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Miss Whoever ([info]thwackboom) wrote in [info]fandom_wank,
@ 2004-05-17 13:34:00
Previous Entry  Add to memories!  Tell a Friend!  Next Entry
Current mood:distracted
Current music:the magnetic fields

Hitchhiker's Guide to the Racist Fanboy
The background- There's a Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy movie being made. From what I can gather, they seem to have an interesting cast. However, some people have issues.

Mostly, it's issues with Mos Def playing Ford Prefect. With little racist gems such as...

bbagnall's 'white guilt' no longer holds him back!
"God almighty!!! Ok, I've just hired the ninja. Screw you Disney! Every time they get a black actor in one of their movies, they just gotta have him as a professor, a brain surgeon, a computer programmer, or whatever. LEAVE DOUGLAS ADAMS' STORY ALONE!"

meishern's powerful argument for a white Ford!
"If earth was about to be destroyed, and a black man had a choice to save one person. Would that person be white????? "

You can note that most of these people haven't actually seen Mos Def in anything, but they're highly offended that he is black and a rapper.
Add in the grammar bitchery and people worrying that Ford will be written as a tech geek and you've got full fandork panic! Somewhere in the boards there's someone commenting on Ford's race, nevermind they haven't read more than ten pages of the first book.

(There's a small pocket of fannish dissent regarding Martin Freeman as Arthur Dent, too, but it's miniscule compared to this. Which means it's itty bitty.)


(Post a new comment)


[info]fairy_tale_echo
2004-05-18 12:31 am UTC (link)
I wish Douglas Adams could come back from the dead and beat the holy shit out of these people. Mos Def is an awesome actor and they're lucky he's involved in this project.

Every time they get a black actor in one of their movies, they just gotta have him as a professor, a brain surgeon, a computer programmer, or whatever.

And I like my black actors to only play characters like magical healers, sassy grandmas, scared maids, and ghetto thugs!

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]phosfate
2004-05-18 12:37 am UTC (link)
They can't play magical healers! That's what gay actors are for!

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]fairy_tale_echo, 2004-05-18 01:03 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]virago, 2004-05-18 04:54 am UTC
[shati @ lj] - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 05:26 am UTC
Re: [shati @ lj] - [info]virago, 2004-05-19 04:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]serai, 2004-05-18 11:43 am UTC

[info]nicolae
2004-05-18 04:50 am UTC (link)
*snickers* I know a guy who complains most frequently about "the Magic Negro." So much so that, a couple months ago, when I watched The Shining for the first time, at the end, when they're running to the snow mobile thing, I shouted, "Quick! To the Magic Negro-mobile!"

(Reply to this)(Parent)


[info]phosfate
2004-05-18 12:36 am UTC (link)
This crap always reminds me of when the first photos from Next Gen were released, and an acquaintance of mine said, "...and they've got a BLACK KLINGON?!?" Oh, quel horreur.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]llama_treats
2004-05-18 12:39 am UTC (link)
I was more like: "That's a Klingon? WTF happened to his head?!"

Not to mention: "They're going to get rid of that pointless Q guy, right?"

(Reply to this)(Parent)


(Anonymous)
2004-05-18 02:22 am UTC (link)
I know little of the Trek, but I thought all Klingons were played by black actors... Am I wrong?

--Wolfychan

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]amandatwop, 2004-05-18 02:24 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 03:17 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]amandatwop, 2004-05-19 04:32 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 04:36 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 05:10 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 05:21 am UTC
Trek ranting. Pay no attention. - [info]llama_treats, 2004-05-18 06:03 pm UTC
Re: Trek ranting. Pay no attention. - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 06:07 pm UTC
Re: Trek ranting. Pay no attention. - [info]lizzypaul, 2004-05-18 10:55 pm UTC
Re: Trek ranting. Pay no attention. - [info]calluna, 2004-05-19 06:57 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 01:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 01:23 pm UTC

[info]mucktron
2004-05-18 08:42 am UTC (link)
I feel so young. I pretty much grew up on Star Trek TNG, and had a general assumption that all Klingons were black.

I remember watching an ep of TOS with Klingons in it and me and my sister took one look and bursted into laughter.

Oh god.. now the wonderful memories are comming back of the DS9 ep with the TOS klingons.

"Worf what happend?"
"We do not discuss it."

