Too dark ... passIf you’re a black man, you can be in an Acura ad. Only you can’t be too black. Just kind of black. Like black enough to be recognizably black -- gooooo diversity! --but not black enough to be like one of those creepy, criminal-looking dudes whose dark skin makes them seem all sinister and stuff. So proceed with caution, oh ye thespians of African descent.
In one more shimmy down the damage control conga line, another company is backpeddling about a cultural faux pas. Acura released an apology today for a circulating casting document for a Super Bowl ad that called for a black actor who was "not too dark." The search, conducted by Cathi Carlton Casting, who was hired by Acura, was called afoul by an actor who was dismissed from the running because he didn’t fit the desired profile of "nice looking, friendly, not too dark."
No word if he would’ve been nearly as irritated if he would’ve actually been the complexion they were looking for. Anyway, in case you missed it, here he is, the man who, in the end, beat out the competition for the least-threatening-and-just-subtly-Negroid role alongside Jerry Seinfeld:
Funny that this should come up today, because just yesterday morning, as I was getting dressed, which is prime time for random thoughts to run through my mind, I said to myself, “Self, I think colorism was waning more externally than internally. Black folks --and honestly, Latinos and Indians, too -- still struggle with it inside of our respective communities but I thought maybe, just maybe white folks are over it.” Oops. And we’re back to our regularly scheduled program. This was just a little reminder, so scratch that.
Acura has assured that the company is "taking appropriate measures to ensure that such language is not used again in association with any work performed on behalf of our brand" and SAG-AFTRA, the actors union, said in a statement that it "immediately reached out to the casting office when the notice was brought to our attention so we could discuss the specific language used." Too bad both of them have completely missed the point. It’s not the language that was used. It’s the mindset behind the language that’s the kick in the teeth. They never said they were appalled by the colorism. They’re just a little hainty about the words used to out the discriminatory practice.
Meanwhile, as society works out the kinks of this whole dark-vs.-light thing, Black actors should spend as little time in the sun as possible, for heaven’s sake. And it probably wouldn’t hurt to stock up on skin bleaching creams, just in case that dream role comes up and you’re deemed too dark to get the part. Don’t let your overabundance of melanin get in the way. Defy the odds. Especially when luxury car commercials next to major sitcom stars are involved.
Do you think the media still plays into the whole light-skin/dark-skin debacle?
Image via .vingt-deux./Flickr
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Comments 29
I used to work for Abercrombie & Fitch and I was required to hire a hispanic model so we'd meet our "diversity goals" for that month. I found and recruited this drop dead gorgeous girl and I was told she's "too hispanic" looking.
I'll never forget it. I know that they were looking for someone very specific and I don't think that's racist. Lady Gaga was constantly told in acting school that she'll never be a leading lady because of her ethnic looks and she overcame it. It happens.
Are we serious? I'm a black woman and I don't think this is racist AT ALL. If they wanted an olive skinned white guy, would that be racist? Just because friendly looking is in the same sentence does not imply that darker skinned people are scary. They were looking for something specific and expressed that. This is getting out of control. It's not like they said "we want a latino that could pass for black but not a black guy because they can't be trusted." There mere mention of skin color does not equate to racism. My goodness.
Janelle, your own community has their own problems with black people being "too dark" or "too white". You have no right to bitch about supposed "white" people doing it, until your community is totally free from it.
I am part of a skin care forum and you should see the way black people talk about skin color of other blacks in the lightening forum...billsfan1104 is correct.
Acting is an interesting business. Those making the commerical/tv show/movie/play, etc., are always looking for something very specific to fulfill a vision. Women show up for a casting call and are told they are too short, too tall, too heavy, too thin, too blonde, too brunette, too redhead. They have blue eyes instead of brown. Lose a couple of pounds, honey, your thighs touch. Your complexion is wrong.
I'm guessing men have the same problem - your hair is too short, too long, you have a beard, we need a beard, you need a six-pack, you need a beer belly. Your skin is too dark, too light, you don't fill those jockey shorts exactly right.
Those actors move on, understanding the process. Today, they didn't get the part. Tomorrow, they could be a star. It's the nature of the business. Is some of it racism, sexism, weightism, or a billion other kinds of "-ism" that exist? Probably. Is it going to go away? No. We are human beings. We all have preferences, and it's what makes us who we are. Sometimes it's abused, but I don't think it was abused in this case. That actor can easily go to the next soundstage and land the part of a lifetime. It's not like he was blacklisted for his skin color.
Of course black people have issues with colorism. I actually think all ethnicities do. I've heard plenty of tan or olive skinned white girls talk about how white and sickly pale white girls look. Cubans do it too. So that means that nobody in these ethnic groups can discuss it until it's irradicated completely? That seems to be a little unrealistic.
Janelle, I don't know where you live or where you grew up, but I am thankful I don't live there. It has obviously jaded you in every negative way possible where race is concerned. I there ever a situation involving a person of color you don't somehow spin into a racial issue? We all know racism still exists, but when you constantly take things like this and add fuel to the fire, it is just irresponsible and damaging to everyone. I 100% agree with billsfan and Kritika. Prime example is Beyonce. Her own community has gotten into uproars for her making choices that seemed "too white" and her going against her "black" roots. You can't blame that mindset on white people.
I don't find this to be racist at all. Every actor and/or model needs to understand that they can't fill every role. If a part calls for certain look then that's the look they will fill the part with. Common sense people common sense.