Let's hear for Al Jolson!!!!!(vanity)

[BBell]

Al Jolson!!!!!! The first white person that I know of to make money off of being transracial!!!!

[BBell]

[BBell]

This will probably get pulled but who cares.

[AppyPappy]

Is it different from what the head of the Seattle NAACP did?

[P.O.E.]

Toot Toot Tootsie

Hot stuff!

[BBell]

Not to me.

Al Jolson a transracial pioneer!!

[a fool in paradise]

Johnny Otis did pretty well for himself passing himself off as black.

Otis was born to Greek immigrants Alexander J. Veliotes, a Mare Island longshoreman and grocery store owner, and his wife, the former Irene Kiskakes, a painter.[1][4] He had a younger sister, Dorothy, and a younger brother, Nicholas A. Veliotes, former U.S. Ambassador to both Jordan (1978–1981) and Egypt (1984–1986)). He grew up in a predominantly black neighborhood in Berkeley, California, where his father owned a neighborhood grocery store. Otis became well known for his choice to live his professional and personal life as a member of the African-American community.[5][6][7] He wrote, "As a kid I decided that if our society dictated that one had to be black or white, I would be black."[8]

[BBell]

Thank you. I’ve not heard of Johnny Otis before.

[P.O.E.]

Neil Diamond in blackface in "The Jazz Singer" remake.

[South40]

Something a little more contemporary.

[a fool in paradise]

He died a few years ago (the same week as his discovery Etta James). He also “discovered” Little Richard, Big Mama Thornton, and others. He didn’t start their careers in music but he did take them to the big time (LA).

He was in his 90s when he passed. His son played guitar with him in the 60s and 70s and is out on the road again.

[Seeing More Clearly Now]

Big difference with Mr. Otis. He is quoted as saying “IF society dictated that one had to be black or white, I WOULD be Black.” Words matter. Both parts of the sentence are in the subjunctive, which here is making a “contrary to fact” thought.

A well known expression of the same sort is: “If my grandmother had wheels, she’d be a truck.” But she does not have wheels, so she’s not a truck.

[BBell]

Thanks, I’ve never seen that before.

[BBell]

I knew someone would post Ted.

[South40]

I wonder if his gal Whoopi approved.

[HerrBlucher]

Blackface predated Al Jolson, he is just the most famous singer who used it. Jolson strongly supported the black entertainers and was instrumental in getting Cab Calloway’s career going. They did a great duet in the intro to the movie “the singing kid.”

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LfiftuUUV8Y

[CapnJack]

Followed quickly by the first transracial rabbit.

[P.O.E.]

Let's not forget Owl Jolson - One of my all-time favorite Warner Bros. cartoons of the classic era.

[a fool in paradise]

People did assume that Johnny Otis was black. No one ever thought Al Jolson was.

And when it comes to records, black audiences thought a number of white performers were black until they took the stage (or appeared on tv).

[BBell]

Bugs the Transvestite

Bugs knew how to handle boys.

[BBell]

I love the old cartoons.