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So, apparently at some point, Angelina Jolie commented that she is let down that none of the Disney Princesses are black. She had said:
“There still isn’t a Disney princess that’s African and it’s very difficult because our daughter’s getting into princesses right now and it upsets me.”
I’ve seen some fairly snotty responses to this comment. A talk show host (Laura Ingraham) actually went on a big rant about it, making reference to the world having larger issues to worry about and does Angelina really have to make such a big deal over something like Disney.
First of all, I don’t think anyone needs to remind Angelina Jolie that the world has a lot of serious problems. I’m not sure how often Laura Ingraham has headed over to Iraq, Darfur, or other war-torn regions to talk to refugees. I’m not sure how many conferences have had her as a speaker to address human rights. On the other hand, Angelina has been to those places, and she has raised awareness and money for human rights issues. Honestly, that entire statement was absolutely ridiculous. If it was Paris Hilton, then I could maybe understand, but Angelina champions people’s rights and the issues standing in their way on a near-constant basis. Does this woman even know anything about Angelina at all?
Second, yes, actually it does matter. While I hope my daughters grow up with better role models than a cartoon princess, at their young age they do love to watch Disney movies. I can quote Cinderella and Snow White by heart now because of all the times they’ve been played. I’m sure that Shiloh and Zahara both enjoy watching DVDs. The Jolie-Pitt family is very serious about making sure all their children have an understanding of their own culture of origin as well as others. Is it truly that unreasonable to be disappointed, as a mother, that your black daughter can’t watch a Disney film featuring a black princess?
I don’t know much about Laura Ingraham (other than the fact that the video cast her in a very obnoxious light), so I don’t know if she has children or not, but I would think that if she did she would grasp the importance for children to see dolls and cartoons and television/movie characters that look like them sometimes.
You can get all varieties of dolls in every skin color and ethnicity that there is. I don’t think it’s outrageous for Angelina to wonder why Disney hasn’t caught up yet.
So there you go PittWatch readers! Some of you have been asking for a new discussion thread. It’s the weekend, let’s discuss!
Here’s the video clip debating whether this is an important issue or if Angelina Jolie is making too much of it.
What do you think?
Image used with permission: Splash News Online
(source)
Technorati Tags: angelina jolie, zahara jolie-pitt, laura ingraham
Wow. It’s pretty ridiculous how almost everything Angelina says (even if it’s slightly controversial or not controversial at all) get’s taken out of proportion. Everyone knows Angelina is smart and speaks sense. I like how people in this business have a habit of mixing words and meanings. I’m sure Shi and Z watch alot of Princess movies and i guess she notices that the princess’ are always white. I’m a white person and i think it’d be interesting to have a black princess! Like Sherry said, something suitable for a role-model at this age. I mean i know there has been Princess’ with different ethnicities before (Jasmine, Pocahontas) so i really don’t see what the big deal is about her saying there should be a black one. I don’t think Angelina is reinforcing the attitude that blacks are different from whites or whatever but they are a very cultural family and have every right to be. It can only be beneficial for them. This woman, it seems, just wants to get viewers by talking about Angelina when clearly she doesn’t have a clue about her.
“I think, AJ is a credible example that for her, skin color doesn’t really matter”.
I mean, that black colored people or people of color should also get equal attention and importance as white people.
To take the topic superficially, I think, AJ has all the rights to say her opinion about the lack of black princesses in Disney Films. AJ is a consumer, and she has the right to comment on the offered products or services of the Disney company. Sorry folks, she happened to be a very influential consumer. It’s something like expecting a chocolate flavor among a lot of vanilla-like flavor variety of ice creams, lol.
On a deeper understanding of the issue, AJ is right. There are not a lot of african princesses or black princesses portrayed in Disney Cartoons.
About Lauran Ingraham, I think the woman has a personal issue with AJ. She criticizes her also for her tattoes. I think she speaks like a typical white supremacist. I think, she should better be born black in her next incarnation inorder to feel how it is to belong to a discriminated race.
