MovieChat Forums > Project Greenlight (2001) Discussion > Effie=An Argument Against Diversity, and...

Effie=An Argument Against Diversity, and I HATE That

posted 9 years ago by fletcbk
21 replies | jump to latest

Effie Brown is right that it is harder for people of color to get behind the scenes jobs--and I'm speaking from experience--but her appearance on Project Greenlight isn't helping things AT ALL. It is really important to note that most black producers or behind-the-scenes people in Hollywood do NOT act like this, but if a white Hollywood person were watching Project Greenlight they might think "man, I don't know if it's worth it."

If she hadn't made a big deal about race in the first episode, Matt Damon wouldn't have looked like a oblivious white privilege idiot and been roundly criticized on the internet.

If she hadn't instigated territorial drama with Peter Farrelly, he wouldn't have looked like he was trying to cast her as the "angry black woman" even though he really wasn't.

If she had been more on Jason's side about shooting on film--which she never even really considered honestly--she could have avoided a lot of unnecessary drama with everyone involved, even though even HBO was open to the idea. It's pretty bad when your own PRODUCER is a bigger obstacle to your vision than the studio. [Ditto for the real car flip over a greenscreen one.]

If she had had a less egotistical, "It's about my role not being usurped" attitude during preproduction it wouldn't have created a lot of unnecessary drama.

If she had not insisted on hiring a "diverse" location producer over anything else, they might have gotten one that properly got the Beverly Hills home owner signatures and the permit to shoot at night BEFORE the damn movie was rolling production, thus avoiding a huge script change and headache. This woman seemed straight-up incompetent, and I doubt Effie would have defended her if she were someone else.

If she was not constantly, relentlessly concerned with getting "credit" or proper respect doing production, her insecurities would not have driven tension and made every damn thing harder during the shoot.

If she had not complained about the black actor playing a driver--a driver isn't in itself a negative stereotype or bad portrayal--then a black actor would have had a JOB, and she's actually costing black actors jobs by being so worried about how they're portrayed. This also applies to her wanting to change the original script which would have featured a black prostitute in the lead role, but The Leisure Class has no black characters.

If she were not so worried about someone disrespecting her experience on "17 movies" then she would notice she's alienating people like the Farrellys, Matt Damon, Ben Affleck, etc. who have worked on MUCH more than 17 movies (and much bigger ones), and she might actually learn something from them.

Anyway...I really hope people don't come away with the idea that most black behind-the-scenes people in Hollywood behave this way, because they don't, and if you look at Effie's long list of credits there are very few movies you would have actually heard of. Most producers are much more supportive of a director's vision, and act as a negotiator between the studio and the director, instead of the studio being more a negotiator between the director and producer. Yes, producers have to be the bad guy sometimes, but she seemed to get a weird power trip out of saying "no" to Jason, and seemed to resent that things were so easy for him.

She also seemed to take a perverse delight in things going wrong for him, like it was some validation of something she'd said earlier. All in all, I compare the way she talked about him to the way he talked about her (he didn't truly bad mouth her like she did him), and the way she acted on set vs. the way the producers of "The Chair" treated Shane Dawson on the set of his movie even though he was much more unreasonable, closed-off, and less qualified. The shoot would have been much, m-u-c-h more harmonious with another producer.

A true professional doesn't act like this, and isn't really as driven by their ego. And my only fear is that a white executive or Hollywood heavy hitter would look at this and say "Oh, this isn't worth it. I don't want to come off looking like a racist arguing with her about everything when I can just not hire a black person and no one would be the wiser." The irony is that people like Effie are so worried about Hollywood diversity, yet they unintentionally prove the case against it by making people more leary of hiring persons of color out of fear of a contentious work experience.

[–] Duane505 9 years ago

If she had been more on Jason's side about shooting on film--which she never even really considered honestly--she could have avoided a lot of unnecessary drama with everyone involved, even though even HBO was open to the idea. It's pretty bad when your own PRODUCER is a bigger obstacle to your vision than the studio. [Ditto for the real car flip over a greenscreen one.]

