EXCLUSIVE
As Gucci’s blackface controversy rages on, the company’s taking steps to make sure it doesn’t get any worse … by training employees how to handle “disruptive behavior.”
Gucci sent out an “updated security protocol” playbook —...
Gucci Issues Guidelines to Deal w/ Angry Customers ... CEO Confesses Blackface Ignorance
Showing posts with label Blackface. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Blackface. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Gucci Issues Guidelines to Deal w/ Angry Customers ... CEO Confesses Blackface Ignorance
Thursday, January 24, 2019
FL Sec. of State Blackface Photos Come Out ... Resigns from Office
Breaking News
Florida Sec. of State Michael Ertel is learning the same lesson Megyn Kelly learned about blackface, but in a much harsher way — he’s stepping down after offensive Halloween pics of him emerged online.
Ertel had the audacity to wear blackface 14 years ago when he...
FL Sec. of State Blackface Photos Come Out ... Resigns from Office
Thursday, October 25, 2018
Melissa Rivers Reacts to Megyn Kelly"s "Blackface" Apology
Melissa Rivers hopes Megyn Kelly’s mea culpa for her idiotic blackface comment was genuine — but she’s reluctant enough to check in with an African-American friend before weighing in on the apology. We got Melissa Wednesday…
Wednesday, October 24, 2018
Megyn Kelly Walks Back Idiotic Defense of Blackface
Megyn Kelly would like a mulligan.
On Tuesday morning, the former Fox News host reminded NBC viewers where she used to work by sitting around with a few panelists and making a passionate defense for…
… the use of blackface on Halloween?
Yes.
According to our records, this really was the random and racist hill on which Kelly decided to die for some reason.
During the controversial segment on Tuesday, Kelly said it was perfectly alright when she was growing up for white people to dress up as black characters on October 31, speaking out against the Politically Correct Police these days who frown on such a thing.
She used a really specific example to drive home her point, too.
Back in April, an episode of The Real Housewives of New York featured cast member Luann de Lesseps going out for Halloween as Diana Ross.
She received backlash for the outfit and then she apologized.
Simple and understandable enough, right?
Not to Megyn Kelly!
“But what is racist?” Kelly asked, digging herself a deep grave by expounding as follows:
“Because you do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface on Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween.
“Back when I was a kid that was OK, as long as you were dressing up as, like, a character.”
We’re pretty sure that last sentence is demonstrably false; there just wasn’t social media back in the day over which folks could voice their concerns about these types of costumes.
After earning immediate flak from basically everyone with a pulse, Kelly issued an apology on Tuesday evening.
Written as an internal note, a copy of which was provided by a spokesperson for NBC via Twitter, Kelly said the following:
One of the wonderful things about my job is that I get the chance to express and hear a lot of opinions.
Today is one of those days where listening carefully to other points of view, including from friends and colleagues, is leading me to rethink my own views.
Continued Kelly:
When we had the roundtable discussion earlier today about the controversy of making your face look like a different race as part of a Halloween costume, I suggested that this seemed okay if done as part of this holiday where people have the chance to make themselves look like others.
The iconic Diana Ross came up as an example.
To me, I thought, why would it be controversial for someone dressing up as Diana Ross to make herself look like this amazing woman as a way of honoring and respecting her?
I realize now that such behavior is indeed wrong, and I am sorry. The history of blackface in our culture is abhorrent; the wounds too deep.
Yes, exactly.
Kelly prides herself as a journalist and yet somehow didn’t realize previously that blackface — which was used in the late 19th century and early 20th century by white theater performers to mock and stereotype African-Americans – has an offensive history?!?
Come on, Megs.
As Melania Trump might say, try to be be better, okay?
Try not to make it so clear that you want back on Fox News and are happy to show executives there while you still belong.
Go ahead and search social media for the best responses to this scandal, but we’ll go with Top Chef Padma Lakshmi and her Tweet.
This is what she wrote:
“I cannot believe the ignorance on this in 2018. You are on national television.
“You have a responsibility to educate yourself on social issues @megynkelly. This is so damaging.”
Once aganin: Yes, exactly.
Tuesday, October 23, 2018
Megyn Kelly Defends Blackface, Asks: What is Racist?
Oh, crazy, desperate, race-baiting, ignorant Megyn Kelly…
… how we’ve missed you!
The formerly controversial Fox News host moved over to NBC at the outset of 2018, determined to shed her polarizing reputation and settle in as a harmless and happy morning personality.
