Posted on 01/30/2022 6:43:13 AM PST by TigerClaws
The singer Joni Mitchell startled her friends by appearing at a Halloween party 40 years ago disguised as a black man in pimp-like garb. It would be unacceptable today but times were different then, her friends argue. Others disagree. Whichever view you take, her black alter ego was a reflection of her intense identification with black music, writes Kris Griffiths.
It's Halloween 1976, and eminent session bassist Leland Sklar is throwing a fancy dress party at his Los Angeles home for fellow musicians and record industry types, including producer Peter Asher and drummer Russ Kunkel, who would later appear in This Is Spinal Tap.
However there's one lone guest loitering in the background, whom no-one seems to know, everyone thinking he's someone else's friend - a svelte black man in a zoot suit with matching chapeau, meticulous afro, wide moustache and big, dark shades.
While everyone has brought wives and partners, this pimp-like character has slunk in unaccompanied without introducing himself, and appears content to observe proceedings quietly from the corner after helping himself to the buffet.
Rock photographer Henry Diltz, more used to shooting the likes of Hendrix and Zappa, inadvertently captures the besuited wallflower on film, while snapping his own gypsy-costumed wife. The gatecrasher looks startled in the light of his flash.
Not long afterwards the host, Sklar - still oblivious to this guest's identity despite asking around - finally approaches and asks if he's at the right party.
Only then, does the interloper remove his sunglasses and wig, revealing his true identity: It's Joni Mitchell, world-famous folk music star, a week away from her 33rd birthday.
(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...
Get her! Get her!
Gosh... she looks surprisingly like a blackfaced James Coburn.... eeeyeeew!
Great costume. O.o
Mea culpa, I wore blackface on Halloween in 1964. That night, I was Willie Mays, complete with Giants uniform...I was 10 years old.
Well, that’s it. I’m burning all my Joni Mitchell albums today.
It will be a very small fire.
If Joni Mitchell has done it, plenty of other celebrities have, too.
Well just interesting. Yesterday’s just having fun to today’s hyped racial stereotyping.
I still don’t understand the problem with costumes of different type people, isn’t that the intent of costumes. The cowboy, the Indian, the Hunter, the pimp, the nurse.
“a black man in pimp-like garb”
Mebbe dressing as a pimp was a statement about the Hollywood music lords she so esteemed...
I am surprised the BBC would out her on this.
Joini doesn’t need to pull her music off Spotify. The Woke cancle squad will do it for her. No doubt she was inspired by Ralph Northam. She probably has a promising future in Virginia Democrat politics.
Here’s an idea. Have someone in GOP politics start a lie after winning a race. “I once wore blackface at a party-I do remember getting my picture taken. It’s out here somewhere and you couldn’t find it. If you do just be sure you get the date and location right.” Then watch them go on a time consuming witch hunt. When taking office just admit it was a hoax. Heh heh.
There will always be the “we believed you the first time” charge.
>> Whichever view you take, her black alter ego was a reflection of her intense identification with black music. <<
If she wasn’t so liberal:
“Whichever view you take, her black alter ego is a painful reminder that she spent her entire career misappropriating black culture”
If I also recall, Joni caused a big stink by having a picture taken in an Israeli military uniform. The Pali-Lovers have hated her ever since.
She’s quite the mixed-bag politically, definitely Left leaning, but not worried about occassionally pissing them off, like Elton John, also is.
So, “intense identification with black music” equates to dressing as a pimp?
Horse pucky. She was dressed up for a party. Grow a pair and just leave it at that. Quit feeding the mindless tyrants by justifying it by twisting logic and facts.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.