This is where I stopped reading your wall of words because you have it completely backwards, and it shows your attack on Effie is completely unfounded so there's really no point reading the rest.

Len Amato didn't want to shoot on film because they didn't have the time and it wasn't in the budget. Effie was against shooting on film because Len is her boss and she was doing her damn job. If you want to blame somebody for creating drama, blame Jason for pressing the issue when he should have been worried about more important things.

And it was HBO, not Effie, that vetoed the car stunt because Jason didn't give them enough time to plan it properly, and they didn't want another incident like the one that killed Sarah Jones. Len mentioned this during the phone conversation that Jason sat in on. Len told Jason he was going to have to scale it back, so there's no excuse for him thinking he could get the car flip.

[–] fletcbk 9 years ago

"This is where I stopped reading your wall of words because you have it completely backwards, and it shows your attack on Effie is completely unfounded so there's really no point reading the rest."

Then you shouldn't comment at all. I'm serious. You can't judge what's unfounded or not based off one third of a message...seriously. No question about it.

BUT, even in the limited capacity you chose to comment, you were wrong.

Ultimately, Jason got his wish to shoot in film, and it was only because he went around/above Effie. That's it...the studio ultimately agreed to it, and it was through Ben Affleck/Damon because Effie never even wanted to consider shooting on film. You can say Jason should have been more worried about important things, BUT at that point he'd already picked his cast, changed his script completely, and made his thoughts on location known. To him, shooting on film was really important, and who are we to say it's not? I know she thought it would be cheaper to shoot on digital, but if Affleck/Damon were able to get HBO to agree then that meant the money wasn't as unavailable as she kept insisting it was. She never really believed in shooting with film, and never even tried, and I don't see how anyone can dispute that.

That was my biggest overall beef about Effie. It was like every artistic choice Jason really wanted was misintrepreted as an affront to her ego or someone trying to tell her her business. She kept saying things couldn't be done, but then they were done and she'd get upset that it was from above her head, so...I don't know. Ultimately, Jason just didn't have a very cooperative producer, and Marc Jobear even admitted (on the day of the reshoots) that the shoot was a lot smoother without Effie being there, and it would have added work for him if he'd had to squash the tension between them.

And I know, I know, you'll say "But they only got the reshoots because she'd saved money in the budget" as all Effie apologists have said--like that would excuse all the unncessary drama from the first 7 episodes--BUT this is actually HER JOB, and the only reason we're talking about her saving the money is because she was relentless in insisting she get credit for that by bringing it up, and having an "I told you so" attitude about it. That's her job, and she acts like she's the world's best producer for seeing that some reshoots would be necessary, as ANY damn producer in Hollywood would know in an accelerated, fluid, chaotic production schedule. They were changing the script constantly during production--even for big things like time of day the story takes place--so any producer would know to save a little for reshoots. It's like a janitor emptying all the trash cans before a Christmas party and then relentlessly patting himself on the back for knowing people would throw up in the cans.

[–] Latoija 9 years ago

I read your entire post and I agree with Duane. You have a lot of opinions but not a lot of facts.

Just on the point of film there have been several interview with both Jason and Effie and both of them have said that the film decision was coming from HBO. It wasn't until Affleck offered to take a pay cut that they changed their tune.

A lot of people just don't like Effie. I am not one of them, she has her faults, but she did her job. She has openly admitted that she could have done somethings differently. No one on the show was perfect they all contributed to the environment on set. But it seems in some peoples eyes only one person be it Effie or Jason it the one they lay the blame on. It is childish and silly.

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Shut it down

[–] fletcbk 9 years ago

"No one on the show was perfect they all contributed to the environment on set."

Except that we never actually saw Jason directly criticize Effie until very late in the production. A lot of his to-the-camera commentary was about the actual shoot or challenges he was facing, not much about Effie. And it did really seem to come from one direction.

