American Politics & Pop Culture

The film Talk to Me does a decent job in showing varying degrees, but equally jarring, racial divisions in the 1960’s – 1970’s working world. The people in positions of power in the film are portrayed as the controlling, white, corporate America types, and although Dewey has worked alongside many of these men for some time, he is still considered lower down on the hierarchy and that truly there is “only one boss,� – in this case, the white man. Dewey has had to adapt to their mold to achieve his success. He, unlike Petey, would not have “made it� in “their� world without conforming. Whereas Petey’s marketability was his “blackness,� Dewey’s was his ability to blend in with the world around him. And although they achieved their success through different strategies, one by defying the norm (Petey) and the other playing into it (Dewey), at the end of the day, both men are agents of profitability for the higher-level white men in positions of power. In a sense, Petey’s freedom is still an illusion; he is still a cash cow for those whom he opposes.

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Talk to Me is an important film because it depicts African American disc jockey and their role within society and their power they had over their listeners. Through the real life depiction of Ralph “Petey� Greene, the film managed to capture the socio-economical status of African Americans and the division of integrated black and white American society by economical strata. Petey Green an ex-convict, who knows the hard life and what it’s like to be living in the bottom and seeing drug addicts and hustlers, manages to get a job through Dewey, an African American who has a fairly respectable job in the radio station. Despite Dewey’s economical success relative to other African Americans, he seems to be constantly holding his real self back and trying to blend in with the White folks in the station. He works for a White boss, he watches the Tonight Show to copy the attitude and behavior of a white man. Despite having more economic freedom, he is still much tied down to racial hierarchy. On the opposite, Petey Greene lives free-er, than any other Black characters on the film. He says what he thinks, despite of raging White superior within the station, and through his bravery and stubborn ways to “keep it real� he ultimately gains the respect from Black and White folks alike. In this sense, Dewey looks up to Petey and because unlike him, he is not “afraid to say the things�. Dewey who dress and mannerism emulates White Americans, admires Petey for being able to dress like a Black man, and talk like a Black man, because Dewey too comes from the black neighborhood and roots from there. Petey’s word reflects exactly what society is like from a black man’s stance, and if anyone calls him a racist for saying whatever he did, that person would most likely be not black and is ignorant to racism.
The power of Petey is especially apparent when Martin Luther King Jr. is assassinated and Washington D.C. goes up in flame. He understood the emotional status of his listeners, and despite desires to rely on violence and aggression, he is able to calm the mass down and to act in much more peaceful manner because violence would only lead to bad things.

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Talk to Me provides an excellent example of the racial tensions Americans were battling in the 60’s and 70’s, as it was a prevailing theme throughout the film. Although the radio station was targeted primarily for African Americans, the station was largely influenced by white culture and trying to assimilate black culture with white America, being too afraid to step out against the typical social expectations and fully engross their culture. What I think is most important about the film is Dewey’s main point in the beginning of the film—the station was no longer a station “for the people, by the people.� The station’s conforming to the dominant white social norms made them, as Back explains, “a paradox for a scene which prides itself on being socially aware, and open-minded,� (139). Petey became a leader in helping to break those barriers, and he truly representing the majority of black Americans in D.C.; he wasn’t afraid to hold anything back and wasn’t afraid of being beaten down by the establishment. He was inspiring to citizens because he was open about his individuality and he wasn’t afraid to speak up against the unfair social and economic subjugation that so many citizens were fighting for.

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As film replaces education in the classroom, it is important to keep in mind film ideology must be taken seriously. Guy Debord explains “The spectacle presents itself as something enormously positive, indisputable and inaccessible. It says nothing more than ‘that which appears is good, that which is good appears.’ The attitude which it demands in principle is passive acceptance which in fact it already obtained by its manner of appearing without reply, by its monopoly of acceptance.� Cinematic ideology cannot and should not pass for lived or actual history under any circumstances because it is so unequivocally one-sided. A person who watches a film about history and who believes they know exactly how it was is making a terrible mistake. “Talk to Me� actually reminds me of “Birth of a Nation� by D.W. Griffith in the 1910’s. It was labeled an openly racist film by PC multicultural gospel pushers but it tries to pass itself off as historically accurate. All this is fine and good, but without a debate, spectators will be inclined to believe what they see on screen without critical thinking. Even if they know they are watching something fictional, the first thought that enters their mind when thinking about the history will be the image they saw in the movie. The movie undoubtedly glosses over a lot of ideas from a black perspective as well as other races like whites of the time. But again, all films do that. So with “Talk to Me� it should be clear from the film what exactly the ideology is. White people are evil and are responsible for all the evil in the world and blacks are one-hundred percent victims no matter what and have no choice except to bash whites and take what they want. Does that really sound accurate for educational purposes? Does that really sound well rounded or balanced? One sided?
It is worth mentioning that I am a white man and I am not accountable for killing Martin Luther King. I am also not accountable for colonialism. I’m not the one “that pulled the trigger� as Petey Green was so apt to point out. But yet there is still the race difference. I can always be blamed for countless injustices from PC multicultural gospel preachers and militant feminists regardless if I’ve even heard of them right? If that sounds like it is not very well thought out and rather absurd that’s because it is.
Diversity is not as idealistic as most Americans desperately want to believe. Patrick Buchanan in his latest book cites Robert Putnam “one of the world’s most influential political scientists. His research shows that the more diverse a community is, the less likely its inhabitants are to trust anyone-from their next-door neighbor to the mayor. ‘In the presence of diversity, we hunker down. We act like turtles. The effect of diversity is worse than had been imagined. And it’s not just that we don’t trust people who are not like us. In diverse communities, we don’t trust people who do look like us.’ Prof. Putnam found trust was lowest in Los Angeles, ‘the most diverse human habitation in human history.’� And we may not survive this century and Europe even more so with our existing and continuing diversity as Seymour Lipset points out “The histories of bilingual and bicultural societies that do not assimilate are histories of turmoil, tension, and tragedy.�
In this new century of ours attempts to shame us for our culture and history and identity by minorities and non-western people must be deftly ignored. If blacks and other minorities are not going to respect our PC multicultural standard why should whites? Why shouldn’t we also have identity politics too and challenge that which is harmful to us? What is letting others walk all over us but a lack of confidence in ourselves? And for what ideology, to build castles in the sky, who said that is necessary? I have the right to make these claims without being labeled a racist or other cat calls as Rosa Luxemburg points out “Freedom of speech is meaningless unless it means the freedom of the person who thinks differently� just for the record.

