Yesterday, I made it a point to go see “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen” in IMAX. Ever since the last Transformers theatrical release I had been giddy for more.
Hours before I headed to the movies, I started reading posts online that discussed racism in the movie but still I pressed on to Showcase Cinemas and dropped $10.50 for my ticket.
Fast forwarding 2.5 hours later. I’m walking out of the theater with my mind blown for many reasons; 1st, the movie was so action packed I thought I was going to slip into a seizure. 2nd the movie was overtly sexually, which made it seem like an R rated movie instead of PG-13 and 3rd The racism that was built into the movie billed as comedic relief.
As I drove home, I tried to reconcile the racism but I could not, so I decided to sleep on it. So this morning, when I woke up, I actually got mad about what I saw in “Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen.” The racism that I’m talking about in case you don’t already know is dealing with the Autobot twins “Skids” and “Mudflap” or the “ Little Black Sambo[ts].”
- Both of the twins talk like they are straight from a Lil Wayne video.
- The play the dozens (crack jokes on each other and anyone else) in every scene.
- They are seemingly proud of the fact that they cannot read. “Read?! Nuh-uh…” “No, we don’t really do much readin’!”
- Skids has a GOLD front tooth. Yes, a big bucked out gold tooth
- The names “Skids” and “Mudflap” imply darkness and or nastiness.
- Do I really need to add a 6th, you should get the picture now.
(Wait, for extra measure, if you want to see another relevant countdown list, you have to read this. “7 reasons why Transformers 2 might be racist…”)
With all this now parsed out, I’m wondering why and how this stereotypical bullshit slipped past Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures. Did they care? Did they know? Did they think it was ok?
I feel bad and torn because I actually liked the movie a lot, but how could I in good conscious? Maybe it’s the kid in me remembering watching the cartoon way back in the mid 80s.
Although the racism pisses me off about this flick, I was also disturbed about the adult content and overt hypersexuality. But like I said, I liked the movie, so what does this mean about me?
I know I won’t see the movie again, nor will I purchase the DVD. I do not want my kids seeing this mess and not only that it’s so not a kids movie. Don’t let the PG-13 rating fool you!
Transformers used to be all about the kids way back when, but not so much now thanks to Michael Bay and Paramount Pictures. I’m just saying.
Side note: This post is not nearly what I wanted it to be. Not at all! My thoughts are with and on Michael Jackson. As I wrap this up, I’m chair dancing to “Off The Wall” while I try to control my urge to cry about a man that reached my soul through song, dance and beauty.
I tapped on the link and read the other review. We can take solace in the fact that a brother, Michael Epps, is one of the comedians playing the twin sambots. We can take solace in the fact that another black person is getting paid to turn his back on the black community and participate in the madness that tries to program us in this shameful, racist, stereotypically black behavior. And this is where Michael Epps does his best. Does anybody remember his role in the Resident Evil series? Dude couldn’t shut the fuck up about anything and talked stupidly incessantly at the most inappropriate times. I don’t think I can take solace in the fact that there are black people standing, waiting in line to get paid to become white people’s house slave.
Peace
I am a white southern guy, and even I saw the extreme racism in these two characters as I watched the movie today. It was funny, but an uncomfortable funny. No doubt that Skid and Mudflap were intended to portray uneducated black twins. There was also ALOT of bathroom humor, even when it was a stretch to play it into the storyline, they somehow managed to squeeze it in there. There were at least 3 scenes of the two male dogs humping, the small robot humping Megan Fox’s leg, the “testicles” hanging off another large robot.
For the same reasons you quoted….Overall, I was disappointed in the production.
Don
BrotherPeaceMaker-I hated the characters as well and I agree with you on everything you said except Mike Epps did not do the voices. Some Black guy named Reno wilson and a white guy named Tom who does the voice for Sponge Bob were the voices for Skids and Mudflap.
No doubt it was racist. This is a clear stereotype of African Americans…Even though they are robots. Without skin. That are orange and green. That aren’t people. In a movie about giant robots from space.
Get real.
So, if these were not computer generated robots, but were instead human beings playing the same characters speaking the same lines acting the same way would it be racist? What if they were white guys playing the characters? Black guys? Asian guys? Women? Which one would be the most racist?
Hi,
Thank you for addressing this topic.
I wrote and editorial about this I feel it’s appropriate to share here:
http://enewsi.com/news.php?catid=254&itemid=15386
My wife and I were shocked by these racist portrayals the other night, especially as they are in a movie so aimed at children.
They movie says PG-13, but the national multi-million dollar toy line says “ages 5+”.
-Matt
Excellent article Matt!! A great read!
Matt, What a great comprehensive article. Im happy that this is being widely covered by the blogosphere as a whole.
“The movie says PG-13, but the national multi-million dollar toy line says “ages 5+.” So true & so damn sad!
The thing that trips me out is when people say its not racist, their just robots etc. The videos your provided mos def offer a historical clarification.
Thx for spreading the word!
