Chris Rock’s Good Hair is seen, by some, to be a wonderful insight into the lesser-known aspects of Black women and hair. For others, however, the film was more about making fun of Black women and the oppression on display in the billions spent each year to accommodate white fantasies of beauty. This edition of Jazz and Justice tackled the issue with Ms. Goldie Deane, Dr. Baruti Kopano and DC’s finest listening audience!
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As a post-script we take the suggestion passed along to us that 400 Years Without a Comb be a documentary added to the mix. It appears to offer far more substance to the history and politics of Black hair.
This was an awesome discussion. One thing: One of you should have mentioned the lawsuit regarding Regina Kimbell’s “My Nappy Roots” and “Good Hair.”
Other than that, I loved listening to this program
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
Chris Rock is amazing.
This is the definitive history of black hair. It addresses the culture, the history, the business and the beauty of Black hair. You should have a discussion around this film.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DcHWhDvCYE4
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fZaDf15O-8
WJ
Add My Nappy ROOTS as a post script. It’s the contemporary film on the history of black hair from Africa to current day. 400 years without a comb is excellent. thank you
Great discussion. But let us not forget, Chris Rock is first and foremost a comedian and entertainer. He is not a documentarian. His primary goal was to entertain, not to educate.
Regarding chemical processes – I often wonder how much research and studies are done (and by whom) on the long-term effects of chemical relaxers/perms. Does anyone know? I know numerous studies have been done on long-term usage of hair dyes. But I’ve never heard anyone cite any studies done on Black hair care products.
I look forward to your conversation about the movie “Precious”.
No doubt, Rock is an entertainer. But this was part of my argument as to precisely why he IS selected for promotion and support with a film like this. His comedy routines are often more biting and thoughtful than this film but the reason this film is so heavily supported is because he is not a documentarian. So this was not about Rock himself as much as it was about (for me anyway) trying to highlight why someone like him would be promoted as opposed to many others who would be more qualified to make this kind of documentary. All media studies criticism starts with an analysis of sources used… look at his primary sources, Nia Long and Melissa Ford.. Paul Mooney got literally 6 seconds. This demonstrates the level of mindlessness involved. Which activist, scholar or radical was included in the film? Exactly.