Groucho Marx criticizes blackface comedy (1967)

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3 жыл бұрын

In 1967 legendary comedian Groucho Marx (1890-1977) appeared on conservative pundit William F Buckley’s TV show "Firing Line". Buckley brought up the subject of minstrel shows, a form of entertainment developed in the early 19th century that consisted of comic skits, variety acts, dancing, and music performances that depicted people of African descent. The shows were performed by mostly white people in make-up or blackface for the purpose of playing the role of black people, often portraying them as lazy and dim-witted.
The show can be seen in its entirety here:
• Firing Line with Willi...

Пікірлер: 31

@nerd_in_norway 3 жыл бұрын

The entire episode of this hour long talk between Groucho and Buckley is highly recommended and can be seen in its entirety here: kzfaq.info/get/bejne/mb6cfL1zv9bPn3U.html

@prisonersforprofit 23 сағат бұрын

groucho always ahead of his time.

@seanm3226 21 сағат бұрын

Actually, if he was ahead of his time he wouldn’t have done it in the first place.

@karlhungusjr1 17 сағат бұрын

@@seanm3226 he didn't "do" blackface.

@prisonersforprofit 12 сағат бұрын

@@seanm3226 groucho was born in 1890, nyc. blackface was pretty much done professionally around 1910, it would survive in some places like the south and amateur theater. its heyday was in the 1830's and 40's, before the civil war, it depicted unintelligent and happy slaves, slavery and blackface was even controversial way back then.

@Driven2Beers Күн бұрын

Billy needs a double espresso,

@olyokie 23 сағат бұрын

Buckley was certainly one of the greatest pretentious prigs in US history……

@MacHeath699 20 сағат бұрын

And also a world-class racist, as revealed in his debate with James Baldwin. Baldwin cuts him to ribbons, and Buckley is so mired in self-infatuation and patrician hauteur that he doesn’t even realize it.

@antoinepetrov 19 сағат бұрын

I read "pigs" and still agreed with you

@MacHeath699 19 сағат бұрын

@@antoinepetrov Both words are equally apt.

@your_royal_highness 13 сағат бұрын

The biggest prig

@GH-oi2jf 8 сағат бұрын

In the 2nd half of the 20th century, anyway. There must have been some great ones in earlier times.

@karlhungusjr1 16 сағат бұрын

so apparently the algorithm has, in the last few hours, brought us all to a 3 year old video of an interview that took place in 1967 because...ALL HAIL THE ALGORITHM!!

@notintohandles 6 сағат бұрын

A struggle today? Every day.

@jeffcolorado 22 сағат бұрын

This statement shows how views change gradually and honestly over time. Even though Groucho is clearly expressing a positive and progressive idea for the time, he still used the term "colored people", and meant absolutely no disrespect when saying it.

@Wotsitorlabart 21 сағат бұрын

Your looking back at this time through 2024 eyes. The main organisation promoting equal rights for black Americans at the time was and still is called the 'National Association for the Advancement of Colored People'.

@jeffcolorado 20 сағат бұрын

@@Wotsitorlabart I grew up in that time. I'm simply saying in this time, it would be considered rude, or at least uninformed if a white person referred to a black person as a colored person. Change is gradual. That's the point I was trying to express, however imperfectly.

@MacHeath699 20 сағат бұрын

@@jeffcoloradoYou expressed it very clearly; your responder misunderstood your point.

@Wotsitorlabart 20 сағат бұрын

@@jeffcolorado It's just that you say that although Groucho is clearly progressive in outlook - 'he still used the term colored people, and meant no disrespect when saying it'. This seems to suggest that in 1967 the term was deemed disrespectful - at least that is how I see it. I'm English so I have no idea what or was not acceptable language in the late 1960's.

@jeffcolorado 18 сағат бұрын

@@Wotsitorlabart The term "colored people" was widely used in the 60's, with no ill intent. My own mother had no apparent ill will for black people, but she used the term "darkies", if she referred to blacks at all. I lived in a city of about 40,000 in the middle of the USA, at the time, and there were no black folks in that city at all then. We had a whole lot of ignorance, about many things back then.