Tafari
But if the two robots weren’t actually black, how could it be racist? Why couldn’t the robots be parodying white guys? Or Asian guys? If you say, “because whites and asians don’t talk like that, black kids from the ghetto talk like that”…then it’s not racism at all, it’s reality.
youre a pretty big, douche bag, i hope that you realize this from my reply in major concern.
racism isnt some stupid joke that only is valid when a person is a diffrent race than another person its a simple form of ignorance that fills in the holes of society and makes people become marked as beings of lesser value and worth.
it was clearly enough for europe to start capturing and enslaving millions of africans, it was enough for hitler to kill almost 6 million people yet you still dont understand or care to grasp the entire impact of it.
skid and mudflap were black sterotypes because they very parodies of hip hop obsessed black people, its not reality because black people have to read more than white people because we dont have any fucking jobs and we have scores of diseases and financial issues.
now my iq is 128 and i and probally pwn your little pekerwood ass all over the west side of detroit, and i wont need much help.
ill say this simply and angrily fuck you white bread nazi sack republican sack of shit.
fuck your life fuck your couch and i hope you get raped by 3 hungry looking niggas in the south you douch bag.
youre a pretty big, douche bag, i hope that you realize this from my reply in major concern.
racism isnt some stupid joke that only is valid when a person is a diffrent race than another person its a simple form of ignorance that fills in the holes of society and makes people become marked as beings of lesser value and worth.
it was clearly enough for europe to start capturing and enslaving millions of africans, it was enough for hitler to kill almost 6 million people yet you still dont understand or care to grasp the entire impact of it.
skid and mudflap were black sterotypes because they very parodies of hip hop obsessed black people, its not reality because black people have to read more than white people because we dont have any jobs and we have scores of diseases and financial issues.
now my iq is 128 and i and probably pwn your little pekerwood nazi rear all over the west side of Detroit, and i wont need much help.
ill say this simply and angrily f you white bread Nazi sack republican.
F your life F your couch and i hope you get assualted by 3 hungry looking black people in the south you douche bag.
This article was right on point… Thanks for taking the time to keep us in the loop.
DK – I almost started to type a response to your ignorance but we all have an opinion, so Ill just let you vent. The teacher in me wants to school you on racial stereotyping but I just don’t have the energy to deal with those with a slow thought process.
Freestyle – Thx for checking it out. We try to keep it real!
Tafari
I have to agree with DK here, why is this stereotyping?
Is it Michael Bay’s or Dreamworks Fault that when these characters are presented in this way with no relation to human beings that your mind automatically thinks of a black person. You should be blaming yourself for this thought process.
how you are a teacher i do not know, for everyone does not have the same speed in thought processing so what do you do for the kids who aren’t as fast as the rest of the class? just move on even though they don’t understand.
It is because of people like you why there are dropouts and people who are not educated, because if the kids don’t understand the material then they do not do well and no longer see a purpose in school, all because people like you cannot deal with people who don’t think as fast as the rest of us.
Thanks a lot for your contribution to society.
It takes a sensitive, aware eye/perception/understanding to see that the characteristics developed in the twin Autobots were stereotypical, biased, & bigoted perceptions of blacks. Some of us see it. . .some of us do not. I would suggest they were perhaps, “trailer. . .” but the dialects of the characters’ voices were definitely, as a friend of mine stated, “straight from a Li’l Wayne video”, i.e. “stereotypical black”. In the first Transformer, no other ethnic depiction was obvious except that of Jazz, the Autobot that was killed and spoke and behaved with typical, traditional, black mannerisms that were unique to blacks (breakdancing, use of profanity, voice mannerisms) and uncomfortable to certain classes of whites. The same applies again to Trans2, where the only ethnic depiction is again the twins. . .but wait, they did include the “baddadbing” italian NY goodfella mobster dialect/mannerisms for the little imprisoned Decepticon.
Yes, that’s stereotyping. Some of us see it. . .some of you do not.
It’s pretty obvious these characters are lifted not “straight outa Compton”, but straight outa hundreds of rap videos, and many tv shows & movies. Of course these characters are black, but
that’s just the race of cats who act like this. If an animated character had the persona of a mafia don, & spoke with an Italian/New Jersey accent, thus of Italian origin, would that also be “racist”?
Animated characters usually are drawn from people or popular characterizations, so they have to choose someone of some race, nationality, etc., and some are gonna be “good guys” and others the “bad guys”. For many decades we’ve seen countless gangsters portrayed as Italian, and terrorists as Arab, after a long time being Russian.
Now, IMHO, before calling out something as “racism” you must be able to show that one race is predominantly cast as the “bad guys”, or as “dumb & stupid”. However, as I look around the TV & especially the movie landscape, I don’t see this happening. While Hollywood has not yet reached a point where the actors “reflect America” in terms of proportion of actors being as diverse as the country, but there sure have been a good number of very positive black characters in movies & on TV.
In fact, I think having Dennis Haysbert as president on 24, was an aid in the success of Obama’s candidacy, as it allowed Americans to get used to a competent black president, one who was a real leader, and credible. I don’t really see him being able to be successful, if all images of blacks in movies & tv were only negative, as it would have been very hard to flip people’s comfort zone, in just a couple years of campaigning.
