Black. White. (2006) User Reviews

21st Century Minstrel Show?

[DeanNYC · 4/10 · 21 February 2007]

FX's "Black. White." was a curious concept. This was a limited run series (6 episodes) that promised some kind of earth-shattering revelations about the state of race in America today.

The premise: Two families, lined up as a Mother, a Father figure and teen, are there to learn about what sort of racism exists in what could otherwise be called "mainstream" America. The Caucasian Tribe are The Wurgel family (Carmen, Bruno and Rose). The African-Americans are The Sparks family (Rene, Brian and Nick). They trade places and take on the race of the other group, through the magic of makeup.

Now, I don't want to say this isn't an original idea, but Eddie Murphy did exactly this as a filmed segment on NBC's "Saturday Night Live" some 20 years before. It never claimed to give any "real" insights about people, but, it actually did suggest some thoughts about the differences in how whites get treated better than the darker skinned individuals in our society. Of course, the SNL segment was completely controlled, using actors in the parts of the people Murphy's straight-laced "White Guy" interacted with, and played strictly for laughs. Brilliantly.

In "Black. White." we're told we have a great experiment going on here, a real sociological examination of culture clash. Will people who cross the paths of these cosmetically enhanced performers be able to know that they are talking to people who are not what they appear to be?

At any rate, the two families lived under the same roof of a large house in a Los Angeles suburb, where they observed one another, shared information about their "different camps" and used what they learned in their guises to understand more about what it is to be the other.

The only one of the six participants who is *completely* convincing as their opposite is Rose, the white daughter turned black poetess. Her look, style and mannerisms seemed most true and she had a clear vision of the program's intentions, or really, what she hoped to gain from this project. Rose is also the only one who seemed to be "learning" anything about racism, culture, class, and ultimately, herself.

Conversely, the "adults" were all concerned with proving their pre-conceived notions about what racism is and what people had to say to them about it. And Rose's teen counterpart, Nick, admitted that he was only doing this for the fun of it. With that sort of attitude, "Black. White." really dissolves into a 21st Century Minstrel Show, with people getting made up and acting in the "stereotypical" manner to "fit in" with societal norms and provide entertainment for the viewing audience. There's not a lot of substantive learning going on here.

Also, the program was heavily edited, the stars spent hours in their makeup chairs and were subsequently placed in situations that were, at times, laughably unrealistic, and occasionally seemed more an exercise in tricking people, a la Ashton Kutcher's "Punk'd" than anything.

To the good, Rose is the saving grace of the program. Her sense of this being an opportunity to understand these issues, the trust and the truth that she has for her interactions and the honesty of her heart in wanting to grasp what's going on shines brightly. She is the only reason to watch.

The rest of it, we can all do without. The name calling, the misunderstandings turned into arguments, the tunnel vision, the wanting to use certain epithets, and the lack of intention and interest that the other participants had, brought the show way down.

Famed rapper Ice Cube is one of the executive producers of the program, and he performs the show's theme song ("Race Card") as well.

There are some worthwhile moments, so I don't want to knock this completely. It is an interesting idea, but it fails in the execution. If all six people involved had the same open-mindedness and same attitude about the concept as Rose clearly did, this could have been what it claims to be. Then again, were the participants all "open minded," they wouldn't have needed to have this experience.

Disservice to the important issue of racism

[taliesson · 5/10 · 26 November 2006]

Though the makeup change from white to black, black to white for both these families was quite impressive, this was as far as my positive comments go with this reality TV show. I felt the producers did a great disservice to this issue.

"Black White" could have been an excellent reality show to raise issues of racism, however the casting was poor and toward the end, the series finished with a whimper. Sadly "Black White" unintentionally supports the white guy, Bruno's, firm belief that his African American counterparts in the show find racism because they look for it. Thats very unfortunate and I'm sure the producers of the show may not have hoped for this outcome.

At the end of the show there was a huge hug fest between both families and this seemed very staged, incongruous and very disingenuous on everyone's part. During the show it seemed Bruno was counting down the days till the series ended. Bruno had little respect for his house mates, Brian and his family, and just tolerated them through the episodes.

Bruno, the white guy, with the help of very impressive black makeup, was reluctantly "attempting" to experience what it is like to be African American in today's America. Sadly Bruno was closed minded, tedious and frustratingly arrogant. His wife Carmen gradually witnessed Bruno's unfolding stubborness to accept that racism exists in some forms, and she was quite disturbed at one point with Brunos attitude. Carmen however lacked insight as well and her whole use of language was revealing her racism. Both had total lack of insight into their own racism which is often the case. Carmen had a light bulb moment at one point, but it was fleeting. One particularly obvious slip was when Carmen referred to one woman as "beautiful black creature". However she could not see that her language was a problem. Very bizarre to watch two people so unaware of the racist undertones in their language. Often when they spoke about black people it was if they were another species and they were constantly pointing out difference, so it is not surprising that they were unable to see racism, when it was within them very obviously. It would have been probably more effective if the show had delved deeper into Brunos behavior. His behavior was right there in their face. They didn't have to leave the house.

Sadly but not surprisingly, the show ended with Bruno's opinion unchanged. Bruno is in many ways representative of what is at the cause of most of the world's ills today; a lack of interest, apathy, lack of compassion, an inability to listen with an open mind, indifference, xenophobia and a complacency to happily continue in one's own beliefs because one is unaffected by social injustice.

Bruno is white and whites rule this world, often by force, so why need Bruno be concerned or even notice. Bruno has no need to really understand this issue because that would mean admitting that the white system oppresses and it may mean he would have to change or alter his life. I could imagine Bruno would also have a hard line attitude about other minorities and disadvantage people as well. He is fairly divorced and unaffected by another's condition. I may be seeming a bit harsh on Bruno, but this was my impression.