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Newman described that African Americans in the disc jockey business were crucial in the marketing strategy of radio stations in the late 60’s/early 70’s, and I agree with this position. Especially during a time when the nation was under high racial tension and conflict, in some ways, a more peaceful environment was kept by having figures of the media that the black community could better relate to. This was best demonstrated in the film “Talk to Me� when the news of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination reached the airwaves in Washington D.C. with the help of Petey Green. We saw how effective Petey was in reaching the hearts of his listeners, African American listeners in particular, in such a shocking time in the history of civil rights. In general, as Sponsor specifically argues in the Newman article, “[S]eldom can a Negro—particularly one who is getting more and more proud of his racial heritage as his status improves—find anything in the ordinary air show sponsored by a national advertiser with which he can identify himself.� In other words, the hiring of black radio disc jockeys was one part in the quest towards equality, and blacks positively acknowledged that.

One part of the film “Talk to Me� that viewers may have found difficult to understand was Petey’s lack of excitement about being on the Tonight Show. Dewey did everything in his power to make this happen, as it was his own dream to do so. This paralleled the conversation between Petey and Dewey in which Dewey expresses that Petey could say the things that Dewey could not say, as it was perhaps an inside hope of Dewey’s that Petey would deliver some monumental speech on the Tonight Show. However, when Petey was finally on stage, he couldn’t seem to muster up any insight for the “bunch of white folks� sitting in front of him. He was simply out of his element, and did not feel comfortable. I believe that his sabotage of this chance was a mixture of Petey “keeping it real� and being a bit self-destructive. He only asked to be on radio, and that’s all he felt right doing.

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The movie shows the challenges imposed by the racial struggles of the period. Petey and Dewey were in very different positions in corporate America, but the movie shows how they were still not in positions of equality with white America. When Petey walks in and demands to see the boss, the station manager states that he is the only boss there. This emphasizes that even Dewey, who is playing the corporate game and is accused of being “just another white man with a tan,� cannot obtain the same level of power as his boss. Dewey realized that he was not selling out by gaining an education and working hard for himself, but he still understood the repercussions that could develop if he was to say the things that were not in keeping with the comfortable mainstream. This is why he needed Petey to say the things he was afraid to, because he was allowing someone to speak for the people regardless of the corporate consequences. Petey was not looking to be a businessman, only to convey the message of black equality and social injustices, regardless of whether he was getting paid in a radio booth or on a bullhorn in the streets.

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Les Back raises an interesting point regarding the race relations in London. This same point can be seen in the film, Talk to Me, dealing with the civil rights movement in the late 1960s and early 1970s. Back states that, "in the everyday lives of white people, infatuation with black music can exist alongside overt racism with a necessary contradiction" (146). While this may have been true in Back's observations of London society, it is also true of the D.C. region and others throughout America during the civil rights era. In the film, WOL's R & B music (a genre born in Motown and typically associated with blacks) was enjoyed by whites and blacks equally. This mutual interest by whites and blacks was exemplified in the film by the president and upper management staff being predominantly white while the D.J. staff that brought the music to the airwaves was predominantly black. This is not to say that the D.C. region and others in the U.S. was not racist. Throughout the film racism is protested by the black community through images such as rallies and the strong political voice of Petey Green. In contrast to Back's observations of the overt racism in London, Talk to Me presents racism in a more subtle manner. It is not until the scene in which MLK Jr. is assassinated that we see the black community take a strong stance against the whites. This, however, does not come across as a war against whites, but a black-on-black fight. Petey pleads with the black community to stop letting the anger consume them and urges them to return to their homes. I thought that this imagery was a little skewed against the blacks. The film was powerful, but lacked a clear lens to be shot through. At times, especially the looting scenes following the death of MLK Jr., the imagery perpetuated stereotypes of blacks--thieves, animals, and miscreants. It is important for the director to show the response of the black community to the death of MLK Jr., but it hindered the progress made by the blacks throughout the film. The subtle racism found in the film, Talk to Me, is diametrically opposed to the overt racism observed by Les Back in London during several eras.

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"Talk to Me" covers the life, or important parts of the life, of black comedian/DJ/Talk show host who was known for his political activism, specifically within the issue of race. One of the prevalent themes throughout the films was the presence of power, and how the accumulation of power and importance changes people. Petey found himself in this position, starting out as an unknown, small-time act who could say what he wanted, and did what he wanted, although he couldn't do much. As he grew in fame and power, it becomes apparent that he is exploiting his own fame for personal gains, be it women, drugs, or other nice things. He also showed his inflated ego in his treatment of Dewey, his manager. Dewey had looked out for him for a long time, but Petey was blinded by the notion that people wanted to see him, wanted to talk to him, and forgot about Dewey. This is never more apparent than when he ruins his appearance in the "Tonight Show." This was something that Dewey had worked very hard to achieve, as appearances by black celebrities was still a rare occurrence during this time. For Petey to act the way he did shows that he had no respect for Dewey, despite what the man had done for him, and this loss of respect is clearly the result of an over-inflated ego due to huge gains in power and popularity.

-Chris Hansen

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In this week’s film, Talk to Me, a radio station DJ and his manager had an immense impact on the city around it. Petey and Dewey were the perfect combination of voice and influence that was needed to reach the black people of the city. In this time when the black population was still oppressed these two main characters were able to come together to help make a difference. Petey was “of the people� and a “miscreant.� He only ever spoke the truth. He knew what needed to be said and was not afraid to say it. Petey was able to connect with his listeners and bring up important issues in the society. Dewey, on the other hand, was a black character that acted as if he was white. He had grown up in the inner city, but made changes in his life to better himself. He had become the stereotypical “white person� and Petey picked at him for it. He claimed that he had conformed and lost his true identity. Through the movie Petey was able to help Dewey find himself again. The black population needed them, but they needed each other first. Petey was able to say what Dewey could not, and Dewey could do the things Petey was not able to do. Together they help empower the black community. The Black Power movement was in progress with its symbol being the clenched fist held up in the air. Petey and Dewey were a major part of a revolution in the civil rights movement in D.C.