She wanted to be the next Kelly Ripa, basically.
The thing is, though, there’s already a Kelly Ripa on television — and Kelly quickly learned that you can’t go from ranting and raving about the plight of the rich white person on Fox to casually discussing makeup and paleo recipes on NBC.
Viewers do not forget.
So, with her Today Show ratings dwindling, Kelly has returned to what she does best:
Making really dumb, close-minded and misguided statements.
She sided with Brett Kavanaugh a few weeks ago, for example, arguing that the Supreme Court justice nominee was innocent of sexual misconduct simply because he said so.
And now Kelly is here to wonder why people dressing in blackface is such a big deal.
“I have to give you a fair warning, I’m a little fired up about Halloween costumes this morning,” Kelly said on Tuesday to open a segment.
“I mean, truly, political correctness has gone amok. There are strict rules on what you may and may not wear by someone who thinks is the boss of you.”
“Isn’t the whole purpose of Halloween to dress up and pretend you’re someone other than yourself?” she continued. “I feel like it’s so absurd. Who comes up with these rules?”
What rules, you may be wondering?
Receiving flak for painting one’s face black for a costume, Kelly used as a major example.
“What is racist?” she actually asked.
“You do get in trouble if you are a white person who puts on blackface for Halloween, or a black person who puts on whiteface for Halloween. Back when I was a kid, that was OK just as long as you were dressing as a character.”
For the record:
Blackface was a form of theatrical make-up used predominantly by non-black performers to represent a caricature of a black person in the 19th century.
It contributed to the spread of racial stereotypes such as the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon” and it was very offensive to African-Americans.
It was stereotypical and insulting and a reminder to African-Americans that they were viewed as a lesser other by those who wore it.
This really isn’t complicated.
But Kelly brought up Real Housewives of New York cast member Luann de Lesseps to try and prove her point.
Luann faced backlash in April when she attended a Halloween party dressed as legendary singer Diana Ross.
de Lesseps said soon afterward that she understood the criticism and apologized for it. But Kelly doesn’t comprehend why she had to do so.
“People said that that was racist! And I don’t know, like, I thought, like, ‘Who doesn’t love Diana Ross?"” said Kelly, adding:
“She wants to look like Diana Ross for one day. I don’t know how that got racist on Halloween. It’s not like she’s walking around [wearing blackface] in general.”
Patton Oswalt spoke for most of the free world when he responded to Kelly’s viewpoint as follows:
It seems hard to believe that Kelly herself believes this one.
But we’re pretty sure we know what’s going on here:
She’s auditioning for a return to Fox.
Someone is clearly yearning to be employed by a company that will appreciate her racist views.
Friday, August 3, 2018
Seth Rogen Apologizes for "Blackface" on "Good Boys" Child Actor
Seth Rogen says he immediately stepped in when he found out a child actor was put in blackface on the set of the comedy, “Good Boys,” which he’s producing. TMZ broke the story … a stand-in for 11-year-old actor Keith L. Williams was wearing brown…
Thursday, August 2, 2018
"American Vandal" Star Camille Hyde Has Experienced Blackface On Set
Camille Hyde says she’s seen blackface used on the set of some productions … and it makes people uncomfortable. We got the “American Vandal” star Wednesday in L.A.’s Larchmont Village neighborhood where we asked for her thoughts on a young actor…
Wednesday, August 1, 2018
Common Says Blackface is Never Appropriate, Even for Hollywood Stand-ins
Common says if a stand-in for a movie or TV show requires makeup to match skin complexion with the actor … the director better find a new stand-in. We got the rapper/actor leaving Equinox Wednesday in WeHo, and he weighed in on the controversy…
"Good Boys" Producers Put Child Actor in "Blackface," Studio Says for Lighting
The filmmakers behind an upcoming comedy used makeup to darken the face of a child actor’s stand-in — a la “blackface” — but the film’s production company says it’s common practice. Sources connected to the film, “Good Boys” — produced by Seth…
Thursday, May 31, 2018
Drake Breaks Silence on Blackface Photo, Remains Mum on Secret Son
We think it’s safe to say the previous 48 hours haven’t been particularly easy on Drake.
It all started when Drizzy got a little big for his britches and decided to attack Pusha T with an exceedingly lame diss track.
King Push was quick to send Aubrey back to the kids’ table with one of the most punishing verses in recent memory.
In the “The Story of Adidon,” Pusha went after his rival like a DA prosecuting an open-and-shut case.
