Roots was released the year I was born. I don't think you can use that as an excuse. Especially since it's a large part of American culture and tends to come up in discussions relating to slavery. Hell, we've had several discussions relating to Roots on this board over the years.
But it's a continuing pop culture thing though! That's why my mind is blown. Good Times predates me but I am aware that it existed mostly because JJ's Dynomite! has been carried on through various sketches and jokes ever since.
Like the Beatles thing which, btw, I haven't read the thread but I've heard that that's not a white or black people thing but more an Asian people thing (I can't remember where I got that impression.) Anyway, the Beatles predate most of us but the pop culture phenomenon of the Beatles carries the reference though to all sorts of aspects.
Also, I'm actually a little insulted that we're all telling you what a HUGE ASS EVENT roots was for black culture specifically and pop culture in general and now that you know when it came out, you're just dismissing it as something to be read maybe kind of sort of eventually.
I personally don't expect you to read it. But it would be nice if you kind of absorbed the significance of its airing and what it meant. It would be like finding out about Rosa Parks and then saying, oh well she just sat down on a bus, so what?
I was pretty sheltered growing up and didn't even have cable but I know all these things!
But once I had cable I binge watched VH1's I love the 80s or whatever so that's probably how I learned about MJ and the Pepsi fire considering it happened when I was pretty young. I probably also learned a lot from pop up video.
OK, I legit missed your first post explaining it on page 2, and I skipped over the video 'cause I skip over those out of habit since work blocks them (THANKS, OBAMA!). This show was before I was born, and I haven't read the book. So yep. Totally ignorant of it.
::adding to 12-foot-long reading list::
The mini-series is amazing but it will take eternity to watch. It's long.
I think it's required reading/viewing for every American. At least.
......and I am just agog that there is anyone who didn't know about MJ's hair catching fire. I mean...my niece knows about that and she's not even 23.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
Roots was released the year I was born. I don't think you can use that as an excuse. Especially since it's a large part of American culture and tends to come up in discussions relating to slavery. Hell, we've had several discussions relating to Roots on this board over the years.
I'm just going to go ahead and sit next to you if you don't mind. You are articulating what I'm a bit too chicken shit to say.
ETA: Well, except for being born the year Roots was released. I watched it when it first aired.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
How does my glow in the dark white ass from middle of nowhere corn is king nebraska know about everything in this thread, and some of you don't?
I'm ashamed for you.
This and before it's said again I went to school with plenty of kids from very affluent neighborhoods and every last one of them has seen Roots and know who Alex Haley is. That isn't an excuse for your school not exposing you to a very important story I don't care how fucking made up some parts are because really Roots only touched on the horrors of slavery. Now let me go back and read the start of this thread again because I know someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner than the one portrayed in Roots. If so that's about as damn rich as Katie Couric talmbout her ancestors were "farmers" Louisiana.
I realize the incredulousness is fun, but was Roots a mini-series? A series? A special? When did it air? I have legit never heard of it until this thread.
:runs to Wikipedia:
I've heard of it, and know bits of the story, but I have never seen it and I could not tell you who wrote it. Same goes to the other books/series in this thread.
I'm not ignorant, these are just not things I know.
Wait, isn't your husband black? Or bi-racial? Or am I confused?
I mean he had third degree burns, that's when he lost his mind with the plastic surgery and so on.
I remember watching the footage on the news and having to shove my brother over so I could see the screen. Back in the ye olden days when you had to yell at people to shut up and get out of the way because you couldn't rewind television.
I was pretty sheltered growing up and didn't even have cable but I know all these things!
But once I had cable I binge watched VH1's I love the 80s or whatever so that's probably how I learned about MJ and the Pepsi fire considering it happened when I was pretty young. I probably also learned a lot from pop up video.
Whatever happened to pop up video? It was the best.
I've heard of it, and know bits of the story, but I have never seen it and I could not tell you who wrote it. Same goes to the other books/series in this thread.
I'm not ignorant, these are just not things I know.
Wait, isn't your husband black? Or bi-racial? Or am I confused?
Yes, FI is black. Not American though, and neither am I, so I'm wondering if that's part of it. He's seen it, but it was within the past 5 years or so.
I honestly did not know if was such a huge culturally significant thing. Now that I do I will find the time to read/watch.
Post by lasagnasshole on Jul 22, 2014 21:32:21 GMT -5
I mean, I don't know what you want me to say. It aired before I was born, and it was never brought up in my house somehow, presumably due to white privilege. I realize now it's a major pop culture phenomenon, but I was unaware.
I also managed to avoid Michael Jackson until 1999 and Star Wars until 2003, so I probably shouldn't be taken as some sort of pop culture barometer.
I am actually interested in reading it. But clearly I couldn't before since I didn't know what it was.
At least I've entertained you for the night! Time for bed!
How does my glow in the dark white ass from middle of nowhere corn is king nebraska know about everything in this thread, and some of you don't?
I'm ashamed for you.
This and before it's said again I went to school with plenty of kids from very affluent neighborhoods and every last one of them has seen Roots and know who Alex Haley is. That isn't an excuse for your school not exposing you to a very important story I don't care how fucking made up some parts are because really Roots only touched on the horrors of slavery. Now let me go back and read the start of this thread again because I know someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner than the one portrayed in Roots. If so that's about as damn rich as Katie Couric talmbout her ancestors were "farmers" Louisiana.
Yes!
To be clear, the cultural significance of Roots is as follows:
One: It was a miniseries featuring a nearly all black cast that earned a spot on television over the course of several nights in an era where there were only three channels.