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Dewey gets Petey the chance of a lifetime that is sure to take him “straight to the top,� and at the same time fulfill a lifelong dream of his own by booking Petey on the Tonight Show. Petey, however, was not thrilled about this because all he wanted to do was be a disc jockey back in Washington D.C. Petey just wanted to educate the people, mostly the blacks, and tell them the truth and how it really is by “keeping it real� and “being real.� Peteys sabotage of his “big chance� was not a purposeful act of self-destruction or self-service but “keeping it real.� Petey spread the truth and said things the way they were even though it might of offended people. The truth is what really mattered to him. If the Tonight Show was aimed at reaching out towards the black audience or hosted by an African American, Petey would have probably acted differently. However, the position he was in, entertaining the white folks, and his genuine character of “keeping it real� would not allow him to do what Dewey wanted him to do. Petey probably thought, how could the white rich people in the audience understand how he felt inside, and the black people he was representing, and the injustice he and his colored brothers suffered and were still suffering? According to Roger Hewitt, “stereotypes of black life fashioned in the minstrelsy period of popular entertainment and coming to form part of the prevailing white construction of ‘the south’ and of the black people� (Hewlett 44). The Tonight Show was geared towards the white audience that had already constructed a stereotype of the black people and “the south.� They truly were not ready for the truth he had to present and therefore not him.

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In this week’s film we see how opposites attract. Petey and Dewey are friends and partners and have a very interesting relationship. When watching the dialogue between the two it is easy to notice how they meet in the middle of the road of their ever opposing characteristics. Petey and Dewey both benefit from each other and what is not seen at first glance is learned later on. They both come from the same place and have realism in their lives. This trueness that the two both possess binds them, however is the ultimate agent of deterioration of their friendship. Regardless of the bound breaking regression, the inherent and genuine style of Petey is what Dewey admires the most. The way he can communicate and appeal so greatly to his audience through his real attitude is what Dewey loves. Straight laced and uptight, Dewey seemingly wishes he could achieve what the radical Petey does on the radio. He sees how Petey gives his audience sight to a movement and marvels at this ability. As Gerstle writes, “The revolution depended on a resolute civil rights movement…and believed fervently in the American dream, and he (MLK Jr.) insisted that the revolution could be accomplished peacefully and through appeals to Americans’ civic nationalist ideals.� Petey offers this appeal and as Dewey sees this, he becomes more attracted to this notion and change is seen in him.

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The film Talk to Me illustrates the lives of African American men who were effected by growing racial tensions during the 1960’s and 70’s. Not only was there conflict between African Americans and the dominant white culture, but also between African Americans who saw themselves as activists and those who tried their best to fit into white society. In the beginning of the film, we are introduced to Dewey, an African American businessman who seems well adjusted to life in a dominantly white culture, and Petey, an outspoken ex-convict whose dream it is to work as a D.J. and make his viewpoints on racism and civil rights known. Throughout the film, the struggle between Dewey and Petey causes them to change the way they view their roles as black men. When they first meet, Dewey is disgusted with Petey and tells him that he’s a scoundrel, giving him very little respect. Petey later snaps back by accusing Dewey as being a “tan white-boy� who conforms to white oppression of African Americans. Even though Dewey has achieved some success in his work at a dominantly white-run radio station, when Petey stirs up things at the station, deep inside Dewey agrees with Petey, but he is too afraid to stand up for himself. Petey becomes his voice for equality, and towards the end of the movie, Dewey was expressing his ideas on his own. While Petey’s influence on Dewey has a somewhat positive impact, Dewey’s attempts to draw Petey into popular white culture (The Tonight Show) fail miserably, with Petey refusing to “be changed�. While I do not consider many of the beliefs African Americans had about white people during the Civil Right’s Movement racist, I do feel that the comments that Petey made while on The Tonight Show about white people not caring about what he was saying gave the impression that what negative feelings of racial hatred he had towards white people stemmed from disappointment rather than racism itself.

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In the film Talk to Me there was little direct coverage of a white audience for soul music. The only prominent white figures were the record executives who seemed to identify with the black community to an extent. There were also white protesters in the earlier scenes, supporting Petey Green’s bid for a job at the station. There was also no discussion of white artists appropriating black style.
What was apparent was the commercialization of music “packaged as racial fetish� (Back 129). Part of Petey and the Night Hawk’s appeal was their stereotypical compliance. They wore the clothes, had the voice and speech patterns and so succeeded in their field. The listeners could tell that they were black and that was part of the appeal. ‘Sunshine’ was too eloquent and soft to stay in his situation, listeners wanted edgier djs and that is what they got. It wasn’t until Dewey shed his ‘white’ exterior and embraced his own version of ‘blackness’ that he was able to get his own successful position.
Again there was not much open discussion of race relations in the film but they were present. When the warden suggests they shoot the man taunting him between the eyes it was humorous but did not really sound like he was joking. Dewey’s own condemnation of his brother for his criminal behavior almost extended to a criticism of the entire race. There was definitely tension between Petey and Dewey towards the beginning which sparked the whole protest. Petey expected solidarity from a black man and was insulted that Dewey would ‘stand up for the man’.
Overall I think the race relations were handled well. There was not a strong focus on it but at the end of the day it was a movie about Petey Green. A more direct treatment would have detracted from the narrative.

Nyssa Shawstad

WORKS CITED
Back, Les. “Voices of Hate, Sounds of Hybridity: Black Music and the Complexities of Racism� Black Music Research Journal Vol. 20, No. 2, European Perspectives on Black Music (Autumn, 2000), pp. 127-149

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The most unlikely, but most effective leader is the average joe who comes from the inner-most working of the group. An inmate, who has experienced the life of a black man in and outside of jail sees the world from multiple points of view: as a literal prisoner, and as a figurative prisoner of culture and race. The loudest voice is the one that comes from the bottom. The view of a black man from the bottom relating to one from the top in a struggle against "White supremacy". The point of view of each man helps me to understand the different hardships that the black community had to face and the work that had to be done to create equality.

The power of words was shown to be most affective to urge a crowd forward for action. The message of a death destroyed a city, and the message of peace assuaged a crowd into a more positive approach to change. A voice heard over thousands can move change and create from a group of hate.

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For having not heard of the movie, "Speak to Me" before class on Wednesday I really enjoyed it. I thought that the character development was phenomenal and that the plot was very well laid out. You couldn’t help but fall in love with Don Cheadle’s character, Petey Greene from the very beginning. When Dewey’s boss comes into the room shouting, “What in blue blazes is going on here?� and instead of giving an answer, Petey asks, “Did he just say ‘blue blazes?’� I was hooked.