Back to the movie, if the two characters, used for “comic relief” had been inbued with hillbilly stereotyped behavior and looks, would you be protesting the racism of this film? Which ethnic group should be depicted in a humorous fashion, and it is ok? Just wondering…
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Thank God it’s not just me. I just told my brother to not even bother seeing it and that I will not be adding it to my DVD collection.
I agree I was torn and honestly didn’t want to see it bc my mind too was on Michael J. But when my movie date pointed out how they looked like little monkeys it really clicked. Why the big ears? Why are they the only transformers that fight each other? The only transformers that don’t take things seriously.
The view of US gov’t was different, they named Obama outright and persisted in making it seem like HIS administration and his direct decision is shutting down Autobots. Like he’s part of the problem. I too didn’t need to see so much of the parents either.
Then let’s pop it up a notch…why is the that Tyrese is only reduced to the same one liners. He can’t engage in a meaningful conversation? Why is the the Latin character has to be comic relief too? No minorities can be real heros?
Wow…I just saw it on IMAX and…wow. The very idea that this stuff could be even construed as funny in the writing room is enough to make my head spin. I think Aaron McGruder could occupy a solid summer with the rampant stereotypes in this movie when he was doing ‘Boondocks’ as a daily comic strip.
i work in the animation/vfx industry and i am not surprised that the twins made it to the screen since the industry is 92% white male. that means 8% is everyone else. additionally i am not surprised such tripe came from dreamworks. this is the same studio that did not want to do any advertisement for dreamgirls with black characters. having black characters in the ads would be bad for business.
unfortunately all the money the movie is making this will not stop. hopefully people will be upset and demand an apology from the powers that be in hollywood. can you imagine if someone made light of the holocaust in a film? would never happen.
Matt I just want to say that your article was thorough, thought provoking, and an overall excellent read. I agree that the portrayal of the “Skids” and “Mudflap” as know-nothin’, n$gga monkey buffoons by the Transformers producers and directors is symptomatic of a much broader dehumanization of blacks in movies and TV. The fact that this is racism, no one can discount.
However, I think the African American entertainment community contributed to the portrayal of these two “robots” as black buffoons.
Back in the days of old black face, it was white people who incorporated their worst fears and assumptions about us as black people and coupled that with an exaggeration of our features in order to create dehumanizing charicatures.
Today, however, gold teeth and diamond grills are cool in the hip-hop community. As is ebonics and using crack sales as a substitute for a real job.
Does this excuse the producers of Transformers? Ofcourse not. But we must, at some point, accept the fact that we are the deciders of what “cool” is in the black community. “Skids” and “Mudflap” are not a long way from “Hurricane Chris” and “Lil Wayne”. We gave the Transformers producers the very images they used in their movie. And that’s why they knew, in 2009, they could do it and get away with it. Because they’re doing what “young money” does all day , every day….
Yvette
I agree 100% with this article. I loved the film but I was deeply disturbed by the return of the black stereotypes. I thought at first it was just me that noticed this problem. I had a problem with the Jazz character from the first one as well.
This one is more blatant and in your face. The slang is a combination of what Hollywood considers black slang based on Rap Videos and actual Patwa speaking peoples. Its not about skin color, its about their portrayal of black people.
The comments about them not be able to read, was a punch in the face to all black young.
Hollywood can get away with it because the world hasnst quite woken up yet to Racism.
Hey, i just saw the movie, and to be honest, yes I saw that they’re were a lot “stereotypes” built into these characters, but to be honest, as an African American male, I’m not in any way offended.
1) It’s a movie and I’ve got bigger things to do than get pissed over two characters in a film that don’t portray robots in a politically correct manner.
2) it’s a movie about robots. if I was white and I took the characterization of these two characters and made it my definition for how ALL black people are, than I’ve got problems bigger than any posed by this film. I mean, come on, it’s a movie, how seriously are we supposed to take it?
3) they were meant as comic relief, and as far as that goes they succeeded for me and most everyone I know who has seen the film, regardless of their race.
4) How many stereotypical, dumb, inbred, white men, or grammatically challenged yet mathematically superior Asians, have I seen in films that NO one gets pissed about? I think as African Americans we need to have enough pride were we can see these things, take them for what they are, what they aren’t and move on without getting upset.
5) I don’t know why you or anyone is shocked at the sexuality of this movie, which in all honesty wasn’t bad at all. when a movie has someone as attractive as Megan Fox in it, it’s going to have a little bit in it, and just America in general needs to stop looking at sex like satan’s tool of terror. it sells. it’s not going ANYWHERE. and the bigger a deal you make of it, the truer you make the last two statements.
all in all, its a movie, who cares? enjoy the fact that you got to watch optimus Prime straight kick robot’s asses and completely level a cedar forest to nothing in less than 5 minutes of glory and stop looking for things to get pissed about. we’re bigger than that.
The problem with your analysis or ambivalence is in social status.
Without going to deeply, we can surely point to ignorant and backward White characters in every realm of art, but White people actually own the ability to define themselves for themselves. Black people do not yet have the luxury. This is analogous to men sleeping around, and even though some may call a promiscuous man a ho, it doesn’t burn him nearly as much as that characterization would a woman because of women’s relative low social status and inability to define themselves on their own terms.
