Chris Rock clowns around here with Nia Long, co-star of his new film, 'Good Hair.' But many black women feel the topic of this comic's documentary is no laughing matter. 'Good Hair' chronicles Rock's quest to understand expensive weaves, caustic relaxers and why black women go through such machinations for the sake of vanity.
Watch the 'Good Hair' Podcast now!
Watch the 'Good Hair' Podcast now!
Before the film hit theaters nationwide, women ranging from guests on 'Oprah' to users on the Black Voices boards became enraged at the prospect of people seeing a movie that displays African American hair secrets. Many went so far as to suggest that Rock is intentionally seeking to sully the image of the black female, which is already damaged. Some even stated that blacks should boycott the film. Join the hot discussion on 'Good Hair' with the BV team. In the podcast video above, we touch on the pros and cons of 'Good Hair' with our resident film and hair bloggers, plus members of the Black Voices staff. Will you be seeing 'Good Hair'? Or are you with the vociferous crowd that has already said good riddance?
Leave your comments below and talk about it on the Black Voices boards!
You don't have to wait for Freestyle each week. We're talking about these topics every day. When we're not freestyling, you can find us on Twitter. We're @blackvoices. Also, friend us on Facebook. Search for Black Voices and look for our logo to make sure you're friending the right account.
Comments: (10)
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By: Barbara on 10/20/2009 3:40PM
I haven't seen the movie but from what I hear blk people like it. Wendy Williams liked it!
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By: Angela Harvey on 10/20/2009 6:58PM
I've seen it twice. I didn't love it. I felt like a great opportunity was wasted for real dialogue. And there are many much better documentaries out there, but it will be just that much longer before one of them has a chance to go mainstream because that opportunity was wasted here.
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By: Jamie on 10/25/2009 1:42AM
My nappy roots is the movie that explain everything about pscyhe of good hair and bad hair and the business of black hair.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2eXmy341CMs&feature=player_profilepage
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By: Nia on 10/20/2009 5:06PM
Im sorry but I don't think that a movie should be about black women hair because a black woman reputation is already mess up with us not being able to get marrey. All we do is pop out babies and that's it. My mom and I we were talking how a poll of men of all races say that they have no respect for African American Women and it touch me so because Im Black single woman Im guessing should I give a guy a try or become a lesbian. Im still a virgin and Im glad I stay that way because it does seem this is just another way to kill a black women self esteem.
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By: chillsex on 10/21/2009 4:59AM
Hey I just find a millionaire boyfriend at Ukwealthymen.com. Try this site out if you want a wealthy lifestyle too!
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By: aron ranen on 10/21/2009 7:07PM
I have posted here before, and I just want to remind you that before Chris Rock's documetary..there was mine.
Please take a moment to check out my documentary film BLACK HAIR
It is free at youtube. 6 parts including an update from London, England.
It explores the Korean Take-over of the Black Beauty Supply and Hair biz..
The current situation makes it hard to believe that Madame C.J. Walker once ran the whole thing.
I am not a hater, I am a motivator.
Plus I am a White guy who stumbled upon this, and felt it was so wrong I had to make a film about it.
self-funded film, made from the heart.
Can it be taken back?
Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96aaTSdrAE
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By: KeithBayarea on 10/25/2009 1:25AM
I heard you took your idea from my homegirl from Oakland. Dude, you trying to hard
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By: Karen Peters on 1/10/2010 12:55PM
I was trying my best, just last night, to figure out where to find Black Hair. This is divine intervention.
Thank you for your information.
Karen Peters, Founder
The Peace & Beauty Project
www.sakile.org
407.592.6408
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By: Jane Turner on 10/23/2009 6:05PM
I think that Chris is right on it. The movie is good and documents the self-hatred that we pay big bucks for every day, just to imitate Europeans. I believe strongly the exposure is good, many Black women are going bald and don't know why? The movie gives specifics as to where the hair comes from, to showing the deceit employed by those obtaining and falsely using the hair for financial gain. It even shows scientific edvidence that "perms" are damaging to the hairdresser as well as to the client. I do not know why slick headed Rev. Al was used in the flick, because in my opinion he is certainly overprocessed.
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By: biosnex on 1/23/2010 4:41PM
It amazes me how hysterical so many black women have become of this movie. Why all the vitriol and angst about something that is true? Black women have such deep rooted issues and hatred for their own hair that any discussion or videos about black hair is seen as giving their secrets (?) away or making a vicious preemptive attack on BW. BW will obfuscate and filibuster any discussion about weaves and wigs by claiming other women do it too. This is nonsense. It is true non-black women wear wigs and weaves also –BUT THE PERCENTAGES AS COMPARED TO BLACK WOMEN CANNOT BE MADE! For non-black women, it’s probably a single digit. With black women, from what I personally see everyday, it’s over 80%! You can’t throw a rock into a crowd of black women without hitting one with a weave or a wig. It’s extremely depressing.
Until black women (as a group) accept the fact that they “genetically” do not have a naturally long straight hair gene, they will continue this self hate frenzy and ultra sensitivity about any discussion of hair. They have to find the beauty of their own esthetics which is totally different from other races and ethnicities of females. Until they do this, they will languish with self hatred and loathing of their God given genetics and continue their shameless obsession with fake hair, pretending they are something they don’t have the genetics for.
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