Anyone who listened to the track came away with the impression that Drake had committed a number of unforgivable crimes against his fans, against his loved ones, and against hip-hop culture.
Push rattles off a laundry list of offenses, but the most egregious are made clear right from the start.
In his opening salvo, the surgical emcee accuses Drake of being a deadbeat dad, hiding his son from the world and refusing to acknowledge the adult film star with whom he fathered the child.
But the allegation Drake might have the hardest time explaining away comes not in the lyrics to the song, but in its cover art:
As you can see, that’s a photo of Drake wearing blackface makeup.
Rumors about the origin of the image began to circulate immediately after the song’s release, and while accounts differed widely, all were in agreement that it was a very, very bad look.
Last night, Drake attempted to clear the air with a lengthy description of the photo’s context:
“I know everyone is enjoying the circus but I want to clarify this image in question,” he wrote.
“This was not from a clothing brand shoot or my music career.
“This picture is from 2007, a time in my life where I was an actor and I was working on a project that was about young black actors struggling to get roles, being stereotyped and type cast.”
“The photos represented how African Americans were once wrongfully portrayed in entertainment,” Drake continued.
“Me and my best friend at the time, Mazin Elsadig, who is also an actor from Sudan, were attempting to use our voice to bring awareness to the issues we dealt with all the time as black actors at auditions.”
The revelation that the photos were taken as part of a political statement and not — as initially rumored — an advertisement for a clothing line has prompted some detractors to give Drake a pass.
Though the consensus remains that the photo was in very poor taste.
Now, fans are clamoring for Drake’s response to the negligent parenting allegations.
Something tells us it’ll be quite sometime before Drizzy sounds off on that matter.
Drake Says Blackface Photo Was Commentary on Hollywood Stereotypes
Drake is firing back at Pusha T, but this time it’s not with a song … it’s his explanation for the blackface photo Pusha used to promote his vicious “Story of Adidon” diss track. Drake says the image was not used to promote a clothing brand — as…
Wednesday, May 30, 2018
Pusha T Says He Didn"t Go Too Far with Drake"s Baby and Blackface Pic
Pusha T says he has no regrets about hitting Drake with some very low blows about the child he had with an ex-porn star and taking a pic in blackface. Push spoke with Charlamagne tha God, Angela Yee and DJ Envy on “The Breakfast Club”…
Pusha T: Drake Is a Deadbeat Dad Who Wears Blackface
Last week, Pusha T dropped his long-awaited Daytona album, and as expected, the record’s seven tracks featured some of the grittiest, most punishing lyrics and beats the rap world has seen in years.
Though not as famous in the mainstream as some of his contemporaries, Push is a legend among hip-hop heads, and his latest Kanye-produced classic provided a potent reminder of how he earned that reputation.
But not everyone was enamored of the former Clipse rapper’s new offering.
Yes, while it often seems as though Drake is locked in contentious beefs with half the music industry, his feud with Push has been particularly intense.
(Which is saying something, because 2015’s Drake vs. Meek Mill feud was truly no joke.)
On Daytona, Push accuses Drake of using a ghostwriter — among other relatively mild disses — and Drizzy responded with a diss track in which he admits to not writing his own rhymes (?!) and then ups the ante to a dangerous degree.
In his controversial “Duppy Freestyle,” Drake alleges that Push is lying about the drug dealing career that provides the material for most of his verses.
Today, Aubrey probably regrets raising the stakes, as Push wasted no time in clapping back with the no-holds-barred “The Story of Adidon”:
As you can see, the song’s cover art features a 2008 photo of Drake wearing blackface that appears to be part of a marketing campaign for a “Jim Crow Couture” line from the Too Black Guys clothing brand.
(Though as many have pointed out, the photo was taken by a white photographer named David Leyes.)
Needless to say, the internet is up in arms over the news that Drake posed in blackface, but its the revelations found in the song’s lyrics that really have the gossip hounds barking this morning.
The rumor that Drake impregnated a porn star named Sophie Brussaux and tried to force her to have an abortion has been circulating for over a year.
On “Adidon,” Pusha T goes a step further, alleging that Drake has been hiding a son named Adonis from the public and is ashamed to have fathered a child with an adult film actress:
“A baby’s involved, it’s deeper than rap. We talking character, let me keep with the facts,” Push raps.
“You are hiding a child let that boy come home. Deadbeat mother f–ker playing border patrol.”