We should not turn a blind eye to things like this because our very minds are at stake. At some point, we make a statement.
Well put. And btw, Stepin Fetchit was also the “comic relief”. And if you don’t know who that is, Just Some Guy, please look it up.
Lets pretend we live in a perfect world with a perfect government and perfect people. and Micheal Bay and Paramount pictures were clean cut tax paying tithers. Lets say the movie transformers didn’t have any racist audio or visual content and that the writers of this movie were completely responsible in everything that was added to the movie. (OK) Aren’t Transformers for kids? aren’t they toys? Didn’t this movie attract a child following? Then why does Devastator have huge testicles dangling from is pelvis? Why does Sams mother talk sexual filth and eat ganja brownies. Why is there a male dog humping another male dog. All for laughs? Then maybe making fun of the African american culture is also in Micheal Bays mind “worthy of laughs”. We need to do something. I’m glad i went to see the movie first before i took my niece. I dont want her at age 11 to see dangling scrotum, getting high, cursing, humping and racism.
Exactly! If this movie is PG13, what’s an R rated movie?
Couldn’t it also be safe to assume that they didn’t even have black folks in mind when they drew these characters up? Coming from the south, when I hear terms like “Mudflap” and “Skids”, I’m thinking DUIs, ignorance, and 4×4 trucks. Heck, even the slang used by these two is spoken by folks other than the stereotypical suspects.
Now, I’m not saying the article doesn’t have any truth to it, since Hollywood and its minions have history behind them. I didn’t really care for Jazz’s portrayal as they dropped the ball on that one. This one isn’t any better. If this was on the scale of, say, “The Last Airbinder” and its casting choices, then it’s a whole different story…
Seriously, you guys are taking the fun out a great movie. Of all the things going on in the world around us u have time to worry about how someone talked, seriously what is wrong with people today. I do not believe this was a racial issue i belive this was just comedy relief and i belive it was a succes. In my opinion racism is taken a little to far these days and any race color gender is offened by any little thing that is said.If people keep making problems out of silly little things in a fiction world future fans will lose something from a great movie line.
i guess i forgot to say should the voice of a caucasion male was used as the voice of protagonist, should they be offended with the stereotype that they are all power hungry and heartless peopel.
You guys are getting way riled up over something so stupid. The voice actors, who happen to be black and white, go along with the script and make it more comedic, so pinning this ENTIRELY on Michael Bay is a bit harsh. Second, this is a fictional movie about robots who gather information from the internet to create a personal profile to interact with humans.
I’d say more, but Just Some Guy’s #4 says everything else I want to say.
These defenses & trivializations of racism in this movie or else where are laughable; they really are.
Stating that there is more going on in the world is a weak cop-out!
I wish I had the time & energy to argue more but its kinda hard to convince someone stuck on stupid.
Tafari
There is more going on in the world, and the fact u are commenting on a person and not the issue at hand is a sign of ignorance. Maybe u have the time to worry about who said what and in what tone of voice but most do not. I am curious about what u have to say about the evil protagonist having a causaion voice, should that be offensive as well or does that not realy matter.
Brad you need a hobby or some real life friends.
There IS more going on in the world.
Racial conspiracies are just as ignorant as racism alone.
How would I know walking out of the theater that i would find a thread like this?
Really? Pissed off over 2 autobots? Get a grip, and enjoy the movie.
Amazing how people who aren’t offended by something feel they are justified to say that someone who is offended is over reacting. It’s my $11.50 and if I felt that I was offended rather than entertained, then its my right to do so.
Second, do not insult my intelligence by implying that those character could have been this or that race. News, music videos (sadly even by our own people), etc have been consistent in attributing this type of behavior to black people. After hundreds of years of media (print and video) ‘assigning’ negative characteristics to black people worldwide, 40 years of Civil Rights does not magically dissolve the association and the pain that the the previous centuries institutionalization has caused.
It is because of this type of international media that has caused people, races, and nations who have never met a black person to assume that ALL black people act this way.
Just because you naysayers may fail to grasp the historical and cyclical significance and link of media portraying certain characteristics to black people does not mean that the racism and/or intent does not exist.
If I wanted to be entertained with such behavior that has been associated with black people I have more than enough resources spanning many years.
How about some movies with black people doing other things like READING, solving medical issues, stopping crime, being leaders of the free world? I’m fairly sure Hollywood’s greatest writers can create scripts for these characters that will be just as entertaining. Or is it in your world black people in these roles is truly fictional? If so, YOU are the one who need to get a grip and wake up as you are already a braindead victim of the media.
how about, hancock, the great debaters, the swimming movie with cuba gooding jr., tuskeegee airmen, so on and so forth, listen im a brutha, and I date a sista! and her and I laughed our mfin asses off during this movie! I was crying! I thought it was even funnier than the white people did! you know if john Singletary had made this movie we would have nothing to say. And we laugh at comic view when somebody pulls thier pants up by their chest and talks in a nerdy voice about their little penis. So unless you are one of the few people who does not laugh when its about another race, you really dont have a right to laugh when they are making fun of us! And btw, until we do a better job of representing ourselves, we cant expect outsiders to know that were any different than they portray us! because the bottom line is the majority of the famous black people in america are ignorant as hell on and off camera. And if a white person was to scroll by BET the foolishness that enough of us are supporting for it to remain a channel, then thats all they would see. So brothers and sisters, we got some in house cleanin to do before we can worry about what the white folks are doin in the yard!
