http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/02/26/tv-tonight-black-or-not-like-she/ A blog about television by TIME’s TV critic James Poniewozik. Wed, 09 Dec 2009 03:42:04 +0000 http://wordpress.com/ hourly 1 http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/02/26/tv-tonight-black-or-not-like-she/comment-page-1/#comment-19810 plukasiak Thu, 26 Feb 2009 22:31:17 +0000 http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/?p=3303#comment-19810 <i> For a while I used to circle 'Other' begrudgingly." For someone of her background, Rudolph says, playing the various roles she has on SNL inevitably brings up the baggage of passing.</i> _ I don't think that the "baggage" is exactly "passing" (which implies trying to be white) so much as "transcending" -- Rudolph's features make it possible for her to play "non-specific" roles (she can play "the female lead's best friend" without being "the female lead's best friend who is black" which is a reflection on the female lead), and to play roles "non-specifically". For a while I used to circle 'Other' begrudgingly." For someone of her background, Rudolph says, playing the various roles she has on SNL inevitably brings up the baggage of passing.
_
I don't think that the "baggage" is exactly "passing" (which implies trying to be white) so much as "transcending" -- Rudolph's features make it possible for her to play "non-specific" roles (she can play "the female lead's best friend" without being "the female lead's best friend who is black" which is a reflection on the female lead), and to play roles "non-specifically".

]]> http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/2009/02/26/tv-tonight-black-or-not-like-she/comment-page-1/#comment-19807 masurix Thu, 26 Feb 2009 21:44:03 +0000 http://tunedin.blogs.time.com/?p=3303#comment-19807 I'm half white, half Mexican. My mom's family came from Wales and my dad's parents are illegal aliens from Mexico. I have my mom's ultra-pale skin, dark hair and blue eyes. The only thing I got from my dad is the propensity to tan deeply in the summer. I was raised in a predominantly Mexican area and for the first 20 years of my life, I identified most strongly with that ethnic group. That's what all my friends were, after all. . Now I live in Ohio where most people are white. It is always deeply weird when I am with a group of white people and the topics of immigration or illegal labor come up. It's like we're all in this club and it's Us vs. Them. I've heard the "they're takin' our jerbs!" BS. I've heard comments along the lines of, "If there weren't Mexicans, who would clean our toilets?" When I out myself as not part of the club, they give me sincere apologies, which confused me at first. I think it's just that when they can put a familiar face to 'Them' it's tougher to think about it like an adversarial situation. Or maybe they're sincerely sorry I'm half-Mexican. ;) I'm half white, half Mexican. My mom's family came from Wales and my dad's parents are illegal aliens from Mexico. I have my mom's ultra-pale skin, dark hair and blue eyes. The only thing I got from my dad is the propensity to tan deeply in the summer. I was raised in a predominantly Mexican area and for the first 20 years of my life, I identified most strongly with that ethnic group. That's what all my friends were, after all.
.
Now I live in Ohio where most people are white. It is always deeply weird when I am with a group of white people and the topics of immigration or illegal labor come up. It's like we're all in this club and it's Us vs. Them. I've heard the "they're takin' our jerbs!" BS. I've heard comments along the lines of, "If there weren't Mexicans, who would clean our toilets?" When I out myself as not part of the club, they give me sincere apologies, which confused me at first. I think it's just that when they can put a familiar face to 'Them' it's tougher to think about it like an adversarial situation. Or maybe they're sincerely sorry I'm half-Mexican.

]]>