October 2002
Virtue In Action
The Movie Barbershop Highlights the Issues of Comedy and Respect
V i rt u e i n ac t i o n
f o s t e r i n g c i t i z e n s h i p t h r o u g h c h a r ac t e r e d u c at i o n
Virtue in action
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The movie Barbershop is a comedy that has become both a box-office hit and a
center of controversy. The controversy revolves around several scenes that present derogatory statements
about prominent civil rights leaders. The movie focuses on a barbershop and its community of workers
and customers within an economically troubled Chicago neighborhood. The characters of the movie are
predominantly black, and the conversation within the barbershop is freewheeling and chaotic. Apparently,
no topic is off-limits. Everyone in the barbershop is free to express his or her opinions, no matter how
foul, far-fetched or controversial. Eddie, the elder-spokesman of the barbershop explains, "If we can't talk
straight in a barbershop, where can we talk straight?"
Part I: Introduction
In this lesson, we will use the controversy of the movie
to explore different dimensions of the virtue of respect
for others. What does it mean to show respect for others? Does respecting others mean we shouldn’t tell jokes
or support comedy that may be offensive to certain
groups or individuals? How important is the virtue of
respect for others within the larger context of socially
or politically heated discussion?
What Sparked the Controversy?
In one of the scenes in question, the character Eddie
states that Rosa Parks got so much attention for refusing to give up her bus seat because she was a secretary
for the NAACP and knew Martin Luther King, while
many other blacks who also confronted discrimination
did not receive the same the attention. As the younger
customers and barbers in the barbershop begin to criticize Eddie’s statements he becomes upset and states,
"There are three things black people need to stop lying
about. One, Rodney King should've got his (bleep) beat
for driving drunk in a Hyundai. Two, O.J. did it. And
three, Rosa Parks didn't do nothing but sit her black
(bleep) down on that bus!"
As the other characters continue to voice their disagreement and one states that Jesse Jackson wouldn’t want to
hear these statements Eddie responds in anger “(bleep)
Jesse Jackson.” Later in the movie Eddie also references
the alleged affairs of Martin Luther King, referring to
the civil rights martyr as "a ho."
It is important to point out that in the movie, Eddie
was loudly criticized for his point of view and lack of
respect for leaders of the civil rights movement. When
Eddie's younger co-workers at the barbershop vocalized their displeasure, Eddie simply replies, "This ain't
nothing but healthy conversation." When a fellow barber asks him "But why do you have to tear Rosa Parks
down?" Eddie replies, "Ain't nobody exempt in the
barbershop. You can talk about whoever and whatever
you want!"
Is the scene in question insensitive and insulting to
African-Americans and to others who have fought and
struggled in this nation's fight for equality and civil
rights? Does it violate the virtue of respect for others,
defined as showing full appreciation for the worth and
dignity of others. Does the tone and language used
show a lack of respect for others? Or does the scene
affirm respect for others through the fact that the other
characters strongly disagree with Eddie’s statements?
Is it possible that this type of comedy can be used as a
tool to help foster greater debate and understanding?
We will portray both sides of the debate to help us better form our own opinions.
Criticism from Civil Rights Leaders and Other Groups
Civil rights leaders such as Jesse Jackson and Al Sharpton criticized the film as being disrespectful. They have
pressed the producers of the film for an apology and
assurances from MGM Pictures that the scenes in question will be removed from all future DVD, video, and
cable releases.
Jesse Jackson stated "the filmmakers crossed the line
between what's sacred and serious and what's funny." "I
could dismiss the comments about me," "but Dr. King
is dead, and Ms. Parks is an invalid. There are some
heroes who are sacred to a people, and these comments
poisoned an otherwise funny movie."
Al Sharpton echoes similar sentiments. "To take two
people that are victims of the civil rights movement
-- Dr. King was killed, Rosa Parks arrested for refusing
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to abide by Alabama's "back of the bus" policy -- and
mock them is something that is offensive and something that is disrespectful." Jackson has also spoken to
King's widow Coretta Scott King, and her son, Martin
Luther King III, as well as the Parks family and says they
"feel highly insulted" by the jokes.