I was very saddened to see how the African American Sparks family of Atlanta ( Brian; his wife, Renee; and their very unaware 17-year old son, Nick) tried to their chagrin to convince Bruno & Carmen Wurgel-Marcotulli family of Santa Monica, Calif that racism is alive and well. Rose, daughter in the Wurgel Marcotulli family was open to experiencing the issue. That was the one respite from a very frustrating and patronizing experience.

However systemic racism is alive and well throughout the world. The producers should have considered getting Bruno to try and obtain health insurance. This may have been more of an eye opener.

Our white male dominated governments have a way of presenting the guise of "equality for all" in their rhetoric but thats as far as it goes. We don't have to look too closely to find racism. Bruno may have taken pride in his confirmed belief that racism is only there if one looks for it. However, it is very apparent in a systemic way globally ; in the lack of response to Darfur, the lack of response to the AID's tragedy in Africa, the lack of response in the Rwandan genocide, the exploitation of Africans and their country, the genocide of indigenous peoples on the planet, the lack of response to the Katrina disaster, the attitude to those of middle eastern descent, etc etc. The list could go on and on and yet, and yet, in individual situations like the recent Michael Richard's racist tirade in a L.A comedy club, everyone is so outraged. Where is the public outrage to systemic racism.

I live in Australia, I'm "white", and I see it in Australia and globally. If one is aware and interested in social justice, voilà!.

The Brunos of this world refuse to see it because they are on the winning side.

my thoughts about black and white

[xo-emily-x · 6/10 · 15 June 2011]

**Caution may contain spoilers** My thoughts/feelings; My thoughts on Black and White, it was a good show, it had some good points, and other points that I just got angry with Bruno. I thought that within them bringing two different families to learn about the difference between them, not just their personalities but their colour. You would think that this wasn't an issue anymore, but in the movie you saw that there is still some racism. The project was a success to me when I was watching because most of them, got something out of it, except I don't feel that Bruno did, it was almost like he didn't want to accept it, or just he was blind or maybe even stupid or something. About Everyone; Rose- I felt like she actually took something from this, and she wanted to see if it was true, and she tried things that she was scared to do, she made friends, and she was open to everything, and that is what you need to do with this kind of project. Nick- I don't know what to say about Nick, he is a troubled teen, but just needs a little push, which is what I think happened when" The ex-con person, showed him where people live, and told him about the things that was happening if you were involved," I think that hit Nick right at home. And when Renee was very upset about him buying that expensive watch, and then again when letting the kids say the bad word, kind of upset them a lot. Renee- I just loved her, I don't know why because they didn't show much of her, but she was a strong person, and she knows whats right and wrong, and she wanted her son to see it. Brian- Was funny, and all he was focused on was Bruno, to make sure he could see some racism, even when they went to the cowboy bar, and there was all kinds of racism towards Bruno but he ignored it, Brian got a little upset because he wasn't understanding why he was here, or what he was talking about. Carmen&Bruno- I couldn't stand either of them, Carmen always crying, Bruno just(words cannot explain) the two of them weren't really fully committed to the project, one was trying to be someone she wasn't and Bruno himself being Bruno. When Bruno made the"rap video" he himself almost seemed like he was implying that this was a joke.

This project was nice to see, but the little things count, and Bruno didn't really take them. The person that got the most out of this I would say was Rose, because she put herself out there, experienced things that the others, didn't really do. Do I think there is still racism in America and Canada yes, there will always be racism, but if your not looking for it, you wont see it, and times have changed, so its time to change the way we think and look at things, which is what these two families have learned, and had to take in.

Bruno is a bully: Scenarios are Shallow

[ddsharper · 5 April 2006]

I am glad there's a show like this but the scenarios are shallow, in my opinion. What I mean by that is being black creates in the bearer a state of mind around different people and in different settings. Try going to an emergency room with back pain as a white guy and then as a black guy. Try getting a job anywhere you want. Send them into certain neighborhoods to rent or buy. The list goes on but I must say the show is a start and kudos to Ice. It also depends on your background, family history and geographic region. There is no monolithic black community though some things are endemic, yet many try to deny it and may have never been exposed. Changing subjects: Bruno is a real jerk. A typical bully, invalidating the experiences of others to absolve himself of realizing truth and his white privilege. Instead of saying, "here, see, here, see!", the brother needs to direct him to Tim Wise.

So this is fake right?

[ello-07536 · 1/10 · 1 September 2021]

Right?

There's no way anyone who met these people face to face would believe these people in black face are actual black people. Bruno in black face looks like a human shoe. There is no way the white parents are real human beings. I think Bruno might actually be a shoe in human form.

This is a six episode SNL skit.

Horrible

[ictbraaksma · 1/10 · 12 April 2022]

I don't understand how they got this checked by multiple executives and aired it. Horrible show and unbelievable that it won an Emmy for basically blackface.

Very revealing!

[JTPB · 8/10 · 9 September 2006]

For me, not being from the USA, this experiment, or show, was very revealing about Americans and their awkward hangups. I am a 'white' male, married to a 'brown' woman, and we have a 'black' adopted child. We live in a 75% 'black' population on a small Caribbean island. First of all the experiment. Scientificly seen this experiment failed. I mean, what was the hypothesis? That black people are very different from white people? That white people are prejudiced towards black people and/or the other way around? That it is impossible for white people to act as black people and/or the other way around? That black people are so hypersensitive to white behavior, that most of the time racism is not the right word for that behavior? In this experiment it is all of the above. It is scientifically a mess. But it is a lot of fun to watch. Secondly. In my opinion Bruno, the white father, was very clear and truthful in his pronouncements. He did not experience any racism or discrimination in the weeks that he walked around as a black man. He was also very clear in saying that he did not like the black scene. I found the black father (who, on our island, would not dare to designate himself as black; he is too white for that) ridiculous in demanding of his son to feel offended when a white person used the N-word. Very revealing. In my life long experience as a white person between people of color, I have to agree with Bruno. Namely, that many (not all) black people are too sensitive, if confronted with white peoples behavior and utterance. But I also think, that white people have an unwitting superiority complex, that sometimes gives the impression that they downgrade other races. And some of them really do that. They are the real racists. The white women in this experiment are incredibly naive. And therefore very interesting to watch and see their eyes opening. Finally, after all my years living between -and with- people of different colors, I must say, we are different. All my real friends are white. I cannot help that. There is one exception: my son is my best friend. And I hope he will never be ashamed of my whiteness. Because also that I cannot help.

