History Main / Blackface

* The AFL Footy Show memorably did this one time when Indigenous player Nicky Winmar was unable to appear, and the show was speculating what happened to him. Well on the final segment of the show host Eddie McGuire was going to review the teams for Freemantle and West Coast when the audience starts laughing. He twigs that [[TheLancer Sam Newman]] has done something and is almost scared to look at Sam impersonating Winmar wearing black facepaint. Despite the cries of outrage over the incident Winmar had the last laugh. One year later, there would be a knock at the guest door after Sam laments they never had that anymore. He gets up to answer it to reveal Winmar, all smiles, apologizing for being a year late.

* The Eighties comedy ''SoulMan'' features a Harvard Law student using blackface to get a scholarship for black students. The film caused some controversy during its release.

'''Blackface''' is the tradition of a performer putting on stylized black makeup to appear as a stereotyped character of African descent. Blackface performances often took the form of MinstrelShows. As much as some people would like to forget it, blackface performances were mainstream American entertainment for almost 100 years before the racial backlash finally capsized it. Blackface imagery was transported to other countries, where the lesser stigma against it allowed the tradition to prosper for longer. Blackface characters still pop up in Japanese culture from time to time.

* ValuesDissonance: Blackface was once considered (by white people) as harmless good fun at the time, but appearing in blackface today is about as acceptable as a burning cross.

* Spike Lee's ''Bamboozeled'': A modern African-American filmmaker creates a television minstrel show in which black actors perform in classic blackface. He's trying to make a point, [[SpringtimeForHitler but to his horror, the show becomes successful]]. Audiences didn't respond well to the use of blackface in making a [[AudienceAlienatingPremise heavy-handed point about modern portrayals of black people]].

* In Polish comedy series ''Alternatywy 4'' (1983) there is a character of a black American exchange student Abraham Lincoln (sic!), played by white man wearing blackface. The actor is as caucasian as Abe Lincoln himself (there is some resemblance), and was casted as Afro American for laughs. Of course there were virtually no black people in Poland up untill second half of the XX century (when the use of blackface was allready discredited in America), and even then there were few of them, so the thing was considered unoffensive.

* In a Halloween episode of video-diary sitcom ''Dan and Becs'', the main characters plan to go to a party in fancy dress as a couple. Due to a miscommunication, Bec thinks they're going as Richard Gere and Julia Roberts from ''PrettyWoman'' and dresses accordingly. Dan thinks they're going as... Ike and Tina Turner. They give their diary entries on the night, still in costume, [[RefugeInAudacity Dan still covered in blackface]].

* In a halloween episode of video-diary sitcom ''Dan and Becs'' they plan to go to a party in fancy dress as a couple. To a miscommunication she thinks they're going as Richard Gere and Julia Roberts from PrettyWoman and dresses accordingly. Dan thinks they're going as... Ike and Tina Turner. They give they diary entries on the night still in costume, [[RefugeInAudacity Dan still covered in blackface]].

* The [[PragmaticAdaptation turtle shell]] in ''DokiDokiPanic'' has a blackface appearance.

* Jynx in ''[[{{Ptitlei015gc004kw4}} Pokémon]]''.

* The [[strike:head]] [[PragmaticAdaptation turtle shell]] in ''DokiDokiPanic'' has a blackface appearance.

* ''BirthOfANation'' used blackface not as a comedic device, but as a means to allow white actors to portray black and "mullato" characters. That D.W. Griffith expected his audiences to take the blackface-wearing actors seriously may be a testament to how out-of-touch he was.
* In Polish comedy series ''Alternatywy 4'' (1983) there is a character of a black American exchange student Abraham Lincoln (sic!), played by white man wearing blackface. The actor is as caucasian as Abe Lincoln himself (there is some resemblance), and was casted as Afro American for laughs. Of course there were virtually no black people in Poland up untill second half of the XX century (when the use of blackface was allready discredited in America), and even then there were few of them, so the thing was considered unoffensive.

* ''BirthOfANation'' used blackface not as a comedic device, but as a means to allow white actors to portray black and "mullato" characters. That D.W. Griffith expected his audiences to take the blackface-wearing actors seriously may be a testament to how out-of-touch he was.

* The AFL Footy Show memorably did this one time when Indigenous player Nicky Winmar was unable to appear, and the show was speculating what happened to him. Well on the final segment of the show host Eddie McGuire was going to review the teams for Freemantle and West Coast when the audience starts laughing. He twigs that [[TheLancer Sam Newman]] has done something and is almost scared to look at Sam impersonating Winmar wearing black facepaint.
** Despite the cries of outrage over the incident Winmar had the last laugh. One year later, there would be a knock at the guest door after Sam laments they never had that anymore. He gets up to answer it to reveal Winmar, all smiles, apologizing for being a year late.

* Jynx in ''{{Pokemon}}''.

* Season Three's "My Old Kentucky Home" episode of ''MadMen'' features [[DirtyOldMan Roger]] [[DeadpanSnarker Sterling]] in blackface, singing the title song to his new, twenty-something wife. Not only is the audience horrified, [[LampshadeHanging so are a few of the characters]], Don and Pete in particular.
** Although Don's reaction is more about Roger making an ass of himself rather than any particular revulsion at blackface.

* ''LaurelAndHardy'' disguised themselves in blackface after breaking out of prison in ''PardonUs''. ''TheMarxBrothers'', evading the law, momentarily did the same among a bunch of stable hands in ''ADayAtTheRaces'' (Harpo doing so with half his face.)

* Japanese ''ganguro'' street fashion.

* Jynx in ''{{Pokemon}}''.

* Lampshaded in ''ItsAlwaysSunnyInPhiladelphia'', when the gang decide to do a sequel to ''LethalWeapon'' with both Mac and Dennis playing Murtaugh. Dennis refuses to be in blackface, but has no problem doing a "black voice." Mac dons full shoe polish and tries to retroactively use Laurence Olivier as justification. [[HypocriticalHumor Nobody remarks]] on the fact that Frank spends the entire movie playing a villainous Native American stereotype.

* [[TwoWordsObviousTrope One Word:]] [[{{Pokemon}} Jynx.]]

* One {{Retraux}} sketch by TheTwoRonnies has Ronnie Barker playing "[[NoCelebritiesWereHarmed Al Vermont]]", a singer who performs in blackface.

* Fred Astaire does a blackface number in ''Swing Time'' (1936).

'''Blackface''' is the tradition of a performer putting on stylized black makeup to appear as a stereotyped character of African decent. Blackface performances often took the form of MinstrelShows. As much as some people would like to forget it, blackface performances were mainstream American entertainment for almost 100 years before the racial backlash finally capsized it. Blackface imagery was transported to other countries, where the lesser stigma against it allowed the tradition to prosper for longer. Blackface characters still pop up in Japanese culture from time to time.

* Many opera roles, such as Otello in Verdi's opera, and Monostatos in ''TheMagicFlute'' have been portrayed in blackface due to difficulties finding black singers with the right range and talent.

* ''TheThreeStooges'' disguised themselves as slaves using blackface in the [[AmericanCivilWar Civil War]]-themed short "Uncivil Warbirds".