By the way, all the talks about race equality is but a wishful thinking. Before the law, yes, all humans are equal, but there are still a lot of discrimination and inhuman treatments being done to people of color everywhere in the world, especially in the US on a daily basis.
I applaud Angelina Jolie a famous white woman for insisting or just voicing out the preferences of her black daughter against a global company. I think, AJ is a credible example that for her, skin color doesn’t really matter.
This just shows how stupid the media has become. Angelina answered a question at a news conference for Kung Fu Panda. She did not hold a new conference to announce she was protesting against Disney because there are no black princesses. But from Fox segment you would think that is actually what Angelina did.
Shouldn’t Fox has been spending time on more inportant subjects.
Wow Sherry,
Did u hear that woman? she trully is jelaous of angie and hates her…..mentioning the tatoos and the house she and brad bought/rented in france…..
i mean alot of people hate her that’s because she’s beatiful, rich and a nice person….and not forgetting that alot of people love her as well
This just shows how stupid the media has become. Angelina answered a question at a news conference for Kung Fu Panda. She did not hold a new conference to annouce she was protesting against Disney because there are no black princesses. But from Fox sill segment you would think that is actually what is what Angelina did.
Shouldn’t Fox has been spending time on more inportant subjects.
i don’t know any of the people involved in that “discussion” but i gather LAURA is a radio host of some kind….all that came across to me is that she was incredibly rude..you don’t start laying into someone just because they make an observation (that happens to be true anyway) she obviously didn’t have a single good word to say about Angie and used this as a good excuse to put her down.her earlier comments were stupid enough but when she patronisingly said “just concentrate on your 40 million dollar house” i was speechless !! she only showed what a ridiculous and mean spirited person she is. you can bet if she actually had angie there in the studio she would be falling all over her, agreeing with everything she said and generally sucking up…so as usual with this type of long distance media bullying its a mixture of jealousy, ignorance and publicity seeking.the good thing is that everyone will have seen LAURA for what she really is and it ain’t pretty!!
laura ingraham, wants only publicity, and she is using angelina…am sure that her radio progam will be the number radio program on air…
Wow! It was interesting how Laura reacted to the comment! She seemed really cynical almost t a point of hatred towards AJ (not really saying it but you can hear how she said it.) Also, how she said that AJ should just “focus on her 40 million house.” I think you are right that they are blowing it out of proportion. It’s true what AJ said…there is no African Princess. Yeah, there’s Pocahontas, but she is not a princess. Princess Jamine is sort of an Arabian Princess, still not black princess. It’s just a comment of AJ and I think that she’s just bringing up an issue so I agree with all of you above. It’s a valid one and it’s not saying that she cares more about that issue more than everything else. Geez, I dont think AJ meant anything hurtful towards anyone..it was just an idea. Can’t help it if our wonderful AJ just says it like it is. More power to our Brangelina!
I find it more telling that some people would be upset at others wanting to have a visual image to relate to and in some sort of way, acknowledge that you a part of something and not excluded. Something simple and trivial to others as dolls means a lot to little kids who are at that developmental stage where they may not fully understand what they are seeing but know it doesn’t look like them, have their hair or color.
I normally do not make comments on the websites that I frequent, however I found this to be an interesting topic. Celebwatcher, while it is true that real people are the best role models it is naive to believe that children don’t draw some sense of esteem, pride and possibilities when they see positive characters (in the media that they are exposed to) that look like them. That goes for any child and not simply black children. This notion of a colorblind society is a farce. The fact is that all groups, regardless of ethnicity, would like to be respected and not necessarily completely assimilated into some colorless group, which is completely devoid of unique culture and customs. There is nothing wrong with being different, however no one wants to be disregarded or marginalized for it. As such, the lack of positive ethnic characters serves as a systematic means of marginalizing non-caucasian ethnic groups. IMHO. There is so much more that I can say on this topic, however there is simply not enough time or space.
