tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post1603073991273159525..comments2023-10-23T16:56:24.871-04:00Comments on Wandering the World: An OMG MomentMsTypohttp://www.blogger.com/profile/10405552178619579820noreply@blogger.comBlogger19125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-87690268240777127132009-06-23T09:44:54.567-04:002009-06-23T09:44:54.567-04:00Agreed w/ some of the above comments about what bl...Agreed w/ some of the above comments about what blackface means. I saw it in Spain every year when they represented the 3 kings. I've lived in Egypt myself. I think that what blackface means in terms of US history and how Egyptians perceive it are two very different things. Was this the performance of Aida at the pyramids or was it indoors?Susan https://www.blogger.com/profile/06455506176926199209noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-90585054941623339452009-06-11T14:33:31.637-04:002009-06-11T14:33:31.637-04:00blackface is primarly only understood in the USA. ...blackface is primarly only understood in the USA. I will post a picture of a bag of flour I bought recently from Argenetia with the cartoon on it done in black face. I have seen blackface in other countries even in parades and no one even looked twice, well the American ones did. I do not agree with racial bigotry, but in all honesty I really dont think they used it with the intent of being mean.honkeiehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03517190745892738872noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-32799407089834944942009-06-11T00:18:05.059-04:002009-06-11T00:18:05.059-04:00Astounding. I would not have believed if I had no...Astounding. I would not have believed if I had not read it here. I'm not even sure people I know in San Francisco would believe it if I told them about it.Brendahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00062037882359130530noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-65162911634819081442009-06-10T09:18:49.950-04:002009-06-10T09:18:49.950-04:00The Netherlands has a Dec. 5 tradition called &quo...The Netherlands has a Dec. 5 tradition called "Sinterklaas" which is not the same as Santa Claus, however the good man brings presents. Historically he is a bishop from Spain, from I believe the Middle Ages, and he has a black slave-helper (Moorish background I assume) who wears a colorful costume. He is called "Zwarte Piet" which means Black Peter. To this day this character has always been played by a white person with black make-up. Even today when there are plenty of black Dutch people. Nobody until recently thought anything about it, did not think of it as racist. It was just a tradition. Now all hell has broken loose about it with demonstrations and so on. Read this and see the pictures:<br /><br />http://fromhollandwithlove.wordpress.com/2008/11/26/zwarte-piet-a-fun-or-racist-tradition/Miss Footloosehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15601892611652195901noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-57882494720734522252009-06-09T22:53:48.831-04:002009-06-09T22:53:48.831-04:00How far we've come and yet how far we have to ...How far we've come and yet how far we have to go. It's a shame really. Hopefully people like you who call foul will help to hasten the demise of such stupidity.Kathy B!https://www.blogger.com/profile/13932652254033295435noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-24779929459665005042009-06-09T18:43:58.665-04:002009-06-09T18:43:58.665-04:00I didn't even know you could still do that and...I didn't even know you could still do that and not be slandered! How terrible!The Blonde Duckhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00085499120024055465noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-69051205472180606152009-06-09T16:44:41.069-04:002009-06-09T16:44:41.069-04:00I guess Al Jolsen must have toured in Cairo. Prett...I guess Al Jolsen must have toured in Cairo. Pretty unbelievable that the opera was staged in North Africa, and they couldn't find any black folks to take the stage. I think I would have been dumbfounded myself!Melissa B.https://www.blogger.com/profile/13172152515024862967noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-59262598932578943432009-06-09T13:38:01.072-04:002009-06-09T13:38:01.072-04:00Oh that is horrible and tasteless, really. What ki...Oh that is horrible and tasteless, really. What kind of twits do these kind of things in this day and age?? On another skin color related note though I know an Egyptian guy who was in LA playing basketball with some other egyptian friends and a bunch of rather large African-American guys started harassing him and his friends to leave the court and that it was their court, they were saying some rather nasty things about hispanics, thinking they were hispanic. His big comeback was hey dudes- I am African too- we are brothers!! That seemed to diffuse the situation. Big sigh.. racism is so silly in this day and age with the world getting smaller and smaller and I wish others would realize that too. No one can tell where anyone comes from anymore and you would think stuff like you saw and pokes at skin color or looks wouldn't be happening now given the diversity people are exposed to in the media, on TV, etc. (I know Cairo isn't quite as diverse as other places but still...)Jemmahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09918380458397747075noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-39425301041482232082009-06-09T12:02:00.804-04:002009-06-09T12:02:00.804-04:00I can see how this would be a shock in today's...I can see how this would be a shock in today's world. I'm pleased to hear you have the guts to follow through with a phone call and questions to the production company.