'oh he thinks he's black'

It's an interesting point. I'm Jewish, and any Jewish references like the one you made always make me think and wonder...you are right, there would be much more of an uproar if they used a cheap Yarmulke-wearing character for comic relief with an explanation of "Oh he thinks he's Jewish." So to that end, you're spot on. I wouldn't really be offended, but I'm not easily offendable. However, the white-guy-who-acts- black has become a stock character in many comedies, (the guy in "Barbershop," Jamie Kennedy in "Malibu's Most Wanted," Seth Green in "Can't Hardly Wait," to name a few) and that character is used and seen in different ways. Barbershop was a more realistic character-driven movie, so the character in that movie was not cartoonish like the Vince Vaughn character seems to be. There was also the Sean Patrick Thomas character, who was a black guy accused of "acting white." On the one hand, it's insulting to think that a white guy "acting black" is acting like an idiot and that a black guy "acting white" is acting like a snob, but on the other hand a lot of people do think that way, and so a movie like Barbershop is simply reflecting how people think about race.

It seems from the previews and from what I've read that "Be Cool" is a dumb movie and that the Vince Vaughn character is a dumb character who is just being used as comic relief--the-white-g uy-who-thinks-he's-b lack. You're not going to get a lot of realistic character work in this movie, and it's not going to deal with its characters in an honest way, so you're not going to get the kind of insight that you got with the characters in "Barbershop," and so the VV character is going to be just insulting rather than satirical or honest. If he was acting stereotypically Jewish or Chinese or gay, and everyone just wrote off his behavior because "Oh he thinks he's (whatever)" then there probably would be more conversation about it, but I don't think that would necessarily be because people were insulted. Part of it would be that, but a lot of it would be because a mock-Jew or mock-gay guy isn't a stock comic character like what I've been talking about and because there aren't a lot of white guys who are trying to be cool by being Chinese or a lot of black guys trying to be cool by being Jewish or a lot of straight guys trying to be cool by being white. And really, that's what it's about: white people are people, and people want to be popular and well liked, and hip-hop and black gangster lifestyles are popular, and that's all it is. White people don't want to be black, they want to be cool, and right now "black" is cool. Is the VV character insulting and offensive? You were offended, so there you go. Would I be offended if it were a similar thing but with a guy "acting Jewish?" Maybe, maybe not, but you're probably more sensitive to that kind of thing than I am because of the enormous amount of negative stereotypical images of blacks in media throughout American history. I would chalk it up to lazy writers just wanting to come up with a sitcom-like "funny character" and going back to the well with the white-guy-who-acts- like-a-gangster character. It's a dumb movie, I wouldn't sweat it, but it's an interesting point you've made. Thanks for sharing. Have a good day.


"That makes me a saaaaad panda."

I'm with you man. That line made me cringe every time I heard it in the trailer, and more so in the actual movie because the line just created yet another useless stereotype - especially coming from a black woman. I don't see her acting all "twinkle twinkle" and "trippin" so how can he be acting black if the actual black actors don't? And what's with 'acting black' anyway? Can't people just be who they want to be without someone telling them 'no you can't be like that 'coz you're white'. Or like in Undercover Brother when he eats mayonaise and someone infers that he can't eat mayonaise because he's black.

Who made a rule that people have to conform to their racial stereotype and not be allowed to think outside the box? It's like - 'you're white so you can't wear a big hat and outrageously loud overcoat with gold chains' and then say to the next guy 'oh but you can wear all that coz you're black'.

And I wouldn't be laying blame on Vince Vaughn either - the blame lies on the screenwriter and to a lesser degree the director (who is black). Be Cool was as boring as movies come anyway, so to sum up: lazy lines + lazy story = lazy screenwriter.

Kimba hit the nail on the head. The line was "He's just TRYING to act black" or something along those lines. He wasn't portrayed as truly ACTING black, he was only TRYING, based on his own stereotypical "urban" view of what "black" is. Ultimately, he failed.

everyone in these boards take things to seriously...it was meant to be funny and it was achieved. Also he wasn't trying to put down blacks or anyone else for that matter, if anything it was meant for white people to try to act black. Which lets face it there are a lot of people like that. People shouldn't be offeneded by it because it was that big of a deal. If he was instead making fun of hispanics or puerto ricans (which i am) i wouldn't be offended or upset. and lastly everyone should remember IT IS JUST A MOVIE.

to shockedstudent:
I'm sure that Vince's character wasn't meant to offend anyone, but more to make the movie funny. I know that Raji and Elliot are what "made" the movie.
Would homosexual people be offended that The Rock played a gay person in the movie even though he is straight in reality? I'm not sure, but I know that as an asian, I wasn't offended when watching "Not Another Teen Movie". In the film there is a charater who pretends to be asian when he is obviously not. I took it as a joke and laughed. One of his quotes from the movie was "What up my yellow brothers? *beep* in the house!" I thought it was funny, but everyone is different. If something like a movie upsets you as much as it seems, just ignore it. Also in the movie, Cedric the Entertainer's character was a rich, powerful movie producer with a big house and a nice car. He had class when he wore a collared shirt underneath his jersey. This character probably went to college or worked very hard to get to where he was. And as you go to college you will have a big house and a nice car. Instead of complaining about a movie character, you can be the change, and break the stereotype.

point probably been made, but for one, i actually know a black kid who acts like vince vaughn in the movie, so there is some kind of basis in fact. two, it's utterly, utterly pointless to get offended by this movie. it is a comedy. getting offended at a comedy is flat annoying to people around who get to hear about it.

i could have taken offense that there was a sterotypical ballsy blonde in the movie, or the fact that there was a sterotypical struggling young woman, or the fact that there were sterotypical russian mobsters, but did i? no, because i know that would be stupid and pointless, because again, this is a comedy.

yes, i understand your point. "he's acting stupid and they justified it by saying he thinks he's black." but my point is this. "you got offended and that's completely pointless, because there's really nothing to get offended at."

now, i have no masters, in fact i'm probably dropping out of high school at the end of this year (i'm a jr, 15yo), and i think i've made a valid and intelligent point. i fail to see how you having college degrees has *anything* to do with this. i wouldn't think so with this line: "i'm just kidding, but i'm actually not." i expect that from a 12yo, not someone with multiple college degrees.

I am not going to read through all the responses so if this is a repeat, please, don't be hatin'. Vince Vaughn's character is an idiot. He is not only pretending to be black, but he is pretending to be many things he isn't - hip, tough, smart, streetwise, etc. That he is "acting black", but only acting out a stereotype is indicative of his overall stupidity. He is a phony all around and that extends to his portrayal of what "black" is.

"If you don't agree with me you are obviously an ass."

Hmmm, If this Character offended you then I think I should become offended every time is see The Wayans brothers dressed up like "white chicks", imitating their behavior(Stereotyping white girls to all be that way)? Or maybe I should get angry whenever I see "Undercover Brother" and they assume that all white people like mayonnaise and dress like golfers while talking like nerds. Wasn't there a comedy show with Method Man and Red Man? You know, where they move into a white suburban neighborhood with all of the rich white people who were uptight, uncool and dorky because they weren't knowledgeable in Ebonics slang. I guess I could get offended and freak out like that, but it happens so often, that I just ignore it now.....and I'm positive that the list of movies go on. Who cares, get over it, we're all made fun of....just grow some thick skin!