Support NeoGAF

[Blair]

Meanwhile, even white people don’t want to dress up as CORAL.

LOL

 

[Veitsev]

I don't see this as racist. Its like people forget why blackface was so racist. It wasn't just because someone was wearing makeup that made them look black. It was the warped, stereotyped, racist depiction of these "characters". This is just a tribute by some enthusiastic cosplayer. Context matters.

 

[Infinite]

What she did is racist. She now knows better hopefully.

 

[Slayven]

Michonne is a character that just happens to be black, like people in the world just happen to be black. It is not a defining character trait.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

This has already happened without incident

quit being so sensitive

DONT SENSITIVE SHAME ME!

brb instagramming my offendness and linking it thru my twitter. #NotAllZombies

 

[The Last Wizard]

As far as I can tell she's German. She probably had no concept of Blackface.

Tell that to the football league Europeans have

 

[RandyBobandy]

Michonne has a pretty standout look. You don't need to change your skin color to be her cause everyone will know who you are anyway

 

[Alienous]

That nose makes it more racist to me than the makeup.

Agreed. I certainly don't want to be reminded that black people can, often, have different shaped noses to white people. Ever. Makes me mad.

Spoiler

But seriously, why does that make it more racist?

 

[Atruvius]

That really isn't a blackface, right? Isn't blackface like caricature pitch black face with huge bright red lips. Her makeup doesn't look caricatureish at all.

 

[BGBW]

I thought blackface was when you put white or red all around your lips, white around your eyes and painting your skin charcoal black. Like a seriously messed up caricature which is why it is rightly frowned upon.

 

[BrokenEchelon]

There's nothing racist about blackface when you're trying to emulate a character without being disparaging, in my opinion.

 

[Slayven]

Michonne has a pretty standout look. You don't need to change your skin color to be her cause everyone will know who you are anyway

Yeah I mean come on

 

[CornBurrito]

Well she's a German artist apparently. "Blackface" isn't an issue anywhere but in America.
Racism is all about meaning and intention. Painting your face black should be considered racist only when it is meant to give a bad image of black people. That's obviously not the case here.

Yeah. I hate when Americans impose their own historical context on other nations.

 

[Topi]

What the hell, how is there anything wrong with that? How are you supposed to cosplay a black character then? Only if you're black yourself? Are only black people entitled to dark skin? I can't believe people have a problem with this. It's a different thing rubbing charcoal and red lipstick on your face in a mockery, yes, but this has nothing to do with it.

 

[SillyEskimo]

Where does Tropic Thunder fit into all the do's and don't's?

Because that blackface was hilarious!

 

[Alx]

I disagree with this. Most people who say/do racist shit probably don't outwardly mean it that way, but it still is

It is because the message they're sending is negative, even if they're not aware of it.
There's nothing negative in liking a character so much that you want to portray her as faithfully as possible.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

Yeah I mean come on

honestly id think she was just some samurai hipster.

 

[……forgetit]

What the hell, how is there anything wrong with that? How are you supposed to cosplay a black character then? Only if you're black yourself? Are only black people entitled to dark skin? I can't believe people have a problem with this. It's a different thing rubbing charcoal and red lipstick on your face in a mockery, yes, but this has nothing to do with it.

How do black people cosplay white characters? Answer that one.

 

[Alienous]

.

 

[Infinite]

Nope, not doing this shit to myself. I'm out.

 

[J10]

October? Like clockwork.

 

[Fare Godmace]

I don't really see how cosplay of another race can be racist, unless the cosplayer is trying to mock the character.

If she hadn't painted her skin black, people would have called her racist for whitewashing the character...

 

[Kinvara]

This is just a rerun of the "Zwarte Piet" threads.

Just don't do blackface. It has a long, ugly history (Europe included). Skin color is not a costume.

 

[Baron von Loathsome]

I don't see this as racist, at least not intentionally so. She's evidently trying to faithfully recreate a character she likes, not turn her into a caricature.

 

[The Elite]

I thought blackface was when you put white or red all around your lips, white around your eyes and painting your skin charcoal black. Like a seriously messed up caricature which is why it is rightly frowned upon.

That's what I recall as well.

I recall blackface is a very distinct look that's meant to be disparaging.

 

[sixteen-bit]

Simple concept: never, ever do blackface.

 

[MBison]

What the hell, how is there anything wrong with that? How are you supposed to cosplay a black character then? Only if you're black yourself? Are only black people entitled to dark skin? I can't believe people have a problem with this. It's a different thing rubbing charcoal and red lipstick on your face in a mockery, yes, but this has nothing to do with it.