Two: There were no white saviors to relieve the awfulness of what happened.
Three: It didn't shy away from handing the actual details of slavery and the horror of it.
Four: High caliber black actors in a huge production on the damned television
Five: The continuing contribution of these moments to enduring black culture specifically and pop culture in general
Six: It opened a national dialogue about slavery less than 20 years after the Civil Rights Act, less than 20 years after they were forcing Dorothy Dandridge to use the back entrance and draining pools because she stuck her toe in the white hotel pool, less than 20 years after they shot MLK, Malcolm X, and less than 30 years after they killed Emmitt Till.
How does my glow in the dark white ass from middle of nowhere corn is king nebraska know about everything in this thread, and some of you don't?
I'm ashamed for you.
This and before it's said again I went to school with plenty of kids from very affluent neighborhoods and every last one of them has seen Roots and know who Alex Haley is. That isn't an excuse for your school not exposing you to a very important story I don't care how fucking made up some parts are because really Roots only touched on the horrors of slavery. Now let me go back and read the start of this thread again because I know someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner than the one portrayed in Roots. If so that's about as damn rich as Katie Couric talmbout her ancestors were "farmers" Louisiana.
You are correct. Someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner. I was only trying to say that I want to be able to shut up my stupid relative who went on and on about it, like he was proud to be related to John Waller because of the Alex Haley connection. I get it that this is a pitiful distinction, I do. But when I'm dealing with him, I'll gladly take anything I can.
This and before it's said again I went to school with plenty of kids from very affluent neighborhoods and every last one of them has seen Roots and know who Alex Haley is. That isn't an excuse for your school not exposing you to a very important story I don't care how fucking made up some parts are because really Roots only touched on the horrors of slavery. Now let me go back and read the start of this thread again because I know someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner than the one portrayed in Roots. If so that's about as damn rich as Katie Couric talmbout her ancestors were "farmers" Louisiana.
Yes!
To be clear, the cultural significance of Roots is as follows:
One: It was a miniseries featuring a nearly all black cast that earned a spot on television over the course of several nights in an era where there were only three channels.
Two: There were no white saviors to relieve the awfulness of what happened.
Three: It didn't shy away from handing the actual details of slavery and the horror of it.
Four: High caliber black actors in a huge production on the damned television
Five: The continuing contribution of these moments to enduring black culture specifically and pop culture in general
Six: It opened a national dialogue about slavery less than 20 years after the Civil Rights Act, less than 20 years after they were forcing Dorothy Dandridge to use the back entrance and draining pools because she stuck her toe in the white hotel pool, less than 20 years after they shot MLK, Malcolm X, and less than 30 years after they killed Emmitt Till.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I don't think I knew about Chuck Berry being a perv. I know now that I googled it, but wwwwwwwwww. While they were pooping?!?
Whaaaaaaaaaaat, you didn't know? You have to go watch Cadillac Records. It's not a fabulous movie but it's a great one for getting in a little black folks music history. Race records, the chicken circuit, and an interesting discussion on why Chuck Berry was always getting his ass arrested for indecency with a minor (before the cameras and pooping) but Jerry Lee Lewis marries a 13 year old and all is grand.
This and before it's said again I went to school with plenty of kids from very affluent neighborhoods and every last one of them has seen Roots and know who Alex Haley is. That isn't an excuse for your school not exposing you to a very important story I don't care how fucking made up some parts are because really Roots only touched on the horrors of slavery. Now let me go back and read the start of this thread again because I know someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner than the one portrayed in Roots. If so that's about as damn rich as Katie Couric talmbout her ancestors were "farmers" Louisiana.
You are correct. Someone here isn't proud their relative was a different slave owner. I was only trying to say that I want to be able to shut up my stupid relative who went on and on about it, like he was proud to be related to John Waller because of the Alex Haley connection. I get it that this is a pitiful distinction, I do. But when I'm dealing with him, I'll gladly take anything I can.
How does this conversation go? "Dude no we are related to am entirely different rapist!"
I need everyone in here to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
And watch these movies:
Imitation of Life (both versions) Carmen Jones Lady Sings the Blues Sparkle (original version) Cooley High The Color Purple The Five Heartbeats Glory In The Heat of the Night Claudine Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Coming to America New Jack City School Daze A Soldier's Story The Josephine Baker Story (didn't someone here say once they had never heard of her?!) Malcolm X (but not until you have read the book!) Lean On Me Lillies of the Field Rosewood Waiting to Exhale Porgy And Bess The Great White Hope The Wiz
Other folks help me out here, that's all I can think of at the moment.
I've seen most, but not all of these. HBC told me about Rosewood tonight, so I'll be watching that. I LOVED Lean on Me. LOVED Guess Who's Coming to Dinner. LOVED The Wiz. I might have to watch that again, I watched it a million years ago!
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley
I need everyone in here to read The Autobiography of Malcolm X.
And watch these movies:
Imitation of Life (both versions) Carmen Jones Lady Sings the Blues Sparkle (original version) Cooley High The Color Purple The Five Heartbeats Glory In The Heat of the Night Claudine Guess Who's Coming to Dinner Coming to America New Jack City School Daze A Soldier's Story The Josephine Baker Story (didn't someone here say once they had never heard of her?!) Malcolm X (but not until you have read the book!) Lean On Me Lillies of the Field Rosewood Waiting to Exhale Porgy And Bess The Great White Hope The Wiz
Other folks help me out here, that's all I can think of at the moment.
"Not gonna lie; I kind of keep expecting you to post one day that you threw down on someone who clearly had no idea that today was NOT THEIR DAY." ~dontcallmeshirley