Timothy Birdnow

My brother Brian, in his endless war with the stupidity of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, takes on Judith Newmark's review of "Bad Jews". Ms Newmark is bemused by a "white" version of the song Summertime", a point offensive to Dr. Birdnow not because it is itself offensive but because Newmark shows her hypocrisy.

ASee the review here.

Here is Brian's reply:

Dear Ms. Newmark,
In your review of the play, "Bad Jews" (Wool Studio Theatre, Jewish Community Center Assoc.) you characterized a scene in the play wherein a white female singer attempts to do justice to the Gershwin classic "Summertime". Evidently she cannot pass muster as a white singer trying to perform a song correctly associated with African-American performers, along with the African-American storyline, even if the composer-playwright was also white. In any event, you said, "...Steward's hilarious, utterly soul-free rendition of "Summertime" plays into every white-bread stereotype."

This may be seen as a bold stance against political correctness, but I seem to remember, not long ago, that you reviewed a show , perhaps "South Pacific", and you stated that a number of the lines concerning the racial difference were "cringe inducing", or "cringe-worthy". Now let me see if I understand this correctly. A Post-Dispatch theater critic sees a classic show that makes a mildly chauvinistic remark about the difference between the Oriental and the Occidental as "cringe-worthy"/"cringe-inducing" but tags as "hilarious" the lame attempts of a white singer to affect a black soulful style. So a white stereotype is humorous, but a Polynesian stereotype is offensive? That is an interesting world you Post-Dispatch liberals have constructed and inhabit.

With Kindest Regards,
Brian E. Birdnow

Why is it offensive to stereotype minorities but hip to do so to whites? Not that I find it offensive at all, but one should hold the same standards for everyone, or admit one is a hypocrite. Liberals always maintain double standards.

Posted by: Timothy Birdnow at 11:04 AM | Comments (4) | Add Comment
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