Old TV shows are beating Hollywood's DEI agenda

[Flopper]

I have no problem with people who happen to be black and there are many black actors and actresses that I adore. Last night we again watched "The Pelican Brief" and I can't imagine anybody being cast in the role of Gray Grantham other than Denzel Washington though the role could have been played by anybody. But Denzel was perfect for the role. Morgan Freeman once said that the vast majority of all roles he has ever played could have been played by anybody. Of necessity he had to play a black man in "Driving Miss Daisy" and of course when he played Nelson Mandela in "Invictus."

But when they start remaking historical films with black actors replacing the actual non-black people who actually lived that history, it begins to become ridiculous. I suppose if there is a remake of "Moonstruck" they'll replace a lot of the Italian and Sicilian characters in Little Italy in New York with black actors which would be absolutely ridiculous. Or any of the cast of Memphis Belle replaced with black actors which would make it historically inaccurate?

The black characters in "Renaissance Man" however, given the makeup of the armed forces, did not seem to be over represented plus they were all lovable and relatable characters leaving the audience feeling good and satisfied at the end. Such movies in my opinion are not only thoroughly entertaining but do wonders for healthy race relations.

Again the black demographic is just under 15% of the American population and for it to approach 50% or more again and again in cast after cast on television, in entertainment, in media makes it look contrived, political, and in your face DEI that is insulting to many. I do not think it helps race relations at all.

The purpose was two fold first to open up new rolls for minorities and secondly to make the movies more appealing to minorities. It was probably successful in both purposes. However, most audiences share your opinion. They generally don't like casting that totally disregards race in assigning actors to rolls. There have been a number of presentations where whites played black rolls. Generally black audiences had the same opinion. They don't like whites playing obvious black rolls.

There have been some exceptions such as Hamilton with a predominantly Black and Latino cast playing characters that were white. It played on Broadway for 6 years plus road shows wining 11 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer for Drama.

 

[Failzero]

1st Season of “ The Rat Patrol “ was filmed in Spain and everyone wanted to Guest Star as it was an Epic Party

 

[Flopper]

Alan Sorkin is a pretty good director and an excellent writer and that was apparent in this production. Sorkin got the major facts right, events surrounding the trial, who was being charged and the outcome. However, he took quite a bit literary licenses with the presentation of the trial for dramatic effect. Keep in mind, this was not a documentary. It was simply based on the Trial.

 

[Foxfyre]

The purpose was two fold first to open up new rolls for minorities and secondly to make the movies more appealing to minorities. It was probably successful in both purposes. However, most audiences share your opinion. They generally don't like casting that totally disregards race in assigning actors to rolls. There have been a number of presentations where whites played black rolls. Generally black audiences had the same opinion. They don't like whites playing obvious black rolls.

There have been some exceptions such as Hamilton with a predominantly Black and Latino cast playing characters that were white. It played on Broadway for 6 years plus road shows wining 11 Tony Awards and a Pulitzer for Drama.

It's time we stopped assuming minorities can't make it on their own merits and must have special consideration.

 

[Flopper]

I don't think the average American evaluates any form of entertainment on its diversity but whether it entertains in a satisfying way.

We do not make up for past injustices. To make things right we stop doing them and allow people to live together in harmony and without prejudice. Throwing it in their faces does not change hearts and minds but perpetuates and elevates racism I think for personal gain or profit much more than compensation for those used.

You are right audiences don't evaluate entertainment based on diversity. They like productions because they are entertaining. That said, stories based on social injustice have been made into some very effect dramas that stirs people to action, sometimes for good and sometimes not so good.

The people that are most responsible for bringing these movies to the screen, the producers and investors care for more about profits than social justice.

 

[AZrailwhale]

I think movies are trying to makeup for a hundred years of underrepresenting and poorly portraying Individuals who deviate from sexual norms, are members of minority ethnic groups, who are overweight, have health conditions, deformities, etc.

Any time we talk about why certain types movies are made we need to consider the true driving force, MONEY. The age group 18-34 is the age group most likely to frequently watch movies and attend movie theaters. They are also the group who are most interested in seeing more diversity in movies. The age group least likely to attend theaters and frequently watch movies, those over 45 are the age group least interested in seeing more diversity in movies.

Small independents can draw funding from various special interest groups to make offbeat movies but major movies are distributed by major studios. The cost of major productions are so high today, Hollywood has to give audiences what they want to see. If audiences did not want to see diversity in movies, it wouldn't be there.