Unfortunately, it's fake...look it up...

[triton_ogletree · 1/10 · 29 April 2022]

This show was awesome, UNTIL...

...I was looking up stuff about the show and thought it was slightly odd that the white family had all different last names. I just figured that the husband and wife may have gotten divorced (or perhaps the wife chose to keep her last name in the marriage) and that the daughter may have gotten married (and chose to change her last name,) therefore, giving each of them a different last name. It seemed simple enough. It turns out that the explanation was MUCH more simple than that. They don't have the same last names because they're all actors (actually the mom is a casting director,) and none of them are in fact, related...at all...I stumbled across that info after watching it...

The whole point of the show (or what they suggested it to be) is to let the viewer observe how everyday people deal with being the opposite race. This was an amazing concept that worked great and was very informative...until it turned into a huge kick in the teeth when I realized it was staged. All of the lessons (or lack thereof, as at least one "character" doesn't seem to learn much of anything,) go right out the window when you realize that at least three of the six people in question are characters, not everyday people who are supposed to be related. This literally negates the whole point of the show, and it left a bad taste in my mouth. Lessons can be learned from written characters, but a person who is NOT an actor is actually genuine! This show dropped from being a good program to being a pile of crap in two seconds.

If I wanted to watch a dramatization, I would have watched a movie! It sold itself as a documentary-style show making a great commentary on social behavior, not a TV movie, which is tragically, what it essentially is. This show is literally pointless! That's a shame, as the concept was fantastic and I feel like it WOULDN'T have been hard to find a REAL family with similar quirks and values. Even if they weren't "as interesting" as paid character actors reading dialogue, it would have been real, or, at least, as real as reality TV gets. This was the entire point of the show! When the entire point is faked, the show becomes useless, so, who cares? It sucks too, because it was actually pretty good! It instantly became a waste of my time out of nowhere, and it DIDN'T have to be!

I wasted my time, do not waste yours...LAME...

"Black. White." Is Golden, A Rare Reality Show That Is Entertaining and Informative

[D_Burke · 9/10 · 12 September 2011]

FX is one of the rare cable stations that seems to maintain the creative freedom other cable networks had in the 1980's and 1990's, but don't seem to have anymore. I don't know why 20th Century Fox specifically created FX, or how it was supposed to differentiate from FOX, other than not having the letter 'O' in its name. However, in the last decade, FX has churned out some really unique and risky shows that not even its network sister station would ever dare to air. "Black. White." is one of those shows.

"Black. White.", produced most notably by Ice Cube of all people, devises a social experiment similar to the one upon which John Howard Griffin embarked over 45 years earlier. Griffin, a Caucasian reporter, took medication to increase the melanin in his skin, making it much darker and having him resemble an African-American man. He wrote about his experiences in the still-influential memoir, "Black Like Me".

There are some noticeable differences between this show and the bestselling book. In this show, two families, one black and one white, switch races with the help of professional Hollywood make-up artists. They also experience life as a member of another race in Los Angeles, whereas Griffin took a road trip across the deep South at the dawn of the Civil Rights era.

At first, when you watch this show, the most fascinating part is the families in their makeup. It's really surprising how authentically African-American the Caucasian family looks. I call them the "Caucasian family" because each member has a different last name. Regardless, the makeup team did such a great job on them, it really puts the makeup job done on C. Thomas Howell 20 years earlier in "Soul Man" (1986) to shame.

The African-American family, the Sparks', also look surprisingly authentic as Caucasians, or at least the father and son do. The mother, Renee, still looked Afro-American to me, even with her new blonde hair and light skin. It sort of looked like a black woman imitating a white woman on a show like "Saturday Night Live", but then again, she actually fools virtually every white person she encounters on the show, so I could be wrong.

When the novelty of the makeup wears off, as it inevitably will, what results is a very intriguing study on race in America, particularly in a liberal city like Los Angeles. It was probably more of an eye-opening experience for the Caucasian family than the Sparks family. After all, based on the Sparks' introduction, where father Brian shows his house, and points out all the various races that live on his street, you immediately see that the Sparks', like many African-American families, find themselves having to adapt to a White world. The Caucasian family, on the other hand, readily admit that they don't know, or interact with, many African-Americans, which is certainly true of many more white families.

There are some cringe-inducing moments involving Bruno, the white father, and Carmen, the white mother. Bruno seems to think that black people almost program themselves to seek out racism as they go out the door. Such a point of view creates immediate conflict with Brian, who accuses Bruno of standing on his "lilly white pedestal" while making that assumption. Unfortunately, Bruno never seems to let go of that assumption.

Carmen is more open-minded, but constantly puts her foot in her mouth. When a dialect counselor visits the house to inform both families about how most whites and most blacks converse, the word "bitch" appears on the dialect sheet for black women. It shouldn't have been on there in the first place, but it does prompt Carmen to jokingly call Renee "bitch", resulting in more tension between the two women. There's also another incident when Carmen, with good intentions, compliments an African-American visitor by calling her a "beautiful black creature". I dare you to try not to cringe when you hear her say that.

I really found myself liking Rose, the Caucasian daughter. She seemed to be the only member of the group who really used her new African-American facade to expand her point of view. The poetry class she takes with other black students is really fascinating, and it's amazing to hear how her poetry matures over the course of the show. She does reveal to the class early on that she's white in black makeup, and it's unclear why she does that.

The Sparks' son, Nicholas, interestingly seems to deny racism even more than Rose's parents, which is fascinating. Brian and Renee grew up with racism, and one would think Nicholas would be aware of it also. He seems to grow and learn also, but not at as quick a rate as Rose.