Anita Peek, executive director of the Rosa & Raymond
Parks Institute for Self-Development, goes even further, stating the movie doesn't demonstrate appropriate respect for the struggles of the civil rights leaders.
"They have thousands of people they could have made
jokes about negatively. Why would they pick her and
why would they pick a movement that
did so much to help a movie like this to
be made?"
Critics of the film's dialogue argue that
some people in our nation’s history
should not be degraded, even in comedy. They argue this type of comedy
lessens our culture’s sense of respect for
the leaders and others involved in the
civil rights movement, and leads us to
take for granted the sacrifices of those
in the movement who helped give the
rights African-Americans and other
minorities today enjoy.
The movie uses a lot of bad language,
or profanity, in its jokes. Although using bad language often makes us laugh,
is it right to use profanity? Does using
profanity unnecessarily offend people? And can we
as individuals and entertainers get the same message
across and be funny without using profanity? Some
very successful entertainers, like the band Linkin Park,
refuse to use profanity because they believe using bad
language shows a lack of creativity. Or, is the language
in the movie simply an honest reflection of the language typically used by the people presented in the
movie?
The Producers, Writers, Actors, and
Studio Executives Defend the Film
In response to the pressure from Jesse Jackson, Al
Sharpton, and others, the producers and cast issued the
following statement: "When making the film Barbershop, it was never our intent to upset anyone going
to see the film. We, by no means, meant to disrespect
those we give the utmost respect. We never meant to of-
fend anyone, especially the civil rights leaders and their
families."
In response to the question of why such lines were included in the film in the first place, they state, "We, (the
producers and writers), wanted one individual in the
shop saying something funny, and we wanted everyone
else to disagree with that person. That's exactly what we
did. The words spoken about our civil rights leaders are
made by one character. Every other character disagrees
with him."
MGM Pictures also released the following statement:
"In Barbershop, a character makes
comments about Rosa Parks and other
leaders of the civil rights movement.
It's only that one character's opinion,
though. No one else in the film agrees
with him, and it's not an opinion
shared by the film itself, the filmmakers, or MGM Pictures. The same
character, Eddie, also says, "you can say
anything you want in a barbershop."
For the characters in the film and in
that place, no subject is off-limits, and
the filmmakers were just trying to be
true to that."
Cedric, the actor who played the barber, says he didn't feel "all that comfortable" with the lines but felt it was
necessary for his character. "Personally,
I had some qualms with saying that,"
he says. "But every situation has an instigator, someone
who likes to charge the room and say something controversial. That's what my character does in the movie."
Some commentators have defended the unique role of
comedic instigator in being able to attack cultural icons
without degrading them. Ice Cube, who stars in the
film, says, “Just because we talk about people doesn't
mean we don't love these people too."
Part II: Generational Gap
Some commentators have argued that the controversy
stems more from the generational gap that exists between many of the older civil rights activists and most
of us who don’t have direct experience of bus boycotts,
freedom rides, and marches.
The president of Hip-Hop Congress states "That generation (Jackson and Sharpton), they were in the thick of
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things with Martin Luther King and Rosa Parks. It's
definitely a personal thing to them. We're affected
by it, but we weren't really there." "It (the scene) just
went past me. I wasn't sitting there thinking, "Oh
my goodness." He claims people's reactions to the
scenes will naturally be shaped by their experiences.
Leonard Pitts, a Chicago Tribune editorialist, writes,
"The issue… is generational. The civil rights movement ended 34 years ago--before most members
of the movie's principal cast were even born. They
are children of a different time. More to the point,
they are members of a generation raised to be irreverent, a generation for which too far is never far
enough. By definition, they will have trouble truly
understanding--much less embracing--the sacrifices
made by their elders once upon a time in a world far
away."
Pitts argues "that the civil rights movement has been
poorly and inconsistently taught, too frequently
reduced to caricature and Hallmark sentiment," becoming nothing more than "an endless loop of Martin Luther King repeating "I Have a Dream" instead
of what it was--something daring and dangerous."
Pitt’s statements present the question of would the
younger generation laugh at these jokes if they really
understood the sacrifices of Martin Luther King and
Rosa Parks.
