Sociobiology and the continuing conversation...

There is no doubt that there is some partial racist demographic. Remember, the high powered Hollywood producer you paraphrased didn't say a movie with a black leading man who was sexual would make no money, he just said it would make less money. So there is a demographic that will accept this. The question then becomes what type of film appeals to this demographic? Evaluating the demographic differences between something like 24 and Blade might give us a clue.

Or not.

But if one could discover such a demographic then one could potentially sell a script that would be able to incorporate the types of images you would like to see. And the more successful images there are, the broader the demographic becomes so future writers would have broader options.

I'm just sayin'
CoolBlue | Email | Homepage | 02.02.05 - 10:14 am | #
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Well thought out, Cool Blue.  the core demographic would be black folks themselves.  They can get the box office up to about 40 million, I think.  then next demographic would be white females, who not only tend to empathize across racial lines, but like brown skin as much as white guys do.  The problematic demographic is white guys, because guys, being guys, tend to be the most protective and least inclusive: more "us-them."  To me, this is pure sociobiology: women can share reproductive space, men cannot.  Racism, to me, is primarily the warriors of the opposing tribes shaking spears at each other (lovely, Freudian image, that).  Both males and females of all groups are exogamous, but males like to keep the privilege to themselves (so do females!! Note the complete lack of criticism of Halle Berry among the same women who scream like banshees if Denzel kisses a white woman.  It disappoints me, but I suppose I shouldn't have hoped black women would be more honest and wise than black men on such issues.  I remember in the 60's when black radicals would date white girls, suggesting that this was a political act, but if black women dated white guys, it was disgusting.  I was appalled.)
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At any rate, if we call it "tribalism" it might be easier to discuss, because the word "racism" is so charged.  We need to be able to discuss the issue to move past it.

Steve