Black and White

There used to be an abominable show on TV in the 1960s and 70s, called the Black and White Minstrel Show. It is condemned for being very un-PC these days, but I have never heard it condemned for the much more obvious reason of being totally ridiculous. It is difficult to account for the popularity of a show featuring a bunch of men, made up to look as idiotic as possible, cavorting with a bunch of young, attractive women. Suspending disbelief for artistic reasons is one thing, but surely there was a limit; even in the 1960s. Apparently not. It seems that credibility could be stretched indefinitely, back then.

https://youtu.be/9H71gPtRSgs

Re: Black and White

From your link I see it was still going in 1978,that really surprises me.
My parents loved it, not me though

Re: Black and White

Well you know what parents are like: They only do it to rebel against their kids.

Re: Black and White

There weren't enough black people who could sing that lived in the UK to make up a decent choir in those days, so they had to paint up some white folks.....A lot of black people can't sing today either, that's why they rap mostly....

Re: Black and White

That reminded me of my dear old Grandad. He used to love that show, also Sunday Night at the London Palladium too.
He used to say he liked ' A nice variety show.'

Re: Black and White

Or perhaps it was just an incompetent attempt to blame the show on black folks, Foxy.

The racial thing never occurred to me at the time; I just thought it was boring and pointless. It was only when I got older that the bizarreness of it dawned on me. I suspect most of them were gay.

Re: Black and White

I don't remember much variety in the Minstrel show, Mups. They just seemed to do the same thing over and over again, but singing a different song.

Re: Black and White

Bring back....
Ella Fitzgerald
Louis Armstrong
Billie Holiday Diana Ross
Johnny Mathis
Ben E King,
to mention a few, not true black people can't sing, agree these are all American though.

Re: Black and White

But the Americans didn't have Kenny Lynch.

Re: Black and White

He probably meant the Palladium with all different acts, Harbal.