Comedy and Respect for Others in Our Own Lives
The controversy surrounding the film Barbershop
highlights how our statements and actions affect
others individually and our larger community and
culture. Do jokes like those presented in the movie
show a lack of respect, by undermining the dignity and value of another person? Even if we don’t
intend for a joke to disrespect another person, if it
does offend the person have we violated the virtue
of respecting others? One approach we could take is
to simply judge before using a joke whether it will
undermine the value and dignity of another person. The same joke may have an entirely different
impact, depending on who is the subject of the joke
and in what setting.
How we communicate with each other, even the
type of comedy we use, can also impact the character of our communities, whether it’s our school
community, community of friends, or nation. In
accepting jokes like those in the movie Barbershop
do we slowly lessen our sense of respect, not just
for our nation’s leaders, but for each other as well?
Or, can we honestly separate out comedy as a form
of communication that doesn’t impact our respect
for others? Do jokes like those in the movie Barbershop, that use offensive statements to teach the
right message, actually affirm our respect for others
while also promoting discussion that is healthy for
our culture?
All of these questions speak to the balance that we
strive to maintain in a free and open society. Fortunately, in America we are free to make any statement we like about other people, even our nation’s
leaders. However, to maintain a respectful and
caring society we each have a responsibility to assess
how our statements will affect others and the larger
community. n
Vocabulary
Derogatory – Belittling; expressing a low opinion of something or someone.
Icon – An image; a representation.
Instigator – Someone who deliberately incites trouble.
Irreverent – Disrespectful.
Profanity – Abusive or vulgar language.
Respect For Others – Showing full appreciation of the worth and dignity of others; living by the “golden rule”- do unto others as
you would want done unto you.
www.virtueinaction.org
Copyright October, 2002 Current Links in Education
1126 Dartmouth Rd. Flossmoor, Il 60422
Phone: 708.922.1075 • Email: [email protected]
Teacher’s Guide
Virtue in action
Virtue In Action
2
The Movie Barbershop Highlights the Issues of Comedy and Respect
V i rt u e i n ac t i o n
f o s t e r i n g c i t i z e n s h i p t h r o u g h c h a r ac t e r e d u c at i o n
Lesson Goals
EHelp students understand the virtue of
respect for others
EHelp students develop a framework
for evaluating comedy/jokes in the
context of the virtue of respect for
others
EEncourage students to examine their
own statements and interactions
with friends, family and fellow
students in the context of their
effects on others
EPractice evaluating issues from
multiple perspectives
Respect for Others: Showing full
appreciation for the worth and dignity of
others.
“A person who has respect for others acts
or refrains from acting so as not to harm,
and indeed so as to benefit, himself and
others, according to their rights, status
and circumstances.” --Isaacs
This lesson is divided into two parts
containing, reading, discussion questions
and journal writing exercises. Optional
extension activities are provided at the
end of the lesson.
Part I Introduce the movie, the controversy and the virtue of respect for others.
Activity 1 Read together the student text for the day.
Activity 2: Discussion Questions
1. Do you think the statements themselves by the barber violate the virtue
of respecting others? Let’s discuss why or why not, relating our view to the
definition of respect for others (writing the definition on the board would be
helpful).
2. How did the young customers in the barbershop respond to Eddie’s statements,
and why? Given the scene in its complete context - Eddie’s statements and
the young customer’s response, does the scene violate or affirm the virtue of
respecting others?
3. Are there topics in our lives that should be off-limits for comedy that shows a lack of
respect for the topic or person? Examples to consider are:
· Leaders in politics, religion, history
· Events such as the holocaust, slavery, war
· If disrespectful statements are used to convey a good message is this then okay?
Can the same positive message be conveyed without disrespectful statements?
Activity 3: Journal Writing Options
A.Eddie lashes out and makes hurtful statements when he feels anger that
everyone else in the barbershop disagrees with his opinions. A viewer of the
movie naturally senses that Eddie’s worse statement where he curses Jesse
Jackson is an angry emotional response. In your journal write about a time you
said something in anger that violated the respect of another person? Follow
this statement with a resolution on what can help you not respond in anger. A
simple example would be stopping and thinking about the situation as a whole
before speaking, or asking yourself how you would like to be treated.
