Media Reflection: Just For Laughs Gags, Big Black Man
My fiance enjoys watching Just for Laughs Gags because he is a bit of a prankster himself. Tonight there was a gag in which an actor sees a $20 under the front passenger tire of a vehicle. The gag is that he asks someone to help him lift up the car (as if?) and the side panel comes off, setting off the alarm. Here's where the stereotype comes in. A big (and I mean, BIG) African American man begins walking towards the car in a suit and tie and the gag is to measure the reactions of the ones being pranked. Of the five people involved, there were three Caucasian males and two Caucasian females. Two of the Caucasian males actually RAN AWAY! While one remaining male and the two females stayed by the car.
Are big, black men really that scary?
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Personal Reflection: Dating said "big, black man".
When I lived in Calgary, I met a sweet Trinidadian man who was aboout 6'7" and weighed about 350 lbs that for all privacy purposes we will name Brent. He was sociable, friendly and overall STILL one of the most kind-hearted people I have ever known. As a joke and to cramp our boyfriends style (my roommate was dating his best friend) we decided that we too would attend a night out at an exotic dancing establishment.
If you have ever been to Alberta, you will know that people are very, very friendly and in general, it makes you a happier person. I was at the bar, enjoying my drink and waiting for my turn at pool, when two gentlemen came up to talk to myself and my roommate. Both 20-30, 130-150 lbs and Caucasian. We were enjoying an in-depth conversation, when Brent came up to see if I wanted another drink. I turned to speak to him and *BOOM*, both men left. The man that was talking to me came back 15 minutes later, of course when Brent wasn't around and admitted he was scared he was going to be attacked for talking to me. I was so naive back then that I had just assumed that they had to go do something or that I was boring.
During this same time period, of 5 months, Brent and I were pulled over six times! For no reason. He drove a beat-up early 1970's Ford truck (nothing flashy). Not once was he given a ticket. Not once did we receive an answer as to why he was pulled over. Twice I was asked "Do you want to be here, miss?". Strange....you would think prejudice towards darker-skinned people would be over by now, but it still exists.
All in all, even my own upbringing resulted in problems in this relationship later on. For instance, my family. Other than my Aunt Sandra who is also Trinidadian, "interracial" relationships are so beyond my family's comprehension, it wrecked certain things. Because I originally felt "individualistic", in which I put my own needs before the group (group being my family), it allowed this relationship to begin happily. Later, when I moved back to Ontario, it was so hard to convince my family that he was great, until he called for me when I lived there and my brother and mom finally got to know him. I invited him for Christmas and he assumed, because it was a small town, that the KKK would greet him in my driveway. To date, he is now with a Trinidadian girl and I am with a Caucasian guy. "Collectivism" had its way. He pleased his family and I pleased mine. Even though, we both agree it was that we had lives 3000 km away from each other, I have to wonder if the attempt to please our "groups" wasn't also a hidden issue.
Are big, black men really that scary?
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Personal Reflection: Dating said "big, black man".
When I lived in Calgary, I met a sweet Trinidadian man who was aboout 6'7" and weighed about 350 lbs that for all privacy purposes we will name Brent. He was sociable, friendly and overall STILL one of the most kind-hearted people I have ever known. As a joke and to cramp our boyfriends style (my roommate was dating his best friend) we decided that we too would attend a night out at an exotic dancing establishment.
If you have ever been to Alberta, you will know that people are very, very friendly and in general, it makes you a happier person. I was at the bar, enjoying my drink and waiting for my turn at pool, when two gentlemen came up to talk to myself and my roommate. Both 20-30, 130-150 lbs and Caucasian. We were enjoying an in-depth conversation, when Brent came up to see if I wanted another drink. I turned to speak to him and *BOOM*, both men left. The man that was talking to me came back 15 minutes later, of course when Brent wasn't around and admitted he was scared he was going to be attacked for talking to me. I was so naive back then that I had just assumed that they had to go do something or that I was boring.
During this same time period, of 5 months, Brent and I were pulled over six times! For no reason. He drove a beat-up early 1970's Ford truck (nothing flashy). Not once was he given a ticket. Not once did we receive an answer as to why he was pulled over. Twice I was asked "Do you want to be here, miss?". Strange....you would think prejudice towards darker-skinned people would be over by now, but it still exists.
All in all, even my own upbringing resulted in problems in this relationship later on. For instance, my family. Other than my Aunt Sandra who is also Trinidadian, "interracial" relationships are so beyond my family's comprehension, it wrecked certain things. Because I originally felt "individualistic", in which I put my own needs before the group (group being my family), it allowed this relationship to begin happily. Later, when I moved back to Ontario, it was so hard to convince my family that he was great, until he called for me when I lived there and my brother and mom finally got to know him. I invited him for Christmas and he assumed, because it was a small town, that the KKK would greet him in my driveway. To date, he is now with a Trinidadian girl and I am with a Caucasian guy. "Collectivism" had its way. He pleased his family and I pleased mine. Even though, we both agree it was that we had lives 3000 km away from each other, I have to wonder if the attempt to please our "groups" wasn't also a hidden issue.