He didn't seem to actually initiate a lot of the conflict. We saw him, you know, actually busy working while we saw Effie mostly badmouthing him, laughing around with people, eating, and causing drama--like instigating separate squabbles with Jason BUT ALSO Damon, Bobby Farrelly, the casting of the black driver, and even her biggest advocate (Marc) saying the last day of filming went smoother without her.

People want to focus exclusively on whether she was right in dealing with Jason, but what about the other needless squabbles? Can five separate people all be wrong while she's exclusively right? The job of a producer is to alienate the director's mentor to the point that he quits? REALLY?

BUT my initial post wasn't really about whether Effie is right or wrong, BUT about how Effie's behavior will unintentionally make people leary about the very thing she cares so much about: diversity behind the camera. And it's not just because she can't work with Jason, it's because she unintentionally got Damon called a race-oblivious fool on the internet, Peter Farrelly to quit, a controversy with casting a black driver, etc.

You're talking about a half a dozen conflicts throughout a production, and I don't think I'm entirely wrong to think at least some white Hollywood power players might view that as an argument against hiring someone like Effie, which is a disaster. I'm saying it's a cruel irony that her appearance on Project Greenlight may very well make people less likely to hire black producers, and it's important for people to know (again) that most black behind the scenes people do not act like they're trying out for the Real Housewives of Atlanta when they make a movie.

[–] Latoija 9 years ago

But your argument is flawed. Like I said it is based on your opinion off what was presented to you by the people who made PG. The fact is that you have no idea what was left out. None of us will ever know what it is we don't know about the making of the film. Jason and Effie have both said they have met up and commiserated over how they have been portrayed on the show.

Anyone who takes what was presented on the show as gospel and hesitates in hiring black people likely had reservations before the show. You don't hire people based on what you see on a television show if you don't already have other issues going in.

I only pointed out that you where wrong in that instance to prove my point that you wrote a wall of text full of opinion, not facts. None of what you said is provable it is mostly conjecture and it's colored by perception. All you have to do is read some of the interviews that the two of them have done to promote the show and it contradicts some basic things that where shown on HBO.

I don't care about assigning blame. Or any of that silliness that is why this was a frustrating season to watch. The only other reality show I watch is The Great British Bake Off and there is zero drama on that show. I am just saying that you are not working with all the information and you are stating opinion as if it is fact.

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Shut it down

[–] fletcbk 9 years ago

But then by your own admission, you really shouldn't even be talking then? If I do not have enough total information to make a decision, then you don't have any information to refute my decision.

If my opinions--that you can't really dispute, despite calling them opinions over and over again like we're in a ****ing courtroom instead of a messageboard--are invalid, then you really don't even have enough information to respond.

It's a desperate argument, truthfully.

Effie complaining about what was shown on the show is a falsehood because she knows she looks bad. [And has now hired P.R. firms to spam boards like this one to reshape the narrative.] People have been doing this with reality shows for years and years, and it also smacks of desperation. She is not the first person in the history of television to act one way for the cameras, and then regret that way when it actually airs. It's nothing new but I DO NOT think HBO edited her into freaking over a black limo driver, fighting with Farrelly, having an argument with Damon about the casting, constantly bringing up race, and eventually saying "kiss my ass" to the cameras. I don't think they can edit that...that is someone's behavior, and it's phony to complain about it after the fact. Yes, a TV show wants drama, but Effie seemed more than happy to give it to them...

[–] Latoija 9 years ago

I seriously feel like I fell through the looking glass. Is your argument really that I can't suggest that you don't have all the information because I don't have all the information. That makes sense to you right now?

You titled all this "An Argument Agaisnt Diversity" I wasn't holding you to an argument because of some legal requirement just because all of us learn in basic writing comp in grade school to write and argument with facts. And to write a opinion with our opinions. I am not trying to argue anything with you I have no side, like I said. You however chose to single Effie out in this post so that is why I am discussing her. If someone posted about Jason being a white devil, I would reply the same way. No one on the show was perfect they all made mistakes. They have all addressed them in interviews since the show has aired. I would suggest again you check some of them out. Jason's interviews as well as Effie's.

