Norbit's On Top ... And Bottom

(This article was originally published at www.therecshow.com)

“Norbit,” the latest “comedy” featuring Eddie Murphy’s schizophrenic, make-up aided talents, managed to consume $33 million dollars over the weekend. This means that roughly four million people used their movie choice to declare their complete and utter stupidity.

Of course, nobody watching the trends in film doubted that “Norbit” would hit big. Despite horrendous reviews, a 9% approval rating on RottenTomatoes.com, and curiously unfunny trailers, this film would succeed.

The burning question - WHY do films like this succeed? - leads one to an examination of the racial differences still lingering in this country. In addition to “Norbit,” we have had two “Big Momma’s House” movies, a succession of “Madea” incarnations, and countless other variations on the guy dressed up like a loud, fat black woman. Additionally, the “Scary Movie” films and all of their variants (the latest, “Epic Movie,” is out right now) have a strong ethnic background. Invariably, all of these films concentrate on grotesque, over-the-top caricatures, fart noises, bowel movements, tits and ass, and kicks to the groin.

These films are primarily black-oriented, made by black entertainers and supported by primarily black audiences. Why?

A racist might have his own and very wrong answer to that question. But are these films symptomatic of a system of education that has for years failed black culture? Surely, stupid movies have been made by white people - Jerry Lewis instantly springs to mind - but even those films have some point to make, or exhibit some sense of structure or intelligence. Films like “Norbit” exist solely on the premise that an obese, loud-mouthed, domineering black woman is inherently funny. By extention, then, that same fat black chick ripping a wet fart must be gut-clenchingly hilarious. And then, of course, you want to die laughing when it happens 200 more times.

Before I am called out as a racist, I would like to point out that many of these films I mention here contain some of the worst kinds of racist stereotyping; ask an Oriental person if they love watching Eddie Murphy do a “ching-ching-chong” rendition of a Chinese man in his new movie. Occasionally these films also play on black stereotypes, which is the same kind of hypocritical pass as black people calling each other “nigger.” No, changing it to “nigga” doesn’t make it better.

There must be some flashpoint in American culture that makes black people in this country create and flock to the dumbest, crudest, most humiliating forms of entertainment. Rap music is either pointlessly, ceaselessly violent or graphically sexual. Black-oriented movies are either brutal or a succession of fart jokes.

Whenever I see these films in theaters, I wonder about the dumbing down of culture, the dumbing down of our children; white kids too, but primarily the black kids. More and more I agree with Bill Cosby, who told black kids everywhere that if they want something in life, they need to educate themselves and carry themselves as responsible, respectable members of society. Cosby’s message, which is completely true, has unfortunately been lost amidst the farts of a fat black chick.

How sad.

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