Racial Switch Halts 'Huck Finn' Production

Yahoo ^ | 5/22/2005 | Associated Press

[FreeManWhoCan]

GLENELG, Md. - A black Huck Finn and a white Jim might be OK for a high school production of Mark Twain's classic tale — but those performances had to be edited out of a C-Span talent show after the copyright holder objected to the cross-casting. ADVERTISEMENT

Jay Frisby, a black student who played Huck, and Nick Lehan, a white student who played Jim, taped their performance of the song "Muddy Water" for "Close Up," a weekly show that highlights high school excellence.

When the program aired Friday, the two Glenelg Country School seniors were introduced, but viewers were told that "Close Up" could not show their performance because of "copyright restrictions."

Lehan and Frisby had played the roles of Jim and Huck in the school's production of "The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn" without complaint. But when the show's executive producer asked for the right to air the students' performance, permission was denied.

Bert Fink, a spokesman for R&H Theatricals — the Rodgers & Hammerstein organization, which holds the license to the play — said his organization is not against cross-casting in general.

"But when you're dealing with a theatrical work and race or ethnicity is a key factor, many authors or playwrights feel strongly that ethnicity has to be reflected in the actors who portray the characters," he said.

"In the books, Jim is a runaway slave. He is clearly in the novel an African-American man. And Huck is a free white man — that is central to the story. To ignore that component or to comment on it by switching is not faithful to the story."

Frisby's father, Washington attorney Russell Frisby, said he was appalled by the decision.

"The only rationale for it is that someone in New York believes Huck Finn can't be played by an African-American. I thought we were past the days of 'whites only' clauses," the elder Frisby said.

[FreeManWhoCan]

..please go ahead and commnet. I will be in the bathroom ralfing my breakfast.

[MikefromOhio]

Do we REALLY need N-bombs on here?


Nice post newbie.....

[Dog Gone]

I'm a white guy who wants to play Malcolm X in a play. Would anyone in America have a problem with that?

[Azzurri]

Frisby's father, Washington attorney Russell Frisby, said he was appalled by the decision.

"The only rationale for it is that someone in New York believes Huck Finn can't be played by an African-American. I thought we were past the days of 'whites only' clauses," the elder Frisby said.

What a moron. I suspect we will see a lawsuit from this clown shortly.

[Dog Gone]

Heck, I want to play Rosa Parks. Who could possibly object to that?

[BenLurkin]

"A black Huck Finn and a white Jim"

I think its a great idea. Adds some interest to an otherwise stale story.

[freebilly]

"The only rationale for it is that someone in New York believes Huck Finn can't be played by an African-American. I thought we were past the days of 'whites only' clauses," the elder Frisby said.

Idiot. Yeah, we are past the days of 'whites only' but Huck Finn is not set in 21st century America....

[Eeper]

I'm sorry, but if you read the book, you'll see that the character is named such. Try it, lit-newb. :\

[HuntsvilleTxVeteran]

I guess they want to do away with copyrights and they are so better at writing then MARK TWAIN.

[MikefromOhio]

No I have read the book. 99% of us on FR have read the book. WE all KNOW who Jim is. Why the N bomb?

[freebilly]

Adds some interest to an otherwise stale story

One of the greatest, funniest, most poignant stories in American Literature and you think it's stale? Talk to my 10 year old about it. He'll set you straight. He's read it five or six times in the past few years....

[FreeManWhoCan]

FLASH:

Otello will be played by Dolph Lungren in a made-for-tv-movie.

[Eeper]

Why the N bomb?

I wasn't aware it was a "bomb." I had thought it the name of a character in a classic work of American literature.

Can I still say niggardly, or is that on the taboo list as well?

[Congressman Billybob]

Yeah, and I want to play Jennifer Lopez. The mere fact that I am an elderly, white male who's carrying too many pounds should not present any problems, now should it? (Actually, the very idea of me dancing in a skin-tight outfit in front of thousands of people who paid cash money to see that, frightens even me.)

Congressman Billybob

Latest column: "Las Vegas: The All-American City"

[MikefromOhio]

no, as that word has a different meaning. In fact, it isnt even in the same ballpark of what you said.

Main Entry: nig·gard·ly
Pronunciation: -lE
Function: adjective
1 : grudgingly mean about spending or granting : BEGRUDGING
2 : provided in meanly limited supply


saying someone dropped an N bomb is an expression. Kind of like saying the F word and referring to it as an F bomb.

[Dog Gone]

LOL, might as well.

[Psycho_Bunny]

Posted with a different title.

[Young Werther]

So in Charlie's Angels Bosley is Black. In the new TV series Kojac the title character, A "polack" if you will, is black.

In today's Parade magazine a new Sinatra book is being published. Denzel Washington would be the perfect title role character with his sidekick Dean Martin played by Cuba Gooding Jr.

Fair is fair. So why wasn't Tom Cruise tapped for the title role in Ray?

[Eeper]

no, as that word has a different meaning. In fact, it isnt even in the same ballpark of what you said.

Really? I was completely unaware. /sarcasm

I was mocking your political correctness; I find it a bit strange. The character is referred to as "N-word" Jim. The fact is that the character concept doesn't really work with a white actor.

But of course, since that word is so bloody offensive, we probably should ban and burn all copies of the trashy work under discussion. Then no children will ever be exposed to Twain's evil ever again.