In the end of the day it seems that you don't really want to have any discussion with me and that is fine. The two of us have different opinions on this topic and that is fine. I don't think that opinions are invalid but that are not facts and can not be presented as such. I don't think that your opinions are invalid, just off the mark. We could go back and forth forever about what you think is right and what I do. But in the end of the day, you are far more passionate about this than I am so I am going to stop here. Good day.

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Shut it down

[–] Mikee333 9 years ago

Perfectly stated.

[–] oscarunger 9 years ago

Effie doesnt represent black people anymore than Jason represents white people. race has nothing to do with her job. (at least that's how I see it)

[–] Mikee333 9 years ago

And that was exactly the point the OP was making.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] fletcbk 9 years ago

"Who sees one black person and thinks that we're all the same? Bigots. And would you really want to work for someone like that?"

Hollywood--despite what you might think--is an EXTREMELY controversy-averse industry. They do not want controversies about race to cloud the marketing or perception of a TV show/movie/actor. So when Matt Damon got caught up in this mess a few weeks before The Martian opened, the studio probably freaked, had him apologize, that apology was deemed "defensive" by a lot of people, and he had to apologize again, and all because of a few sentences he said on some minor-league HBO show that almost no one is watching. It's probably not the grand Project Greenlight resurrection Damon/Affleck were hoping for.

The real world effect: Damon has to be even more guarded, and that means possibly not doing another PG season, and definitely not speaking his honest opinion about race ever again.

Calling people bigots does not--in and of itself--change a damn thing, it just makes them bunker down into a tribalistic world where "people get them" and makes them give phony press statements of apology while in the real world makes them a lot more leary of hiring black people that might "take things the wrong way." And all people are like this...like Isaiah Washington probably hasn't spent much time around gay people since he was fired from Grey's Anatomy. It's human nature to retreat to people "who get you."

"Its like you're mad at her because she might cause you to lose work, when you should be mad at those people who probably wouldn't hire you anyway"

What a wonderful world you must live in where someone can pout until they work with people who are as nice as Ghandi. I wish I lived in that world, but since I don't I will say that I AM mad at Effie for behaving like a huge stereotype. Effie behaved like a CARICATURE of what white Hollywood people think about black producers anyway--drama-driven, hung-up about casting black actors in certain parts, bringing up race over any other consideration, not working well within a white establishment, constantly worried about "disrespect," being fine on micro-indies but insecure around big Hollywood people--AND THAT ****ing SUCKS because most black people in TV/Movies do NOT behave this way. Just look at the way other black people on set were actually concerned with their jobs while Effie was more concerned with getting credit, people "staying in their lane," or badmouthing people around her. To break it down to an idiot's level, other black people on set=professional, Effie=not professional, and it sucks that her behavior has monopolized the conversation.

Why does it suck? If I set out to make a movie and a TV show about the making of that movie, then it wouldn't thrill me that 90% of the conversation was about the black female producer's disagreements with white men and that blowing up into Twitter tribes arguing about race. It's the exact kind-of thing a Hollywood person wants to avoid, and she seemed only to happy to create an environment that might be okay for a college campus but that Hollywood wants to avoid like the plague for their products. [Maybe Effie didn't learn this on "Dear White People" or the micro-indies she worked on, but she'll have to if she wants to produce something that costs more than 10 million to make.]

People arguing with me are not getting that if the choice is between "spirited debate of race" by hiring a black person OR avoiding race altogether by not hiring them, Hollywood will always choose the latter. You can argue all day about whether this should be so--like we get that luxury--but in the meantime it would have been a HELL of a lot better for diversity in film if Effie hadn't acted like a huge damn stereotype the whole process.

