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Some think the film was great and learned much about black hair products and "enhancements" while others think Rock took a complex and fraught issue and made a big joke of it and black women while he was at it.
The comments on our 'Good Hair' stories were varied:Amala on 10/11/2009 was not feeling the film:
Talk about sterotypes ... what you will get from the movie: all black women wear weaves, all black women perm their hair, and all black women are high maintenance; and black men have no greater desire than to run their hands through your hair. What a crock of BS. I saw the movie yesterday and I can say that Chris Rock is in it to make money and that's it.
Don't go to this movie expecting some kind of analysis about how the society doesn't except black hair as it is therefore, black women don't except their hair ... so they conform. There is nothing about how natural hair is on the rise; that natural hair salons and locticians are in abundance. It simply a comedy that will make money for Chris Rock at the expense of black women.
I've expereienced every style under the sun both good and bad, but now after years of experimenting sport a natural look because it's best for me. When Rock made this movie I don't think his goal was not to explore the stigmas or intricacies of the African-American experience as it relates to hair it was strictly for entertainment value only. He's a comedian, so why would expect something so deep?
'Good Hair' opened in select cities on Friday, Oct. 7 and is scheduled to go wide on Oct. 23. What are your thoughts?
Comments: (18)
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By: luvingmylocks on 10/14/2009 3:37PM
My sistas,THIS IS JUST ANOTHER INSULT AND SLAP IN THE FACE FROM OUR BROTHERS THAT JUST KNOW THE SURFACE OF THEIR SISTAS. pRETTY SAD THAT WE HOLD UP THIS COUNTRY BY ALL THE FAKE STUFF WE WEAR EVERYONE GETS RICH OFF OF THE WANNA BE BEAUTIFUL BLACK WOMAN. THE HAIR,THE LASHES,THE NAILS THE LOW CUT CLEAVAGE TOPS,THE CONTACTS.cAN WE HAVE JUST THE BEAUTY gOD GAVE US THE NATURAL PRETTY COMPLEXION THE NATURAL LOCKS ON OUR HEADS THAT NO ONE ELSE CAN EVEN GET,OUR FIERCE LIPS THAT OTHER CULTURES TRY TO IMITATE WITH INJECTIONS.rIGHT NOW WE HAVE SOME OF THE GREATEST LOCTICIANS FROM ALL OVER aMERICA TO GIVE OUR HAIR THE BEST IN FASHION AND STYLE. iF brothers would only stay informed on the afro-american woman and get behind us in our journey they wouldn't have to create stupid movies as such, because they would know that all that sewing hair on and slapping that painful lye in our hair is a thing of the pass and the only audience that would go and see this would be the same ignornant people that "s still damaging and buying fake stuff to make asians richer and the african-american dummer and dummer.try visiting other natural hair choices e.t. SISTER LOCKS.COM THESE PROFESSIONAL NATURAL HAIR STYLIST ARE DRS. AT WHAT THEY DO AND COME FROM AROUND THE WOULD T0O INTRODUCE YOU TO A NEW WAY OF BEING YOU AND NATURALLY NO AFROS, NO HAIT OF OTHER PEOPLE FOR FRENCHBRAIDS,JUST YOUR OWN HAIR,WELL MAYBE THIS MOVIE WAS MADE TO EXPOSE US AND NOT EXPOSE THE NEW APPROACH TO OUR NATURAL LOCKS WHICH HAS BEEN ON THE RISE FOR SOME YEARS AND THE LAW HAS TRIED TO KEEP IT QUIET SO THE BUSINESS THAT WE PUT IN THIS INDUSTRY WOULD NOT DRY UP AFTER ALL IT'S AN ON GOING THING FOREVER,WHICH THE NEW CHOICES ARE NOT JUST MAINTENANCE BECAUSE IT'S YOUR OWN HAIR NO MORE BYING DEAD FOLK HAIR FOR YOUR HEAD. SISTAS THINK ABOUT IT ANOTHER MOVEMENT IS OUT THERE TO SAVE YOU LOTS OF MONEY AND A BEAUTIFUL YOU NATURALLY.TRY SISTER LOCKS.COM CRIS take your girls to another level beacause you are behind with the times my father with the AFRICAN-AMERICAN COMMUNITY.
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By: Macy on 10/14/2009 6:27AM
Oh no! Black men including Rock would never air their dirty laundry especially to be laughed at and ridiculed. So some weak punk-azz black men in order to boost their sagging egos, hide their own failures, robbings, rapings and killings and feel more apart of the mainstream will instead not focus on themselves and examine how they can finally take their place in the world as real men by improving themselves and their community but turn the spotlight on black women (who have been their only true friends) and hold black women up to be dehumanized and ridiculed. There isn't a cowardly piece of sh*t lower than some black men.