He continues:
“Love that baby, respect that girl. Forget she’s a porn star, let her be your world.”
“Adonis is your son and he deserves more than an Adidas press run.”
Later in the song, Pusha T goes on to comment on rumors that Drake harbors lingering insecurities about his racial identity:
“Confused always felt you weren’t black enough, afraid to grow it because your fro wasn’t nap enough,” he says.
At this point, the consensus on social media is that Push has emerged as the clear victor in this feud.
The only question is whether or not he went too far in obliterating his opponent.
Drake isn’t finding much sympathy on that score, as he committed the cardinal sins of dragging Push’s fiancee into the mix and questioning his rival’s hard-earned street cred.
We know Drake’s been in the rap world for a long time now, but the fact remains that while he was making a name for himself on a Canadian teen soap, King Push was moving weight across state lines.
Aubrey might do well to remember that.
Arian Foster on Drake"s Blackface Pic: "What the F*ck Is This?"
Ex-NFL star Arian Foster basically spoke for everyone when he saw the Drake blackface photo that Pusha T posted on Tuesday … “WTF is this g?” Foster was tweeting about Pusha’s diss track, “The Story of Adidon” with his former Houston Texans…
Thursday, May 3, 2018
Gigi Hadid Apologizes for Vogue Italia"s "Blackface" Cover
Gigi Hadid is issuing a mea culpa for what many fans perceived to be her in blackface on the new cover of Vogue Italia … even though she’s not taking any of the blame. Gigi posted a statement in reaction to a ton of backlash she and Vogue…
Thursday, April 5, 2018
Luann de Lesseps Defends Herself Against Blackface Backlash
Luann de Lesseps has walked smack dab into yet another scandal.
But we guess the reality star should be grateful that she didn’t stumble into it drunkenly.
About three months after de Lesseps got arrested in Florida for some very wasted behavior, the veteran Bravo personality has once again found herself the subject of backlash.
On Wednesday night’s Real Housewives of New York City premiere, Luann attended a Halloween party dressed like legendary singer Diana Ross.
(Yes, the episode was filmed way back in October.)
It was a unique costume, that’s for sure, but it didn’t take long for folks on the Internet to find a pretty big problem with it:
de Lesseps is white. Ross is black.
The former rocked a revealing dress and a giant afro wig for the occasion, and also clearly darkened her skin in some way.
And it was this latter move that has sparked an outcry of “BLACKFACE!” from many viewers and social media users.
(Blackface was a popular form of theatrical make-up used predominantly by non-black performers in the 19th century and early 20th century; it contributed, both then and now, to the spread of various racial stereotypes.)
Aware of the chatter surrounding her ensemble, Luann explained to Entertainment Tonight that she didn’t actually paint her face black.
“I had makeup on, but not anything that would make me look — I had like, tanning cream on,” she told Nischelle Turner, adding that she doesn’t agree with the criticism that has come her way as a result of the costume.
However, “I get it,” she notes.
de Lesseps first heard from critics of this look back in November when she shared the above photo on Instagram.
But the issue has now come back up due to the aforementioned Season 10 premiere.
Appearing after the episode aired on Watch What Happens Live, Luann said she “horrified,” by the negative reaction, adding:
“I never meant to hurt anybody’s feelings. I love Diana Ross and I totally respect Diana Ross. It was really kind of a tribute to her, and it was Halloween.”
At some point, perhaps, celebrity will realize that dressing up as other celebrities isn’t really a tribute of any kind.
Kourtney Kardashian learned this lesson the hard way back when she dressed up like Michael Jackson for Halloween.
“I had bronzer on that I wear normally like the rest of my skin. I’m tan, like right now,” de Lesseps also told Andy Cohen on air, prior to apologizing for real:
“I didn’t add anything to or would ever, ever, ever dream of doing a blackface, ever. I’m very sorry to everyone out there if I offended anyone.”
And just to drive her point home, Luanna added the following on Twitter:
“I would like to clear the air, I love and respect Diana Ross, this was my tribute to her I was showing my sincere admiration.
“I in no way altered my skin color and I did not mean to offend anyone.”
We believe her.
We aren’t all that mad anymore.
But it’s a pretty simple lesson for all to heed in the end:
If you are white, do not dress up for Halloween like a black person. Case closed. It isn’t that complicated.