The Fact that these characters are being portrayed as Racist baffles me. This movie is directed toward a young crowd, hence the Pg-13 rating. Do you really truly believe the directors, producers, and everyone else affiliated with this movie intended / made it a point to embed a racial undertone in two of its characters?!?!
This is a MOVIE. It is meant for entertainment and for that only. No one that i know goes to the movies hoping to not be entertained. This is such a travesty that there’s even a large agreement for this nonsense.
I will address the articles 5 main points and give my counter argument following each “point.”
1. Both of the twins talk like they are straight from a Lil Wayne video.
Whats your point? Their dialogue is simply creating their character. Its defining them and untimely – as intended by the creators to be enjoyed and ENTERTAINING to the audience. They made no inclination of racism in any way what so ever, and i would ask to quote a line and pick apart concrete evidence of racism.
And i also ask – In what way exactly are you speaking of? How do people in Lil’ Wayne Videos talk that singles them out and allows them to be your argument? To me that sounds like discrimination. The definition of discrimination according to Websters is “The process by which two stimuli differing in some aspect are responded to differently”
So let me ask – are you calling these people in Lil’ Wayne videos out because they are different? And if so in which way are they. To me this sounds like a rather sweeping generalization. Hmmmm?
2. The play the dozens (crack jokes on each other and anyone else) in every scene.
Jokes! They make people laugh! Again back to the reason for making a film – ENTERTAINMENT. If they were boring and dull would there be a reason for them to be in a single frame? Furthermore they are not primary characters because they are there for the occasional laugh. The flow of entertainment.
3. They are seemingly proud of the fact that they cannot read. “Read?! Nuh-uh…” “No, we don’t really do much readin’!”
Again i will ask, what are you getting at? What exactly are you trying to say? I think you get my point.
4. Skids has a GOLD front tooth. Yes, a big bucked out gold tooth
This also seems like this is making the gold tooth into a stereotype. Why cant it just be there? Why does it have to be another generalization such as the other “points.”
5. The names “Skids” and “Mudflap” imply darkness and or nastiness.
This one happens to be my favorite (and by favorite i meant the one that disgusts me the greatest.) Maybe if you opened your mind just a little you would notice the fact that the transformers disguise’s are CARS. Skids and Mudflaps are affiliated with CARS. This idea of implying darkness is not a creation of the movie or its creators – Its simply a creation from this nonsence.
How can one pick apart simple things and turn them around to make them into something they are not? This is simply nonsense and should be immediately discarded accordingly.
I do not support discrimination, racism, stereotypes, or anything of that nature and i offer simple advice.
If you want something to die – stop keeping it alive.
Do you read your own words or just spit it out? If there is no action, there would be no REaction. Entertainment would leave me entertained…not insulted. I’m curious if you take your own advice when someone says something that you find inappropriate. Do you laugh it off when someone insults you and says…”Lighten up. It’s just a joke.”
Tongue in cheek insults are no less insulting than direct ones. Again. I have no worries or problem with entertaining, silly, low intelligence characters. What I have a problem with (AGAIN) is when there is no BALANCE.
If you show characters with a significant level of ‘ignorance’ that demonstrate characteristics that are SOLELY and TRADITIONALLY associated with Black people, then show some characters with a significant level of ‘intelligence’
I fail to see how you constantly fail to overlook this simple point. Then again…I’m not.
Jesse… excellent perspectives throughout this conversation!!! Thank you for your insightful responses.
Blessings!
I thought them as more of the “redneck” stereotype than any other stereotype.
Good points Vin! I’m sorry for the perception of black people others have…but their perception is their problem…not mine. I associate the robots behavior/attitude with a generation younger then myself…but not to a specific group of people because of their color.
I enjoyed the movie for what it was and have no interest in the reification of racism to the nth degree.
If I got upset every time a white person was portrayed differently from my seld I would cry all day long. This is a movie…the point everyone is missing. Maybe its not a stereotype if everyone is getting so upset?
And white people wonder why so many of us HATE their guts. Gotta love the way they try to downplay this crap. My disgust for them knows no bounds.
Seriously? HATE white people’s guts?? This is the most racist thing that has been posted on here so far. I wonder why your disgust for me (as a white person) knows no bounds? Maybe it is because you are just as racist as you claim this movie to be.
First – You blame these characters who you perceive as stereotypes on white people. Not specific white persons (like the writers or producers), but on white people in general. Awesome.
Second – You then assume that every other white person signs off and endorses this, like we had a giant conspiracy of white people and we all got a kick out of little racist Autobots. False. You aren’t the only one offended by this. I thought it was mostly harmless but the illiterate talk was a bit over the line.
Third – You cannot claim to hate both racism and white people!!! Stating your disgust for all white people is spouting your love for racism. Why should any white person who hears that want to treat you like an equal, when you have already branded them as your enemy?? If you already hate me, solely because I am white and not because of anything else than you are pitiful racist hypocrite.