I thought the film did a great job of integrating humor into a serious story line. My favorite serious part was probably when Petey is supposed to be on the Late Night Show and he has no desire to do it. He believes that the audience watching the television show is not the audience whom he speaks to. In her article “The Forgotten Fifteen Million: Black Radio, ‘The Negro Market’ and the Civil Rights Movement,� Kathy Newman describes that “most African Americans owned radios rather than owned televisions or subscribed to newspapers and magazines.� I really liked that Petey remained true to himself and his values throughout the film rather than ever cave to what others thought he should be. This was only one instance of that.

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The movie “Talk to me� very well shows the significance of having a major means of getting message across the society, especially during the 1960s. Undoubtedly, the media played and continues to play to this day, as a major influence in the modern society.

Being that during the 60s, the radio was trusted to be a legitimate source of information streaming, there was not a better time for Dewey and Petey to take advantage of this potential means of making a positive difference in their community.

The people in positions may have regarded Petey and Dewey as just African-Americans working hard to achieve new career heights in the history of African Americans in the media, but that is really not what Dewey and Petey intended. They figured they had some talents that they could utilize to making a better society and were willing to take the shot.

Even though Petey was portrayed as a racist at times, there is no reason to doubt that he had a very sharp view of their segregated society. Also supporting the fact that his theme was “tell it like it is�, it is evident that he did not hesitate to take risks to express himself.

It does seem like Dewey had to conform or in other words play like the “white man� in other to get what he wanted. No one really knows what his real intentions were, but it is overall agreeable to say that he had to do what he had to do in other to do what he wanted to do. In this case he had to go by the white man’s game rules in other to learn how to manipulate and make the rules work for modeling a non-segregated society.

Dewey may not have had the audacity to say many things that Petey would have easily said, but overall, they used their talents together to make a strong impact on their society

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The people in positions of power are portrayed as looking only out for themselves, and as being racists. Dewey was probably afraid because he thought that if he stuck out too much from the norm, and expressed what he really thought about the people who were oppressing minorities. Dewey admires Petey’s honesty, and his ability to cut to the heart of many issues. Petey isn’t a racist at heart he has just gone through a lifetime of being acted against and portrayed as a “certain person� by the people who are in power. The fact that Sponsor thinks that black listeners had more confidence in black disc jockeys really hurts the credibility of black people. The way that this is portrayed in Talk to Me is the fact that Petey has more popularity than other artists at the station because he embodies all of the qualities that Sponsor thinks his listeners are looking for. When MLK is assassinated in the movie, the progress that the black people had been seeing in the community all washed away. Dewey, being Petey’s manager, really lives out his own lifelong dream through Petey. The conflict arises because Petey doesn’t have the ambition or the want to go to the “top�, only to be affective and enjoy his life. Part of his sabotage of the Tonight show is he seeing himself as not ready to be the ultimate comedy act, but the other part of it involves him not really wanting to be the top act and selling himself out for popularity.

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In "Talk to Me," Dewey Hughes notices a unique gift in the recently released ex-con Petey Greene and gives him a shot to take over the morning DJ role at the radio station where Hughes works. Greene becomes an instant success, and an interesting relationship begins to form between he and Hughes. Dewey admires Petey's ability to make a connection with the listeners by talking about controversial race issues with natural speaking ease. The listeners might not always have agreed with Petey, but they always knew that they would be hearing the truth. He may come off as racist to some, but in reality, he only spoke about the truths of what was happening to African Americans across the country. By referring to many important political figures as pimps, Petey opens the eyes of people who may not have experienced what was going on in the lower income areas of the US.
Dewey decides to try to live out his own dream of being a major entertainer by managing Greene and trying to "take him to the top." Petey agrees, reluctantly. It is very apparent throughout the film that Petey would rather be talking on the radio to people who can relate to him than going on major television shows and having conversations or performing stand up for people who know nothing about who he really is. Petey finally implodes when he is supposed to perform on The Tonight Show, as he walks off stage because he doesn't think the audience can relate to him. Dewey takes this very hard because it was his own dream to one day be on the Tonight Show, but he thought the only way that would be possible was through Petey. Again, I don't see Petey's actions as racist, he just doesn't think there is a bond between himself and the large TV audiences like there is with the radio listeners who grew up under the same conditions as himself. He is a strong believer in this bond and thinks that he is turning his back on his loyal listeners by giving up the DJ role. Sure, he is a drunk, foul mouthed ex-con, but he still has principles and a love for his roots.

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As the nation takes pause to mark the anniversary of the assassination of one of the founding fathers of the civil rights revolution of the 1960s, we are compelled to reflect on the legacy of the great Martin Luther King Jr. It is in this context that this week’s film was presented to us. Through the relationship of Dewey Hughes and Petey Greene, Kasi Lemmon’s Talk to Me (2007) offers a powerful, insightful look into the dynamics of African American culture both then and now.

The Gerstle reading from this week discusses the civil rights movement that Dr. King led strove to assimilate blacks into mainstream culture. Sacrifice and perseverance paid off with the passage of the Civil Rights Act in 1964. Although it was a momentous step forward, the day-to-day socio-economic reality of black America did not significantly change. This incongruity triggered a paradigm shift which favored a more vocal, militant approach. The Black Power movement, built on the beliefs of Malcom X and the Black Panthers, completely rejected the American Creed and strove to assert black culture as a unique and valid alternative to mainstream American culture.

At its most basic read, it is this dialectic was played out in the text of the film. Dewey’s character represents the subset of blacks striving to assimilate into mainstream American culture and Petey’s character represents the other perspective. A deeper reading is possible, though, when considering Newman’s article on the consumer consciousness engendered by the emergence of black radio in the 50s.

It was in this medium (which provided the film’s setting) that created a public space for blacks to “gather their cultural bearings’, and turn race prejudice into race pride� (Newman 123) – it had the “power to unite� (127). The flipside of this phenomenon, however, is the commercialization that inherent in the American experience. Sometimes this can be a good thing, as Newman argues, but sometimes it can have the power to destroy. We see this come to a head in the film when Petey refuses to be a commodity and walks out on his Tonight Show performance, crushing Dewey’s insatiable dreams of mainstream success.

Exploring this inner-cultural discourse between “keeping it real� and “selling-out� is one that will be essential to our dialogue on race over the next few weeks, as it is core to the African American identity from its beginnings and is one that continues to divide the culture to this day.

