Bamboozled Analysis

Bamboozled. (2000)

Starring Damon Wayans.

Directed by Spike Lee.

Damon Wayans is asked to make a minstrel show for the new millennium and uses this as an opportunity to get sacked by introducing a very explicit and ridiculous show that expresses in a satire commonly racist ideas about Africans to the public, this eventually works against him and has a dangerously bad reactions to the majority of the cast.

Only Denotations and rough notes FOR NOW!!

-Reps of 2 dignified successful black characters, one is the main character Pierre Delacroix (Damon) who is a producer and also his female african american assistant. These reps are initially seen as being positive as they work against the stereotypes of having lower status occupations in general being in social grades of D/E.

-Damons real name was "Phillis"

- Damon isn't liked until after Bamboozled in his workplace quite clearly because

- His boss "I speak more black when im with you" - Is there a concept of speaking black?

The Mis-en-scene in his office - Pictures of successful black people.

- Changes name from 'Manray' to 'Mantan' and 'Sleep&Eat'

- In the show we see stereotypical black roles i.e. Shoe shining and tapdancing.

- Damon's previous show 'Brown Knows Joe' wasn't a success and got cut.

- On the T-shirt of the girls brother and his rap group ' The African Hellacaust' and they are seen rapping and drinking.

- Damon calls the girl a 'Lamb'

- Hattie costume - Like a mammy is shown in the performances.

- 'Watermelon AKA Nigger apple'

-" I say nigger 100 times every morning, thats what keeps my teeth white"

- His father is an Alcoholic

- Sponsors of the show - 'The Bomb' - hard liquor..."It makes you get your freak on"...

- TimmiHillnigger - The man 'wigger'

- Halloween costumes = Blackface

- "never should have got romantically involved with my help"