Sometimes, the best way to see misogyny and racism is through the satirical lens of homoerotic humor. Yes, really.
Not gonna lie here, I love Seth Rogen. I’d happily spend a day inserting any vaguely salacious metaphorical humor you can think of, with him. But I love him even more when he and James Franco team up to show us exactly how ridiculous – and racist and misogynist – Kanye West’s latest ode to his own penis is.
In their brilliant frame-by-frame remake of Kanye’s video for Bound 2, they shine a light on just how cringe-worthy the lyrics and imagery are. I could go on and on about how vile the lyrics for this song are, but somehow, seeing James Franco say “when a real nigga hold you down, you supposed to drown” just does it better than I ever could.
As a woman, I want to say “thank you.” But, as a human, I want to celebrate this use of humor to highlight what I still see as a real problem. The incredibly vile, violent and demeaning lyrics and imagery in so much pop music still hold this behavior up as being somehow part and parcel of being a “real man,” and “successful.” It is shameful, at best.
But so hard to talk about. Women get accused of being angry, people get accused of being racist. I’m not even sure how we’re supposed to talk about it. But Seth Rogen and James Franco did a brilliant job of opening this up in a different way.
I’m so in love with this I’m not afraid to say that I literally peed my pants laughing. For real. (Well, footie jammies, really.) And no, I’m not afraid to been seen as mocking Kanye and Kim and this sort of thing, because honestly, that might be the best way to put an end to it. I would love to see us, as a society, stop rewarding the behavior of guys who try to emulate Kanye and his ilk, and start rewarding the guys who emulate Seth Rogen, by standing up to injustice in whatever way they can. But, ya, the guys who use humor will always have the shortcut to my heart.
I had a discussion about the Franco / Rogen parody yesterday on my personal Facebook page. Basically, I said I didn’t think it was funny, and it triggered an interesting debate between those who thought James Franco and Seth Rogen were just being silly, and those like me who thought it was only funny if you thought (and I quote a friend) ” two dudes having sex is funny or a fat dude being sexy is funny.” I think the initial video was horrendous enough that it served as its own parody. I get what Franco and Rogen tried to… Read more »
Can I just note the following? I’m waiting for something meaningful in Kayne’ song and there is flat out nothing. Just more alpha BS. The emperor has no clothes.
A-frigging-men.
Maybe I’m crazy for seeing “When a real nigga hold you down, you supposed to drown” as a statement that says “real black men abuse their women.” Just as problematic for me without the race reference, to be clear. And yes, I think Franco was mocking that, and yes, I’m good with that. It’s a ridiculous and dangerous idea that is harmful to all people. I would think it is especially insulting to black men who shouldn’t be portrayed as thugs who abuse women. As for the ode to his penis. Well, most of this song is about things he’s… Read more »
Yes, you are getting that line wrong. Hold you down till you drown would translate to perform a sexual act on you so pleasurable you would be overcome, not I want to hurt you.
You are way off base. The original video is silly and stupid, the Franco/Rogen remake is hilarious. What bothers me is this idea that somehow the original song is racist. By the line you quoted it seems you think Black people shouldn’t be able to say they’re great in bed. Which makes me think you believe this is some sort of “black music” problem. That only black music is mysoginistic (because why else would anyone call you a racist for saying pop music in general is the problem). I have a feeling you have racist viewpoints on the issue as… Read more »
♫ I wanna fuck you hard on the sink After that, give you something to drink Step back, can’t get spunk on the mink I mean damn, what would Jeromey Romey Romey Rome think? Hey, you remember where we first met? Okay, I don’t remember where we first met But hey, admitting is the first step And hey, you know ain’t nobody perfect And I know, with the hoes I got the worst rep But hey, their backstroke I’m tryna perfect♫ Jerome’s in the house, watch your mouth Jerome’s in the house, watch your mouth PS: Who’s Jerome? Nothing wrong… Read more »
I don’t think Seth Rogen and James Franco thought anymore about their video than ‘This would look hilarious’. They were not trying to make a statement. Kanye on the other hand, was probably trying to do more than you think: http://sabotagetimes.com/music/why-everybody-has-missed-the-point-of-kanyes-bound-2-video/. White people remaking Kanye’s video doesn’t sound like someone standing up to injustice, that sounds like typical reappropriation.
Its not reappropriation if you’re A list Hollywood messing with Kayne. It’s reappropriation if you’re Paul Simon tapping South African musical styles. This is just good old fashioned satire. And beautifully done, I might add.
I hadn’t heard of this song so I looked up the lyrics – a few distasteful lines, but not nearly as bad as I was expecting from your introduction. Rather than an ode to his penis, I read a cynical and jaded retelling of the whole “There are no good men or women out there to date” trope, with some bad language thrown in. I’ve definitely heard/read worse, this strikes me as rather tame. Then watched the video… and have to say I agree with the comments above, what’s so groundbreaking, conversation-starting about this? It’s a silly parody, not a… Read more »
I loved the video and spent all day yesterday sending it to people because I’m a huge fan of Seth and James – AND Kanye. I guess I’m wondering how you saw this as a critique of racism. I think the video is hilarious – and I’m on watch from an all caps rant from Kanye any minute now – and clearly highlights Kim’s “object” status in the original. But I don’t see the commentary on racism.
(to frame this response; i am a white, male bodied, pan-sexual, gender queer individual, who loses no love over Kanye West.) i see zero imagery relating to the lyrics, which they had ample option to do, seeing as they were such visual lyrics. i do not see a critique, which is indeed sorely needed around this song. all i see is two straight men using homoeroticism as an emasculating joke, an attack, against someone they hold in spite, with zero context or communicable critique. i also see a white man mouthing (i.e. using) the n word and expecting to get… Read more »
The parody is pitch-perfect, which illustrates the degree to which this performance is as canned and manufactured as the Carpenters were. Just a different brand of canned and manufactured.