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The film "Talk to me" has strong themes that consist between race and power, and the struggle of African Americans to succeed and find themselves in "white society". In the film, radio was a way to promote African American culture. According to Newman “Black radio at the time was something that happened overnight. Something that was not really heard of, but something that society was ready for“(pp. 118). Radio was one of the ways for the African American community to say what they thought and become apart of the mainstream life. Petey Green was one of those voices on the radio trying to make a positive impact on the African American community. Petey used his voice on the radio to discuss controversial topics that were brought up in the news and from his past experience. Radio made it possible for Petey to have his thoughts heard. Petey was not a racist, he had some strong views about race, and did not hold back from stating how he felt about race but he didn't take anything from any person no matter what color their skin white or black. He stuck to his own values and went against what his employers believed in, and never ‘sold out’. Petey also did not disrespect anyone and for this reason Petey wasn't racist, he was just trying to help promote African American positions in the white community, and as an African American radio DJ he tried to bring everyone together. Petey gave hopes and dreams to people all over the world through his voice on the radio. For these reasons Petey was not a racist he only used his voice to discuss controversial topics, and enable people to have their voices heard no matter their skin color.

Posted by campb503 at 10:04 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Talk to Me is one of the best movies based out of the 60's that I have had the pleasure of viewing. One of the things I liked about it was how Petey stayed true to himself no matter what. He had a voice, a voice of the people, his people, and no one could change that or take it away from him. His audience hung on to his every word and held a deep respect for Petey Green. In the end Dewey booked a slot on the Tonight Show for Petey, a show directed at a completely different audience then with whom Petey associated with. The people who followed the Tonight Show were typically old, conservative, white folks who Mr. Petey Green had nothing to say to. The moment of truth came when Petey looked around at all the waiting white faces, the live audience, and realized that they were obviously not interested in anything he had to say. He would have had to lie to make them happy. He would have lied to both himself and to everyone else who had admired him before. Petey was a black power activist and was not about to preach to a crowd of sneering white people who were a pretty good representation of the show's national audience.
Petey tried for the sake of Dewey, he really did, but his reputation and respect were at stake and he couldn't throw that away. Dewey worshipped The Tonight Show and never stopped to think what Petey wanted and how the show would affect him. It was obvious that Petey never was excited about the show, only to make Dewey happy. Dewey was an altogether different person then Petey, he greatly associated himself with the white race. He was also was also power hungry, wanting to make Petey bigger and bigger while Petey was happy where he was. "Quite trying to change me Dewey." What Petey meant was to stop trying to change him into a world leader activist. All he wanted after all was to "keep it real" as a local disc Jockey. The voice of Petey was personal, it was something that he did not want to share with Johnny Carson and the like. At one point he said "I don't think the world is ready for a nigga like me." The world was not ready to hear what he had to say, the truth about how unjust our society was. The world could not handle the truth, especially the followers of Johnny Carson's show.

Posted by kolsu002 at 10:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the film Talk to Me the two main characters Petey and Dewy were both social activist, who fight against racism and social injustice but they just had different style. Petey was outspoken and he told the truth, did not really care who he offended. Since he was an ex-con, others did not expect anything-postive for him and that gave him freedom to say everything he wanted. He didn’t expect that much from life as well, he just want to be himself even turned down business opportunities. I didn’t think he was racist; he was not speaking out against white people, but against the system. The fact that MLK was assassinated by a racist system angered him and the fact he grew up poor in the project angered him. His listerns could related to him, he gave the black commuinty vocie. He was able to bring people and conntect their ideas, stuggles and anger through the radio. “Black radio, thought it was part of corportat America’s exploitation of the black consumer had some positive effects within Black culture and the black consciousness.(Newman, 117)The problem with Petey, he talked the talk but wasn’t stable person; he had drinking problem and was an ex-con. He reminded people and himself that he was just an ex-con.
For Dewy fighting racism and social injustice was by becoming financial successful not just by talking about was wrong with American society during that time. He said in the movie he was born in the project but struggled to get out of it. He was financial stable and went on to own the radio station. I did not think he was afraid to say certain things, as portrayed in the movie. He was a man of action, when it really counted he locked up the station manager to get Petey on the air.
I enjoyed this movie; it was funny and educational that same time.

Posted by mula0013 at 10:03 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The film Talk to Me was a film largely focused on bring attention to what “the majority� wanted to ignore. The film’s main character was Petey Greene, the historically racy radio disc-jockey. The movie shows Petey “spittin’ it how it was�, which is exactly what he’s remembered for and what people of that time period were looking for.


The preceding decades showed massive improvement with regard to the law, but not socially. In specific as stated in Gary Gerstle’s Civil Rights, White Resistence, and Black Nationalism: 1960-1968, “The American legal foundation of racial nationalism had been overturned. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 outlawed segregation in civil society while the Immigration Act of 1964 dismantled the national origins system that had been in place since 1924.� Even with all the progress within the legal system, the times were still plagued with underlying tones of racism.


Petey Greene’s style, as stated earlier, was to “spit it how it was�. The reception to this style of talk, on the radio in particular, was spectacular! People knew that racism was still a huge problem socially even though it had been addressed in law. It took individuals like Petey to continually shine the lime-light on the subject in order to keep it in the public eye and eventually cause real social change.

Posted by John Erck at 10:02 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Remember when Don Cheadle was in Boogie Nights? His character’s name was Buck Swope. Seriously. Buck Swope. You can’t ask for a better pornstar name. I used to wait tables at this shitty Thai place and once I had this guy come in and the name on his credit card was “Johnny Surprise.� No fooling. Johnny goddamn Surprise. Naturally I assumed that Mr. Surprise was also a pornstar because Don Cheadle put such a solid character behind the name Buck Swope; good movie characters always get me projecting false personas onto real people. However, Mr. Surprise was most likely, in all reality, probably not a pornstar, only a victim of my skewed perceptions (thankyou Hollywood) and therefore less interesting to me. The point being: the truth hurts, especially when its progressive. In Talk to Me, the civil rights movement of the 60’s and 70’s is dissected through the biopic of a radio DJ, specifically within his relationship with his more outspoken polar opposite. A predominately black radio station begins to cater to a white community, and one character conforms and the other protests, which Back calls “a paradox for a scene which prides itself on being socially aware, and open-minded,�. The character of Petey critiqued this aspect of the Black community, convicting change and progression even though his criticisms could even be seen as racist. I really wanted Johnny Surprise to be a pornstar, but I knew he wasn’t, I knew he was more than just some outlandish profession. And although my fantasy would have been more entertaining to believe, it was more progressive for me to grow up and realize that not everyone can be want I want them to be for the sake of my entertainment, and that making a point through pornography references is the only way to make a point.