[–] 9 years ago

[deleted]

[–] douces 9 years ago

If she had not complained about the black actor playing a driver--a driver isn't in itself a negative stereotype or bad portrayal--then a black actor would have had a JOB, and she's actually costing black actors jobs by being so worried about how they're portrayed. This also applies to her wanting to change the original script which would have featured a black prostitute in the lead role, but The Leisure Class has no black characters.

Her instructions were not carried out so she replaced the extra (who was still paid). Is it really "complaining" to have a subordinate correct a mistake they made in carrying out instructions?

A driver isn't a "bad portrayal", but it has been traditionally seen as being part of the servant class. Did you even listen to her reasoning or the part where the other producer agreed with her?

It's also exaggeration to describe an extra who is on set for one day as having a "job". If you think that's meaningful employment for anyone I think you are out of touch. Effie is not just concerned with getting black people on screen in any capacity, so I'm not sure why you bring up the black man losing his "job".

Anyway...I really hope people don't come away with the idea that most black behind-the-scenes people in Hollywood behave this way, because they don't, and if you look at Effie's long list of credits there are very few movies you would have actually heard of.

The irony is that people like Effie are so worried about Hollywood diversity, yet they unintentionally prove the case against it by making people more leary of hiring persons of color out of fear of a contentious work experience.

Why do you keep assuming that people are going to judge all black people by one black producer? It's sounds like you're just assuming people are racists. And what is this "argument against diversity" you are referring to in your post title? You think Effie is an argument against diversity?

[–] fletcbk 9 years ago

"A driver isn't a "bad portrayal", but it has been traditionally seen as being part of the servant class. Did you even listen to her reasoning or the part where the other producer agreed with her?"

In Lee Daniel's The Butler, the MLK character debates the notion that black domestics are stereotypes instead of subversions of that stereotype. Again, all this is great fodder for a collegiate class on Black Representations in Media, BUT perhaps not as helpful in making an actual film where you literally stop production to replace something as small as an extra...which results in a totally white film, by the way.

Plus, we are talking about a black driver. Not a criminal. Not a sex fiend. Not a deviant in any way. Just a driver. Do all black people have to be portrayed as millionaires? Because that's actually NOT our reality. Maybe Effie is the one who's "out of touch" if she thinks it is. Her lofty argument against racism actually opened up a real one against classism.

"It's also exaggeration to describe an extra who is on set for one day as having a "job". If you think that's meaningful employment for anyone I think you are out of touch."

It kind-of sucks debating this stuff with people who aren't in the business, but the fact is that for every actor you've heard of there are 1000 who would kill for you to hear of them. And a non-working actor is thrilled for that "meaningless" job as a chaffeur. People starting out will take any break they can get, and I'm sure that actor would have rather been on screen (however brief) as a chaffeur than being replaced by a white actor because Effie decided black people can't be working class on screen.

I could understand the concerns about Shane Dawson's film (shot on "The Chair" over on Starz, an arguably better show about making movies) being racist, because I actually was offended by the stereotype of a black homeless guy literally eating **** with few other black characters in the movie, BUT this is different.

Effie had already voiced objections to the original script's offering of a black female prostitute in the lead role---even though most young black actresses who cannot get arrested in Hollywood would have probably loved to have that part---and maybe that made sense since we didn't get to see the script and it may have been offensive for all we know, BUT this case just seemed ridiculous.

Another argument against diversity=if you're having to be so concerned about a black actor then most people will just avoid the drama and cast a white one. Seriously. It's always been a bit of a double-edged sword that people complain about the lack of diversity in movies/TV shows (which is real) but then overly scrutinize the roles that are cast with black actors. Most black actors cannot afford to be that choosy with parts, and would rather play a prostitute (especially a lead which could subvert the stereotype) or limo driver than make zero dollars. Effie doesn't like the original script because it's a prostitute is okay...THEN she doesn't like the wedding scene because there are no black extras...THEN doesn't want black subservients at the wedding in butler-type roles and replaces a black extra merely because it's subservient to have a job on film that doesn't pay 100K a year apparently...Most Hollywood people would avoid the headache and just cast white people. Seriously.