I am SUCH a closted trekie

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]kookaburra, 2004-05-18 11:50 am UTC

[info]llama_treats
2004-05-18 12:38 am UTC (link)
OK, the Martin Freeman wank must have been microscopic, 'cos I missed it entirely.

(Not that there's anything to wank about. I think he'll be an amazing Arthur!)

(Reply to this)(Thread)


[info]thwackboom
2004-05-18 12:44 am UTC (link)
It was there when I glanced at the boards two days ago. Can't find it now! Odd, really. They were going on and on about how he's a "trendy" actor and can't be Arthur.

And I am so thrilled he's going to be in it, too. I keep calling him "TimArthur!" and then people look at me strangely.

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

Apropos of nothing... - [info]llama_treats, 2004-05-18 10:09 pm UTC

[info]littlest_lurker
2004-05-18 12:57 am UTC (link)
I don't care if the movie is set to air in 2099 or if it was filmed in 1920. As a fan of HHGTTG I'm still going to talk about it. That's like if the Soviet Union executes another 100 political prisoners, and they say, "Hey, they've already been executed. There's nothing you can do about it. No need to talk about it anymore." Be real.

You can tell this guy wanted to say "Nazi Germany" but didn't want to break Godwin's law, which is missing the point of the law to begin with.

Dude, it's a freakin' movie. Chill out. I'm a big Guide fan too, but unlike you, I do not think that a poor movie adaptation (and I doubt that this one will be) is the end of the world or equal to the deaths of humans in the USSR.

(Reply to this)(Thread)


(Anonymous)
2004-05-18 07:02 am UTC (link)
Is Goodwin's Law "everyone talks about Nazis"?

-- Azzie

(Reply to this)(Parent)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]valarltd, 2004-05-18 07:19 am UTC

[info]marginalsanity
2004-05-18 02:15 am UTC (link)
Uh... these "fans" do realize that Ford is an ALIEN, not an EARTH HUMAN?

...do they remember that ickly wittle fact?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]singe, 2004-05-18 02:43 am UTC
Re: - [info]marginalsanity, 2004-05-18 04:29 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 04:38 am UTC
Re: - [info]marginalsanity, 2004-05-18 04:44 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]thwackboom, 2004-05-18 02:59 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]valarltd, 2004-05-18 07:22 am UTC

[info]teratologist
2004-05-18 02:16 am UTC (link)
For some reason, I'd swear I've seen an illustrated version of HGttG where Zaphod was black.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]llama_treats, 2004-05-18 02:22 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]smit, 2004-05-18 02:44 am UTC
(no subject) - (Anonymous), 2004-05-18 08:11 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]llama_treats, 2004-05-18 10:10 pm UTC

[info]photosinensis
2004-05-18 03:06 am UTC (link)
I do have a few questions:

How are they going to do Zaphod? You know, with both heads (PASTEDE ON YAY!)?

What about the superintelligent shates of the color blue?

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - allen, 2004-05-18 03:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 04:39 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]serai, 2004-05-18 11:54 am UTC

[info]nicolae
2004-05-18 04:49 am UTC (link)
Because, you know, all black people hate all white people.

Oh, wait. You mean they don't?

Carry on.

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 05:28 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 05:37 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 05:38 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 05:50 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]yeats, 2004-05-18 05:57 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 04:24 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]valarltd, 2004-05-18 06:22 am UTC
What's in a name? - (Anonymous), 2004-05-19 02:09 am UTC
Re: What's in a name? - [info]llama_treats, 2004-05-19 06:09 pm UTC
Brandi, you're a fine girl. What a good wife you would be. - [info]valarltd, 2004-05-21 04:59 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sagralisse, 2004-05-19 04:42 pm UTC

(Anonymous)
2004-05-18 05:38 am UTC (link)
That wank is so funny. Ford likes technology!?! Le Gasp!! Heresy! It's not like this is science fiction or anything!

I'll admit, I was a little thrown off when I heard the actor playing Ford was black. I mean, the Ford in the BBC show was just so white, I always thought of Ford that way. With those pretty blue eyes....*sigh* I was hoping Ford would look like that. So, so very blue....

But I have a lot of faith in guys in charge of the movie, so all's well that ends well.

(Reply to this)


[info]liarliar
2004-05-18 05:38 am UTC (link)
The real question is: can he grin like the Cheshire Cat on Crack? Because that's what I look for in a Ford.

