Wednesday, October 14, 2009

French Vogue: White model in blackface

As Dave Barry says, I'm not making this up. Among popular American pastimes, denouncing the French ranks up there with baseball, so it would be un-American not to denounce the French for this hateful atrocity.

What has often happened to me over the years is that, in attempting to explain and understand Frenchiness as a cultural phenomenon, I have exposed myself to charges of defending France -- indeed, some people have even gone so far as to accuse me of being de facto pro-French.

Well, the natural reaction to such a vile accusation is to deny it, to attempt to disassociate oneself from the despicable doctrine of Francophilia. Ah, but that approach never works.

Once you come under the penumbra of suspicion, you are guilty until proven innocent and every little item in your resume is examined from the accuser's perspective: Didn't you once wear a Pierre Cardin tie? And is it not a fact, sir, that you took two years of French in high school? What are we to make of the fact that you sometimes make reference to le mot juste and other such Frenchified notions?

Therefore, the correct response is to lean into the accusation. If it is absurd to say that I am a Francophile -- as I assure you it is -- then why not treat it as a joke?

Have fun with your oh-so-serious accusers with a bit of high-concept humor at their expense. Make a little double-entendre (oops!) playing with the accuser's Javert-like quest for the smoking gun -- j'accuse! -- that proves what a degenerate Frog-lover you really are.

What, then, shall I say about French Vogue displaying 26-year-old Dutch supermodel Lara Stone in blackface? To quote Ace of Spades: "I'd hit it."

I'll be in my bunk . . .

9 comments:

  1. Charles Johnson decries racist cake!

    And no hat tip for the French Vogue? I even went so far as to denouce Anna Wintour's bid for an NFL franchise.

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  2. Wait a second, a Dutch supermodel? Geert Wilders must be involved in this somehow. And Pam Geller. And of course the nefarious Stacy McCain. Charles Johnson will send out his flying monkeys Sharmutta, Kilgore Trout, and Cato the Elder to investigate!

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  3. Of and of course lets not the lovely little Commentary charmer Kejda who likes to moonlight for Charles "Pony Boy" Johnson and likes call anyone who supports you a "racist scumbag"!

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  4. But... but... they were so nice to that Josephine Baker and Lena Horne, let them stay in hotels and everything!

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  5. Umm
    I agree with Ace. "I'd hit it."

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  6. check the poll at the bottom of the article.. Apparently, people don't seem to think its offensive..

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  7. wait, isn't Stacy repulsed at the idea of inter-racial lovin?
    or does this not count?
    Ace better look out, inter-racial copulation is so vague an area of what are respectable mores , he might inadvertently repulse some Southern fans.
    Anonymous points out that "people don't seem to think its offensive.."
    well hell! it's OK then!
    Let's ask Palestinians if they are offended at derogatory Jewish jokes...
    morons...

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  8. What, all the cute black models weren't available? I don't think it is racist, but it is certainly distasteful.

    By the way, did you just quote Jayne from Firefly?

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  9. In the 21st century everybody wants to look black from head to toe - so they copy their hairstyles, colours, lipstick lips, skin colour, clothing, stitching meat to make bottom or pushing back themselves to pretend that they have a bottom, the most horrible part is the make believe big lips - black women think it looks very disgusting saying it is plumping (fake looking) all the things that they critisize the black woman for and now they are saying that the wanna be black is cuter than the real, natural woman. What a bunch of hipocrits!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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