I thought racism came about due to a lack of understanding and acceptance, being narrow minded and jumping to conclusions. That kind of makes accusing somebody and a film of being racist without checking out the facts first fairly hypocritical. I've just watched the trailer on youtube and the premise of the film is that a white actor is playing the best black role in the movie, the film actually addresses the issue that so many people have already writen it off for, which is quite ironic and if anything maybe we should all take a second look before judging anything.

I'm a white guy, and I think a lot of you are jumping to a lot of conclusions, and being just a tad irrational and hipocritical.

I stayed away from White Chicks for the longest time because I thought the entire concept was stupid and buffoonish.

But one sick day on my couch, I watched the movie from beginning to end and laughed my azz off.
The same thing with Norbit when Eddie Murphy was his Chinese guardian and Rasputia.

Reason #45,672 why I'm not getting into heaven.

So I will reserve judgment at Robert Downey's Jr meta take on acting and the Method....maybe he's got something to offer that will entertain.

That's all I ask for from my movies lately.

I wonder if the plot is about an actor who wants a movie role so badly that he will do anything to get it? Is this about a white actor who wants a role in a big movie, but they want a black actor, so he lies about being black?

Even if this is true, has Hollywood learned nothing from Soul Man?

Wonderful analysis from everyone but let's cut to the chase : Why did they pick a white crackhead to play a black man?

I'd get upset if Eddie Murphy and the Wayans Bros hadn't decided to dress up as White guys.

Why do we get sensitive when the white guy wants to portray us.

And RDJ looks like he got some "brotha" in him so the makeup artist didn't have to do much.

Actually, it's that Downey plays this Oscar-winning ultra-serious actor who learns that his role was originally written for a black man, so Downey's character has the makeup crew make him "authentic to the role". It's supposed to be a spoof of an over-serious, pretentious film crew and cast shooting a Vietnam film. Think Spinal Tap meets Platoon.

Part of the joke of White Chicks was undercover black men, playing white socialites. It was premise. But this is just a white guy as a black man. Period. As it states "the role was written for a black man." So, this isn't a part of the comedy, it's just another slight to blacks. Oh and it says we can't even play ourselves on screen. Damn.

Need to see this flick... Before much more is said about it.

Right.. I probably don't get this because I am white but..the character that RDJ is playing is a white guy who is painted to appear black. Isn't it logical they hired a white person to do it?

If there was a movie about a man who dresses as a woman and pretends to be one, they would hire a man to do it because that would be logical. And not because they are sexist and didn't want to have a woman in the film or because they thought women can't act well enough or whatever.

While I'm a black man who attends an HBCU and has championed racial oppression on too many occasions to count, I wish people would stop jumping to conclusions when it comes to "racism" and abhorrations like blackface. Like a few people mentioned above, we have no idea what the context of Downey's character is, and already people are getting fired up, lol. And I get tired of black people saying "it's different when black people do it." This only PERPETUATES the problem-- white people see you doing "whiteface" and hear you say "nigga," and already they are inclined to do the same thing because you just taught them that it's okay. Let's just abandon this notion of black and white and start labeling things right and wrong. Until Downey is running around saying "yessuh" or "sup, fool," it's not blackface.

This is the type of shit that truly pisses me off. Pnigga's always want to pull the race card, without all the facts. It's because of some of ya'll when I need to pull the race card I can't because it used like a Big Joker to cut a 3 of Clubs. Ya'll see a picture, and all of a sudden everybody got a "FACTUAL OPINION" of plot, story, and arc. This movie is a "comedy” So is it OH SO HARD to believe that RDJ's character may be portrayed as an idiot for doing this role. This is again a comedy SO MAYBE at the end he will have an epiphany, or better yet like every other comedy at the end everyone will become better at the end, and learn something from one another-or some shit like that...Wait to see the movie then type yo ass off.
Again about Pnigga's jumping to conclusions, Mariane Pearls depiction by Angelina Jolie and this Character by RDJ. ARE TWO SEPARATE THINGS! ONE IS FICTION. I have always been the loud one shouting about why is Elizabeth Taylor Cleopatra, Why is Vin Diesel playing live-action Hannibal, Etc, But to compare this movie with A Mighty Heart....actually you know what, that comparison is so DAMN STUPIDLY MORONIC that it makes sense. It completes a circle of stupidity. If Mariane Pearl wanted Angelina and she was fine with her portrayal, then I will shut-up, and I digress...Sometimes I get Uncle Ruckus, I Do.

