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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
Why must every thing turns into a racial complaint? I doubt that was AJ’s intention if she did make the comment.
I would never expect the Chinese producers to make movie with white or black or blue princess just to appease these minorities in China. After all, he has every right to earn his profit and surely he would earn less with these minorities as target audiences than his own people.
Perhaps the black rich of HW should put money into a cartoon movie with black princess, prince or king for the black children instead of churning out gangster rap music, gangster movies etc. Alas, such music and movies don’t bring them huge profit so they are content with complaint.
As for this Laura, she is using AJ for her own monetary profit. By ripping AJ she stirs people into talking thereby enhance her media presence which translates into more money into her bank account.
Our has become a society where one must constantly watch one’s mouth lest being labeled racist, socially incorrect. Frankly, it ruins the joy of living.
And for the record, I am Asian, not white.
I believe that the color (or species for that matter) of the Disney cartoon characters has purely been based on the origin of the stories. For example, all the early Disney movies were based on European fairy tales, and those characters would not be African. Disney has made non-anglo movies: Aladdin, Lilo&Stitch, Etc. Angelina’s concern should be multi-culturalism, Disney telling more international stories. We’re all sick of this racial “bean-counting” as Ingraham put it!
If anyone was serious about their daughters having role models, they would not be letting them watch Disney Princesses. Come on — a Disney Princess?? The young sexualized costumes themselves are the first turn-off for me; the second is the whole Princess mentality. Sorry, I want a bit more for my kids, both boys and girls, than Disney offers.
I have not read all of the comments. Angelina has a point, but Disney will have a Black Princess named Maddie in the upcoming years.
I’m back, I ended up buying a Kung Fu Panda play station game and a book for my g-son , I spoiled him & at the same time hlep KFP earn some extra money too.
Dapyro, ITA with you. God bless the Jolie-Pitt’s Family.
It is so time for this country to get beyond color lines – we’re hoping for Obama to be our next president! I believe AJ is right on once again to point to the obvious and get huge response for doing so. I hope JPs endorse Obama in a huge way, and really get this fight out of the American people.
this laura lady is stupid ^_^
Great points everyone.
Seriously Fox news is so out of touch it’s laughable.
What has the discussion of race in politics to do with what Angie said. She wasn’t making a statement based on the political climate.
She expressed a Mother’s wish that’s all!
@Rhonea
You are right and I think The Lion King (screen & Stageshow), probably had a lot to do with Disney’s decision to make The Frog Princess.
It seems that Angie isn’t allowed opinions!
Okay, of ALL the comments that celebrities say, why do they need to pick on Angie on princesses that have NO relevance to ANYTHING that they were talking about?
First off, anyone who doesn’t feel that Disney needs to add an African-American Princess to their line up maybe insensitived, a bit racist or living in a cave somewhere. Yes those fairy tales did not originate with Disney, but Disney takes artistic liberty with all of their other films, why not now? I’m happy for my Black toddler daughters about the Frog Princess set for next year’s release, but it’s sad that Disney waited so long. I mean are they dinosaurs? We have a Black male or biracial male running for president of the country. I do give kudos to Disney for casting Brandy and Whitney Houston in Cinderella in the ’90′s but let’s face it, the media is positively saturated with images of the animated very Nordic-looking Princesses, except for Jasmine, Pocahontas and Mulan. It seems as if Disney has avoided drawing Black animated characters purposely. Media including Disney does have influence on young children whether we like to admit it or not. When they did do a Black African film, the characters were animals. It was well done and cinematically beautiful. But I didn’t know whether to be happy or insuled. The irony is that Lion King is Disney’s highest-grossing non-CGI film! The general public, not just Blacks are sending a message. We want to see color on the screen! We want to see reality on the screen!
Ok this laura lady is really just because insulting. First of all people in this world actually make mistakes FYI. AJ was young and didn’t really know wut she was doing when she had those blood vials around her neck but i mean that was sooooo long ago and i think she has changed now that she has all these kids in her life. Second of all so wut if AJ has tattoos across her back and her arms…she is not the only one in this world and those tattoos actually mean something to her.Third of all AJ is a truly caring person. She wouldn’t be helping charitys if she weren’t. Laura should be happy that AJ is helping the poor. Laura needs to focus on all the things AJ is doing for this world rather than focusing on her blood vitals and her tattoos. And so wut if AJ wants to have more african princesses because AJ is right.