I have plenty of black friends and I thank God they are not like you. We know and respect each other as people, skin color be damned. Please wake up and realize that the attitude you seem to hold now is going to do nothing but widen the cultural divide. If you truly want to see progress it needs to be made with an open hand, not a clinched fist.
Hate?
Daniel, I should clarify that my comment was directed specifically to the comment above mine and not to others or the article. Sorry for any confusion.
We need more BLACK films. Ones where white skin is demonized repeatedly for decades. Depict them as being 2 faced and cowardly; sexually-perverted always; their children as inbred offspring; always using big words but saying very little; as constant promise breakers; haughty & arrogant; always taking things that don’t belong to them; abusive towards their parents; suicidal(for comic relief); etc….The list keeps goin’. Man, I’d buy that for a dollar. See how they’d like that.
“Depict them as being 2 faced and cowardly; sexually-perverted always; their children as inbred offspring; always using big words but saying very little; as constant promise breakers; haughty & arrogant; always taking things that don’t belong to them; abusive towards their parents; suicidal(for comic relief); etc….The list keeps goin’.”
are you saying these are exclusively held to blacks in movies?
Wow. How ignorant can you be? Step outside the box you are living in and take a look at the color of your PRESIDENT. THEN, tell me that “white america” is racist. We elected an african american. “WE,” because yes, I am white. I voted for Obama.
I read the story above and my first impression is, was the viewer so blinded with racism that he instictively saw black robots? I have met many many individuals with different styles of being, one thing that threads them all together is the category they place themselves in. When two robots can’t simply be robots that exibit bad behaviour for comedic effect, then we have to ask ourselves who is the true racist? But then again, that is just one crackers opinion.
It’s not a matter of being “blinded with racism”, it’s a matter of studying the whole movie what we walk away with. It’s entertainment that can taint the perceptions of our young and further perpetuate the mis-beliefs of our adults. There are examples of other bad behavior that wouldn’t make me think “gee, this character is designed as if the character was ‘black’” I’m offended when “christian” characters are depicted as obsessed, insensitive, misguided bigots when it comes to relating to the world. I’m offended when “black” characters are depicted with the typical insensitive, bigoted portrayals that have contaminated the entertainment industry for decades. Why do we not like it? Because it started a long time ago, it was called out for the wrong that it was. . .and it continues today. . .whether it’s done by a white, a jew, or a black. I’m also offended by the portrayal of the imprisoned Decepticon. I’m even offended by our comedians (all ethnicities) who perpetuate or attack. Trans2 is an attack on diversity. Shucks, entertainment isn’t always what I want it to be.
I haven’t seen the movie, but I have heard about the so-called racism in it. And I don’t get it…honestly. From your description of Skids and Mudflap, it sounds like what one can find on the radio and video stations any day of the week.
Look at T-Pain and his yellow gold teeth…or his BIG ASS CHAIN. And Weezy has stated publicly that he doesn’t read anything in a book. These two rappers are not exceptions, they are the rule. So why when this same sort of foolishness pops up in movies are we mad at white folks? Why cry racism? Is it racism when black folks openly display this coonery?
It just seems like black folks repeatedly misplace their anger and frustration. I’m not saying the images in the movie are ok. They sound pretty awful. But if they are so awful, when will we start getting frustrated with where it starts?
On a different but similar note, look at this past BET awards show. It was an embarassment on so many levels and to so many people. But really it wasn’t any different than what is typically shown on BET. So I don’t know why folks are so up in arms now. Maybe cuz white folks was looking???
I guess my point is that these characters probably wouldn’t be depicted in movies if they didn’t really exist. So instead of getting mad at the comic relief in a movie, get mad that we actually DO have folks in our community who represent Mudflap and Skids.
That’s the real tragedy.
Guess what? It’s not OK in the movies OR real life either, and there are those of us who actually care enough to try to change it instead of just making sanctimonious observations.
thank you!
I am really curious to know why many black people listen to Eminem. Is he trying to be black? No he’s not, he is doing nothing more then being himself which happens to be very different then that of a stereotypical white person. Shouldn’t we all point the finger at him and tell him to stop giving white peole a bad name? Even better, why don’t we all get pissed off at Lil Wayne for making the videos that he makes? So maybe all blacks people should tell him to stop giving them a bad name. These are 2 examples of people who that are different colors but are very alike. How do we know that the twins in the movie were black? Maybe they were white. Not all black people grow up poor, and not all white people grow up rich. There will always be stereotypes, but it is and will always be a choice to agree and follow them. I am not 100% sure how kids are these days, but when I was in high school I saw white and black people look, talk, and act like the twins do in the movie. The reason racism is still around is because people are so closed minded that they assume that every joke they hear must have a hidden meaning.
I didn’t give all of the posts a thorough perusal so this may have already been addressed… in addition to the twins professing to be illiterate, someone hurled out the slur “pubic afro”. The sexism and hypersexual content was thick as already stated in addition to sexist insults such as calling people “p***y”.