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By: Urbanpricness on 10/14/2009 8:57AM
I seen it all? Putting kiddie relaxers in little girls hair is a "NO, NO"! All those chemicals are doing so much damage to their fragile hair. I am against putting relaxers in a child's hair at a young age, weaves, extensions, ect.. What blows my mind is a infant with a wig or extensions in her hair? What has this world has come to? My 6 year old daughter's hair is thick and she has wavy curly natural hair. My daughter has soft baby hair on the back of her neck and along her hair line. I keep her hair well-maintained and stylish by braiding and twisting her hair, and accessorizing with barrettes and beads (not too tight).
My sister on the other hand, her daughter is 5 years-old and has a different type of hair texture than my daughter's hair. My sister damaged her daughter's hair by having other people braid her hair with tight mini braids and by her "Flat-ironing", "Curling" her daughter's hair. I tried talking to her about it but she would say to me "Oh, I have the setting on low and it won't hurt her hair"? My niece did at one time had full hair, but my sister didn't take care of her hair in which left her hair short and damaged. As far as the movie, I wouldn't go see it. People can either find this documentary film comical, knowledgeable, or offensive. I agree with Macy on here. I think, somebody (A woman) ,should have a film documentary on "Black Men" and see how it feels!
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By: Vickiss on 10/14/2009 9:52AM
The only problem with the movie is that he did not state what needed to be stated : Too many black people are brainwashed into thinking that straight hair is better - and this is a direct result of slavery and colonialism.
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By: mehida-loco on 10/14/2009 10:01AM
Listen even though I haven't watched this movie yet, primarily because it isn't showing in my city. I do understand the premise that brought this movie into manifestation. However, what I do want to point out is the fact that the majority Black American women have an overwhelming lack of care on overall health. Being a Black American man myself, it does me great pride to see drop dead gorgeous Sistas such Beyonce, Vanessa Williams, Halle Barry, Iman, etc. coveted by men of all races. My younger sister once told me that the black men in Phoenix only go for white women and she that she understands why. "Because the white women keep up their appearances, they work out, hold off on having children and go to school to get careers as opposed to jobs." Granted many Brothas have a lot room for improvement but it's too bad that so many Sistas don't take the care in the rest of their well being as they do in their hair. Now before any Sista's rip me a new one I just want to say that not all Sista's let themselves go but the grand majority do. And I'm sure if many more Sista's took the care in themselves just as white women do that the Sista's would need repellent for ALL the (black, white, asian, etc.)men that would come onto them.
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By: Urbnaprincess on 10/14/2009 12:46PM
mehida-loco
I just had a ? to ask you. Is it because "Beyonce", "Iman" "Vanessa Williams", Halle Berry" have European features, the straight natural hair, straight weaves, extensions, light skin, and $$$$ that attracts you? I'm sure if sista's had all of those celebrities $$$$, fame, personal trainers, ect.. they would look like that too! There are a lot of natural Black sistas of all shades that are real! It is not always what's on the OUTSIDE that makes a female it's her inner beauty as well! You said, " Because the white women keep up their appearances, they work out, hold off on having children and go to school to get careers as opposed to jobs." That is so not all true! That was so ignorant of a statement and I was offended! Give me a break! If some of these black men stop knockin up these women and making promises, and not marrying them maybe men will be doing the right thing.
I say that black men share the blame too! There are a lot of SUCCESSFUL "BEAUTIFUL" BLACK WOMAN out there! You just don't want to see it! Please don't put our people down like that. Every woman on this planet is "Beautiful". Being a intelligent beautiful black woman I always care of my health, my 2 children, and I handle my business! I guess "The Majority" of black woman (you say) spend more time on hair care. If so, they are trying to please you "Black Men". Instead of some Black men like you putting down black woman, be more sensitive, show more compassion, help one another out, encourage, and inspire each other so that you both can be strong, proud, and black!
There are some black woman that over spend on hair products and hair and need to spend on important things but that's their $$$$! If that's the way these woman want so let them be! There are a lot of things that black men waste their $$$$ on and some of them are(Video Games, beer, liquor, unnecessary gadgets,ect...) Just to name a few. But that's their $$$$ too, nobody can tell them what to do? There are too important things some Black men should focus their $$$$ on too! You talk about a black sistas not taking care of their health, what about some of black men? Some of them wait till the last minute to be seen for something that is so serious like colon cancer, and any serious health issues. Some black men don't like talking about health and going to the Doctor like they should? I'm just keeping it real! Just say, it is important for ALL to get check because it is so "Critical"! It goes both ways, my brotha. Black woman can talk about the "Negative" things some and I didn't say like you "The Majority" black men don't do. I'm sure Black woman can write a novel and a 2-part documentary film on that one! Your entitle to your opinion, but I totally disagree and found your comment very ignorant and offensive towards black woman.