Sunday, December 17, 2017
French Soccer Star Antoine Griezmann Apologizes for Full Blackface Costume
A French soccer player went full-on blackface for an ’80s costume party … and quickly apologized for thinking it was okay. Antoine Griezmann – a star striker for Spain’s Atletico Madrid — posted a photo and video of himself Sunday…
Monday, July 17, 2017
"Big Brother" Houseguest Paul Plans "Blackface" Stunt, Fans Pissed
“Big Brother” is about to explode with a racist controversy … if houseguest Paul Abrahamian follows through with plans to dress in black face to mock a fellow houseguest … who is black. Paul hatched his plot over the weekend — fans watching…
Friday, June 16, 2017
Kim Kardashian Under Fire for "Blackface" Beauty Ads: See the Scandalous Pics!
Kim Kardashian has come out with a new line of beauty products.
This seems like a logical step for the former sex tape actress, but the business venture has already landed Kardashian in trouble for two reasons:
ONE, she’s been accused of straight up copying Kylie Jenner, considering Kim’s half-sister has been dominating the cosmetics game for years now.
Then again, Kylie is getting her own reality show on E! this summer, which one could easily view as the 19-year old following in the footsteps of her sister.
So the safest assumption here may just be that Kim and Kylie are working together to ensure each pushes her brand as strongly as possible.
(Note: By this, of course, we mean that Kris Jenner is the one doing all the working and negotiating and controlling the careers of all her children behind the scenes.)
The SECOND controversy centered around Kim Kardashian Beauty, however, is a bit more serious.
A handful of social media users have taken a look at a Twitter photo released by the star in promotion of her product line and wondered:
Why is Kim Kardashian going blackface?!?
#KKWBEAUTY Creme Contour & Highlight Kit 6.21.17 http://KKWBEAUTY.COM, wrote Kim as a caption to this controversial photo.
This is a pretty serious accusation.
The term “blackface” stems from the 19th century.
Back then, it was a form of theatrical makeup used predominantly by non-black performers to represent an African-American individual.
The practice rose popularity during the over 100 years ago and contributed to the spread of racial stereotypes such as the “happy-go-lucky darky on the plantation” or the “dandified coon.”
Back in 2015, Kylie actually faced the same allegation after she posed in some very dark makeup for a photo spread.
Perhaps most famously in Hollywood, Julianne Hough was slammed for her Halloween costume in 2013 after she darkened her face and features to dress up like a character from Orange is the New Black.
Did Kim mean to stoke racial fires via the pictures above?
We strongly doubt it.
But take a look at a few reactions below to see how she’s done so nevertheless.
This backlash comes just a few days after Khloe Kardashian was accused of “appropriating designs and fashion directly from a black woman with a small business” from designer Destiny Bleu for her Good American clothing line.
So it’s not a great time to be a Kardashian sister at the moment.
It’s not a controversial opinion to state that these siblings are attracted to African-American men. That’s just a fact. Take a look at their dating history.
How does this jibe with their occasionally insensitive actions when it comes to race?
It’s impossible to say.
It’s also conceivable that the Internet is way overblowing its responses to these photos and that Kim had no intention of darkening her face.
Of all the reasons to criticize Kim Kardashian, this one seems like a reach.
But we’re gonna leave it alone. We’re gonna let readers decide and debate.
Do you think Kardashian owes the world an apology for these inappropriate pictures?
Monday, October 26, 2015
Fifth Grade Teacher Dons Blackface, Dresses Like Kanye West
A fifth grade teacher from Alabama named Heath Morrow has found himself in viral hot water after sharing a photo on Facebook of his 2015 Halloween costume.
It features Morrow dressed up like Kanye West, wearing a gold chain, a backward baseball cap and holding up a sign that touts Kanye’s Presidential run in 2020.
Oh, and did we mention Morrow is rocking blackface to complete his ensemble?
“Haha some people thought Heath was really a black man,” wrote Heath’s wife, Shannon, as a caption to the picture.
She’s dressed up like Kim Kardashian, of course, as you can tell by the extra padding added to her rear end.
Heath is a teacher at Chestnut Grove Elementary School in Decatur and he received so much backlash for this costume that Shannon took the image off Facebook.
A few celebrities out there can relate to Heath, most notably Julianne Hough.
She dressed up as a character from Orange is the New Black last year, having to eventually apologize for painting her face black as part of the outfit.
The blackface on its own is offensive, of course.
But so is the mere notion of anyone wanting to be Kanye and Kim for Halloween.
Come on, people. Can’t we do better than this?!?
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