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August 1994

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Subject:
From:
Donald Larsson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Film and TV Studies Discussion List <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 1 Aug 1994 08:25:14 -0600
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Krin Gabbard writes:
"Finally, it is
significant that Carrey "grows up" and finds out that he need not
play the super hero in order to achieve his sexual maturity.
Again, although Hollywood loves to represent hyper-masculinity
along the lines of African American models, it also stigmatizes
it as pre-adult in one way or another.  Ultimately, Carrey gets
the girl by acting white."
 
A nice observation!  I was reminded of the "hustler" sequences from Spike
Lee's MALCOLM X, where Malcolm becomes a hipster before prison and the
Nation of Islam.  I think, though, that the coding of the Carrey character
is more hispanic--Latios were the original zootsters and were the targets
of white race riots in the LA area in the 1940s (the subject of the play
and movie ZOOT SUIT).  Besides the song "Cuban Pete" there is the earlier
dance as the club, where the band chants "Hey, Pachuco!" a slang (and
often derogatory) reference to zootster types.
        Of course that number takes place at the Cafe Bongo, an amalgam of
African and Carribean themes, which leads us back to the blackface question.
It's worth further consideration!
--Don Larsson, Mankato State U., MN

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