten blackballed for it?
Have people missed out on roles due to connections lost for NOT putting on the women's clothing.

Just stuff I wonder whenever this topic comes up.

It seems like since women are more prominent in film the need for men to dress up as women should decrease, right?

 

[KHUFU]

so Tyler Perry who owns his own company and studio couldn't have said no to dressing up as a woman?


And don't you dare bring up him wearing that to entertain white people. I literally know ZERO white people who watch Tyler Perry shows and movies.

I do not think that you quite understand what it is that I am saying here.

The point that I am making is how it can be seen to be demeaning to Black men, just as it can be demeaning to Black women actors to be portrayed as MAMMIES today.

 

[Master Zik]

so Tyler Perry who owns his own company and studio couldn't have said no to dressing up as a woman?


And don't you dare bring up him wearing that to entertain white people. I literally know ZERO white people who watch Tyler Perry shows and movies.

Tyler Perry chose to wear the dress not just as an actor but as the creator because he saw the value in that comedic bit and exploited it to no end.

Why even pretend like Tyler Perry isnt a rare exception? How many other Tyler Perrys are out there?

KHUFU is talking about black ppl (actors) who don't control their own images in the medium.

 

[antidope]

antidope

Yall laughed at me in the NBA thread and now look. As my main man addict4sneakers would say.....

INFLUENCE

 

[deusavertat]

I do not think that you quite understand what it is that I am saying here.

The point that I am making is how it can be seen to be demeaning to Black men, just as it can be demeaning to Black women actors to be portrayed as MAMMIES today.

That's projection. Not all black men think its demeaning many of them take these roles by their own volition.

 

[deusavertat]

Tyler Perry chose to wear the dress not just as an actor but as the creator because he saw the value in that comedic bit and exploited it to no end.

Why even pretend like Tyler Perry isnt a rare exception? How many other Tyler Perrys are out there?

KHUFU is talking about black ppl (actors) who don't control their own images in the medium.

LOL I always see people bring up Tyler Perry as emasculating the black man so I know it has nothing to do with "white exploitation" and more to do with insecurity about one's own masculinity.

 

[KHUFU]

That's projection. Not all black men think its demeaning many of them take these roles by their own volition.

 

[tomdiginson]

Whole lot of short interviews from CH on the topic: https://www.youtube.com/c/ComedyHype/search?query=Dress

Didn't recognize Brandon T Jackson at all.

 

[Master Zik]

LOL I always see people bring up Tyler Perry as emasculating the black man so I know it has nothing to do with "white exploitation" and more to do with insecurity about one's own masculinity.

Tyler Perry is trash and a jigaboo **** but this is much bigger than him

 

[deusavertat]

Lol I fail to see how this goes against the fact that many black actors willingly take these roles. I've seen Hollywood shuffle. Dressing up like a woman is literally the least problematic thing about exploitation of black people in entertainment

 

[Master Zik]

That's projection. Not all black men think its demeaning many of them take these roles by their own volition.

I don't think he meant all.

 

[deusavertat]

Tyler Perry is trash and a jigaboo **** but this is much bigger than him

Lol say what you want about his movies but he is a jigaboo that opened up many doors for black entertainers. A Jigaboo performs for white people, white people do NOT watch Tyler Perry movies.

 

[deusavertat]

I don't think he meant all.

Ok I think between the fact that white men dress up in drag more often for movies and the fact that many black men do this on their own volition, this entire conspiracy is overblown.

Lol many dudes in here would have a heart attack if they watched pose.

 

[Master Zik]

Lol say what you want about his movies but he is a jigaboo that opened up many doors for black entertainers. A Jigaboo performs for white people, white people do NOT watch Tyler Perry movies.

Still a **** and a jigaboo.

White ppl don't need to watch his movies for him to perform for them though.

 

[KHUFU]

Lol I fail to see how this goes against the fact that many black actors willingly take these roles. I've seen Hollywood shuffle. Dressing up like a woman is literally the least problematic thing about exploitation of black people in entertainment

You still seem to be missing the point. A White actor can play a lead role as a woman, and his career will not be effected by it, he wont be typecast. Dustin Hoffman, Robin Williams, Patrick Swayze, Tom Hanks, all had command of their careers, being able to choose whatever roles they saw fit. They were allowed to be complete ACTORS, without bias.

Black actors come upon these roles, as if those are the only roles offered to them, and then are only offered such in supporting roles. They have no control over content, imagery, or how they will be marketed due to the fact that it isn't a lead role. Tyler Perry OWNS his company, image, and produces the content he puts out. Therefore he is aware of his image, then also in control of such. The same cannot be said about those with lesser control.

 

[Master Zik]

Ok I think between the fact that white men dress up in drag more often for movies and the fact that many black men do this on their own volition, this entire conspiracy is overblown.

Lol many dudes in here would have a heart attack if they watched pose.

Well like I said I'm not with the whole conspiracy part cuz this seems like a comedy thing. Not some forced to do this or else sort of thing.

However, separate from that I do think the emasculation of black men is a real thing being done through various forms of media.

 

[deusavertat]

Still a **** and a jigaboo.

White ppl don't need to watch his movies for him to perform for them though.

That literally makes no sense. There are white people who are oblivious to the fact that he makes movies. Same white people have no problem with their men dressing up in drag (except ignorant MAGA bigots from Alabama).

 

[Master Zik]

That literally makes no sense. There are white people who are oblivious to the fact that he makes movies. Same white people have no problem with their men dressing up in drag (except ignorant MAGA bigots from Alabama).

You keep talking about his movies. I don't really get what you're talking about here.

Like if there are white ppl oblivious to the fact he makes movies why even bring them up? Or the white ppl that have no issue with white men in drag?

Really don't got anything with what I'm talking about.

 

[deusavertat]

You still seem to be missing the point. A White actor can play a lead role as a woman, and his career will not be effected by it, he wont be typecast.

Wesley Snipes dressed up in drag and it was literally his least memorable role so I dunno know about that. If anything Wesley Snipes was typecast as an overly masculine action movie black dude.

Eddie Murphy dressed up as a fat black woman in Norbit and to my knowledge he hasn't been typecast as that.

The Wayans Brothers dressed up as white women and that hasn't been a recurring role of theirs.


Stop reaching

 

[KHUFU]

Wesley Snipes dressed up in drag and it was literally his least memorable role so I dunno know about that. If anything Wesley Snipes was typecast as an overly masculine action movie black dude.

The point is that he is indeed typecast. You are speaking as if only one gets through the glass ceiling, that suddenly racism and the imagery of such, no longer exists.

Again, there is a reason that Black women would not take a role of a mammy either. There will be stigma attached to a Black men wearing a dress in film, especially when his reputation as an actor and then his identity is concerned. Will Smith did one gay scene years ago, and people still use that scene to suggest that he may be on the low.

 

[KHUFU]

Wesley Snipes dressed up in drag and it was literally his least memorable role so I dunno know about that. If anything Wesley Snipes was typecast as an overly masculine action movie black dude.

Eddie Murphy dressed up as a fat black woman in Norbit and to my knowledge her hasn't been typecast as that.

The Wayans Brothers dressed up and white women and that hasn't been a recurring role of theirs.


Stop reaching

Every one that you have mentioned, had control over such imagery and content. Murphy being a bankable star at the time, could control even who was working on set.