Even Obama’s judgment received criticism in the movie – he assigned an official, somewhat of an antagonist, to dissolve the partnership with the Transformers.
However, the most glaring, blatant and mentally damaging form of racism came in the form of attack on ancient Black civilization. The directors played on the old theme that the ancient monuments were the work of aliens or outsiders. The first scene shows “savages” fighting the robots. The pyramids serve as a storage house for deceptacon technology. Ancient temples are superfluously destroyed, and in my estimation, driving home the lack of value for Black civilization.
This smacks of Jar Jar Binks from Star Wars I – III. People cried racism for the “Jamaican” resemblance of Jar Jar. Some points on this:
1) No one cried racism for the obviously cold, calculating Asian “trade federation” representitives in Star Wars.
2) I suppose you were disgusted by Bad Boys when they made the obvious slap on the shoulder of whites with their “borrowing some sugar” scene?
3) Back to Transformers. Skids and Mudflap were actually Transformers in the traditional series. They weren’t names made up to pick on a culture. What the purpose was in applying the names to these two characters or using the characters at all (I wasn’t all that impressed with them, I did like Jazz however in the previous movie).
I do have to agree with the writing bit, however. It was a little over the top.
I had other issues with the movie. But mostly in letting people that can’t act have more air time to do just that.
If I seem abbrasive, I apologize. I don’t condone racism. BUT, I do notice there is a double standard for it. Black comedians and actors are allowed to make fun of “white bread” but the reverse is somehow more of a sin. For another example, let them come out with a movie called “Black Chicks” and see if there isn’t an outcry.
Just a point on perspective.
I’m absolutely baffled at this. I’ve seen the same stereotype played out on a dozen shows with live actors with one of them black and one of them white, as “urban kids” or “wannabe gangsta”. THAT is the stereotype here, not “black”. I’m sorry, but racism is against a race, not a subculture or dialect. While it’s convenient in rants like this one to pretend “ghetto” and “ebonic” dialects along with the “gangsta” image and subculture are exclusive to one race, it’s being emulated by children of every race.
And yes, as others pointed out, every other group gets stereotyped in movies and it’s ok. Crying foul ONLY when it’s the group you belong to is hypocritical.
And let’s take it in context. Yes, they said they didn’t read much, but they pointed out right afterward that it’s ANCIENT Cybertronian text that they couldn’t read. I’m sorry, but I missed what stereotype of humans reads much of any ancient text.
Number 5 is just ridiculously contrived. They’re automotive references because they transform into CARS. Nearly every car part gets dirty. If they had been called Cupholder and Turnsignal, can you honestly say it would have made you feel better? Furthermore, they were existing character names with Skids being a scientist and pacifist and Mudflap being essentially the same character as the giant wheeled Decepticon early in the movie. As seems to be Holywood’s way of doing a movie remake, they pulled the names randomly out of a hat, and invented new, more modern stereotyped personalities to replace the older stereotyped personalities of the characters.
There’s enough real racism going on that inventing more isn’t really necessary. If we’re to move forward as a society and put an end to racism, artificially dividing us will have to stop.
As to the PG-13, that doesn’t mean “kids movie”. That means, as is explicitly stated in the definition and usually printed beneath the label, “parental guidance strongly suggested”. In other words, PG-13 is a warning that it isn’t for the little kids.
Caricature: A representation, especially pictorial or literary, in which the subject’s distinctive features or peculiarities are deliberately EXAGGERATED to produce a comic or grotesque effect.
you guys seems to forget about that its EXAGGERATED
its not racism but comedy, why do you have to get so upset about some fictional characters , stop creating racism everywhere.
from your point of view a black guy cant be an idiot in a movie… even worst some robot with a black guys voice cant be an idiot . good thing white people do not think the same way or else alot of movie would have created controvercies .
if all you guys ask is to be treated as equal , which you are, why dont you accept to be mocked like everyone else?
Is it just me or did anyone else see the swipes at the Obama administration and his decision to pull out of Iraq being parodied by the president’s suggestions that the Autobots leave and go back to Cybertron?
I noticed it too. Only suggestive mention of Bush was his red socks and request for Ding Dongs. But somehow in part 2 the politically involvement was much more direct.
However, mentioning Obama by name and using that ass representative who consistently mentioning that he was acting on the direct order of the President….subtle but nonetheless intentional. Obviously biased Hollywood fiction at its best. We all know Obama is a hands on person and would have met with Optimus Prime in person and weighed in all opinions before issuing such a directive.
But…still a good observation.
I’ve noticed a few things through this discussion.
1) Its only offended when its aimed at a culture that we respect. If it is someone else (as the examples I gave) then we are not offended and shouldn’t be.
2) The current presidency really is a cult of personality. Bush was dragged through every kind of mud and crap people could drag him through and people just grabbed the torches and joined in, but a movie might have made a sub sub sub SUB reference to our current President we need to be up in arms. Because somehow it depends on who is in the office that the office earns respect instead of us just respecting the position of President period.
