Phil12
Well-Known Member
Ortensia is not to be trifled with.
-
Welcome to the WDWMAGIC.COM Forums!
Please take a look around, and feel free to sign up and join the community.
Splash Mountain re-theme announced
- Thread starter DCBaker
- Start date
- Status
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
Actually, the more the merrier. However, I don't desire to steal Brer Oswald's thunder as he seems to feel strongly about this issue. I'm less inclined to be concerned because of Walt Disney's long history of racist stereotypes included in some of his cartoons. These images have been well documented. Disney as well as other media companies continue to wrestle with this problem.
However, the problem of Steamboat Willie being racist is well known and documented:
If you desire hard proof of Mickey Mouse’s racist past, check out Steamboat Willie, his first popular cartoon short from 1928:
Throughout, Mickey and Minnie behave with the familiar “coonish” childishness of minstrel characters; they’re even dressed like them. The true umbilical connection, however, starts around 3:35. You’ll notice that when Mickey relies on the boat’s hook arm to grab Minnie from the shore and then unceremoniously drop her on the ship deck, sheet music flops out of her bag. But not just any sheet music; it’s a very specific song — “Turkey in the Straw,” the signature tune of Zip ****, the co-founder of blackface minstrelsy. Even if you haven’t heard of him, Zip **** inspired a song you definitely know: “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” a title phrase that comes directly from the chorus of “Turkey in the Straw” (“O zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day”).
Mickey Mouse Proves You Can’t Erase the Racism of Blackface
Over the last few weeks, streaming providers have stayed busy yanking down episodes of beloved comedies because they feature blackface. The list of pulled shows...melmagazine.com
You’ve gone full circle. Your posts have become parodies of your previous posts.
This one in particular deserves to be in the WDWMagic hall of fame.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
Japan has a different culture and different history. I don't think Japan had an antebellum south.
ImperfectPixie
Well-Known Member
It's in the Politics and Social Issues subforum.
brb1006
Well-Known Member
I'm aware, just scared to even visit that thread.
ImperfectPixie
Well-Known Member
*Most* of the people in there are VERY nice.I'm aware, just scared to even visit that thread.
Chi84
Premium Member
I don't understand the attacks on a particular poster here, especially when the posts involved have substantive content, whether you agree with them or not. It's possible to have different opinions, especially on the subject being discussed here. I would rather read a post that actually says something - even if I don't agree with it - than hundreds of posts doing nothing more than labeling other posters and attacking them.
Horizons1
Well-Known Member
Oh no!!!
Phil12
Well-Known Member
Please forgive me if I misunderstood your intent. It's clear that the use of the tune Turkey In the Straw in the 1928 cartoon Steamboat Willie was not by accident. It was a direct reference to blackface minstrelsy which was still popular in the 1920's.
Here's a video clip of Al Jolson in the 1928 movie The Singing Fool. The song Sonny Boy was a huge hit for Jolson and sold over a million copies. Racism was common among whites.
But make no mistake. Racism was just as wrong then as it is now. It's just that white superiority was much more prevalent and blacks were considered inferior. Jim Crow laws were strictly enforced. Disney just went along with the flow as did other studios.
Epcotbob
Well-Known Member
Probably the majority....
Phil12
Well-Known Member
That's probably right. Many people have never seen Song of the South or know that is was the inspiration for Splash Mountain.
1HAPPYGHOSTHOST
Well-Known Member
Actually, the more the merrier. However, I don't desire to steal Brer Oswald's thunder as he seems to feel strongly about this issue. I'm less inclined to be concerned because of Walt Disney's long history of racist stereotypes included in some of his cartoons. These images have been well documented. Disney as well as other media companies continue to wrestle with this problem.