Posted by mende058 at 10:02 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I didn't particularly like this film because I just didn't know what to make of it. I didn't take away any sort of greater understanding or moral lesson, which is not necessary in a film, but it seems like that is what the filmmakers were going for. Usually when a movie ends with a eulogy scene it is a plot device for summing up the accomplishments of the main character. I don't this that Greene's work can really be quantified that way. His accusation of Dewey Greene being a "house slave" AKA an "Uncle Tom" are the same sorts of things that happen in the black community today and I think such a thing is only hurtful. When that sort of infighting happens in minority groups it only serves to divide them more and subjugate Civil Rights aspirations by dividing power. In this respect Petey Greene is no hero. His behavior is not transcendent or useful then or now. But Petey Greene, I believe contributed by speaking his mind frequently. In addition to his asking for cool heads in the aftermath of the King assassination, Petey Greene promoted a dialog among people that historically had disproportionately less access to mass media. That free expression would serve to allow blacks a high-level dialog in order to discuss pressing issues in their community. Petey Greene might very well have made great strides in breaking the silence of the black community. Speaking his mind is what his fans liked about him, and that is what he will be known best for,.

Posted by gonza275 at 9:43 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

"Talk to Me" is clearly a movie about race and power during the late 60s and early 70s. It addresses stereotypes that people used to have and still have now for certain groups of race, ethnic, and different back grounds. The movies points out how sometimes people judges others for their past and their race. For example, when Petey comes to the office of WOL for the first time after being released from prison, the lady at the front desk gets scared because he told her he just got out of jail. And again and again, Petey's credibility was questioned by WOL's boss. Then finally he gets to do the morning talk for the first time at WOL. Right before the show, the boss repeatedly tells him to watch his language. I take this as another stereotype pointed out from the movie. Even Petey are warned before, he still says what he wants to say, what he thinks. When Petey says things that he does not supposed to say, he offends the people of higher position than him, and in most cases, they are whites. Also, this is why Dewey was "afraid to say things" that Petey said. Dewey works in an environment where white men are the ones with higher positions and power. Dewey himself is an African- American man, but he acts, speaks, dresses, more like a white man. To me, Dewey doesn't have the courage like Petey to be different, to speak out things that offends people with more power. I think it's courage and self-esteem that Dewey admires from an ex-convict, chain-smoking, womanizing Petey.
In my opinion, Petey himself is a little racist, he just doesn't realize that. He denies to perform in front of an audience full of white people on the Tonight Show. I don't think he would act that way if the Tonight Show were hosted by an African-American and geared to a black audience. He thinks he would be a a clown in front of the white audience and he expects them to discriminate him. He himself puts stereotypes on people on the show. I think that makes him a racist as well.

Posted by truon052 at 9:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

It is clear throughout the movie that Dewey has some minor struggles when it comes to race and identity. Even if Petey is not the perfect role model for the black community, he lives his life exactly the way he wants to and does not let ANYONE tell him what to do. Unlike Dewey, Petey never stoops to levels to fit in or appear more "white". Despite all his "flaws" regarding alcohol and women, Dewey is impressed by Petey's ability to maintain his "real" personality even if it means he may appear a little over the top. Petey will never mold to society and Dewey recognizes his strong opposition to conformity.
Some may view the way Petey acts as racism towards whites. However, I completely disagree with that claim. Petey, regardless of his color, lives his life exactly how he wants to and does not let anything or anyone get in the way. Obviously based on the sole fact that he got his job by sticking with his strong pursuit to get what he wants shows exactly what type of person he is. The timing of the MLK assassination makes it hard for Petey because while he normally just minds his own business, this pushes him over the top and fuels his anger that some people view as racism. His ability to "stay real" and just live serve as a great qualities for a role-model to the black community in the time of pain and sorrow. He is a black man with a strong will but above all he is a human being who by changing his lives, changed the lives of everyone who knew him.

Posted by cloy0004 at 9:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the film Talk To Me, the relationship between the main characters Dewey and Petey, as well as their white coworkers, exemplifies the race struggles experienced by African Americans during the 1960’s. Authority figures in the movie (such as the station direction, Sheen, the station’s board members, and the prison guards) were strongly represented by white men. In order for Dewey to succeed in these surroundings, he had adopted a lifestyle and behavior very similar to that of white American men. When behaving in this context, he was treated with respect by both his white peers and superiors. However, when Petey became a serious figure in his life, he began to admire the way that Petey didn’t feel the need to conform to white America. Associating himself with Petey was a way for Dewey to act against the oppressive standards of the society he lived and worked in.

There’s no doubt that Petey’s behavior has racist qualities, possessing a general distrust and contempt for white people. However, this sentiment is not completely unwarranted, and I see it as more akin to jadedness than true racism. In a state of continual repression, violence, and hatred shown by many white Americans toward blacks, it’s understandable how someone could develop this attitude. It was crucial for society at the time that black Americans attain positions of mass influence, such as disc jockeys, within the media infrastructure. Although one may think it would only further separate the cultures that many African Americans would identify only with black disc jockeys, it helped the situation much more than it hurt, as many of the black dj’s worked within programs built and run by white Americans, which in many instances helped the two work toward a common goal. One instance of this shown in the film was the sequences following the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. With his broadcast, Petey Green almost single-handedly stopped the riots in the streets of Washington, D.C.

Posted by dunh0037 at 9:35 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The film "Talk to Me" was made during a time when Africa Americans were trying to achieve equality. Petey is the main character in the film and he is very outspoken and is not afraid to voice his opinion when necessary. Petey gets the opportunity to be on the Tonight Show but is not happy by it because he wants to be taken seriously and he thinks that this show is just for entertainment. I think that Petey did the right thing in staying true to himself and not getting up there and just telling jokes and entertaining the crowd. He wanted to stand up for his beliefs and for the black community as a whole. Newman mentions that "black listeners had more confidence in disc jockeys they could tell were black" (124). Petey believed this and he got up there and told his audience exactly how he felt even if it was controversial. Petey's audience was mainly white and even though sometimes his opinion seemed very biased, it never was and he only told the facts. I definitely agree that the emergence of black radio had many positive effects for the black culture. As Kathy Newman writes in “The Forgotten Fifteen Million: Black Radio, the ‘Negro Market’, and the Civil Rights Movement�, “By 1957, ...there were more than six hundred radio stations targeting 30-100 percent of their programming to African Americans in cities all over the country and national advertisers were beginning to take black consumers more seriously- at least the ones they could reach via the airwaves.� (115-116). This just shows how important the emergence of blacks in the media was to their way of evolving out of this terribly segregated and racist time period. The evolution of Petey from convict to radio star effects all the people around him and had an extremely positive effect on the African American society. With the increasing involvement of the black community in the media, this helped to lay the foundation for the African American culture to become increasingly involved in the everyday aspects of life with the whites and other races.