3) Our priorities are completely in the sh.tter. We’ve had young and old “artists” (and I use the term very loosely in this regard) sing about killing cops and “smacking their hos”, I can’t even go to play rball without this crap blasting from someone’s car in the park. But that’s just “expression” and when someone makes fun of the type of people who sing those songs, step on the English language, and disrespect women in general, and the men and women who protect our communities then it becomes “racism”. How about the fact that “ganstah rap” is offensive to race? But that isn’t even talked about, as in I don’t see many (if any) threads on how it promotes a stereotype. Instead we pick on a movie where, quite frankly, I think the writers were trying to be “funny” not “insulting”. I would grant they failed misserably. But I would object to them being any more offensive than “ganstah rap” or any similar form of “entertainment”. This is less of a complaint so much as to show that “offensive” really differs from person to person. For isntance, I find calling someone a “douchebag” because they disagree with you offensive.
4) Since someone asked. In a Rated R movie you can show full frontal or rear nudity as long as there is no erection and no female sex organ showed. In PG-13 you can show partial nudity in a non-sexual way and “suggestive adult themes”. In a PG movie you can show classic nudity (such as Clash of the Titans if anyone remembers that movie). Transformers: ROTF did not warrant an R rating. Personally, I was less bothered by the Decepticon “genitals” than I was by the giant blue penis in Watchmen (Rated R but still not something I ever need to see again). I found the joke stupid but well within the rights of a PG-13 movie.
I didn’t like the movie for what I already stated, to me more important reasons than its “offensiveness” but then I have thick skin. It was badly written and the few people who could act (the soldiers) were given next to no air time whereas the people who couldn’t act their way through a school play (the main non-CGI characters) were given way too much air time. That’s what is important to me.
I’m a big TF fan and was pleased with the first film. I wasn’t suprised that Jazz was made out to be a representation of an african american in light of the robots character history. What I was concerned about was the negative and aggresive aspects of how he was portrayed (calling the humans bitches). It made sense for him to be voiced as a black man, but why make him a negative gangster rapper? He could of been voiced by a regular guy.
I was embarrassed and disapointed by the potrayal of Skids and Mudflap in the sequel. This film would of gone through numerous focus groups and will have been scrutinised by dreamworks. They must have realised the negative stereotyping of latino/black people with these two characters. All races of man have positive and negative aspects and with this film being made by white men its no suprise to see such racism.
I mean why not make Skids and Mudflap out to be an inbred redneck?
What I’m most concerned about is that with kids watching this film, seeing degrading racist stereotyping they accept it as normal.
Bay’s comments that they’re robots or comic characters doesn’t wash with me. Filmmaking is an exact, market researched activity.
Maybe he should get some black minstrels in for Transformers 3?
What doesn’t wash with me is that you are a big TF fan and didn’t realize that Jazz was portrayed this exact same way back in the 80s.
Back then it was “hip” though and now, not so much and for some reason that suddenly makes it bad (i.e. there was no outcry over the original TV show and animated movie of that time).
If you don’t want kids to grow up seeing these stereotypes then fire the rap “artist”, fire the teachers who treat this kind of behavior as “culturally acceptable”.
Because that is where your kids are going to see it the most and make the association when they see TF. If its just the “making fun of” aspect of this you don’t like then you better fire that racist comedian, Bill Cosby, too, because he really grinds home the negative aspects of the “stereotypical black youth”.
SC made some very good points. And I didn’t note any replies to my original post either. The fact is, if these two HAD been “Italian” mobster types no one would have said a word, if they had been the stereotypical comedic version of “Chinese” then no one would have said a word. As for rednecks, considering Jeff Foxworthy, I don’t think people are all that worked up about the “raceism stereotype” of rednecks. I might have missed the protests but I don’t think I did.
London Mike, I find it interesting that you feel a couple animated characters in a movie most kids, if they see it at all, will see for about an hour & a half, are such a negative influence, that the fact they resemble gangsta rappers underscores this assertion. Yet, where is your similar, or greater outrage at the negative stereotypes real life, human gangsta rappers portray in the music & videos kids see 24/7?
You say, “What I’m most concerned about is that with kids watching this film, seeing degrading racist stereotyping they accept it as normal.”
Are you not as concerned with kids daily exposure to the “degrading racist stereotyping” of gangsta rap? Why the focus on a single movie?
isn’t it racist to point out certain characteristics in a cartoon or any animated character and then connect and make stereo types… WHO THE FUCK DO YOU PEOPLE THINK YOU ARE i’m fucking black and i found nothing wrong with that. They wanted some characters to act “ghetto” so that all the fucking people that are into that phaze or phad whatever you call it can laugh. ITS FUCKING GENIUS the movie is the greatest movie based on pop culture of all time if your younger than perhaps 30 or 25 all the shit is soooo understandable…. YOU GOT BADASS ACTION… AWESOME MEGAN FOX ACTION…. FUCKING AMAZING CGI AND POP CULTURE AND ITS A MOVIE THAT NERDS ENJOY TALKING ABOUT TOO!!!!!! HOLY FUCKING SHIT WE GOT US A SUMMER BLOCKBUSTER an amazing one ive never seen so many differant types of people enjoy a movie before but you queer motherfuckers are cutting down shit that you can just simply walk away from but you would rather whine and moan and bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch bitch.