<br />I just wanted to let you know I deleted my original post, while making some changes. Unfortunately, your comment was deleted too. Not on purpose!Gutsy Livinghttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02226653890127738115noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-20836789342280724312009-06-09T11:32:37.321-04:002009-06-09T11:32:37.321-04:00I agree, they really need to update that part of t...I agree, they really need to update that part of the opera, it seriously is offending!Grand Poobahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18223439935987831945noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-56088505584606217872009-06-09T10:39:07.462-04:002009-06-09T10:39:07.462-04:00No, not shocking at all. It's Egypt!! ;) This ...No, not shocking at all. It's Egypt!! ;) This is the country that systematically slaughtered pigs to prevent swine flu and did the same with chickens when bird flu hit. I'm not really having those feelings of longing to return to the land of backwards logic and wtf moments. Nah, I get where you're coming from. My husband and I had a "That's Egypt" jar that we had to donate $$ to every time we asked "Why?" but seriously, why is sometimes the only word you have for a situation!Lydiahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18156931462264594753noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-14112105576208027082009-06-09T09:29:10.022-04:002009-06-09T09:29:10.022-04:00Wow. That is surprising. I would be really shock...Wow. That is surprising. I would be really shocked to see such a thing here. But...based on the culture you are in...is it AS surprising??Keys to the Magic Travelhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15634829064005032831noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-43714113387764107672009-06-09T08:57:09.806-04:002009-06-09T08:57:09.806-04:00Wow. I, too, would have been shocked. If they wa...Wow. I, too, would have been shocked. If they want to be historically accurate, they should also probably fire all the women and just have men playing the parts. Good grief!Sturgmomhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10581161838343365085noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-81575513868556912112009-06-09T08:42:13.818-04:002009-06-09T08:42:13.818-04:00Come on, you know perfectly well that Egypt and es...Come on, you know perfectly well that Egypt and especially Cairo is filled with racism; that's why there was blackface instead of black children.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16813508472498593787noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-27513963705512054372009-06-09T04:52:31.541-04:002009-06-09T04:52:31.541-04:00I have to ditto Corinne... I know we all agree.. i...I have to ditto Corinne... I know we all agree.. in this day & age...WTF.<br /><br />You need to fill me in on YOUR European adventure... Are you driving around? Where do you think you will be stopping?Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/15669318430348189265noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-33916821533971396862009-06-09T03:48:21.309-04:002009-06-09T03:48:21.309-04:00My reaction? OMG and WTF!
Saying that you want an...My reaction? OMG and WTF!<br /><br />Saying that you want an opera to be historically accurate is no excuse for racism and stereotyping people in an offensive way.LadyFihttp://ladyfi.wordpress.com/noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-58683480531297156892009-06-09T03:45:58.206-04:002009-06-09T03:45:58.206-04:00Now, maybe it would a be authentic/historic 'c...Now, maybe it would a be authentic/historic 'costume' if they used blackface and wigs... no matter if the actors were white OR black, but I get the impression that this was a replacement, not a costume choice.Conniehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03667481504650498976noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-84606170323474401612009-06-09T03:20:35.653-04:002009-06-09T03:20:35.653-04:00Blackface?? Blech. I don't buy for a minute t...Blackface?? Blech. I don't buy for a minute that there are no talented black dancers to be found in Egypt. Not only offensive, but downright lazy on the company's part.Corinnehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/12763599518417369688noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-17132364.post-43105464203824045902009-06-09T03:06:31.845-04:002009-06-09T03:06:31.845-04:00I can see why you are shocked and outraged.
But wh...I can see why you are shocked and outraged.<br />But why on earth doesn't it surprise me that they did it that way.<br />Authentic my a$$. At least not in Egypt. ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06735273216574108695noreply@blogger.com