I stumbled across this while doing a search on DirecTV for something else. A 1999 episode of an animated series for little kids. Nothing remarkable in itself about that -- but have a look at the cast list:
https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0931867/
I remember that show. It pretty much blackwashed every single European fairytale.
It had a lot of celebrity guest stars.
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Happily_Ever_After:_Fairy_Tales_for_Every_Child
I remember that show too. Wasn't the idea that it was interpreting fairytales for different areas of the world and different cultures, so as to make it more inclusive for kids of all different backgrounds?
"Blackwashing" seems a contemptuous way to describe it.
No, calling it blackwashing is not contemptuous, it's an accurate description .
Why do European fairy tales need to be made "more inclusive"??? If anything is contemptuous, it's an attitude like that. Don't they realize those different areas and cultures have their own fairy tales?
I didn't say they need to be, I simply stated that was the intention and I had no problem with it in the mid-90s and still don't have a problem with it 30 years later.
And I simply disagreed that it's "contemptuous" to say it's a case of blackwashing, because there's no good reason to make European fairy tales "more inclusive".
Sure, it's your perogative to have no problem with blackwashing.
Again, I don't consider it blackwashing so there's nothing for me to have a problem with.
I see it no differently than interpreting a piece of early 19th century European literature like Emma and making it about vapid American teenagers like they did with Clueless in the 90s. For me it's about accentuating the universal values of the text and showing they can relate to different locations / eras / cultures.
It seems you are a bit hung up on the change of skin colour. To me it's not a big deal.
Transporting one particular story to modern times is not exactly the same as changing the ethnicity in every single fairy tale.
"It seems you are a bit hung up on the change of skin colour"
And it seems you are a bit hung up on making assumptions.
If anyone's hung up on the change of skin colour, it's the people behind this show who felt the need to change the skin colour of characters in stories that apparently have "universal" values and relatability.
I do wonder if there are any adults of different ethnic backgrounds out there who watched this as kids, it would be interesting to know if they found it a positive thing to see characters of similar appearance to themselves in stories which traditionally depict only one ethnicity. I think it would have been a thrill for those kids, which is most certainly a good thing, right?
Ethnicities were changed in Clueless so yes, I would argue it's exactly the same thing. Interpretation of an old text to introduce it to a modern audience.
Anyway, there's probably not much more to add to this. There's only so much time one can spend discussing a random 3-decade old show before it gets a bit silly! Let's just be glad that the concept of this show didn't make the sky fall in - WE SURVIVED!!!
A modern-day, satirical retelling of Emma changing the skin colour of two minor characters is really not the same as a tv show that's all about changing the ethnicity of fairy tale characters in every single episode.
"I think it would have been a thrill for those kids, which is most certainly a good thing, right?"
I can't say I consider it a good thing if kids can only relate to a character of their own ethnicity. I mean, shouldn't I have watched this show just because I was a white kid?
I remember being disappointed at 11-12 years old (not exactly the target audience, but I'm a big fairy tale fan). Not only because they tried to pass off European fairy tales as non-European, but mostly because they didn't show any unfamiliar fairy tales from other cultures. A missed opportunity to actually do something interesting with "diversity".
All I did was give my two cents about a cartoon I hadn't even thought about since the 90s.🤷♀️
Children of Color are aware they aren't represented in Snow White. Not right away, but at some point they do. If we can have modern versions of these stories that include children of color, they can have the same dreams and aspirations as all the other kids who hope and imagine they might also be the Heroine or get Prince Charming. There's nothing wrong with this.
share"Children of Color are aware they aren't represented in Snow White"
Lol, seriously? One, small children don't see colour. Two, children don't care about representation either, they just want a cool story. I can't say I ever felt represented by any character in Snow White or any other fairy tale. Some of the best fairy tales have male heroes and I never gave a shit about that. You relate to the character you like, not the one that looks like you.
Just like the folks behind this show you seem to think that other cultures don't have stories that can teach all of those things???
There's nothing wrong with children knowing that these specific fairy tales come from a European culture.
If you say so.
shareWhy so snappy?
I've worked with children. They all pretty much want and like the same things. They identify with stuff like minions.
Also, when I was a small kid, I wanted to look like Whitney Houston in I Wanna Dance with Somebody, because she was pretty, fashionable and sang a catchy tune.
Robin Williams as a Arabic Genie who references American culture in an interpretation of an Arabic folklore story.
Somewhere, Stratego's head is exploding.
Why so childish???
Genie was funny, although it's always a bit of a shame they situate the story in the Arabic world instead of around China.
lol
shareLindsay Lohan as Elizabeth Taylor. Biggest disaster ever, lol.
shareThey were hoping for an Oscar nomination for one of them.
shareWhat the hell
shareAlso check out the movie “foodfight”
share