Now that is just my opinion.
I always think it’s a sham when people say, essentially, “You shouldn’t complain about that, there are much bigger problems!” Is there some magical priority list? Can we not address big and small problems at the same time? That’s absurd.
And Disney is a big let down in a lot of ways. They’ve been SO slow to adapt to multiculturalism, feminism, whatever. No, they didn’t invent most of these characters, but they sure could have given them a better brush up.
I’ve listened to L. Ingraham on the radio and find her infuriating, so I didn’t even bother to watch the video.
Good post, Sherry.
First of all the Fox News people all look like idiots. Why bring up Angelina’s comment at all if it was not important. They were using it to gossip! I did see a tape of Angelina talking about her involvement in animated movies, wherein she mentioned the need for a black princess. She was referring to her reasons for continuing in animation as a way of providing good messages to all kids including her African daughter. She was not being emphatic in any way. She was talking about why she loves to do animated films. Get a grip Laura whatsyourname, who clearly does not have children!
I didn’t get to watch the footage of the woman who made the comments about Angie when I first commented but when did I was appalled. I was actually rather insulted. Laura represent a sector of people who clearly made a few stupid comments where she was. She clasified a person on thei past actions and the way a woman looks (the tattoes) She actually actually said that Angie’s comment was stupid, and her mentioning the Vials and tattooes… I was WTF does that have to do with race representation in children’s shows. The woman was in her early 20s when she did those. Laura was the one who came off sounding stupid. Yes she sounded like a woman who had issues with Angie from the offset. She did come off badly. Also I think the hosts were a bit surprised as they told her that the vial were the old Angie from the past and mentioned that others races had been represented but Laura actually sounded angry and a bit bitter which shocked me. Especially that last house comment. And the man who said when you are having a baby shouldn’t you focus on that annoyed me too. When you are pregnant the issues of your current children do not just get forgotten.
All in all I think that whole segment belongs in a bin somewhere. Nothing of value was really said. The way she demeaned Angie shows that she either ignores Angie’s work or does not really have an eye on what is important as Angie and brad have both spoken about issues of great importance, including refugees and the right to a child being educated regardless of where they are. Angie has a clear understanding of what is important to her family and just because a black male is a nominee for president it does not mean the race issues and everything else is gone..
I will now put my soap box, and step away lol.
I don’t know the lady who made AJ’s comment a big issue, I guess, because it was from Angie, she wants to be known, anything attached to Angie gets recognition of some sort. The lady is now famous, thanks to Angie.
Just got back from watching KFP, my g-son loves it, can’t stop laughing. We watched the 10:50 am showing so it was really good because the next one people & specially the kids starts piling up. KFP is so funny, Angie’s voice as Tigress is so right to the character, I love to hear her voice so beautiful.Have to go out the house again, now my g-son wants to buy new play station game. BBL. God bless the Jolie-Pitt’s Family.
Love you site Sherri but lets not forget that Disney is an American corporation, if Angelina really wants to keep Zahara’s culture alive for her she should invest in the beautiful stories and fables from her country of birth, Ethopia. There are lots of lovely stories books out there maybe not DVDs but there are beautiful african princesses she can read about, I know because I lived in Ethopia. I believe there are some books at Barnes & Noble. Princesses and fairytales don’t always have to come from Disney!
Deana – Bah, no rain here in Montreal yet but we’re currently melting from the humidity. With humidity factored in, our temperatures are hitting 39C or 102F.
Keep this great conversation going you guys. Meanwhile, if anyone needs me, I’ll be the one lying flat on the floor, sweating, sucking down water, and wishing our A/C units were already in.
Angelina is a great woman. She is a, committed wife and fiercely protective mother. And there are many many women out there just like her and as we’ve read many women who feel the same as her. I think Angie is rolling her eyes at the fact that everything that comes out of her mouth is taken as the gospel and is dissected and debated. I think the reason that many of us respect and admire her is the fact that while she is an amazing Oscar winning actress, she is still a down to earth woman like the rest of us.
Sherry, here in KY its hotter than Hades! I’ll trade you a little sunshine for some much needed wet stuff. :)
Cheers!
Deana
angela & all who saw KFP, I too watched KFP and had a great laugh. But I missed the scene after the credit, which I heard was good. Did you see it? If so, what was it?
this is OT.
i’ve already watched KFP an hour ago. it was hilarious. it’s a great family movie. i had a great laugh.