It is very difficult not to watch this show without talking about it for hours. Filmed in 2006, it took place before Barack Obama became president and shed a different light on racial topics. If they made a sequel to this reality series now, it would probably bring up some different viewpoints on race in society, but the message would remain the same: Racism is not as blatant as it was 40+ years ago, but it's still alive and more complex than ever. Our society still has a long way to go, and this enlightening, educational, yet entertaining series really reflects that message incredibly well. Racism should not be ignored, and neither should this show.

My thoughts

[AlessiaP · 6/10 · 14 June 2011]

I found that this TV series seemed fake or somewhat planned. The producers seemed to pick opposite personalities that didn't work well together. The white family came in to it all with very open minds towards black people. They didn't believe that racism still went on in the world. The black family was very closed minded and judgmental about the whole thing. They felt extremely strong about it all and nothing was going to change that.

The families in my opinion should have been picked to compliment each other. The drama in the house was just completely unnecessary. Instead they picked a very awkward white family that says stupid things all the time and a black family that doesn't agree with anything. This experiment was supposed to be about seeing the other side, not two different race families bickering. The bickering got in the way of the whole experiment and could have been so much more successful without it. I think it somewhat achieved its purpose of showing that there is still racism in the world and some people are oblivious of it. The black family was always sure that there was going to be an extreme amount of racism when one went out. That wasn't the case though. Not every experiment ended with racism, some people were very accepting and kind. Nothing went wrong in this series but I do believe it was a poor experiment. Instead of two families there should have been a few more going out in different colors. This way there would be more encounters and better grasp of racism in the world. These families only went out in different colors about once every episode. The black and white families in the end realized something new for each of them. The black family realized that there wasn't as much racism as they thought. The white family realized that there was some racism. The experiment was held in Los Angeles. Out of all the countries and cities in America, they really should have picked somewhere that wasn't so busy. People in Los Angeles are so busy they barely pay attention to what color someone's skin was. The experiment should have been held somewhere in a normal town. By normal I mean somewhere there aren't tons of rich people and others wanting to make it big. The white family was extremely dense. They said things that were beyond stupid and offensive to African American people. They thought it was okay to call someone a "black beautiful creature". Who says that? Carmen was obviously not thinking when she said it. The white family struck me as fame seekers. I think they were in this for the fame and not for the experiment. Without having their whole hearts in it all, the experiment ended up not as well as it should have. The black family took everything way too seriously. When Carmen called Renee a bitch, she completely over reacted. I believe that Carmen should have not said that, but she really didn't mean it. Renee became very defensive and didn't like Carmen after that. Personally I found that to be childish and unnecessary. She is a mature adult, she should have approached everything with more class instead of sticking her nose up at everything. I don't know if the white family was seeking fame and said stupid things to be portrayed as funny, but the white parents were just stupid. There is no other word for them. Neither of these families should have been picked. They should have chosen a family that was sincerely interested in it all and had a good attitude. The black family genuinely seemed interested to show the world that racism still went on, but they were too sensitive about everything that happened. The two families' downfalls created this unnecessary drama between everyone. Overall it was extremely interesting to see peoples race being changed. It showed the world that there is still racism, and it should have sent a message to everyone that we should concur all the hate and put it past us all. Even though there were some stupid parts in the series, I think it did make its point and the families got a great lesson out of it all.

My god, what a waste of watching...

[video_vampire2000 · 1/10 · 9 August 2006]

When I saw the commercial, I thought it might actually be interesting to watch, I mean it seem original, but its just like every other "reality" show... buncha idiots arguing over nothing (because they were obviously given a pep-talk by the producer, ice cube or whoever) This show was dumb, not to mention degrading to both races. Where do they find people hard up enough for attention to audition for his crap??? Its like they both families were just trying to act as stereotypical as possible, especially the white family. The black family just try to point everything they encountered as racism, the white family didn't even try to act black (God forbid black people be mocked on just like every other race on TV.) I wish some studio, somewhere would come up with a good idea for a reality show, and not instigate whats happening...if they could come up with a decent idea other than "cops" they wouldn't have to!

Brilliant Social Experiment

[view_and_review · 8/10 · 3 April 2019]

"Black. White." was the social experiment that you may have wanted to see but bristled at the idea. Two young individuals would switch races for a given time and try to live as black and white. A teenage white girl would become a young black girl (mighty convincing too) and a teenage African American boy would become a young white kid.

I thought the whole thing was fascinating: how the role players approached it, how their new associates took it, and how things didn't always go as I expected. Admittedly, it was less harsh than if this same experiment was done just 40 years earlier.

This show gave my family something to really discuss for six weeks back in 2006. So rare are the thought provoking shows that we really latched on to this one. This was like an extended version of "What Would you do?" I think Ice Cube should get behind more content of this nature.

A white family tries to learn what its like to be black and a black family tries to learn what its like to be black.

[panoyotios · 7/10 · 12 June 2011]

The purpose of Black.White. was supposed to be about the families showing one another and teaching one another what it is like to be the opposite race. I felt as if this goal was not achieved to full extent. The reason why I believe this is because the stereotypes of the races where represented more than anything. It did not feel real, it felt as if a script was put in front of them and they were told to memorize it. This is why when I would watch the show, I could simply not take it seriously. The two characters that I felt that did not put any effort into it were Nick and Renee. They seemed to me that they already knew what its like to be white and all the "perks" that come along with it. Nick would seem that he didn't care about being on the show at all. Rose on the other hand, is a completely different story. She genuinely wanted to know what it's like to be a black female in today's world. Throughout the show it seemed as if whatever Bruno tried to do, Brian would say that it wasn't real and that he was not looking for the right things. Carmen to me felt as if the producers used her for Hume. Even though it seemed like she was trying at times, I honestly couldn't buy it. There was something about the way she carried herself and they ridiculous things she would blur. All the events planned for the families felt very played to me as well. Etiquette class? I honestly felt like the staged events were stereotyping to the race they were portraying to be. They were not enough realistic and "normal" activities. The only two events that I felt that the characters leaned something from them were Rose's poetry club and the hiking scene with Renee and Carmen. The hiking scene felt very real to me. It was just two women talking about their experience. I just wish that the show spend more time on this part instead of trying to keep up the ratings. At the end of the day, The Spark's family came into the house with intent to show how racist white people are. I felt as if that was their true and ultimate goal. They didn't care about being white, they didn't even want to learn whats it like to be because they believed that they already knew. It seemed to be that after any experience after one the staged events the Sparks family would have some sort of criticism about how they felt hurt by something the Wurgles has said or done. The show seemed as if Carmen and Bruno would always be the ones stirring things up. Even though racism has gotten better compare to the past, it has not gone away. I think it is very important to try and educate young people about racism and the huge impact in can have in ones life. It is not something that will go away on its own. It is a concern that we as people have to resolve together.

