Blog 6

A couple Black male representations from Ed Guerrero is that they express a comic role and a complete disproportion to the absence of dramatic features exploring the range and complexity of Black life and culture in America, to which he gives examples of Bill Cosby, Eddie Murphy, etc.  Also, he states "...giving a Black star top billing in a film in which he or she is completely isolated from other Blacks or any referent to the Black world."

The last film I watched with a Black male in a popular film was 42, which is based on a true story.  The main Black male was Jackie Robinson.  42 is not a comedy, but there are parts in the film where Jackie has funny lines, which agrees with Guerrero about the comic role.  However, Jackie has a lot of dramatic events in his life exploring the complexity of Black life and culture in America since he is trying to get in and be accepted in the major leagues by Whites.  In order to play, he has to not answer the racial slurs and everything that comes his way from white players, teammates or fans, and that is a very hard and complicated part of the Black life trying to adapt to American culture; therefore, that representation that Guerrero describes is not true in this film.  Finally, 42 compliments Guerrero's idea of a Black star being isolated from other Blacks or the Black world because besides his girlfriend and reporter, he is always surrounded by Whites, whether it was his players, teammates, fans or whoever.  But, since Jackie Robinson triumphed in the end, he is seen as a hero and is accepted by Blacks and most Whites, which then breaks the color line and starts the mix between the Black and White worlds.