However, the problem of Steamboat Willie being racist is well known and documented:
If you desire hard proof of Mickey Mouse’s racist past, check out Steamboat Willie, his first popular cartoon short from 1928:
Throughout, Mickey and Minnie behave with the familiar “coonish” childishness of minstrel characters; they’re even dressed like them. The true umbilical connection, however, starts around 3:35. You’ll notice that when Mickey relies on the boat’s hook arm to grab Minnie from the shore and then unceremoniously drop her on the ship deck, sheet music flops out of her bag. But not just any sheet music; it’s a very specific song — “Turkey in the Straw,” the signature tune of Zip ****, the co-founder of blackface minstrelsy. Even if you haven’t heard of him, Zip **** inspired a song you definitely know: “Zip-a-Dee-Doo-Dah,” a title phrase that comes directly from the chorus of “Turkey in the Straw” (“O zip a duden duden duden zip a duden day”).
Mickey Mouse Proves You Can’t Erase the Racism of Blackface
Over the last few weeks, streaming providers have stayed busy yanking down episodes of beloved comedies because they feature blackface. The list of pulled shows...
I see nothing racists about steam boat willie. please tell me what i am missing.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
The song, Turkey in the Straw. "There is simply no divorcing the song from the dozens of decades it was almost exclusively used for coming up with new ways to ridicule, and profit from, black people."
Recall That Ice Cream Truck Song? We Have Unpleasant News For You
This is the story of why our beloved ice cream truck plays blackface minstrel music that sends kids dashing into homes in a Pavlovian frenzy searching for money to buy a Popsicle.
www.npr.org
"In 1916, about a decade or so before Walt Disney’s animators created Steamboat Willie, a Broadway actor named Harry C. Browne had recorded an updated version of “Turkey in the Straw.” Sung to the same tune, it was his first-ever hit album. Browne, however, renamed his version..."
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/mickey-mouse-proves-you-cant-erase-the-racism-of-blackface
Suffice it to say that audiences in 1928 were well aware of the undisguised racism associated with the song, Turkey in the Straw.
1HAPPYGHOSTHOST
Well-Known Member
To that I would say..so what? All that matters is the context it is used in the cartoon and in that manner there is nothing racists about it or how its used on ice cream trucks. It's a catchy tune and used that way in both.The song, Turkey in the Straw. "There is simply no divorcing the song from the dozens of decades it was almost exclusively used for coming up with new ways to ridicule, and profit from, black people."
Recall That Ice Cream Truck Song? We Have Unpleasant News For You
This is the story of why our beloved ice cream truck plays blackface minstrel music that sends kids dashing into homes in a Pavlovian frenzy searching for money to buy a Popsicle.
"In 1916, about a decade or so before Walt Disney’s animators created Steamboat Willie, a Broadway actor named Harry C. Browne had recorded an updated version of “Turkey in the Straw.” Sung to the same tune, it was his first-ever hit album. Browne, however, renamed his version..."
https://melmagazine.com/en-us/story/mickey-mouse-proves-you-cant-erase-the-racism-of-blackface
Suffice it to say that audiences in 1928 were well aware of the undisguised racism associated with the song, Turkey in the Straw.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
In 1928 the song was very offensive to blacks. And it's offensive today because the song was used for over 100 years to humiliate, degrade, embarrass and ridicule blacks. Racism was wrong then and it's wrong now.
Also, I'd like to point out, that the song, Zip a Dee Doo Dah has a similar history as it too is derived from Turkey in the Straw.
However, TWDC has recognized their mistake and they're performing a complete re-theme of Splash Mountain. That will help solve part of the problem. As for the other racist and insensitive elements of Disney cartoons (such as Steamboat Willie) they're getting a disclaimer added to them on Disney+ that says, “This program is presented as originally created. It may contain outdated cultural depictions.”
So even though you don't see the racism depicted in Steamboat Willie TWDC does see it (along with depictions of animal cruelty) and they've added a disclaimer to cover for old Uncle Walt. We still get to see these cartoons in all their insensitive glory.
1HAPPYGHOSTHOST
Well-Known Member
Nothing wrong with steam boat willie, nothing wrong with zip-a-dee-doo-dah and especially nothing wrong with splash mountain.
Phil12
Well-Known Member
TWDC disagrees with you.
Brer Oswald
Well-Known Member
Hate to say it, but they didn’t add anything. There’s a one line generic “disclaimer” in details that’s always been there, and it’s on every cartoon.
1HAPPYGHOSTHOST
Well-Known Member
No they don't. If they did then steamboat willie would be off Disney+
- Status