If that's the case, why are the diverse movies losing so much money and "normal" ones like Dune II making it hand over fist? I very much doubt the young people watching Dune ever read Frank Herbert's book.

 

[AZrailwhale]

One of the most entertaining movies of the 1960's was a spoof western comedy "The Hallelujah Trail" starring Burt Lancaster and Lee Remick. It portrayed the different groups involved in getting whiskey to Denver to the winter with the people of Denver, the liquor profiteers, the U.S. Cavalry, and the Indian tribe all interested in the project for different reasons. But the Indians facial expressions and obvious unspoken opinions about this or that going on were priceless and in my opinion stole the show as that is what I most remember of the movie. It also made the Indians relatable and endearing.

We need a lot more of that in the movies.

You forgot the temperance workers who were working to STOP the whiskey from getting to Denver. I recently watched Hallelujah Trail again and loved it. An amazing ensemble cast of actors all working together.

 

[Foxfyre]

You are right audiences don't evaluate entertainment based on diversity. They like productions because they are entertaining. That said, stories based on social injustice have been made into some very effect dramas that stirs people to action, sometimes for good and sometimes not so good.

The people that are most responsible for bringing these movies to the screen, the producers and investors care for more about profits than social justice.

I have many social justice oriented films in my own collection. "In the Heat lf the Night" w/Sidney Portier and Rod Steiger--"Ghosts of Mississippi w/Alec Baldwin and Whoopee Goldberg--"A Time to Kill" w/Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L Jackson, Sandra Bulloch--"Amos and Andrew w/Samuel L Jackson and Nicholas Cage (pure comedy w/a great teaching message)--"Affairs of the Heart" w/Danny Glover and Sally Field and several other well done, educational, entertaining and/or provocative films. But they all teach and get their point across by example and are not 'in your face' with it. One that sort of is 'in your face' but is so well done and entertaining that it is forgivable is "The Help."

My point is the same reason I think the time for all affirmative action is over. We've fought the battles and won the war on racism. We've done as much as reasonably can be done to correct past injustices. It is now time to encourage all Americans of all races, ethnicities or whatever to sink or swim on their own merit and make skin color of no more importance that hair or eye color. We can still put the histories out there. But we cannot ever do away with the vast majority of racist views so long as Hollywood or the government or anybody else demand that we see skin color first before anything else.

 

[candycorn]

Alan Sorkin is a pretty good director and an excellent writer and that was apparent in this production. Sorkin got the major facts right, events surrounding the trial, who was being charged and the outcome. However, he took quite a bit literary licenses with the presentation of the trial for dramatic effect. Keep in mind, this was not a documentary. It was simply based on the Trial.

Yep.

More to the point, it inspired me to do some research into the trial itself. The stuff that happened at the trial was in many ways, far more disturbing than what showed up on the screen.

 

[candycorn]

I have many social justice oriented films in my own collection. "In the Heat lf the Night" w/Sidney Portier and Rod Steiger--"Ghosts of Mississippi w/Alec Baldwin and Whoopee Goldberg--"A Time to Kill" w/Matthew McConaughey, Samuel L Jackson, Sandra Bulloch--"Amos and Andrew w/Samuel L Jackson and Nicholas Cage (pure comedy w/a great teaching message)--"Affairs of the Heart" w/Danny Glover and Sally Field and several other well done, educational, entertaining and/or provocative films. But they all teach and get their point across by example and are not 'in your face' with it. One that sort of is 'in your face' but is so well done and entertaining that it is forgivable is "The Help."

My point is the same reason I think the time for all affirmative action is over. We've fought the battles and won the war on racism. We've done as much as reasonably can be done to correct past injustices. It is now time to encourage all Americans of all races, ethnicities or whatever to sink or swim on their own merit and make skin color of no more importance that hair or eye color. We can still put the histories out there. But we cannot ever do away with the vast majority of racist views so long as Hollywood or the government or anybody else demand that we see skin color first before anything else.

And when Flash wrote that he thinks all blacks are mainly derelicts, you didn’t say a fucking word to the contrary.

And here you are saying we "won the war on racism”. Unbelievable.

 

[Flopper]

It's time we stopped assuming minorities can't make it on their own merits and must have special consideration.

