See, this right here… this is what I don’t like. I hate to see people reaching; trying to be a factor but failing specifically because they are trying so hard. Reaching is different from challenging yourself. We all have had moments where something ahead of us impedes our progress either physically, mentally or spiritually. We attempt to raise our game up and to respond with more vigor. Sometimes we fail—that’s life though, no need to feel shame.
Reaching, however, that’s all types of shame. Multiple Baskin Robbins varieties of shame. The actors or comedians (whatever you wanna call them) in this “Blacks For Romney” video are exhibiting a very common sort of reaching (common for black folks anyway.) This sort of reaching takes place when a person lacks the vitamins and minerals to succeed at something and, usually at the behest of someone of a different race or culture, bridges that gap by “doing some black stuff." By that I mean, playing up whatever stereotype fits in easiest with whatever task is at hand.
Sometimes it’s using slang in a meeting with a black client or writing a news story that purposely, by the questions asked and the angle presented, exaggerates a particular flaw in Black America.
This Funny Or Die sketch makes their reaching obvious by how many times they drop the N-Word. The lines aren’t that funny without it and so they keep using it and using it and using it. Saying Mitt Romney is a “real nigga” because he gets money seems so outdated. It's not fresh, It’s lazy and corny. There's even a almost naked black woman, you know, because black women are always almost naked. What else could she be?
The only person in the video that makes me laugh is the Spanish dude and that’s because he caught me off-guard, by actually, speaking Spanish. The rest of them? They should keep their day jobs or at minimum keep writing until they get better. This comes off as the sort of skit that was discussed in a boardroom at a table full of non-black writers. You know the type, thinks just because they're a Democrat, likes Kanye and rocks Jordan V’s, that they're connected to the black experience. He can write jokes for and about black folks in his or her sleep. Or so they think.
Well, I’m not feeling it and I’m not feeling this video either. I’m all for race jokes and insensitive humor but it has to have a level of sophistication; otherwise, it looks like cooning. In 2012, and here on out, cooning isn’t getting a pass. You do this, you get called out. Take heed.