Posted by kapla137 at 9:34 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The film Talk to Me was about the racism in the time of the 60s and 70s and was mainly shown through the disc Jokey, Petey. It was of a time when African Americans were trying to strive for equality in the community. Petey is a DJ and an American American. Petey used the power of "black radio to unite and unify the black community," (Newman 127). Newman also mentions that "black listeners had more confidence in disc jockeys they could tell were black" (124). Even though a lot of similar d j's were becoming decreasingly popular Petey kept increasing his popularity due to his way of telling it the way he saw it. he did not put any kind of spin on it, he sees and tells the exact same way.
When Peter got his opportunity to be on the tonight show, it showed that he had made a stance in the community because to get on that show is a great accomplishment in itself. However, Petey didn't see it like that because he viewed the show as entertainment and he didn't want to be viewed in that light. He thought that being on the tonight show would mean that people would be laughing along or even at him, resulting in him not being able to get across his message of equality among the different races, especially between the black people and the white people.

Posted by culve018 at 9:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

More time in the film was spent examining the racial tensions between Petey and Dewey than racial tension between whites and blacks. The two men represent opposite ends of the spectrum of blacks in the era, although there were many more like Petey than Dewey. The tension between them centered on what it meant to be a black man in that era. Petey's accusation that Dewey is "acting white" reifies the message that whites are businessmen and black men are laborers; in Petey's mind (and others in the black community), Dewey cannot be both "successful" and "black" yet such attitudes force blacks into less powerful positions.

The black male aesthetic is present in the physical fight between Dewey and Petey. The two men have a brutal fist fight in the middle of the office over a disagreement about the content of the show. When this scene is contrasted with Dewey's subtle subordination of his boss rather than overt violence, the film seems to promote both the idea that blacks are "violent" and that blacks should show more respect to whites than they do eachother. Both instances show an employee disagreeing with his boss, but the physical fight resembles a "lower-class" approach to solutions while Dewey's insubordination to his white boss is cerebral and crafty.

Posted by vieir013 at 9:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The film "Talk to Me" was made during a time when Africa Americans were trying to achieve equality. Petey is the main character in the film and he is very outspoken and is not afraid to voice his opinion when necessary. Petey gets the opportunity to be on the Tonight Show but is not happy by it because he wants to be taken seriously and he thinks that this show is just for entertainment. I think that Petey did the right thing in staying true to himself and not getting up there and just telling jokes and entertaining the crowd. He wanted to stand up for his beliefs and for the black community as a whole. Newman mentions that "black listeners had more confidence in disc jockeys they could tell were black" (124). Petey believed this and he got up there and told his audience exactly how he felt even if it was controversial. Petey's audience was mainly white and even though sometimes his opinion seemed very biased, it never was and he only told the facts. I definitely agree that the emergence of black radio had many positive effects for the black culture. As Kathy Newman writes in “The Forgotten Fifteen Million: Black Radio, the ‘Negro Market’, and the Civil Rights Movement�, “By 1957, ...there were more than six hundred radio stations targeting 30-100 percent of their programming to African Americans in cities all over the country and national advertisers were beginning to take black consumers more seriously- at least the ones they could reach via the airwaves.� (115-116). This just shows how important the emergence of blacks in the media was to their way of evolving out of this terribly segregated and racist time period. The evolution of Petey from convict to radio star effects all the people around him and had an extremely positive effect on the African American society. With the increasing involvement of the black community in the media, this helped to lay the foundation for the African American culture to become increasingly involved in the everyday aspects of life with the whites and other races.

Posted by kapla137 at 9:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I thought "Talk to Me" was one of the good films that we've watched so far in this class because the film showed how the African Americans were struggling to blend in to the white society and how they were able to break through that barrier. Through out this semester, "peace" was one of the main themes that we've been dicussing in class and it was tough to see some of the struggles that African Americans were goin through during this time. In the film, Petey Green contributed towards the goal of "equality" between the white and the black cultures and he expressed his feelings and thoughts to the community by using the radio. This radio was a great success and it was slowly making its way up to being "equal", which was every African American's desire. Of course without Petey's work and effort, the African American community could had been a little different in the society today. It was nice to see a man stand up for the black culture to express their emotions and let people know what they were going through at the time. In one of the assigned readings, Kelley states that "knowing what happens in these spaces of pleasure can help us understand the solidarity black people...and unveil the conflicts across class and gender lines that shape and constrain these collective struggles." The film showed the relationship between the race and power and made me think how important it is for people to share their thoughts and feelings so they can be equal and peaceful.

Posted by katay007 at 9:00 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

During the 60's and 70's when the civil rights movement was at its peak, the black community chose to separate itself from the white community in any way it could. They invented the Black Power Party with the clenched fist as their symbol, representing their fight against the man and their perseverance. It was no different in the movie Talk to Me. Petey constantly talks down to Dewey and accuses him of conforming to white values and bowing to "the man." As much as Dewey resents what Petey accuses him of, he admires him more and more every day. Dewey admires Petey because Dewey was " afraid to say the things" that Petey says. Even though he calls Petey a low-life, a loser and a miscreant, he can't help but admire Petey's resilience to white america and their agenda to hold the black community down. Petey, although he may come off as a racist, is nothing of the sort. He was just saying what he knew needed to be said to wake people up so that they could see what was happening to the black community. He was definitely "keeping it real" because it was necessary. Throughout the film it was apparent that Dewey and Petey needed each other in order to spread the word and start a revolution. Dewey needed Petey to say the things he was too afraid to say and Petey needed him to do the things he was too afraid to do. The combo was a powerhouse in D.C. and they were a huge part of the civil rights movement.

