Three boos for The Help

I have bit my tongue about this movie for quite a while. I know everyone is thrilled by the accolades and awards received by the African American actresses in the movie.  Kudos to them for stellar performances.  My beef is not with the actresses...so please don't take it that way.

My beef is with the film.  I absolutely refuse to watch it.  I absolutely refuse to read the book it is based on.  OH...so how am I going to boo something I haven't even read or seen? Seems a bit hypocritical or off base or something, right?  Sure.  But it isn't going to stop me from saying what I have to say.

                      (This video is from when the movie first came out) 

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I had family members who worked for White people.  (Hey...that's the way they phrased it...I mean no disrespect...).  So hearing their tales and actually seeing it with my own eyes once, I did not need the rosy picture of a movie to tell me about those experiences.  ESPECIALLY not a sanitized one.

Original depiction of Aunt Jemima

Today, Melissa Harris-Perry had a segment, on her new show, where she expressed exactly what I felt about the movie.  If you're going to tell the story, do it from the vantage point of the The Help, and not the HELPED.  And use the true life stories, not some watered down Hollywood version.  (Feel free to correct me if I'm wrong...were there scenes of White men sexually harassing and/or raping "the help"? How about "the help" going home to shacks with scraps to feed their own kids? What about the lynchings taking place at the time?)

Harris-Perry lamented about the "commodification of the oppressive condition" (or something to that effect) of domestic workers during the time of The Help.  Apparently The Help has sprung forth a number of product and goodies based on the movie. O_D (What the heck are they selling? Headrags and boxes of Aunt Jemima?)


Maybe MH-P and I are too serious? It was after all just a movie, based on a fictitious novel.  MH-P is a self-described biracial feminist.  I'm not. MH-P is a professor.  I'm not. However, African-American history was my second major in college, and political science, my first. I'm a politics junky, sports enthusiast, general lover of people, holder of prejudices and biases, Christian, Black southern girl...yadda yadda yadda... But she and I are lock step on this one! Could we be wrong...ummm...I guess to some folks...

Besides, Oprah loved the movie and said it was terrific.  And we all know she speaks for every type of woman of color on the planet, doesn't she?! (teeheehee).  My concerns about MH-P and I thinking too seriously about this movie were allayed, at a poignant moment in the show.  Alex Whit, had a quick break in the show, where she spoke about what she'd discuss on her show.

Apparently Whit had not seen the actual discussion on MH-P's show, because she talked about the movie The Artist possibly getting the nod for Best Picture. She then said to MH-P something to the effect of... "I bet I know which movie you think should get the nod...The Help, right?!" The look of consternation on MH-P's face was hilarious.  The look of befuddlement on Whit's face when, MH-P said "uh..No..." had me on the floor about to tinkle.

The captions says "Change begins with a whisper..." Maybe I want someone to yell and shout!