This is NOT an original idea

I hated this piece of manipulative tripe, which somehow pretended to be a novel and even 'revolutionary' idea. I was doubly irritated when I found many suggesting that used-to-be-comedian Eddie Murphy had 'started' the race reversal thing on a Saturday Night Live skit. Dream on.

Almost 50 years ago (in 1959), when rampant racism was exploding all over the south, a courageous white journalist and World War II veteran from Texas named John Howard Griffin, endured painstaking chemical treatments (he DIDN'T just paint his face) from a dermatologist to darken his skin and make him appear to be black. He succeeded spectacularly.

Griffin then proceeded to travel all over the south, taking loathesome abuse from whites and exposing himself to danger almost every step of the way. He kept a journal and wrote 'Black Like Me,' published in 1961. His book, which was internationally acclaimed, was made into a film in 1964.

Griffin received countless death threats from racists all over the south, but he persisted in getting the truth out about the reality of being black in a white man's world. His first-hand account is still a useful 'bible' for people who want to know what it felt like to be treated as trash, as a third-class citizen because of the colour of his skin.

Nowhere in this, another (groan) @#$%^&* stupid reality show, have the producers even mentioned Griffin, who died in 1980. Disgraceful.

I had a terrible time watching this truly idiotic film, but I wanted to know how it was going to end. And what is the great ultimate message? Learn from each other and understand, and maybe someday racism will disappear. Jeez. How original. Four or five hours and that's the best they can do? That's John Howard Griffin you hear rolling in his grave.