[–] douces 8 years ago

BUT perhaps not as helpful in making an actual film where you literally stop production to replace something as small as an extra...which results in a totally white film, by the way.

In what sense did she stop production? She asked that her instructions be carried out correctly. There is no indication she stopped production.

It's a "totally white film". What's your point? There were no speaking roles for anyone other than white people regardless of who played the chauffeur. It's ridiculous to even suggest that having a black extra show up for a second would make it any less of a white film or in some way represent diversity. There were also non-white extras in the wedding scene.

It kind-of sucks debating this stuff with people who aren't in the business, but the fact is that for every actor you've heard of there are 1000 who would kill for you to hear of them. And a non-working actor is thrilled for that "meaningless" job as a chaffeur. People starting out will take any break they can get, and I'm sure that actor would have rather been on screen (however brief) as a chaffeur than being replaced by a white actor because Effie decided black people can't be working class on screen.

Thank you for the condescending lesson. I am in the business: I work in entertainment business development. I don't work with actors, but I am very aware of the reality of being an actor. No matter how happy the black background actor was with his "role" it is meaningless to almost everyone but him. Being an extra in a film is not a break and no one talks about extra roles as breaking into the business. Of course he would have preferred to be on screen, but why should anyone care what some random extra wants or prefers? Effie is the producer: what she wants is important.

Effie had already voiced objections to the original script's offering of a black female prostitute in the lead role---even though most young black actresses who cannot get arrested in Hollywood would have probably loved to have that part---and maybe that made sense since we didn't get to see the script and it may have been offensive for all we know, BUT this case just seemed ridiculous.

If you watched the show, you'd know that Effie was not the only one who had problems with the black prostitute. And what does it matter if a black actress would have loved to get the role? Why should Effie care if a black actress wants that role? You keep talking about these actors wanting roles, but you fail to explain why we should care what they want? What the director and producer want is important. What an extra and some hypothetical black actress want are of zero importance.

In Lee Daniel's The Butler, the MLK character debates the notion that black domestics are stereotypes instead of subversions of that stereotype.

Awesome. Clearly Effie does not share this opinion, so I'm not sure how it's relevant. I don't think having a black chauffeur in this film would have been subversive. You also mention that a black prostitute may have been subversive in some way. Now you're just making things up!

Another argument against diversity=if you're having to be so concerned about a black actor then most people will just avoid the drama and cast a white one.

This is not an argument against diversity. This is a reason why diverse casting may not occur, but it is not an "argument" against anything. I'm not sure how you can even speak for "most people" in this case.

[–] onyx80 9 years ago

Respectfully,

If someone of color is denied a job simply because of the behavior of one black woman on a reality show - because let's face it, that's what Project Greenlight is, a reality show - then the problem is with that individual. And it would show why there's still a the need for EEO laws, because denial based on race, sex, religion, is illegal.

Now, that's not to say someone can't think that way. However, to put it into practice could be a career killer.

Here's the thing. Trying to keep people in line with the old timey thinking of "don't rock the boat or you'll mess it up for us" well, as someone who's lived through segregation, I just wanna say that the advancements made like voting rights, desegregation in schools, etc) wouldn't have happened with that attitude.

I recall that the NAACP woke up once college students started lunch counter sit ins and children became part of the Freedom marches. And yes, there were black and whites who warned against doing anything to make some whites upset.

But you what? The people who didn't believe in race mixing were never going to be won over. It was the ones who believed in fairness, and that it was time for a change who joined in with the movement.

So, the people who don't like Effie, well, that's what free will is all about. There's nothing saying that anyone has to like Effie, or for that matter, Jason.
However, imho Jason and Effie were part of a show that fed off their drama.