B.Write in your journal about a time that you showed disrespect to someone in
your life (for example a friend, family member, teacher). Given our discussion
today, would you respond the same way, or differently?
Part II The Controversy as a Generational Issue
Activity 1 Read together the student text for the day.
Activity 2: Discussion Questions
1. Do you think that generational divides play an important role in determining
how we view situations? Do you think that if you experienced the civil rights
movement directly, and experienced or witnessed the dangers and risks it
involved, you would still laugh at the jokes in the movie?
2. Do you think our schools and culture as a whole do enough to teach us about the
realities of the civil rights movement? Do we have an individual responsibility to
learn about the movement, as opposed to only relying on our school and events
like government holidays?
Virtue in action
3. Looking at comedy within today’s younger generation, is it
possible to engage in comedy that undermines a person’s value
or dignity and to still respect them by separating the comedy
from our total view of the person? Is it okay to use statements
that by themselves undermine a person’s dignity or value if in
the end a positive message is portrayed? In other words, do the
ends justify the means?
2
Exercise C: Group Creative Activity/Critical Thinking
Create a program in your school that teaches respect for
others. This can be a poster campaign, an assembly, an after
school club, or any other format you like. Use what you have
learned about respect for others:
· Respect for historical figures, who cannot defend
themselves
4. Is our culture too irreverent, disrespectful of others? Or, stated
another way does our culture in entertainment, politics,
sports, and our personal lives excessively undermine the value
and dignity of others? (Encourage a discussion of specific
examples)
· Multiple perspectives of respect, based upon personal
knowledge
5. With today’s younger generation, can you be successful as a
comedian or entertainer in general without using profanity
and content that undermines respect for others?
· How giving respect increases getting respect
Activity 3: Journal Writing Options
Given everything we have read and discussed on this issue,
write in your journals a statement of what the producers
and writers of the movie Barbershop should have done
in response to the criticism. Then write out a paragraph
in defense of your statement including specific references
to the virtue of respecting others. Options to consider are
(teachers may want to write on the board)
1) Apologize but not take the controversial scenes out of the
movie for DVD / video / cable release
2) Apologize and take the controversial scene out of the
movie for DVD / video / cable release
3) No apology and no change in the movie.
Extension Exercises
These activities are optional, and may be used to take
discussions to a deeper level. Each activity focuses on one
aspect of the lesson, and involves multiple learning styles.
Exercise A: Group Activity
(suggested for high school students)
Divide the class into groups. Give each group a script from
a famous comedian. Have the students rewrite the script,
eliminating profanity and any disrespectful references to
specific people. Come back together as a class and discuss
how easy or difficult this was, and suggest how comedians
could show more creativity without the use of profanity or
slander.
· How knowledge of history can increase your level of
respect for others
· How respect for others teaches us to respect ourselves
Use humor in your program that exhibits respect for others,
while still managing to be funny. Portray situations common
to students (school life, home life, hanging around with
friends) in which we can all improve our use of “respect for
others.
Other Links
Salon.com
http://www.salon.com/news/wire/2002/09/29/barbershop/
BET.com (James Hill)-quotes Howard University Professor
Torriano Berry. Puts controversy in perspective of other
comedic attempts to disrespect the sacred
http://www.msnbc.com/news/813892.asp?cp1=1
Lloyd Sachs, Chicago Sun Times Entertainment Critic
http://www.sun-times.com/output/sachs/sho-sunday-saxx06.
html
Leonard Pitts, Chicago Tribune
http://www.jewishworldreview.com/1002/pitts100102.asp
Associated Press, Sept. 29-Deborah Kong
http://www.imdiversity.com/villages/african/Article_Detail.
asp?Article_ID=13044
Historical documents
about the controversies raised in the movie
http://www.oberlin.edu/~EOG/History268/barber.html
Exercise B: Research Activity
(suggested in groups or individuals)
Find an opinion that is for or against the movie. Discuss the
author’s main points.
www.virtueinaction.org
Copyright October, 2002 Current Links in Education
1126 Dartmouth Rd. Flossmoor, Il 60422
Phone: 708.922.1075 • Email: [email protected]