White Chicks
Carlos Villamarin
Professor Pierson
English Comp: Film
March 16, 2015
A Thousand Miles
“Yeah I like being famous. It’s almost like being white, y’know?” -Chris Rock
At first glance, it’s easy to discredit White Chicks as another gimmicky comedy from the Wayans, filled raunchy humor, and “infantile flatulence jokes and fairly obvious gags”1. Coarse, raunchy language is spread throughout the film, intertwined with racial humor. Farts account for many of the plot turns, yet the Wayans utilize humor to they’re advantage. The Wayans’s film utilizes humor to gloss over harsher topics, and realistically comment on society and race roles. With the use of makeup the Wayans prove anyone can be anything. Could it also be that through the portrayal of “white chicks”, the Wayan brother’s are able to convey a message about performance and race?
White Chicks, released in 2004, was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans, with the latter two starring as the main characters. The film begins with Kevin Copeland and Marcus Copeland (Shawn and Marlon Wayans) disguised as old Caribbean men attempting to take down a drug organization that sells drugs inside ice cream containers. A gunfight so1on pursues, and it is discovered that the containers contained ice cream. Moments later, 2the drug d3ealer arrives to see the store in shambles, and soon escapes. Kevin and Marcus are given a final chance to remain in the FBI, with a new task of protecting the rich heiresses Brittany and Tiffany Wilson from a kidnapping scheme. On the way to the Hamptons, the group is involved in a minor accident, with the sisters receiving minor cuts on their faces. The Wilson sisters refuse to leave the hotel due to their appearances. In an attempt to save their jobs, Kevin and Marcus decide to go undercover as the Wilson sisters with the help of heavy prosthetic makeup.
At the hotel, Kevin and Marcus get acclimated to the Hamptons, as well as
Professor Pierson
English Comp: Film
March 16, 2015
A Thousand Miles
“Yeah I like being famous. It’s almost like being white, y’know?” -Chris Rock
At first glance, it’s easy to discredit White Chicks as another gimmicky comedy from the Wayans, filled raunchy humor, and “infantile flatulence jokes and fairly obvious gags”1. Coarse, raunchy language is spread throughout the film, intertwined with racial humor. Farts account for many of the plot turns, yet the Wayans utilize humor to they’re advantage. The Wayans’s film utilizes humor to gloss over harsher topics, and realistically comment on society and race roles. With the use of makeup the Wayans prove anyone can be anything. Could it also be that through the portrayal of “white chicks”, the Wayan brother’s are able to convey a message about performance and race?
White Chicks, released in 2004, was directed by Keenen Ivory Wayans and written by Keenen Ivory Wayans, Shawn Wayans, and Marlon Wayans, with the latter two starring as the main characters. The film begins with Kevin Copeland and Marcus Copeland (Shawn and Marlon Wayans) disguised as old Caribbean men attempting to take down a drug organization that sells drugs inside ice cream containers. A gunfight so1on pursues, and it is discovered that the containers contained ice cream. Moments later, 2the drug d3ealer arrives to see the store in shambles, and soon escapes. Kevin and Marcus are given a final chance to remain in the FBI, with a new task of protecting the rich heiresses Brittany and Tiffany Wilson from a kidnapping scheme. On the way to the Hamptons, the group is involved in a minor accident, with the sisters receiving minor cuts on their faces. The Wilson sisters refuse to leave the hotel due to their appearances. In an attempt to save their jobs, Kevin and Marcus decide to go undercover as the Wilson sisters with the help of heavy prosthetic makeup.
At the hotel, Kevin and Marcus get acclimated to the Hamptons, as well as
Cited: Lehmann, Megan. "SLIGHT 'CHICKS ' - WASHED-OUT SCRIPT SINKS WAYANS ' DRAG COMEDY; 'WHITE ' LACKS COLOR." New York Post. 23 June 2004. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://nypost.com/2004/06/23/slight-chicks-washed-out-script-sinks-wayans-drag-comedy-white-lacks-color/>. "Wayans Transform for 'White Chicks '" Fox News. FOX News Network, 23 June 2004. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.foxnews.com/story/2004/06/23/wayans-transform-for-white-chicks/>. Kehr, Dave. "White Chicks (2004)." The New York Times. 23 June 2004. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.nytimes.com/movie/review?res=9400E6DE1039F930A15755C0A9629C8B63>. Young, Vershawn Ashanti. "Chapter 1." Your Average Nigga Performing Race, Literacy, and Masculinity. Detroit: Wayne State UP, 2007. Print. Njami, Simon. "The Shock of Being Seen." The Shock of Being Seen. 1 Jan. 2008. Web. 17 Mar. 2015. <http://www.fondation-sindikadokolo.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/02/the-shock-of-being-seen_njami_en.pdf>.