I read a few reviews of Will Smith's new movie Hancock. I doubt I'll go see it after reading the reviews, but in general, I like his movies, he's a good actor.
One thing struck me as I was reading the reviews, the writers kept talking about race. They said his character in Hancock represents Smith's own struggles and conflicts of being a successful black actor. That his Hancock character has to be twice as good, because he's black, and they infer that Smith's rise to stardom has been the same. They say that Smith transcended his race and that race is transparent in the characters he plays. So which is it? You can't have it both ways. Most actors struggle, white, black, or green, and very few make it to the level Will Smith has. Race is not an issue here, talent is.
The reviewers quoted Barack Hussein Obama as saying that if anyone makes a movie about his life, that he wants Will Smith to play him. Well, let's hope it never comes to that! If it does, I won't go see that one either! They said that this is because Obama is trying to make his race transparent, to which I say "that's a bunch of crap"! Obama is not black, he's half and half. But he pushes the black half, in my opinion, taking advantage of it. He knows that some blacks will vote for him simply because he's black when otherwise they wouldn't vote, or would perhaps vote for another candidate.
I really get tired of this race thing. This is 2008. I think there should be equal opportunity for success and failure, and it's a lot closer than it's ever been, especially for blacks. I do not think you should be given anything simply because you're a minority. I think that blacks do as much harm as good, possibly more harm, by separating and drawing attention to being black.
Charlize Theron also stars in Hancock. Did she transcend being white? Is her race transparent? No one said. That was not mentioned in the reviews.
If I had billions of dollars to play with, and I started a White Entertainment Network, or a White Miss America Pageant, do you think I could get any advertisers and corporate sponsors? No. Could I start an analogous show for whites like any of the shows geared toward "Black Issues"? No. In fact, I'd have a hard time just staying alive. Again, you can't have it both ways.
When I watch a Will Smith movie, I don't see him as a black actor. The reviewers were right in that regard, he does transcend race. I simply see him as a good actor, just like I see co-workers and friends who happen to be black as co-workers and friends, not as "black people". They're people. I don't see them as black until they point out that fact and make an issue out of it.
When loosing weight, I've heard it said that the last few pounds are the hardest. Perhaps, the last few miles of race equality are the hardest because it requires dropping the race labels and just being people.
To me, it appears that the people holding on to these race labels the hardest are the ones who say they want them to go away... makes me wonder if they really do want them to go away.
Until next time,
Recoil
Comments: 1, TrackBacks: 0. Leave or Read Comments.
Posted by Fred (aka Recoil) on July 8, 2008
TrackBack: http://www.doublebarreledopinions.com/blog/mt-tb.cgi/112
Comments and TrackBacks