Andre Agassi dressed up as Mr. T for Halloween on Monday, inevitably raising the question is it ever OK to do blackface? Busted Racquet preemptively sided with Agassi, noting that the former tennis champion donned the costume "two days after (he) raised $26.1 million for his charter school; the one that aims to represent underserved communities and gives college scholarships every year to deserving students, most of whom happen to be African-American" and going on to say "if Andre Agassi is racist, then I'm Steffi Graf." I've no doubt Agassi's not a racist -- and his charity works speaks for itself. Without knowing the context of the costume and/or the party -- for all I know, some of the students at his school dared him to do it -- I tend to agree that it's probably not worth getting worked up about. On the flipside, it's even easier to not get worked up about it if people just stop doing it -- period. Thoughts?
8 comments:
People should just stop doing it. But, we American Indians keep asking people to quit imitating our ancestors and making fun of our sacred things and Americans seem to think it their God-given birthright to make fun of us, so perhaps it is too much to expect here, too.
My thought is simple: No. It doesn't mean he's a card-carrying racist, but it's pretty fucking obvious by now that it's unacceptable and he shouldn't do it. Someone like Bart is the kind if ignoramus who makes me even madder, though, someone who thinks in order to be a racist you have to be wearing a white sheet, and who thinks perfectly reasonable objections are all "PC." How's this for un-PC: Fuck off.
I dressed up as a hip 70s black 'chick' for Halloween back in 1991. Thigh high leather boots, big afro, afro pick, suede vest, hot pants....Itwas th only time i ever did drag). I didn't think anything of it at the time but now it makes me wonder. Was I perceived as being racially insensitive? Or at worst racist? I don't think so, and 91/92 was the height of PC (or it seemed like it). When a man does drag is he perceived as being sexist? I think he Agassi was dressed as Mr. T (who happens to be black). I was dressed as Foxy Brown (or Christie Love, or Coffey....) and she just happened to be black...
@ Matthew: I am not an ignoramus, just a realist who has spent 46 years on this spinning ball of dirt and knows it is a Halloween costume and nothing else. It's far Left "wear your heart on your sleeve" types like yourself who take things too far in labeling others for their actions. That you feel the need to insult me without knowing me is just what I expect from way-too-sensitive types such as yourself.
Sorry Kenneth - I will get off my soapbox now - at least I don't have to hurl insults to get my point accross to others.
The term "black face" is not an appropriate term to describe because it isn't the 1920's and Andre is not dressing as a minstrel but as Mr.T, a larger than life actor, personality of the 80's which you noted in the headline.
To answer your question. Yes, it is time for everyone to have the freedom to flatter a celebrity by dressing as such regardless of the race of that celebrity.
I doubt when Dwayne Wade last year went to a Halloween party dressed as Justin Timberlake, complete with "white face" he was not accused of "trying to pass", right?
A word to the people who accuse Andre of racism;People who filter the world through the narrow lense of race are by definition racist so perhaps those folks should look at their own racial attitudes before reacting to someone else's choice of a Halloween costume.
By the way, Kenneth,Steffi and Andre have a big Halloween party each year and there is quite a bit of competition for the best costume according to Steffi's Fb.
Steffi won last year dressed as Cher but she wont post any pics. She was keeping her costume a secret this year so we don't know what she wore yet.
Ok going completely off topic now, did you see how stunning Steffi looked wearing Roberto Cavelli this year at the Grand Slam for Children. Great choice, I think.
Kenneth, I think anyone crying racism is just as silly as anyone crying sexism if a man wished to dress as a woman, or a woman wished to dress as a man for Halloween.
Hey "racey's" out there we women still struggle for our rights worldwide, but I'm not going to follow your lead and be sexist about an individual's choice for Halloween.
I think we should leave it up to black people to tell us if they are offended or not. It's a bit paternalistic to be offended on their behalf.
I would certainly NOT be offended if a black lady dressed as Marilyn Monroe or a black man dressed as Charlie Chaplin.
Get a grip people - how is this un-PC?!?!? I agree with ANONYMOUS who states that it's the same as SEXISM if a man wears drag for Halloween!!
Do as much for underpriveleged youth as Andre does and then we can open a debate.
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