SNL's Non-Black Obama Wears Honeyface, Not Blackface

New York Magazine:

Lorne Michaels took some heat for picking Venezuelan-Japanese cast member Fred Armisen to play Barack Obama when Saturday Night Live returned to the air at the end of February, but Armisen himself isn't having any trouble with it. "I just want to have fun," he said at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame induction ceremony on March 10. "I like wearing outfits and doing things." So how does he turn himself into the country's potentially first black president? "It's really quick," Armisen said. "There's shading on my eyebrows and plastic behind my ears. And there's a little bit of something called Honey, a honey color, that is something I would wear when I play Prince." About the perception that "Weekend Update" favors Hillary Clinton, Armisen's response was similar to what SNL writer Jim Downey told today's Times: "I think they're not favoring anyone," he said. "The pieces are more making fun of the media than anything else. It's all about the jokes."

Read the whole story: New York Magazine

Comments

[westreal]

I don't know who thought of the title but they should be aware that the actor isn't non-black. He's white.

So the title should read "SNL's White Obama Wears Honeyface, Not Blackface". Stop playing with our freaking intelligence.

[rememberMartinlking]

I didn't know a Japanese person was white?

[plutorage]

Maya Rudolph should play Obama (she can do anybody), Kristin Wiig should do Hilary and Sudekis should do McCain.

[dr4Will]

who really gives a crap!!

[NoMoreDrama]

SNL hasn't been funny for a very, very long time. They're trying to become relevant again. I thought the Obama impersonation looked like a microwaved orangutan. The actor who played him, has absolutely NO talent, so all that was left was the crappy makeup. Watch them over-correct like everyone is in the media. If they wanted to be fair, "Hillary" would make a bunch of stupid, fake, many-faces­-of-surpri­se, accompanied by the clap-clap point-point that Hillary does at EVERY rally. That would be funny, and accurate.

[geg6]

I thought blackface or honeyface or whatever you want to call it went out with segregation.

But then...take a look at the cast of SNL over the years. Guess I shouldn't be surprised they didn't get the memo.

[jsinclair]

Worry less about the makeup and more about actually writing something funny.

You have to see some ring truth in comedy for a skit to be funny (the truth that SNL is shilling for Hillary doesn't really count).

Apart from the skits' unconvincing premises, Armisen's inarticulate portrayal of Obama really doesn't cut it. If anything they should be making him TOO articulate, too inspirational, too good with words.

[lapdogs]

How ironic that Raw Story has an article with a headline of:

SNL insists it's not boosting Clinton
Writers said to prefer Obama, producers donate 10K to Clinton

http://rawstory.com/news/2008/SNL_insists_its_not_boosting_Clinton_0314.html

[anywho]

Who cares. SNL's audience is limited to the media watching the media. America ain't watching this crap anymore.

[tiedtothewhippingpost]

true

[snowcat]

...and acts like an inept, bumbling, stupid, moron incapable of independent thought or action for 4 minutes in one skit alone. ...and an idiot in every other one as well. The "disclaimer" at the beginning was simply a get out of jail card for SNL to attempt to cover their political motives. Racist, racist, racist. Senator Obama is a brilliant man and SNL is determined to get as many people as possible to think otherwise. As Michaels contributed to McCain , it's not surprising! There has been no balance in the Hillary , Obama portrayals, she is always seen as the smart one and he is shown as an idiot. Making her a b***h doesn't make it less racist. She is always tough , he weak. We are not stupid, The Clinton and McCain supporters love it and Obama supporters hate it. If you are getting people to hate what you do, your not finding the right way to be funny.

[ljsfolly]

I think it is ignorant and a form of racism to have someone not black play a black man who is a black man. What happened to being appaled at "blackface"? No where else but SNL has stooped to having a white man play a black man without anyone complaining? I would have thought the railroad out of town for African Americans to have this show on would have left the station by now. What is wrong with a black man playing a black man? Would they have a black woman play Hillary in white or cream colored makeup. I have felt disgusted by this since it started and in this day to have people not being insulted is amazing....or just slow catching on? Or maybe people do not realize it a racist blackface representation?

[uglybetty]

I'd say Your racism is working for the wrong reason !!!
I was under the impression that Obama was *White and Black* , so I don't think you have any thing Valid to base your racism on !!!

[dawlishgal]

II haven't watched for several years, but it seems to me that their main black guy is too ...errrr.... hefty to play a convincing Obama. And, of course, we all know that there are no aspiring black comedians who are slim, right? That is what they would have us believe, anyhow.

[NuttyProf]

Have you seen Armisen's Prince? Much better and much more funny! But he's good.

[SCharb]

He's horrible. His Obama sounds more like a Bush. They ignore comic gold that might offend Hillary (they just skipped right over "reject vs. denounce" and decided to expand the Red Phone ad rather than parody it.) and paint Obama as an ineloquent idiot rather than a Wilson-like, goody-two-shoes idealist.

It's worse than what the same sketch writer did to Al Gore in 2000.

[dawlishgal]

The really disgusting part is when they showed Obama as begging Hillary for help. As though SHE would know what to do. I guess they meant this to be taken as "what Hillary would say Obama would do," but the point was not well made. I have only seen this piece of junk on news shows, so I may be missing some conext.

[degjack]

He does a spot-on Obama!

SNL, keep it up!!!

[Silpat]

Are you people stupid or what? I can't believe the Democrats are giving so much credence to a "comedy" show. Gee, you all make it so easy for an Independent, like myself, to make the decision to vote Republican.


Democrats please report back to earth, and continue on with your Presidential nomination process.

[MikeMidCity]

Wow, it ain't the war it's the fuss over this.

Shallow as a wet dime ain't you?

[mamamay]

SNL should rethink this skit and give Obama equal time. This was degrading to Obama in support of Hillary. This is suppose to be a comedy show for all folks not your campaign hitch. I love SNL but not the dumbness of making folks lood dumb ignorant etc at SNL's disgretion. Please. equal time for Obama showing the not ready for prime time, crisis time or sworn in time yielded to Hil. Do the right thing. Ok?