This.

It's not racist and even pretending like it is does a disservice to actual racism.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Where does Tropic Thunder fit into all the do's and don't's?

Because that blackface was hilarious!

Robert Downey Jr.'s character was presented as someone to be laughed at, not with

 

[Amentallica]

This isn't racist.

 

[Parallax]

What the hell, how is there anything wrong with that? How are you supposed to cosplay a black character then? Only if you're black yourself? Are only black people entitled to dark skin? I can't believe people have a problem with this. It's a different thing rubbing charcoal and red lipstick on your face in a mockery, yes, but this has nothing to do with it.

Wear the costume? Why color your skin?

I don't really see how cosplay of another race can be racist, unless the cosplayer is trying to mock the character.

If she hadn't painted her skin black, people would have called her racist for whitewashing the character...

Do you have links of this? Ive only heard of whitewashing a character via costume in this thread

 

[Drencrom]

On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

what about orange face?

IchNichtIch.jpg

On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.

Don't remember much about it at the time, probably today it would though with social media.

 

[CornBurrito]

Michonne is a character that just happens to be black, like people in the world just happen to be black. It is not a defining character trait.

Then it is impossible to cosplay as anyone. Nobody is defined by hair style, clothing, etc... those aren't character traits.

 

[BGBW]

I'm going to assume that Walliams & Lucas shows are looked down upon on GAF.

 

[Slayven]

I don't really see how cosplay of another race can be racist, unless the cosplayer is trying to mock the character.

If she hadn't painted her skin black, people would have called her racist for whitewashing the character...

When has that ever happened?

Then it is impossible to cosplay as anyone. Nobody is defined by hair style, clothing, etc... those aren't character traits.

You are right those are physcially discreptions. Waking around with a samurai sword and 2 zombies is a character trait. Something unique to them.

 

[bidguy]

Yeah I mean come on

yeah just need to find me some jawless zombies and a katana

 

[Mr.Pig]

Correct, it's never okay to change the color of your skin to simulate a different ethnicity IMO.

I found a machine that creates racists! :-O


Yeah, I know - it's not entirely the same.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

I don't really see how cosplay of another race can be racist, unless the cosplayer is trying to mock the character.

If she hadn't painted her skin black, people would have called her racist for whitewashing the character...

Except, as I said before, this already happened without incident

 

[Jill Sandwich]

They should do a sequel to this called 'Black Guys' where Betty White and Melissa McCarthy go blackfacin' in the hood to solve a murder, with hilarious results!

 

[Bold One]

What the hell, how is there anything wrong with that? How are you supposed to cosplay a black character then? Only if you're black yourself? Are only black people entitled to dark skin? I can't believe people have a problem with this. It's a different thing rubbing charcoal and red lipstick on your face in a mockery, yes, but this has nothing to do with it.

Black people cosplay as 'white' characters all the time without resorting to white-face,

 

[Kinvara]

Yeah. I hate when Americans impose their own historical context on other nations.

Minstrel Shows were popular in Europe too.

In fact, the practice originated in Europe.

 

[SillyEskimo]

Robert Downey Jr.'s character was presented as someone to be laughed at, not with

His blackface makeup was really good too. It makes hers look more impressive since she did it herself.

 

[Servbot24]

Yeah I mean come on

Without the zombies that could be anyone.

 

[ZombieSupaStar]

When has that ever happened?

I think it happens more in movies, prince of persia, avatar (air bender).

 

[karasu]

Just as stupid as when that guy painted himself black to cosplay Barret. If I were going to cosplay Herschel from Walking dead, I wouldn't paint my skin pink.

 

[The Elite]

On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.

There was some controversy but he was great so everyone laughed and forgot about it.

 

[……forgetit]

On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.

The whole joke was that it WAS racist and that he shouldn't have done it. How does this keep coming up?

 

[Slayven]

I think it happens more in movies, prince of persia, avatar (air bender).

That is a different thing entirely.

There was some controversy but he was great so everyone laughed and forgot about it.

Folks totally don't get the point of his character.

 

[Massive Duck. C.M.]

Hey guys, if cosplaying in blackface is that important to you, we'll trade it for respect in some other area

 

[Kinvara]

On the subject; Did people/anyone find this racist in Tropic Thunder? Never heard any controversy or blackface comments regarding it.

That's because it was self-aware.

The characters in the movie openly call him out on it and eventually he takes it off completely.