Personality clashes happen all the time in real life. But by having the ability to record and play back episodes that were edited in order to get their interactions, every little thing was made bigger, like their facial expressions and favorite sayings. Nuance doesn't work on these shows. The bigger the personality (or the quirkier) the more camera time they'll get.

The passion you're displaying in your posts are exactly what they (the show creators) want. But the other trick is to get more viewers via dedicated people who talk about each episode and to get new viewers to watch.

If a camera followed around any one of us for several weeks, you can imagine the quiet times would be edited out and the drama amped up for maximum effect.

In that respect the show didn't do anyone a favor, including Matt and Ben. And speaking of Matt, his quote “My comments were part of a much broader conversation about diversity in Hollywood and the fundamental nature of ‘Project Greenlight’ which did not make the show. I am sorry that they offended some people, but, at the very least, I am happy that they started a conversation about diversity in Hollywood.” highlights just how editing can affect context and perception, though I don't agree with his statement of when diversity should occur. I say this as budding independent filmmaker using digital for my first feature (yeah, I'm starting late, but better late than never).

You ended with, "And my only fear is that a white executive or Hollywood heavy hitter would look at this and say "Oh, this isn't worth it. I don't want to come off looking like a racist arguing with her about everything when I can just not hire a black person and no one would be the wiser."

There was a time that blacks were played by whites in blackface (for example, Al Jolson) and The Birth of Nation, a film that has scenes that glorifies the KKK is still used to "teach" communication students about early FX. More recently The LA times did an article regarding the racial makeup of Oscar voters. The majority were white and male. A few years after that there was a Hollywood exec quoted as saying he wouldn't vote Quvenzhané Wallis for best actress because he couldn't pronounce her name. I say all this because while Effie and Jason made for must-see-TV for some, people will find all sorts of reasons to put up a roadblock, and Hollywood has a long history of exclusion instead of inclusion. Perhaps that's part of the reason Effie fights so hard for diversity. Perhaps now that she's in a position to do something about it, that's what she's doing. It may not be anyone else's cuppa, but that's her thing. Jason's thing was staying true to his art and using film, and fighting that The Leisure Class reflected his original vision.

At the end of the day, unless someone has watched PGL, it's the final film that will be the legacy on both Effie and Jason's resume.

I think they both learned something from this experience. But for myself, after watching a number of reality shows (like the Loud family from the PBS show An American Family) the high "drama" on PGL felt very scripted. Personally, I'd like to see the unedited footage, but that will never happen.

[–] dmbsw61380 8 years ago

I could not agree with your post any more and just find it mind blowing that people could really view Effi much differently than this. Spot on!!

[–] phreak9 8 years ago

Effie sucks. plain and simple.

Imagine an extremely busy and hectic restuarant kitchen at 5pm. Then add assistant manager Effie to the mix.

Disaster. Total Effing disaster. So bad the whole thing would be better without her.

I have had female black coworkers, female black friends, and a female black roommate and YES I fear their loud ME ME ME Effie type drama!!! ALL OF THEM!!!! ALL FRIGGIN 10 OF THEM!!!
It gets so traumatizing that I can remember the last time I had to deal with anything like it. A black woman was yelling in the middle of an empty parking lot of a Burger King. She was waiting for the bus and storming around the paring lot on the phone. Whoever her 'man' was he is in trouble. I was driving by in my car, on the opposite side of the road mind you, and heard plenty.

Loud black woman is a stereotype and Effie didnt help it at all

[–] sixpetite 8 years ago

It wasn't the location manager's fault, what happened was a direct result of JASON not compromising and picking a location a month before when she first showed it to him. If he had she would have between able to do her job and secured the signatures.

[–] theunopeneddoor-697-442391 7 years ago

Except that's *beep* Jason picked TWO locations, they didn't work out, but the show edited that out to make it more "dramatic" and paint Jason as the bad guy.

The Jason we saw on the show was a character, not the real Jason.

http://www.slashfilm.com/project-greenlight-season-4-fake/

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