Is Black Face Funny?

I think it's only anti-Semitic if he speaks negatively about the religion, which he does not. I enjoy his blog and I'm Jewish (half, that is).

I haven't read the blog you are mentioning (although I did read Bagetellen the post you linked.

As far as Ali G - I never saw his parody as "black-face", but more at face-value the character - of a white person who grows up in a working-class neighborhood who adopts a mixed culture predominantly not his own. My understanding is that the one in particular his is parotting is a specific one in London (a white working class culture) that was once "Cockney" and now is a mixture of African, Caribean, Middle-Eastern, etc.

There ARE "caucasian" Londoners who talk and act that way (as I understand it - I'm speaking second or third-hand here - never been to London, never met a person who is of that socio-economic subculture...)

But as far as Batatellen's post specifically - she talks about an issue that is very complex - and she talks specifically about jazz. I've spent the better part of my life as a jazz musician and its something I've discussed in detail with Jazz musicians of all races.

If you want to talk about Al Jolsen in particular - he did wear Black Face in that film. While it is called "The Jazz Singer" - Al Jolsen wasn't what we would now consider a jazz singer by any means - but a Pop Singer. The film was made in 1927 when jazz was in it's infancy.

The idea that Jazz was Minstralcy and vice-versa is something that is not relevant by any means in any of our lifetimes or the lifetimes of any jazz musician who is alive today.

But the broader issue of race and culture and music specifically to Jazz - was very much an issue as late as the 1960's and perhaps the early 70's. Through the 40's and even for some musicians in the 50's - you could listen to a jazz recording and safely determine the race of the player by listening to the way they play.

By the time of the bebop era that is no longer true. The issue of race is certainly one that is relevant today in jazz - but today (and the past, hmm 20 years) I would argue - but perhaps no more so than in any other endevour in American life.

To get to a meandering point. I do squirm seeing Al Jolsen in black face. It's not parody. There were many whites (and many of them Jews) in the 1920's and later who would go on Broadway (or wherevever) in a manner that is so clearly (by today's standards at least) racist.

But I personally don't with Ali G. It's clearly parody. And I don't see him parodying darked-skin people, but caucasians trying to "act black". Man do they deserve to be made fun of.

Where I really squirm from Sascha Baron Cohen is the Borat character. He really has turned over some rocks on the dark-underbelly of Anti-semitism that exists in this country...

Good call, Dan, parody was the wrong word. If you didn't have a new baby, I'd tell you to get a blog. You always have something great to add to the conversation.

Lots to chew on.

Leah -

I just wanted to chime in because I too am conflicted about his blog. It is kind of interesting, but it disturbs me that someone feels the need to pretend to be something he's not. It seems so wrong to me that his future boss asked him what kind of Jew he was and that he proceeded to lie about it. I agree with you: he can't declare himself "not offensive" and call that it. I think there is an element of making fun of Jews (and his coworkers which to me seems like lashon hara) to his blog, and I'm not sure where the line is.

On a basic level, I have a hard time accepting that he finds it ok to lie about something on an ongoing basis to all these people around him.