Movies' "Magic Negro" Saves The Day [use of term in film criticism]

Blackcommentator.com ^ | July 3, 2003 | Rita Kempley

[anymouse]

[Sonny M]

I've noticed the "magic negro" sterotype in movies but to me, it just seems to be one type of example. I've seen the same thing done with native americans, elderly asians, etc.

African americans, and native americans might be the only 2 american ethnic groups that get this "mystical" type ot treatment status, as generally the all wise, all knowing full of wisdom character is usually some kind of foreginer.

[Smogger]

Lol! That site is why I just LOVE the Internet.

[Xenalyte]

I’m sad the Temple of Black Jesus is gone. That was hysterical.

[longtermmemmory]

Washington mutual does this to an EXTREME RACITS level in their commercials.

They have a “magic negro” stereotype with a coral of old white men bankers with the “magic negro” stereotype giving words of wisdom to bank custormers.

If the role was reversed we would hear demands from the usual race baiters for the lynchings of the commercials producers.

[longtermmemmory]

yes I know racist not racits, spelling police begone...

[Dajjal]

ROTFLMHO!!!!

[Xenalyte]

My favorite Magic Non-Whitey.

(But let's face it . . . when Pat Morita spoke off-camera, that guy was one white Asian.)

[murdoog]

I wonder if this author would like it better if the god-like figure were white and the hapless mortal were black?

[Dajjal]

I wonder if this author would like it better if the god-like figure were white and the hapless mortal were black?

You mean like in Pathfinder (2007) where the Viking Child has to save the helpless Native Americans?

[nonsporting]

Pawns help white people figure out what's going wrong and fix it, like Whoopi Goldberg's psychic in 'Ghost.'"

Don't forget Whoopi's "magic" roles as

• Guinan in "Star Trek the Next Generation"
• The Great Banshee in "Leprachauns"

[Dajjal]

ping

[Dajjal]

Matt & Trey killed off Chef, ....

Or did they? ....

[Old Professer]

It fits on another level as well, modern practices of the “religious” are most comfortable when they have god in his neat little box, there to visit when they need and there to witness for their piety to their critics.

[Old Professer]

Hockey? You watch hockey? On T.V.?

What did you do all last year? Muck out stables?

[discostu]

Watched hockey. The strike season was two years ago, though there was still some college and minor league hockey to watch.

[fortunecookie]

Dave Chappelle had a magic negro skit on his show a few times.

I missed that one! LOL, that's probably what prompted Don Milbury to make his remarks on the CBS site "Where have you people been? That parody has been around since March. Senator Obama has dismissed the charge as 'Ho Hum.' The 'Magic Negro' term was created by a black writer in the LA Times months ago." - Don Milbury", after watching Chappelle.

[Old Professer]

How about coral? What’s my best guess on that?

[Old Professer]

What are you watching, satellite T.V.?

We have the Predators here but they’re about to wiggle out of their contract due to low attendance.

[discostu]

Versus. Inspite of the bad blood between Cox and Comcast Cox actually carries the Versus network in Tucson (of course I’ve got a better shot at being President than seeing the ComcastHD channel), though they put it in a dusty section of the lineup away from all the other sports networks. And of course NBC has weekend games, and NBC here has gone all HD. During the strike season I had to go to the seriously dusty end of the digital cable lineup where I found Fox’s college sports networks and somebody else that showed some minor league stuff.