Ill Mani:

I have to cosign on the excellent analysis

-brilliant

msg too short.

There is something particularly unsettling for me with regards to any Caucasian person darkening his skin to portray a Black person. In my opinion (and this is solely my opinion), there will NEVER be an appropriate time for a White person to portray a Black person. This is too reminiscent of Blackface for my taste. However you may choose to define Blackface, it is not funny or appropriate then or now. I am unable to forget the images of Al Jolson and the like who entertained at the expense of Black people's dignity.

What I find most interesting to those that have given "White Girls" as a reason as to why it is now acceptable for Blacks to portray Whites, is that those who have been oppressed will never have the same power as those who are the oppressor. Therefore, Blacks portraying Whites onscreen does not carry the same racial ire that Whites portraying Blacks do. Also, many Black actors historically have been cast as in roles where they have to portray women, which continues to this day (Martin Lawrence, Tyler Perry, "Juwanna Man," etc). While entertaining to many, there is a historical precedent to why this is funny: it is emasculating and denegrating to Black men to say the least. In fact, Dave Chappelle spoke about this on Oprah and gave his reasons why he chose not do this.

Thirdly, many commentors have mentioned that they doubt RDJ would take on a role which could cause such emotional pain to Black people. I have to ask those who have commented on this: What has RDJ done for Black people lately, or at all? I like him as an actor, too, and he has a great body of work to prove this, but this does not absolve him from blame. Whether he or his character is portrayed as a Black man, per some reports, his character is quoting the Jeffersons theme song to connect with a fellow Black actor. How is this not racist or at the very least in poor taste?

I'm sorry this reply was so long, but I felt the need to explain my position , both as the writer of this post and as an angry Black woman, as to why I am reserving the right to be angry about this poor, poor taste in judgement on Ben Stiller, RDJ, the movie studio who greenlit this project, and anyone else who felt that this was not offensive.

Thank you.

But there was more to blackface than just painting one's face darker? It was aping black stereotypes and hurtful jokes. The vaudeville singing and dancing... over drawn lips, nose, etc...

We really don't know much about Downey's role and I doubt he'd take on a role that was derogatory or extremely controversial.
And yeah -- the Wayans pretty much quieted the argument. Unfortunately with such an awful movie. Had the roles been reversed in their movie and it was "black girls" --- someone would still be protesting.

@ Jennifer:

That's the thing. Robert isn't playing a black character. He's playing a white guy. His character is playing a black guy. It's very meta-textual.

There are so many talented black actors that could've gotten picked for this role...it's the same thing with Angelina Jolie's role in the move about Daniel Pearl...they could've gotten a black woman to play her...there are soo many opportunities for whites, not so much for black actors

I was kinda upset when i saw this, cuz I like RDJ, but I agree with those who mentioned "white chicks". Nobody got upset when wayans bros dressed up and made fun of white chicks ,so I guess I'll have to wait and see before I judge this movie.

The depiction of Blackface isn't racist. The endorsement of Blackface is.

If RDJr. is portraying an actor that goes to the lengths of being done up in Blackface then the onus isn't on him, it's on his character. If this was a case of RDJr. playing a black character in Blackface, that would be a different thing.

A picture is worth a 1,000 words, but sometimes 999 of those words are conjecture and sometimes completely wrong.

@ Purple Zoe:

I love RDJ too which is why this is so confusing. Perhaps this will all make sense once the movie is released, but I doubt it.

A lot of conclusion jumping here.

It's disturbing. And while I'd think avoiding the disgrace of BlackFace performances goes without saying, the movie 'White Chicks' has made it arguable for those who would like to use the: "but you do it" card...

Love Robert Downey Jr.
Not at all fond of the judgment/lack of judgment he used here.

Well, I'll have to see it in order to make a judgement on whether it's racist or not...but there are countless accounts of black actors imitating whites. White Chicks, anyone? I think the bigger question is, when is it distasteful to portray another race?

Wow! I am pretty pissed about it but if those so called 'actors' in that obnoxiously untalented Wayans clan can do some buffoonery like "White Chicks" and get away with it can I really be one to judge?