Michael Chugani 褚简宁 - Minstrel shows｜又中又英

Minstrel shows were very popular in the US during the 19th century. They remained popular during the early 20th century but the popularity of minstrel shows declined in the 1940s. They declined further in the 1950s and 1960s when black people formed a civil rights movement to oppose racism. A minstrel show is a stage show during which white actors sing, dance, or do comedy shows. Their faces are painted black to look like African-Americans. The word "blackface" means dark makeup worn by white people to look like black people. Minstrel shows and blackface are no longer socially acceptable in the US because African-Americans consider them racist.

In the 1961 hit movie West Side Story white actors playing the part of Puerto Ricans had their faces darkened to look brown. This is called brownface. In the 2021 remake of West Side Story director Steven Spielberg made sure only Hispanics and Latinos played the part of Puerto Ricans. Hollywood movies in the 1950s sometimes used white actors to play the part of Chinese by making their faces look Chinese. This is called yellowface. Chinese-Americans consider this extremely offensive. Nowadays Hollywood uses Chinese actors to play Chinese roles. That's why I was surprised when I read media reports that said TVB used a Chinese actress to play the part of a Filipino domestic helper. The actress became a brownface by darkening her face and legs with make-up.

Media reports said many Hong Kong people and some Chinese-language media found nothing wrong with this. It made me wonder how Chinese-Americans and Chinese people in Hong Kong and the mainland would react if Hollywood used a white actor nowadays to play the part of a Chinese by using make-up to make the actor's face yellow. I am sure Chinese people everywhere would be furious. Media reports said TVB has now decided to temporarily not air the second part of the show and will make changes. TVB deserves praise for making the right decision.
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黑脸走唱秀（minstrel shows）在十九世纪的美国非常受欢迎，这些表演在二十世纪初仍然流行，但在一九四零年代黑脸走唱秀（minstrel shows）的受欢迎程度已然下降。在一九五○及六○年代，当黑人组织民权运动反对种族歧视之时，这些表演就更不受欢迎。A minstrel show是一种舞台表演，由白人表演唱歌、跳舞和诙谐喜剧，他们会将脸涂黑，扮成非裔美国人。Blackface一字就是指白人涂黑脸的戏剧化妆，让他们看起来像黑人。现在美国社会已不再接受黑脸走唱秀（minstrel shows）与黑脸扮装（blackface），因为非裔美国人视之为种族歧视。

一九六一年的大热电影《梦断城西》里，扮演波多黎各人的白人演员亦将脸部肤色涂深一些，看上去像棕色人种，这就叫做brownface。二○二一年《梦断城西》重拍时，导演史提芬史匹堡就确保只有西班牙裔和拉丁裔人可以出演波多黎各人的角色。一九五○年代的荷里活电影有时也会用上白人演员去饰演华人角色，让他们透过化妆去看起来像华人，这就叫yellowface。华裔美国人亦认为这是极其冒犯的。今时今日，荷里活都会用华人演员去出演华人角色，因此当我读到有传媒报道，无线电视用一个华籍女艺人去扮演一个菲律宾籍家庭佣工时，我很是惊讶。那位女艺人用化妆把自己的脸和脚的肤色涂深，就成了棕色脸孔（brownface）。

传媒报道指，许多香港人和一些中文传媒都不觉此有何不妥。这令我思忖，今时今日若然荷里活起用一位白人演员去饰演一个华人角色，用化妆去令这位演员的脸变黄，华裔美国人以至香港与内地的华人又会有甚么反应？我肯定，世界各地的华人都会勃然大怒。传媒报道指，无线现已决定暂不会在网上播出电视剧的第二部份，亦会变更有关内容。无线作出正确的决定，值得赞许。[email protected]
中译：七刻
Michael Chugani 褚简宁