Ford, you're turning into a penguin! Stop it!

(Reply to this)


[info]iris
2004-05-18 08:26 am UTC (link)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]panthea, 2004-05-18 09:27 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]iris, 2004-05-18 09:30 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]serai, 2004-05-18 11:52 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]photosinensis, 2004-05-18 02:58 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]serai, 2004-05-18 06:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jaseroque, 2004-05-18 12:20 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 04:19 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 04:26 pm UTC

[info]panthea
2004-05-18 09:26 am UTC (link)
(reposted for clarity-- damn the margaritas!)

I must admit, I was a little disappointed myself when I heard the casting. Because I'm a purist, for one, and also (to me at least) it rather smacks of Zany Black Sidekick! syndrome.

But jeeziz, people. If your main complaint is based on some perceived fault in black people in general: well, first of all, you have problems. But second, FORD IS NOT A BLACK MAN. BECAUSE HE IS NOT A MAN. Apart from aesthetics, his "race" has no bearing whatsoever on the story, because it's not actually his race.

That's all.

(Reply to this)


[info]azarias
2004-05-18 10:48 am UTC (link)
"If earth was about to be destroyed, and a black man had a choice to save one person. Would that person be white????? "

See, in the book I read, Ford Prefect was a FRIGGIN ALIEN from the vicinity of Betelgeuse. Not so much a "man."

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]selene_avis, 2004-05-18 10:39 pm UTC

[info]serai
2004-05-18 11:49 am UTC (link)
I take it this dipshit never saw Shawshank Redemption.

Um, yeah. Ford Prefect is an ALIEN, remember? Meaning NOT FROM EARTH. As in EXTRATERRESTRIAL. Remember that concept? It doesn't freakin' MATTER what color he is. There's only one thing required to play Ford Prefect, and that's the ability to pull off a line with wit dry as sandpaper. Mos Def is damn good, and I have every confidence that his Ford will bamboozle Arthur just as if not more brilliantly than any white guy's could.

(Reply to this)


[info]random_dent
2004-05-18 12:31 pm UTC (link)
I was much more worried about the fact that he was American - I've always thought of Ford as a terribly English alien. Also, given the fact that Ford and Zaphod are semi-cousins sharing three of the same mothers it might have been more logical to cast a black guy as Zaphod (but again, they're aliens, so who knows how their genetics work).

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]gjeanz, 2004-05-19 10:33 am UTC
(no subject) - [info]sagralisse, 2004-05-19 04:49 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]gjeanz, 2004-05-19 09:53 pm UTC

[info]palingenesis
2004-05-18 04:23 pm UTC (link)
Has this one been wanked before? I seem to recall...

The best thing in all of this is people going: "it's not that he's black, it's that he's supposed to be from guildford!". Because obv there are no black people in Guildford. And obv Mos Def, being an actor, is incapable of perhaps taking on a character and doing an accent (okay, so it's more likely he'll play Ford as USian, but. Leave me to my fantasies).

(how much is this film going to rock? oh so much so much.)

(Reply to this)(Thread)

(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 04:28 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]phosfate, 2004-05-18 06:11 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]jood, 2004-05-18 07:07 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]smo, 2004-05-18 11:40 pm UTC
(no subject) - [info]zorronuevecolas, 2004-05-19 07:20 am UTC

[info]jood
2004-05-18 07:03 pm UTC (link)
I've been having a lot of fun watching the wank unfold on the Douglas Adams newsgroup.

It's mostly a lot of conjecture about Mos Def being a rap artist [gasp!]. Didn't any of these racist idiots see "The Italian Job"? And of course the fury over his being American, because, you know, actors never do accents or anything.

(Reply to this)


[info]gjeanz
2004-05-19 10:43 am UTC (link)
Oh my! I just looked up pics from the TV series for the helluvit and the actor for Ford was butt-lickin-sexy. Damn.
BBC Gallery of stills from the show.

I have no real opinion about the actual wank. Ford isn't even a human, what the fuck does it matter what he looks like? o_O Although I can say that if he is described as pale and gingery haired in the book then it would assuredly be much more accurate for him to be white. But it doesn't mean that the movie automatically sucks or something. sheesh. also, the not-at-all-veiled bigotry is horrible. Am I a hypocrite for hating bigots? *giggle*

(Reply to this)

  
   
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