As with all things regarding race, the media and liberals are expanding the definition of “blackface” to the point where the term is unrecognizable.
With Virginia’s Democratic Gov. Ralph Northam, and now the state’s attorney general coming forward with admissions of having donned themselves in “blackface” costumes, it’s now important to distinguish what the term means and what it doesn’t mean.
On Wednesday, an old clip resurfaced online of ABC “The View” co-host Joy Behar describing a the time she dressed up as a “beautiful African woman,” complete with big, curly hair, and makeup that shaded her skin.
In the 2016 clip, a photo of a younger Behar is displayed on the screen behind her. She says she was 29 and that the costume was for Halloween. She repeatedly says that the hair is natural and not a wig, and she admits that she had “makeup that was a little bit darker than my skin.”
The photo of Behar depicts no apparent stereotypes denigrating American blacks, which is precisely what blackface does and why it is considered so offensive.
Blackface, in its original form, required solid black face paint, exaggerated lips, and for the person dressed up to behave in a manner intended to mock the intellect of blacks. This was, sadly, a form of entertainment in the years during and immediately after the slavery era.
Behar’s portrayal of an African-American female, in contrast, is no different from that of “Real Housewives” star LuAnn de Lesseps, who in 2017, paid homage to singer Diana Ross at a Halloween party.
De Lesseps wore a giant wig and said that she used bronzer on her skin for the impersonation. But in an interview, Bravo’s Andy Cohen told her that he had a “problem” with the hair.
She didn’t have to, but de Lesseps apologized nonetheless, and explained that her intent was a “little tribute” to Ross.
Behar didn’t use Thursday’s edition of the show to address the resurfaced clip, and a spokesperson for the program didn’t return my request for comment.
That’s okay. There’s nothing to explain. Blackface is a specific thing, and Behar’s costume wasn’t that thing.
Joy Behar admitted during a taping of The View in 2016 to dressing as a “beautiful African women” at a Halloween party when she was 29 which involved makeup “that was a little bit darker than my skin”
The show even ran an image of the old photo pic.twitter.com/qKQqzDPxyn
— Jon Levine (@LevineJonathan) February 6, 2019