1st Thanx 4 This Topic Sherry!! As An African American Woman With Many Nieces I Agree With Angies Statement. Children Are Not Idiots And If They Are Shown Thru Cartoons That The “Beautiful” And “Good” Female Characters Are White, What Do U Think That Says In The Mind Of A Minority Little Girl? The Issue Is Not Race But Embracing Different Cultures And Seeing That They Too Are Beautiful….. And Im Not Even Going To Dignify That Laura Chick With A Comment. Please
i think that angie’s comment was taken way seriously – like overrated.
meanwhile, princess Z can look up to Jasmine of Aladdin, i’m not quite sure if she’s african or black american princess or asian(?) but her skin color is close to Z and besides princess Jasmine is beautiful and smart. i’m sure Z will love her.
I don’t know who this woman is but she has no ethics whatsoever when she talks. Apparently, this woman has been asleep all this time to not know what AJ has done and has continously been doing, along with BP. What has she done for mankind? She must be annoyed that Brad did not go for her instead. And what does she think Angie can do about the gasoline and the economy issues, there is only so much she can do, besides Bush was the one who started this problem and now he passing it on to the next one in line. I think, if AJ could only solve the current problems were having, I honestly believe she would.
This Laura has so much hatred in her heart. She is a clear picture of an unhappy person.
I am a mother of 3, and as a mother sometimes you wish that there were more choices for your children in terms of anything, and sometimes it does not make sense… it does not have to make sense. As a mother you just want to see your child happy or have a good time. I think Angelina was just expressing this. How did the blood vials and tattoos come in the the picture?
I think this Laura is envious of Angelina because despite her past people listen to her and respect her. I don’t blame Laura, Angelina has every thing! Money, fame, family….and she is the sexiest woman in the world with the sexiest man on her side.
I am a huge fan of this site and thanks for all your work sherry. I have never left a comment but I have enjoyed reading them. this comment is directed to celebwatcher. I was wondering 1) are you of african/black decent? and 2) have you been to disney world in orlando florida? I ask this questions because as a woman of african decent, it is very important for us especially these days to see people of color included in all things. it shows equally and to a young child, it signifies possibilities. “Z” is a young girl and right now, princesses and telly tubies are the most important things in her life. and although there are much bigger things going on in the world, a parent is still a parent and need to focus on what is important in their kids life. I have been to disney world and I can assure you that a white child is more likely to identify with the characters than a black child. Yes, anyone can and should be a role model to anyone regardless of race, gender and creed but it is also nice to see someone that looks like you in order to dream of the possibilities.
I don’t think Angelina’s comment was controversial at all either.
I have bi-racial girls as well. When they wanted an african american doll I got them one. When they wanted a white doll I got them one. I remember looking for a specific color doll for many years for Christmas. One year they wanted white, one year bi-racial (or what looked bi-racial) one year african american.
I can actually see her point. When your children get in to a specific kind of toy/doll, you want to try to find them one that goes with them – their personality.
Why does everyone always want to make something out of nothing.
There is a Disney movie coming out with a Black Princess. Please search for it and read it.
It should be out in a year or so. I think it’s the Princess and the Frog? I’m not exactly sure. I read in a few months back.
I think Angie wants her family to fit in anywhere and feel like they shouldn’t be discriminate against at all. So her point is true just that there is going to be a Disney movie coming out with a Black Princess…
omg.
Just another reason why one should NEVER watch FOX news.
brainless, mindless, thoughtless people.
I don’t think the comment AJ made was controversial or problematic at all, even taken at face value (irrespective of her own immaculate humanitarian credentials). The lack of ‘black’ and other ethnic minorities in the movies has been considered a huge problem by African Americans and other minorities for decades. Remember, the cultural is political?? I thought AJ’s comment was simply her own realization that having an Ethiopian daughter had made her come to realize for herself, in very clear terms, how these issues pose a problem — say for her daughter’s self image. While in the abstract everyone agrees with Celebwatcher, we are all part of the human race, few African American or other cultural critics agree with that a kind of false universalism. Anyway, from a simple standpoint: Just as it is important for African Americans to see that there are successful people of all races, it is important for her daughter to be able to see that there are princesses of all races.
Otherwise I think Sherry’s defense of AJ at the top of the paragraph is very much on target. These are separate, though both important issues. AJ is neglecting neither.