Misrepresenation of Black Dolls still exist today

Does this look anything like President-elect

Obama? This doll is from a German toymaker who made the doll to commemorate Barack Obama. It's sad to see that we're still living in a time where this is the image of blacks in some minds of people. This is the exact same image of black dolls from the 1930's and 1940's. The shiny face, the dark skin, the big red lips. I just find amusing that someone has made up in their mind that this is the image they see when they think of black people.

Barack isn't nearly this dark. His lips are not painted with #037 cajun red lipstick and his hair is not....I don't even know what to call the hair that is on the doll-but its clearly a misrepresentation of Barack.

I'm just stunned that someone would make something like this in 2008. I feel like someone snatched a scene from the movie Bamboozled.

WAX DOLL!!! Yes-this is what this reminds me of. I was sitting trying to think of what this reminds me of and it looks like a wax doll. Yes I am a owner of a doll similar but my doll isn't a representation of an actual person. Yes she is a representation of a stereotype but I personally didn't find her offensive when I bought her. This image however is offensive because it isn't an image of Barack Obama that is even close to accurate. It's like someone took a little slave doll from the 1930's and threw a politician suit on him.

Things that make you go hmm...

Here are some interesting ads that I found on the web. The messages that come across in these ads are things we've been talking about all semester. Needless to say, there is nothing subliminal about these ads. The sexual images are right there in the open.

Here we have kind of the 1950's housewife image. I'm guessing her place was in the kitchen and dear old hubby here is mad about not having his dinner ready when he came home from work, or maybe she said something independent for a change. What gets me is her facial expression-it doesn't quite look like one of pain but almost one of pleasure.


I'm not really familiar with the drink Tab but I'm guessing it's like an energy drink. So let me try to figure this out...Tab gave her the energy last night to master faking it???? This is just my guess. What I'm confused about is the handbag relationship to Tab.

For some reason when I saw this ad I instantly thought of Sex and the City, particularly the Samantha Jones character. There was an episode where she wanted to buy a fake bag from the back of a truck but Carrie refused saying that it made her feel bad for the bags. She actually felt bad for the bags-funny. But anywho I had to add that thought even though it had nothing to do with the ad at all.






This image just speaks for itself. With Skyy being such a large alcohol distributor you would think the Skyy logo would be just a little bit larger. Instead its an advertisement for oral sex. The man overpowers the woman not allowing her the chance to even get up and turn him away. And who wears a suit to the beach??? I'm guessing he's supposed to be a representation of a high-powered corporate guy which we all know have the sort of Donald Trump ego.




















What would she do for a Klondike bar??? That's what I hear in my head when I see this.




















I get it that the espresso is the product here but I must say first looking at this it's hard to tell, just like all the other ads. I thought maybe the airline was the product. Nope-just an espresso brand to keep you energized on an airplane when you'd probably rather relax.

IDEAL Dolls of the 1950's

Here are some images of ideal dolls from the 1950's. This may explain why some black children considered white dolls more desireable. Both of the dolls are cute in their own way but you'd have to be blind to not notice how significantly unattrative the black doll is compared to the white doll. Below is the website where more ideal dolls can be found.

Ideal Dolls of the 1950's

http://www.dollreference.com/ideal_toy_dolls1950s.html

Rosewood

The end of Rosewood is supposed to be assertive considering the massacre that occurred in the film. Yet why is it that the movie makes it seem "okay" when Fanny Taylor gets beat by her husband for telling the lie which started the masscare. Yes she is responsible for initiating the attacks and killings of blacks in Rosewood, Florida in January of 1923. Because one of the men she cheated on her husband with beat her, she blames her attack on a black man to protect herself from explaining what happened to her husband and the members of the small town. One her husband realizes that Fanny has lied and a whole town has been killed because of it he comes home and beats her. Would the movie had of been as much powerful without this scene? Or was it needed to make the audience aware that she faced "punishment" because of her actions. I guess because it's a true story it is important to incorporate what actually happened to all of the main characters affected by the story. I just didn't like the image of the audience leaving with the image of her being beaten by her husband with a "that's what she gets" type of attitude. I know this movie was set back in the 1920's so its hard to imagine what the outcome would have been without using visuals.

VIRGINITY FOR SALE AUCTION!!!

So I'm sitting here watching the Tyra Banks show and there is a guest 22-year-old Natalie who is actually auctioning her virginity off. Hmm??? Isn't this prostitution yet in a different form? Her reasoning is so she can pay for her education. Whatever happened to scholarships, grants, loans or financial aid? Here's the kicker-she's not looking to "give it up" to the highest bidder, it's all based on chemistry. So now it sounds like she is dating online? I'm confused. She calls it selling her virginity. I would have more respect for this woman if she just went on one of those Tila-Tequila reality-type TV shows. I guess she's taking "being original" to a whole other level. Dennis Hof of Carson City Nevada, who is owner of the famous Moonlight Bunny Ranch, is helping Natalie to reach her goal. In fact once the deal is complete the "event" will take place on the ranch. He will also receive 50% of whatever offer she receives. So not only is she a prostitute but she's being pimped and won't even reap the benefits of her decision. Like the audience I just sit here and shake my head. Hopefully some young virgin girl is not sitting at home watching this thinking I want to be like Natalie. Natalie feels her actions will empower women-but why ask for money? And what message is this sending to other women? Young women in particular since most virgins are young women are under eighteen. One of Natalie's bidders just came on-stage and he looks like weird creepy old guy. Seriously he is about as old as Colonel Sanders. Poor Natalie! If only someone would talk some sense into this woman. Once she auctions off her virginity for a large sum of money, what are the odds she won't become a prostitue for a living? Will she be satisfied with just the money made from her virginity? Is this just a plea for attention? What do we think?

Random

So today in my Interviewing and Performance class we had a guest speaker, media image consultant Gail Hayden. She was teaching about what clothing fabric and colors look good on camera and how to apply on camera makeup. She pulled a couple members from class to do a demo of how your everyday makeup looks completely different from how it appears on camera. First she picked a white guy from the class. Next a while female and just to show a variety she picked a black female last. We were all watching and listening closely as she explained that black people may look ashy under the lights so you must use makeup with yellow undertones to bring out the brightness in the skin. Ok so the funny part was when a guy yells out from the back of the studio-"so what color makeup do black people need to use?". LOL!!! Okay I know its not funny but it was funny at the moment. But then I felt bad because he was actually serious. He even got up and moved his chair up close to watch her apply the makeup. I just thought to myself-who asks something like that? Especially since there are 5 of us in the class and not two of us are the same complexion. It was just a bit shocking.

Limitations of Art

Has anyone else seen this? I for one watch the news religiously and didn't come across this until my mom sent it to me in an email. This is just crazy. Its sad to see in 2008 racism is still at its highest peak in the mind's of some people. Clearly Yazmany Arboleda, the artist who designed this exhibit, had way too much time on his hands. He declares it as "character assassination". He even had the audacity to think that his racist views were protected under the Constitution because was expressing himself through art. Luckily he was arrested by police for interrogation.