List of contemporary performers using blackface
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
The style known as blackface in which an actor or entertainer blacks up and sometimes affects a caricature of a racial stereotype is widely seen as dated, and confined to archive performances from the likes of Al Jolson and G.H. Elliott. However the style saw a resurgence in the 1990s and is still used in an ironic or postmodern way by some comedians. Thus they often ridicule the idea of blackface or minstrelsy rather than blacks themselves. Some recent examples of blackface work by modern comedians include the following. The context is important as this style differs from that used by the entertainers of the early twentieth century and before:
- The Goodies The Goodies realise that the viewing figure of the Black and White Minstrel Show halved when blacking up was abandoned, and realise that they can double the viewing figures of any television programme by making half the performers black up.
- The Monty Python team. In Monty Python's Life of Brian (1979) John Cleese blacked up to play one of the three wise men and in The Meaning of Life (1984), Terry Gilliam used facial prosthetics to black up as a Zulu tribesman.
- Harry Enfield in Norbert Smith - A Life (The context was playing an ageing actor in his decline, in turn playing Nelson Mandela)
- Hugh Laurie in Jeeves and Wooster (Series 2, Episode 5) Wooster blacks up to perform in an amateur minstrel troupe.
- Operation Good Guys (Twice - The first context was racially naïve policemen attempting to understand minorities by dressing up as members of those groups. The second was putting on a show including a minstrel act).
- Rory Bremner The impressionist often blacks up to play newsreader and presenter Sir Trevor McDonald.
- The League of Gentlemen (comedy) series has a regular character Papa Lazarou who is a circus owner in permanent blackface.
- Little Britain. In a 2003 episode, Matt Lucas and David Walliams are seen to be two minstrels living together hearing an alarming announcement on the radio of plans by the Home Secretary to send Minstrels back to Minstrel Land. In the third series (2005), David Walliams blacked up (and wore a fatsuit) to play a character called "Desiree".
- Harmony Korine In "Stop for a Minute" short entitled 'Korine Tap'. Korine is pictured tap dancing in blackface in his backyard, with actor Johnny Depp.
Interestingly, blacking up is not permitted by Stars in Their Eyes, and impersonating stars outside of race is not encouraged by the producers although they do allow skin tone to be changed slightly.