So much for reality

[jovaughn-95713 · 2/10 · 10 December 2020]

It was boring from the beginning. It's not really a challenge if you know you can just take the make-up off and be yourself whenever you want. If it had been more like Black Like Me and they were stuck in their new race maybe they'd have felt a challenge. Got worse when, out of boredom, I took my phone out and searched IMDB and Wikipedia to find out the white family is primarily made of actors. If this were to be a real show it should have been two middle class families, with no acting in their life, using their real names and real professions... I'm glad it only cost me .50 at a pawn shop. Then again, it wasn't even worth the .50

This show makes me want to puke!

[paul_vonzombie · 16 March 2006]

The adults in that house aren't really great representatives of either race. The white adults are just really awkward and sheltered (especially the wife), and the black adults are extremely stubborn and too judgmental. I live in Chicago and the city and suburbs here are pretty diverse but at the same time very segregated. I don't think there is anything wrong with a person of any color finding comfort being in their own community, that's just how people are and that's not racist. This isn't a culture clash, this is a room full of idiots clashing. It didn't even take one episode to realize that these people just didn't like each other and weren't going to get along at all…Bruno is an oaf, his wife Carmen couldn't be more sheltered and naive, Brian and Renee are both stubborn and far more closed minded than Bruno and Carmen, which is ironic because they constantly accuse Bruno and Carmen of being closed minded. I think the most interesting thing about this show was when Bruno told Brian that he believes black people are conditioned to look for racism and misinterpret a lot of things as racism. I think that this is a fair statement, but I also think it's fair for black people to feel that way. I grew up hating the Green Bay Packers because my Dad is a Bears fan and Bears fans always hate Packers fans…Brian's parents grew up in the times of Rosa Parks and Martin Luther King Jr., they experienced some really ugly racism first hand! Is it implausible to have that sentiment passed down a few generations? Take a look at the teenagers in this show, they're the only ones who appear sane because they're so far displaced from that type of behavior because they just don't really have that type of experience anymore. I'm not saying that racism doesn't exist anymore, the truth is as long as there are people on earth there are going to be idiots, and as long as there are idiots, there is going to be racism. I honestly just wish that we had better representation all around on this show, the show definitely would be easier to watch if they had people who weren't such idiots.

life changing

[hlarsen-28573 · 10/10 · 1 June 2023]

Oh boy, where do I even begin with "Black. White."? This groundbreaking masterpiece of television had me on the edge of my seat...in sheer disbelief. I mean, who could have ever thought that putting people in racial makeup and having them live their lives could be such riveting entertainment?

First, let's applaud the show's originality. I mean, seriously, it's not like we've ever had discussions about race and identity before. So thank you, "Black. White.", for bravely bringing this topic to our attention and showing us that racism is... wait, what was the point again?

Now, let's talk about the makeup. The prosthetics were truly top-notch. I mean, they transformed a white family into black individuals and vice versa, creating an incredibly convincing illusion. It's almost as if... no, it's exactly like blackface and reverse blackface, but with a reality TV twist! Who needs insightful dialogue and nuanced storytelling when you can just slap on some makeup and call it groundbreaking social commentary?

And the characters, oh boy, the characters. The stereotypes were so authentic, I could almost taste the cringe. Watching the "black" family trying to understand the struggles of being black was like watching a train wreck in slow motion. It's truly heartwarming to see a white family mansplain the black experience to actual black people. Bravo!

But let's not forget about the riveting drama. Who can resist the gripping tension that arises from a contrived conflict between people who are pretending to be of a different race? It's like watching a bad improv class where everyone's trying to outdo each other in the most painfully awkward way possible.

Overall, "Black. White." is an absolute masterpiece in the realm of unintentional comedy. It's a show that leaves you questioning the sanity of the entire production team and wondering how on earth this ever got greenlit. If you're looking for a cringe-inducing, tone-deaf, and utterly misguided attempt at tackling racial issues, then "Black. White." is the show for you. Just make sure you have plenty of facepalms and sarcastic remarks at the ready. Enjoy!

Really good I liked it.

[kinggeorgetonthegreat · 8/10 · 14 June 2011]

What i think about this show is that there's a lot of offencive/racism things going on, which some people in the black family thought was very offencive from what the white people/family said to them during the shows. but for the white family becoming the black family they thought it was hard.. And the guy that does their makeup does it professionally, like it would be cool to have that kind of makeup on done by a professional like the guy that does their makeup. I really think its cool and whatnot but I don't think i'd want to get black makeup on me. So in my opinion is that I really liked the show/episode(s) (except for the racism parts)

A review on the reality TV series "Black. White."

