Comedy or Tragedy? Men dressed as Women…

When I was growing up, one of my favorite TV shows was MARTIN. Martin played many characters throughout the show, and two of his characters were women (Mama Payne and Sheneneh). I always thought they were both hilarious. It really was a funny show, and in fact, many people still watch it to this day.

As I grew in age, I began to question why so many men dress as women in TV shows and movies. Jamie Foxx played Wanda, Martin Lawrence played Big Mama in the movie “Big Mama’s House”, Adam Sandler in Jack and Jill, my personal favorite, Mrs. Doubtfire- played by Robin Williams, and going back even further- Flip Wilson as Geraldine Jones.

Cross dressing actually began as early as the silent film days with Charlie Chaplin and Stan Laurel. They actually brought their act to America in 1910, and that’s where it pretty much began, inspiring many different comedians to use cross dressing throughout their comedy shows, movies, etc. Apparently, since we all seem to find it extremely funny for men to dress as women on stage and in film productions, we now have characters popping up like Madea- played by Tyler Perry. Madea is known for bad behavior and “telling it like it is.” In my opinion, there are one too many movies and plays featuring this character. I mean how much of Madea do you need??? And while Madea is showing out, many young men have taken to social media to show that they can dress like women and be funny as well.

Some of them really aren’t even that funny, so they are just doing it for no reason. What these young men fail to realize is that one Instagram post after another of them dressing up as a woman is no longer just “an act of comedy”. It has been taken to another level in Hollywood. Although you may get some laughs and likes, you’re telling the world that you’re sacrificing your manhood to be funny for free. You don’t believe me? Ask Dave Chappelle about how he was pressured to wear a dress in a movie that he was in with Martin. Dave absolutely refused to do so after the writer, director, and producer all came in on separate occasions to ask him to wear the dress. He said he had to sit back and think “why is it that all these strong black men have to wear a dress at some point in their careers?” He also discussed how the show continuously put negative stories out about him to the media and then wanted him to back those stories up.

Have you noticed that Black men that are not comedians have also been dressing like women but trying to disguise it as fashion? Dwayne Wade has been walking around in capri pants and leopard loafers. I almost died when I saw Omarr Epps in a skirt and tight vest on an interview on “The View” when he discussed his new role on the new TV show “Resurrection.” I could not believe it!

Why is it that men have to emasculate themselves by putting on a dress at some point in their careers? And why are the statistics for black men higher than any other race of men? I admit that sometimes it’s funny, but is it necessary? What is the real motive behind the gesture in Hollywood? In my mind it means that they are ready and willing to do whatever for what they really want, which is basically giving others the right to control the actor/comedian.

I don’t think it’s coincidental that celebrities all of a sudden “go crazy” and their pictures are all over the news. Is it really that they are crazy because they don’t want to be controlled, or is Hollywood showing them they can make or break them by feeding the media stories about making them crazy?

I don’t think it’s sexy or attractive for my guy to wear the same clothes as me. Capri pants were not made for men. I’m pretty sure leopard print wasn’t really a targeting market for men either. I think it’s time that celebrities become socially responsible for the images that they display.

I’m sure if there weren’t so many men dressing and posing as women publically for comic relief that you wouldn’t have these young men posting scenes with them dressed as women with hopes of “making it.” I think it’s time that people pay attention and get a mind of their own instead of mimicking celebrities all the time. How about you?