Skirmisher
03-13-2006, 06:33 PM
I saw the new FX show called Black/White the other night after having seen the promos and being intrigued.
The concept is that two families, one black and one white, would via expert makeup artists be disguised to appear the race of the other and thereby be allowed, at least theoretically, gain some insight as to what it is like to be that race in present day USA.
I found the black family,the Sparks, having less to have to think about and be concious of while trying to pass than the white family, the Wurgels.
Mrs Wurgel seemed to not be to bad and only made me cringe one time that i recall when she spoke of "jiving".
Mr Wurgel however was painful numerous times. The first was when he seemed to be insistant on using the word "nigger" in his various explanations showing how non racist he is and how he has the cure for racism. His good intentioned yet appallingly simplistic way to stop racism is to not look for it as he seems to think Mr Sparks does as well as not getting angry when someone calls him a "nigger". He seems to be oh so looking foward to being called such and to respond "Hey man, why did you call me that?" and "That would be it", wow... the end of racism as we know it.
The daughter was one of the two best in the first episode, as she seemed to have a greater awareness of current realtities as well as stereotypes. I have opinions both good and bad on her but would be interested to see if anyone else saw it and had some also first.
Mr Sparks was I thought pretty cool overall and definitely better able to pass as a white man than Mr Wurgel was as a black man. He didn't go crazy with the uber white accent that people do when poking fun at white america and was able to listen quite well at one point while someone at a bar he obtained a job at as a white man was telling him how nice the area was and that it was like the only mostly white enclave left in the area. The only time I can recall when i found him to be just way off base was when he went shopping at while puchasing some shoes the salesman helped him try on the shoes, placing them on him and lacing them up. He made a point to bring that up and say that that had never happened to him before. That left me wondering where exactly he shopped for shoes normally as I know I always have that happene for me, except at a place like Payless, and that my father who certainly does not look or sound like John Q Smith whiteguy also always has such done. He either was exagerating or really needs to change shoe stores.
Mrs Sparks we did not see much of in the first episode so I cannot say much as yet.
Nick Sparks seemed perhaps the most unfazed of the bunch even though he had perhaps the second smallest amount of airtime. He seems calm and quite comfortable with everything tossed at him.
Oy, I didnt mean to write so much but I hope some others here saw it also and comment.
The concept is that two families, one black and one white, would via expert makeup artists be disguised to appear the race of the other and thereby be allowed, at least theoretically, gain some insight as to what it is like to be that race in present day USA.
I found the black family,the Sparks, having less to have to think about and be concious of while trying to pass than the white family, the Wurgels.
Mrs Wurgel seemed to not be to bad and only made me cringe one time that i recall when she spoke of "jiving".
Mr Wurgel however was painful numerous times. The first was when he seemed to be insistant on using the word "nigger" in his various explanations showing how non racist he is and how he has the cure for racism. His good intentioned yet appallingly simplistic way to stop racism is to not look for it as he seems to think Mr Sparks does as well as not getting angry when someone calls him a "nigger". He seems to be oh so looking foward to being called such and to respond "Hey man, why did you call me that?" and "That would be it", wow... the end of racism as we know it.
The daughter was one of the two best in the first episode, as she seemed to have a greater awareness of current realtities as well as stereotypes. I have opinions both good and bad on her but would be interested to see if anyone else saw it and had some also first.
Mr Sparks was I thought pretty cool overall and definitely better able to pass as a white man than Mr Wurgel was as a black man. He didn't go crazy with the uber white accent that people do when poking fun at white america and was able to listen quite well at one point while someone at a bar he obtained a job at as a white man was telling him how nice the area was and that it was like the only mostly white enclave left in the area. The only time I can recall when i found him to be just way off base was when he went shopping at while puchasing some shoes the salesman helped him try on the shoes, placing them on him and lacing them up. He made a point to bring that up and say that that had never happened to him before. That left me wondering where exactly he shopped for shoes normally as I know I always have that happene for me, except at a place like Payless, and that my father who certainly does not look or sound like John Q Smith whiteguy also always has such done. He either was exagerating or really needs to change shoe stores.
Mrs Sparks we did not see much of in the first episode so I cannot say much as yet.
Nick Sparks seemed perhaps the most unfazed of the bunch even though he had perhaps the second smallest amount of airtime. He seems calm and quite comfortable with everything tossed at him.
Oy, I didnt mean to write so much but I hope some others here saw it also and comment.