[vidovic · 7/10 · 14 June 2011]

"Black. White." is a reality TV series produced and created by rappers Ice Cube and R. J Cuttler. The series follows the lives of two families, separated by skin color. Throughout the series, the Wurgels and the Sparks find their differences and learn about each other's race through the use of makeup. I think the main purpose of the show was to seek the level of racism in people's everyday lives. Furthermore, the show indirectly attempted to find prejudices in the cast, and then work about these prejudices to find the true meaning of racism. It also tried to help the crew understand the depths of racism, and how devastating it can be. The general objective of this series is a classic race-switch; a switch-shoes scenario. The show did succeed in carrying out its purpose, but to an extent. It achieved its broader goal, quite easily – the goal of finding racism in everyday life. Despite Bruno's reluctance to admit to racism, the other cast members were astounded by the differences that blacks and whites faced every day. The show furthermore succeeded at indirectly finding prejudices in the cast. Like said above, throughout the course of the series, Bruno seemed to think that racism is "all in our heads". He's ignorant to the differences that he faces when he's in black makeup. He believes that he is treated exactly the same when he's black. His wife starts off the show with the same mentality, but then moves on to realize that there is an immense amount of distinction between blacks and whites in society. She realizes this when she takes a walk in a black park and gets hateful stares just because she's white and with a black male (Bruno in makeup). Their daughter, Rose, is possibly the most open about racism (in the white family, at least). She joins an African-American poetry club and sees that she does not fit in – because she is unable to understand the suffering that these African-Americans face every day. However, Brian, being an African-American, quickly notices the different attitudes towards him in white makeup. He even easily lands a job as a bartender in white makeup. During the series, Brian and his wife Renee go out in black and white makeup often and notice the massive shift in how they're treated. Ironically, Brian and Renee's son, Nicholas, is probably the most ignorant of all when it comes to racism. He only sustains the racism plaguing America with his actions. He acts like a typical gangster; dropping out of school, dressing in baggy clothes, and buying expensive accessories (like his watch). Later on, he even allows his newly met friends to call him by a slur, stating that slurs do not faze him. He is subsequently taught by his parents to respect his culture and race. He learns that racism is real, and that he should not be supporting it, but fighting it. The only problem with the show is that it is prejudicial itself. The show takes a large leap in the understanding of racism – it assumes that one can fully understand racism by simply applying makeup. Furthermore, the show assumes that in order for races to be equal, they must meet at this understanding said above. This false premise is seen as Bruno ignores the racism in life. Bruno doesn't believe that he, as a white man, can understand this racism that the show attempts to expose. That being said, it can be concluded that instead of exposing the racism in America, the show only sustains it. It does this by reinforcing stereotypes towards blacks and whites, in the form of the cast. The show does not expose racism for what it is, it simply shows the viewer the stereotypes assumed by blacks and whites, collectively. Conclusively, it can be said that the show succeeded in allowing the cast to attempt to understand racism. It also succeeded in finding prejudice and stereotypes in everyday life. Therefore, it succeeded its broad goal; but as you look deeper into the reason behind the series, you will see that the series only upholds stereotypes instead of exposing them and attempting to get rid of them.

Outstanding idea, poorly executed.

[achillez77 · 6/10 · 28 August 2006]

When I first heard about this show I was very excited. I thought it would be an excellent tool for illustrating the state of race relations in the United States today. However, in the end it seemed that the primary focus was actually on demonstrating the skill of the make-up artists. Their efforts were an obvious and unmitigated success. However, the situations that were arranged only seemed to scratch the surface of the full potential that seemed possible. Part of the problem was the participants. The adults seemed extremely set in their ways for the most part, especially Bruno, who should probably have the make-up surgically attached so he can have sufficient time for experience and analysis. I suppose the actual goal of the show was to allow the individuals to gain experiences which might change them personally. However, it appears to me that the producers merely chose people who embodied the general perceptions of race relations. Hopefully they make another season with a more refined approach.

If it wasn't for the cast, it would be great.

[CACross2 · 31 March 2006]

I think this show was well-intentioned. I really do. I had high expectations for it. But watching it, I sometimes wonder what alternate universe it takes place in. Half the time, I can't tell if Bruno (...if you haven't seen the show, here's a fun game...)is in make up or not. He could be a light-skinned black or a dark-skinned Italian (Don' worry....once he opens his mouth you can tell.) They (whoever's responsible for these decisions) picked one of the whitest black guys I've ever seen to represent black people? The black mother, Renee, gets upset at because her son didn't didn't take offense that his white friends use the "N" word, but in the very same episode she watches a video with her son that is so racist it borders on comical, and never bats an eye. What?! Maybe it doesn't matter anyway, because the son's an idiot. Round it all out with two well-meaning, emotional, and sometimes clueless more cast members and you have a show that would have Dr. Who wondering what dimension he landed in.

However, for all it's quirks, I still like this show. I still Tivo it every week. I like that it's trying to honestly tackle a topic that's been brushed into closets by television for too long. I like that it's truly attempting to educate both sides about the other's culture. I like that it wants to get behind closed doors to find out what people really think. I just think the show could have been more if it had a more well-thought out cast. Just because people share a family together, doesn't mean that all the members are right for a show.

BRIAN - A good husband and father but a little aloof. Or clueless to the point of apathy. Either way, whenever you think he's going to get riled, he either 1) Walks away in equal parts disgust and shock, or 2) Cowtows to his wife's opinions. Which brings me to...

RENE - In one episode, she gets really upset because she's unknowingly called a b**ch. Well folks, she is. I'm not going to run down a list of characteristics, but any of them that you can come up with, she displays a number of them. Whenever you see her on screen, just remember co-creator Ice Cube's classic line..."If you could call that b**ch a b**ch, you would. And if you can't, you probably should."

NICK - The Sparks are fooling themselves when it comes to their son (...as most parents do).This kid is on the fast track to becoming "The Guy On The Couch" in the movie "Half-Baked". His one saving grace is that a result of his not thinking about anything, he doesn't see the world in racial terms.

BRUNO - This arrogant, self-important, self-righteous bigot is actually the gem of the show, much in the way Cartman is to South Park. He's the one you tune in to see every week if only to see what offensive comment he's going to make next. Even though whenever you see him he's trying to validate his own beliefs (most of the time, on topics he's clueless about), one thing that can definitely be said is that he keeps viewers coming back.

