[HennepinPrisoner]

I wonder if the national fraternity chapter or UT administrators ever saw Eddie Murphy in Coming to America.

Apparently, it's funny when a black person paints his face white but it's racist if a white person puts on black makeup.

[spycatcher]

NBC television has no problem with it (brownface that is)

[Ampersand]

"Apparently, it's funny when a black person paints his face white but it's racist if a white person puts on black makeup."

I don't recall anyone finding it racist when Billy Crystal wore realistic makeup to do his imitation of Sammy Davis Jr. on Saturday Night Live - because it wasn't racist, just funny. But highly realistic makeup - whether it's Crystal doing Sammy Davis, or Eddie Murphy doing Richard Simmons - isn't at all the same thing as blackface.

Blackface has a long, racist history, and it's dishonest to pretend that history doesn't exist. It's also dishonest to pretend there's no difference between what Crystal and Murphy do and a bunch of drunk frat boys putting on blackface.

[DH]

A little boy and girl go trick or treating. They knock on the door of this house and the man who answers it says, "Well, you two are awful cute. Who are you supposed to be?"

We're Jack and Jill", they reply.

The man says, "You can't be Jack and Jill, you're black!"

So, they go off and a short while later they come back dressed differently. They ring the doorbell and once Again the man opens the door.

"Well now, you're just darn cute. Who are you this time?"

"We're Hansel and Gretel", says the little boy.

"Well, I hate to disappoint you son, but you can't be Hansel and Gretel because you're black!"

Heads hung low, they leave. Not too much later, the man hears the bell ring again. This time when he opens the door, there stand the two children but this time they are BUCK NAKED.

"Oh my! And just who are supposed to be now?!!", he asks.

"Chocolate M&M's", says the little girl. "I'm plain, he's got nuts.

[MrB]

it's funny when a black person paints his face white

That's really funny & timely -
Some little kids showed up at my house last night for Halloween in "white face". I wasn't insulted or outraged... But I didn't figure out what they were supposed to be dressed as.