Thread: Here we go again - UK PC over the top !

Theatre bans Al Jolson tribute act from 'blacking up'

A theatre banned an Al Jolson tribute act from 'blacking up' claiming it is ''inappropriate in a modern multicultural society''.



Published: 10:51AM GMT 05 Nov 2009

Jolson impersonator Clive Baldwin Photo: Phil Callaghan


A theatre was under fire after it banned an Al Jolson tribute act from 'blacking up' - claiming it is racist.
Singer Clive Baldwin was ordered to perform the entire show - dedicated to the US legend - without makeup.
Al Jolson famously blacked up for his role in 'The Singing Fool' show in 1928 and was the highest paid comic in America during the Depression.
His show popularised the convention of white actors performing in black makeup - famously copied in TV's the Black and White Minstrel Show in the 1960s and 70s.
But bosses at the Belgrade Theatre in Coventry, West Mids., told Mr Baldwin that black makeup is ''inappropriate in a modern multicultural society''.
John Wray, director of AIR productions who are putting on the show, said: ''It's a bit ridiculous, it's like having the Supremes and them all being white.
''It just that happens that it's an historical fact. It's not in any way derogatory. Many of the people involved in the show are black.''
Clive's show, 'The Living Voice of Al Jolson', was a 14-date nationwide tour which included performances in Aylesbury, Spennymoor, Dundee, Whitley Bay, Selkirk and Middlesborough.
He usually blacks up for the second part of the show, which involves him singing Al Jolson favourites 'Climb up on my knew sonny boy' and 'Mammy'.
The Belgrade Theatre was the only venue to ban him from blacking up for the final night of the tour on October 31.
Anthony Flint, director of Belgrade Theatre, defended the decision.
He said: ''We were asked if we wanted Mr Baldwin to use black face makeup or not and we decided it would be inappropriate in a modern multicultural society for him to do so.
''Our box office staff made it quite clear to ticket bookers that Mr Baldwin would not be using black face makeup on our stage.''
But fans of Al Jolson have reacted angrily to the ban, branding the decision ''political correctness gone mad''.
Speaking after the show, Paul Jakes, 34, from Coventry, said: ''Once again the 'right-on' brigade have come out and ruined a perfectly good show.
''Sadly it's a case of political correctness gone mad. The sad acts should get a life and stop pussy footing around racial equality.
''None of the black actors in the show have a problem with black makeup so why should a bunch of stuffy white theatre bosses?''
John Wells, 49, from Coventry, added: ''What next? Future shows like Cabaret with no Nazis? West Side Story with two white gangs? Or Jesus Christ Superstar with a happy ending?''
Colin Perrot, 50, who watched the show last week, added: ''They [theatre bosses] have drawn attention to a problem which never existed in the first place.
''None of the audience would have been offended by Clive's second half appearance in minstrel mode, for this simple reason - this was a big part of what they had come to see.''
Jolson, who died in 1950, was the first recording artist to sell over one million records and starred in a string of Broadway hits.
He is also credited with fighting racism at the height of his career.



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WTF !!!


I despair

Could'nt they just brown up instead.

some blacks were whiting up the other day on the BBC, nobody was 'offended'

What is depressing about this is the fact that despite all the coverage given to excessive political correctness there are still some people out there living in total darkness , their heads wedged firmly up between their buttocks, feeling very proud of themselves.
We've already seen nativity plays scrapped as being ' inappropriate ' and similar mindless behavior so whats next ? Whatever it is, it will no longer come as a surprise.

Al Jolson, singer and dancer. Splendid performer. Ther fact that he was black is IMHO irrelevant.

If Clive Baldwin was any good surely his dancing and singing abilities would have recreated the Al Jolson impersonation in itself.

The "blacking up" is really uneccessary.

However, the PC overkill is totally over the top. Agreed.

Originally Posted by jandajoy

The "blacking up" is really uneccessary.

Wouldn't be quite the same without the blackening up.

Suprised that you can still buy black shoe polish in UK. Bastards are barking. Woof.

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Suprised that you can still buy black shoe polish in UK.

Made me right angry when they changed the name of my fav toothpaste. Even Taiwan has caught the PC virus. First the name change and then no more blackface. WTF!

The Evolution of barking madness.

saw an American darkie thrown out of a bar two weeks ago in bkk, he had been telling the bar owner that the little black thai figures he had at the bar were 'offensive' in a typically loud American, I just wanna tell ya kind of way, twat.

Originally Posted by Norton

Originally Posted by withnallstoke

Suprised that you can still buy black shoe polish in UK.

Made me right angry when they changed the name of my fav toothpaste. Even Taiwan has caught the PC virus. First the name change and then no more blackface. WTF!

It got changed after Colgate-Palmolive bought out Hawley & Hazel.

Have to stop Laosy using those expensive face whitening creams. One she buys is 600 Baht. That's a whole barfine.