With the death of affirmative action there are very few federal programs that still consider race in awards. Yes, there are still some grants to minority businesses but they are fast disappearing.

There is a lot of misunderstanding due primarily to the fact that minorities get the lions share of federal funds. That is not because of their minority status but because of their low family income. Financial Aid, Hud Housing, TANF, and other federal social programs are based on need not race. It is family income not race that determines eligibility.

 

[Flopper]

Yep.

More to the point, it inspired me to do some research into the trial itself. The stuff that happened at the trial was in many ways, far more disturbing than what showed up on the screen.

What was going on in Chicago then was really bad.

 

[AZrailwhale]

And when Flash wrote that he thinks all blacks are mainly derelicts, you didn’t say a fucking word to the contrary.

And here you are saying we "won the war on racism”. Unbelievable.

It's far more constructive ignoring a fascist racist than giving him attention. The only reason I debate IM2 and Curried Goats is for cheap entertainment. No one takes either of them seriously except each other.

 

[AZrailwhale]

What was going on in Chicago then was really bad.

Chicago has been a corrupt hellhole for over a century. Like New York, it was a product of machine politics and rampant public corruption.

 

[otto105]

Its true. I ban new Hollywoke trash from my TV screens. I will watch oldies movies from oldies stations. MAYBERRY RFD or old flicks like "Moon tide" or "White heat" or even "Oh brother where art thou" over this woke modern trash.

Live in the past do ya bitch.

 

[candycorn]

It's far more constructive ignoring a fascist racist than giving him attention. The only reason I debate IM2 and Curried Goats is for cheap entertainment. No one takes either of them seriously except each other.

Sorta not the point. If a black man gets lynched and she turns her back on it and looks the other way and says, “We won the war on racism”...what does that tell you about that woman?

 

[Flopper]

It is hard to take a show seriously about Medieval Europe with Black actors playing roles that you know should be White. You know that the only reason there are Black actors is because the silly ass Hollywood jerkoffs are meeting DEI goals.

The same goes for almost every of movie, TV show or commercial where Blacks are presented way out of whack with their culture.

What is really silly is that the advertisers are using DEI shitheads in commercials when that is not their target market.

It is a sickness that the Libtards are afflicted with. They are trying to force their sicko Libtard crap on us.

I watched a lot less nowadays than I use to. I ignore commercials that are Negro or has Queers or mixed race couples or whatever DEI crap the sickos want to throw at it. I don't watch any movie or TV show where the main actors are DEI shitheads.

When does entertainment become DEI? Is it something you know when you see it or is their some criteria. I see TV series and movies pretty often that has one or more cast members that are Black, Latino, Asian, Gay or Lisbon but their minority status is not a primary part of movie or series.

Then there are those that have entire episodes or the whole movie about based on problems that arise due to their minority status.

There is a lot of difference in these two.

 

[BlueGin]

Most new commercial TV programing really sucks. I believe that's because most people of average intelligence or higher given a choice don't watch commercial TV. If they are watching any video, it's off the Internet where they have a huge variety and no commercials. I believe most commercial television today is watch in low income housing, homes for elderly, retarded, or insane, hospitals, doctors offices, dive bars, and ghettos.

I saw trailers for a show on CBS ( I think) that looked interesting called Tracker. But I haven’t watched it. I feel it will just be disappointing. Maybe someday when I’m really bored.

 

[AZrailwhale]

I saw trailers for a show on CBS ( I think) that looked interesting called Tracker. But I haven’t watched it. I feel it will just be disappointing. Maybe someday when I’m really bored.

Tracker is pretty good.

 

[Foxfyre]

With the death of affirmative action there are very few federal programs that still consider race in awards. Yes, there are still some grants to minority businesses but they are fast disappearing.

There is a lot of misunderstanding due primarily to the fact that minorities get the lions share of federal funds. That is not because of their minority status but because of their low family income. Financial Aid, Hud Housing, TANF, and other federal social programs are based on need not race. It is family income not race that determines eligibility.

Deliberately over representing black people in film casting, in television advertising, etc. is a form of affirmative action. And it is viewed negatively by a great many Americans who don't like having race thrown in their faces in that way. Again it is time to take advantage of the equality made available to all Americans and allow people to compete on merit instead of implementing affirmative action so that there is no question that they earned what they have. No competent, qualified person of ANY race should be questioned as to whether he/she merited his/her position rather than being the 'affirmative action' person.