CARMEN - She truly captures the essence of someone trying to understand something beyond her grasp. I think she's well-meaning, heartfelt, and genuine but in the end I don't think 6 weeks will be long enough for her to reach the kind of understanding she wants. She also has a knack for saying the stupidest things at the most inopportune moments.

ROSE - Of the whole cast, she is the most precocious and inquisitive member. However, like her mother, I think she will ultimately be disappointed by what she discovers and how much she understands.

In closing, this show is fun to watch. I'm obviously hooked, but I doubt anyone will gain any new insights from watching it. This show could have been used as a huge tool for teaching and learning while entertaining. But teaching and learning are realms of where open conflict is needed and these people shy away from it. Yes, they are good people, but good people doesn't exactly make for good television. Hopefully, if this show comes back next year, it will have a more lively cast. All in all, I'd give this show a C. A C+ if I'm considering Bruno's video from Episode 4 (...you've got to see it to believe it!)

Cutler and Cube's reality series is a unique social experiment that goes horribly awry

[liquidcelluloid-1 · 21 April 2006]

Network: FX; Genre: Reality, Documentary; Content Rating: TV-MA (strong language); Perspective: Contemporary (star range: 1 - 4);

Seasons Reviewed: Complete Series (1 season)

I love FX. Even when their shows aren't very good, they are still so bold and unique that they thrash about making a formidable fight. "Black. White." is a 1-shot, 6 episode series developed by R. J. Cutler and Ice Cube - lending his celebrity name and a halfway decent theme song to "the project" - about two families who employ an elaborate Hollywood make-up regimen to "trade races", making the white family (Bruno, Carmen and daughter Rose) appear black and the black family (Brian, Renee, and son Nick) appear white. Creepy? Maybe a little, but we've never seen this before, which is always a find in the creatively dead and socially irresponsible reality genre.

It starts out fun enough. It's fascinating watching the family members react to each other's new appearance. The opportunity they are given to walk around looking like someone other than themselves, is a cathartic human curiosity that goes beyond race and ethnicity. Brian gets his white make-over and goes straight to the driving range, then gets treatment from a shoe salesman I've never heard of life-long white men getting. Bruno, on the other hand, relishes what he will do when first called the N-word while in black make-up. But after the first episode, which also includes a test group where the two races hear what others think of them (the show's provocative high point), the fun is pretty much gives way to standard reality series impulses.

From there, you can take "Black. White." one of two ways: as a reality series or as a social experiment. Taken simply as a reality show it is decidedly above the rest, and both families have enough emotional baggage to pass the mustard for simple, interesting TV. End of that review.

But like Actual Reality's other FX series, the entertaining "30 Days", Cutler and Cube want "Black. White." to be more. They want to make us think. They want to break down the wall of self-segregation that these two races erect for themselves. For the duration of the project the families are made to live together so that they will share their experiences, and, hopefully, have intellectual discussions on the state of race relations in America. Because talking is the first step toward fixing the problem - right? But it isn't long before the women are at each others throats just like in any other reality show.

For all of its good intentions, in choosing these particular people as its participants they force us to debate a false reality. Instead of showing the national battle between black and white, "Black" actually ends up showing the battle between blacks and liberals, with Carmen as the prototype for someone who thinks that because her parents where involved with the civil rights movement, that she's got the right idea about race, all the while not realize that every "tolerant", "open-minded" idea she has toward black people is rooted in a weird core belief that they are SO different that they need to be understood like "creatures" – as she puts it – and coddled in society. Renee notes that Carmen treats her like an alien.

The subjects quickly prove themselves to be too kooky; saying things and making social mistakes that the average person really wouldn't say or do. We constantly feel like we are smarter than they are and as a result, can't learn anything from them. Is it all about skin color? Is racism perceived or indoctrinated? Any message the show was going for in the first place gets muddled, falling back on the old "there are no easy answers" line and refusing to pose any theories. Any hope of getting people to talk about race evaporates the moment Bruno showcases his own (hold on…) rap video.

The guys are pretty cool, but as guinea pigs, both Bruno and Brian are so hell bent on proving their take on racism they, frustratingly, won't even consider another view. Bruno (a pompous ass who views the world through the prism of himself), to prove that people see racism because they are looking for it, and Brian who takes the traditional line that black people are immersed in white culture and are constantly being sized up every where they go (like teenagers) by whites. When racist things don't happen, Brian and Renee assume that it would have happened had they not been in white make-up. For her part, Renee befriends a white women outside the project, deciding that she can be friends with her - not because she has learned anything about "the white experience", but because of the understanding way the women treats her. It is still all about her.

The show completely falls apart as an experiment when it starts to obviously take Brian's side. The last half of the series is less about two different ethnicities learning about each other and becomes a cliché, sanctimonious sermon, the yardstick for success of which is how well it can beat into Bruno, Carmen and us how victimized black America is. "Black" has a view of race no deeper than surface-level stereotypes.

What does work about "Black.White" are the kids. Rose, the overly emotional daughter, is ripped apart having to lie to her new friends in a black poetry group. A bond forms between her, Brian and Renee and the series rightly climaxes at Rose's poetry showcase.

Nick, who in white face looks like Michael Jackson but hilariously won't change the way he speaks, is equally hell bent, but on learning absolutely nothing. The most fascinating storyline in the show involves Nick's disrespect for money, his ignorance over the use of the N-word and the fact that he doesn't see things in terms of race until his parents train him to see it.

* * / 4

To learn, it has to go both ways...