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By: mehida-loco on 10/14/2009 2:24PM
http://www.cdc.gov/obesity/data/trends.html#Race
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By: mehida-loco on 10/14/2009 2:18PM
Okay Princess would you feel more comfortable if I mentioned Naomi Campbell, Grace Jones, Meagan Good, and Nona Gaye. You made a very good point that there are beautiful Sistas of all shades therefore it's irrelevant who I mention because they were just random examples of big names. What I can say is that I don't need to go any farther than my own front yard to find an attractive white woman who keeps herself fit and happens to be a professional or is undergoing to become one without a bunch of kids at tow. However, you do bring up an important issue and that is self esteem and I'm not talking about the type of self esteem that grows on you, such as growing to accept your weight, your "bad boy", or your social status. I've always said if men are dogs then women are the dog trainers. It really is too bad Sistas don't have the self esteem to distinguish a good man from a bad boy because women in general hold all the cards. Now in response to "inner beauty". Let's be real, inner beauty is not the first thing that attracts a man to a woman or vice-versa. Now, I'm not overweight but everytime I suggest an overweight man to pair up with a woman the immediate response is "I don't think so!" However, men are expected to accept a "natural Black sista" with all of her "inner beauty" puhleeze! It's a statistical fact that Sistas are overweight which is why I can say the majority. Now, in your defense I agree wholeheartedly that Brothas need to get their act together which I very briefly mentioned in my original post. In conclusion, if Sistas are spending so much time and effort on their hair for the sake of us Brothas I'd much rather them slap on a wig, put the pork chop down, get off their back, go to school and run on a treadmill.
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By: Urbanprincess on 10/14/2009 4:18PM
Let me say this to you. Ok, you really dig white woman and that's your preference and that's lovely. Love has no color, ok I got you. I am not against dating outside your own race. To each it's own. But you know what every, woman is special in her own ways. You have a special woman that men are looking for. That QUEEN! That's where my man comes in and does it well! I treat him like a KING! Men are looking for that special down to earth woman who is spiritually connected, grounded, has good character, intelligent a listener, inspirer, a person who is beautiful inside and out, who are the backbone and will stand up to her man till the END! You can be of any color and still have the same qualifications! Sex and a persons LOOKS doesn't last forever, it gets OLD and fads away. Love and inner beauty lasts a LIFE TIME and will never go away! You can be beautiful on the outside but have a JACKED UP ATTITUDE!
I guess you had some bad experiences in your lifetime of black woman but don't make it seem like it's ALL! I take good care of myself and look good, so they say. A female like me loves compliments. I take my health very seriously, eat right, and exercise daily. I am so confident in everything I do and ain't a damn thing that I do wrong. I'm on point ALWAYS! Please don't get on other sistas that have more and not an average weight. There are beautiful voluptuous black sistas and they have it going on. There is a man for every sista out there. I guess they are too much for you to handle? A man should love a woman for who she is. Help motivate each other if there is a health issue but don't be mentally abusive by putting black woman down and attacking?
Actually, I am one of those sisters that don't wear wigs, weaves, or extension and have beautiful long hair. I don't hate no sista that chooses to accessorize and add hair. Let me say, maybe woman like being versatile, it's having fun with hair, or maybe the woman don't have time to wear her hair natural and maintain with a busy work schedule and life style. Celebrities, do it all the time with weaves, extensions, and wigs. White, black woman and woman of other races? The problem is, we all should stick together and not put each other down. We as black people have come so far. Now, isn't the time to hate but the time to show love and support of all black brothas and sistas to come together as ONE or if not being with one, still SUPPORT and SHOW SOME LOVE!
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By: aron ranen on 10/14/2009 3:21PM
Please take a moment to check out my documentary film BLACK HAIR
It is free at youtube. 6 parts including an update from London, England.
It explores the Korean Take-over of the Black Beauty Supply and Hair biz..
The current situation makes it hard to believe that Madame C.J. Walker once ran the whole thing.
I am not a hater, I am a motivator.
Plus I am a White guy who stumbled upon this, and felt it was so wrong I had to make a film about it.
self-funded film, made from the heart.
Can it be taken back?
Link
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=p96aaTSdrAE
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