[tfaulkner-2 · 16 March 2006]

I don't get it. I watched the show tonight and it blew my mind. We all get it Carmen is an idiot, but I really think shes trying. She is doing anything and everything she can to be black and every time she does all she gets in return is hate. She asked for help on what to wear and she was lied to. I thought this project was supposed to be about the families showing one another and teaching one another what it is to be the opposite race. Nick and Renee are black and they don't want to be anything else. They aren't even trying. Rose went out and gave of herself and worked to try and see the other side. Nick doesn't even care enough to try. I just don't understand why everything Bruno and Carmen try is crap to the Sparks. They went to church and they enjoyed it, all Brian had to say was that it wasn't real. I don't see Bruno saying that every time Brian is white. The show doest have that much credibility to me because I feel like the Spark's came into this house with the intent to show how racist white people are. They don't care about being white, they don't want to learn what its like to be white. All they want to do is show this white family what its like to be black. Carmen is lost she has no idea what to say or do around the other family and why should she ? Anytime she tries to learn how to be black they throw her in the gutter and say "Well I learned a lot from her today" they don't try and help her they don't correct her. From my point of view the Sparks are looking for a fight, not just outside the house but in the house as well. After any experience outside the house we get this commentary from the Sparks vehicle and its always criticism about how they felt hurt by something the Wurgles have said or done. I just don't think both families are trying very hard. I believe that Rose is the only one who is really getting anything out of this experience and she had to leave the house to get it. The only people who were actually real with her are the people who had no idea. For anyone to get something from this the effort has to go both ways.

Just saw the series premiere on F/X...

[dee.reid · 8 March 2006]

...And I can honestly my jaw dropped. I just couldn't believe it. Hollywood makeup effects artist Keith VanderLaan (whose work on "Big Momma's House" and "White Chicks" has not gone unnoticed) has done the unthinkable by transforming a black family into a white family, and a white family into a black family. The Sparks, is the black family (Brian, his wife Renee, son Nick) from an Atlanta suburb and the white Wurgel-Marcotulli family (Carmen, her live-in boyfriend Bruno, Carmen's daughter Rose) from Santa Monica, California, must live together and walk and talk, as the opposite race.

Now before I heard about this show, courtesy of the rants of the many EB Soldiers at Public Enemy's official website message boards, I have to say I first met "Black. White." with great skepticism. But as I heard more about it, and even though I agree largely with the rants of the EB Soldiers, I was still enticed. I wanted to see more, and what I saw tonight was nothing short of an outstanding examination of how the black and white races interact with one another and as each other.

As a 20-year-old black male, "Black. White." not only forced to me to take into account what whites think and experience, but it also made room for me to ponder my own conceptions about myself, and my fellow brothers and sisters in America. Bruno and Carmen and Brian and Renee all attend separate black/white focus groups, in disguise, and each gets a taste of what the other race feels about the other race. Before the meetings, though, the participants gave their companions advice on how to "act" while listening to the discussion; Brian says Bruno should slouch a little bit and Bruno says Brian should keep an upright, or otherwise proper posture. We can see them nervously squirming in their seats as they all get anxious about the discussions taking place. I couldn't help but feel the heat too.

Hopefully, this show will open eyes, minds, and hearts about walking a mile in the shoes of somebody different. According to the Style section of today's Washington Post newspaper, the show's creator R.J. Cutler seems to know all about this sort of touchy reality thing. He produced "Super Size Me" (2004) filmmaker Morgan Spurlock's "30 Days" (damn, I really wanted to see that show), which frequently had similar role-swapping role-playing that included a fundamentalist Christian living with a Muslim family and a straight homophobe taking up residence in San Franciso's openly-gay Castro district.

Rapper Ice Cube, who is no stranger to politics and the racial divide in America, also did the opening theme song and is the show's co-producer and that should hopefully draw in more viewers, particularly those who pay attention to political hip-hop.

What we may see on "Black. White." may not be new to a lot of us, and I won't disagree with anyone who says otherwise. What it will do, I hope, is show what America is like from the other side for these six people. It shows much promise. The dynamics of racism, as portrayed often in the media, is sour compared to what really goes on out there. We can no longer turn a blind eye and a deaf ear to this cancerous epidemic in our country.

Now let's see what the other side says.

Very good look into the minds of the "average" middle class black and white family

[breadmann · 8 March 2006]

I thought this was a very well developed idea that works on many different levels. First, we have the two "average" families composed of two parents and a child. The white family seems a little more offbeat with the overly accepting mother and the father who doesn't seem to see the racism in anything that happens around him. The daughter seems to be the only member of the family that is learning anything somewhat valuable during the whole transition. The black family seems to be more down-to-earth and likable. The father enjoys being "treated" as a white man and using the "white" talk that is often used as a hyper reality mockery of the formal talk that dave chapelle is usually found using when imitating/mocking the way white people talk. The mother is somewhat easygoing but gets irritated when listening to the ditsy white mother imitate "black" talk. The son is just a normal, shy kid who doesn't feel like he has to "act white" because he feels like he will be accepted for who he is. The way ideas clash between the families during their ventures out into LA are very interesting and sometimes comical. This is a great show for everyone and I hope that more people take to such a good thought provoking show about racial tension in the modern day.

Best Lessons Served by Non-Cast Members

[homeopt · 13 April 2006]

I'm not a big fan of contrived social experiments and certainly don't think it's appropriate to extrapolate much out of a sample body of 2 families but I did appreciate the honesty of those who weren't aware that they were being filmed. From the store clerks who ran out of job applications, to the cop advocating racial profiling, to the drum circle crowd upset at the "interracial" couple and the line dancers shaking their heads at the "black" couple. These were the moments that makes one shake his head in resignation.

Although the end speechs were highly edited with jump cuts and melodramatic music, I was taken by the words of Kenny the self-proclaimed ex gangster. I was moved by his eloquent words and his heartfelt caring for Nick. He had the entire room transfixed on his words and his emotion and while he didn't speak to the issue of race he did reach out and connect with Nick in a way no one else in the show did. Indeed, it was quite sad to hear Nick say that he has never been close to anyone, including his own family. We can't solve the issues of race if we can't even bridge the disconnect in our families. As Kenny alluded, if we fail to realise the power in our relationships with the people around us, we will never realise our true potential. We should all start locally and then work outward from there.