Posted by stor0245 at 8:57 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The use of identifiable black figures to tap into the African American audience during a time of unrest for this group is one of the most interesting and intelligent marketing tactics used in the history of the profession. Because the market was all but ignored in advertising and strategic tapping into it through a mass medium was a brilliant move. This time was confusing and frightening to black people and by using figures that could serve as both a political and cultural figures as well as marketing tools radio made a lot of people a lot of money and gave many more hope. During the confusion that followed the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr. these public figures where incredibly important. They gave people someone to rally around and a voice that they could identify with and served as a beacon of continued resistance during this time. I don’t believe this could be considered exploitation because although the medium was created to sell products like skin lighteners and cigarettes as Newman argues it give vital information to African American in a way that was never available before making it more important then it was potentially damaging.

Posted by swanx058 at 8:54 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Within the film Talk to Me, white racism towards blacks is dealt with almost entirely off-screen. Issues of white dominance are seen mostly through the controls of the FCC, and the police after the riots, both of these show how the man's controls are enforced but neither take center stage, however. It is the black racism towards whites and other blacks that is much more prevalent within the film. What the film shows the viewer, and this is also seen in Back's article, is that this racism can most effectively be stopped by those, black or white, taking action against the bigots of their own race. This occurs during the riots after Martin Luther King, Jr's assassination in the movie. Petey runs out and stops black men from beating and presumably killing a white store owner. Here Petey is doing good by stopping the actions of his own race, and curbing the racism inherent in their attack. Back also addresses this. In his article he relates one story of racist young men verbally attacking one mixed race man and his friends who were "mixing." The racists desperately want the unoffending group to go outside so they can attack them. Here the racists, who are white, are assaulting not just those of a different race, but also their own race for consorting and crossing the line. In the end it takes two married white couples, and really it is only the wives, to lead the mixed group to safety. "So there was these two women from Liverpool with their husbands and they walked with us to our car. They were the only people who spoke up in the whole restaurant...." Again it is people of one race standing up to others within it in order to do right. What is most important to take from these two occurences though is that those doing right are in the minority. Petey is the only black man seen trying to stop the violence. In a crowded restaurant only two women take action. In order to truly stop the racism seen in these instances, more widespread action against the sections of our own races that are the culprits must be taken.

Posted by drey0022 at 8:49 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Throughout the movie "Talk to Me" it is very obvious that a lot of the themes in this are about race, power and how those things worked in American culture back in the 1960's. Petey was the loud mouth, drinking, womanizing, black man who was just keeping it real. Dewey was however the almost complete opposite to this. Although Dewey had grown up in the projects like Petey, Dewey wanted more than anything to get out of there and live a successful life. If that meant that Dewey had to become "white" and conform to the "man" he was going to do it. Dewey represented the people that had accepted the mainstream culture and felt no need to change anything. Petey spoke for all of the people who felt alienated, discriminated against, frustrated, or just mad at the way the government was being run. Petey was speaking out against people that were very similar to Dewey. When Petey first tried to get his job he was turned away as soon as he came into the door. No one took him seriously because he was an ex-con, who looked just like any other black male in that time period. Even Dewey was completely against allowing Petey to work at WOL. This was not the first time an ex-con, black male wanted to get a job and was turned away mainly because of his appearance. This was one of the main things that Petey was trying to speak out against on his radio show and it became very obvious that other people were thinking the same things. Petey became a huge influence on the airwaves and people admired him. Even with his ever growing popularity Petey however never really made a huge influence on the mainstream America.

Posted by hove0107 at 8:48 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Newman states that, “Corporate sponsorship of black culture has offered African Americans access to mainstream consumer culture as well as new outlets for black culture (117).� But, I thought the purpose of the "Black Power" movement was to break away from the mainstream culture that oppresses them. Newman sites multiple sources, at the time, who claimed that this corporate sponsorship would close the economic gap between social classes and also alleviate racial segregation through the “democratic power of the dollar (119).� However, I believe that this segregated marketing strategy also depicted in Talk to Me is still the reason for social and economic class differences today. I hold a view more similar to Manning Marable’s because he states that big businesses used manipulative means in order to exploit minority consumers with products such as cigarettes and alcohol. It was even present in the film. A predominately white group of executives, along with one African American, is in charge of increasing listeners and in turn increasing advertisement revenues. In order to increase revenues the broadcasting company takes a chance on Petey. Ralph “Petey� Green definitely “keeps it real� and can connect to the African American population in the D.C. area, but what he is actually doing is putting more cash in the pocket of the executives. So, I really question the true motives behind the increase of advertising to minorities in the 60’s in the context of big business. Would Petey even have a job if someone didn’t see the large financial potential in African American consumers? It is not until later when the owners of these broadcasting companies actually are African Americans do I see the benefits actually being beneficial for an entire culture.

Posted by cros0189 at 8:38 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The film "Talk to me" shows the relationship between race and power, and the struggle of African Americans to succeed and find themselves in "white society". The radio as shown in the film was a way to showcase African American culture. It was a way of getting the culture and thoughts of African Americans into the popular mainstream media. At this time radio was seen as a less threatening form of media compared to other visual media forms. This made radio the perfect medium to get out the African American sentiment. Radio made it possible for the ex-con Petey Green to have his thoughts heard. I didn't see Petey as racist, he definitely had some strong views about race and had no problems stating how he felt about race. He didn't take anything from any person no matter what color their skin write or black. Petey did not take disrespect from anyone. I believe that Petey wasn't racist, he was just trying to help promote African American positions in the white community and just say what he felt needed to be said, but nothing really led me to believe he was racist.

Posted by zabor005 at 8:16 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

As a viewer I didn't really like the movie all that much. I have come to the conclusion that what created this film to be halfway decent were the actors, Martin Sheen and Cedric The Entert. These two are no less than perfect for these roles, because they knew how to keep it real in fashion of the 60's and 70's. It had parts that were funny, but not outrageously hysterical like the stupid humor I enjoy. Besides the movie itself I found that the late 60's was a hard time in the Civil Rights Movement because it was right at the point where the violence broke out and Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated.

It was found in this time of need that the only thing that really created Petey Green to move along as an African American radio DJ was his call to bringing everyone together. He convinced the public that by using a central system to bring people together that they could rise up in unity and gain everything they wanted. He gave hopes and dreams to people all over the world, just by using his voice on the radio. With Dewey Hughes present in prison with Petey it was easier for them to gain the unification from the outside people and bring them inward. I feel as though this movie depicts this point of the Civil RIghts Movement very well.

Posted by carr0445 at 8:02 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the film Talk to Me the two main characters have completely opposite personalities. Although in the beginning of the film they don't see eye to eye, later on they see each has what the other lacks. Through these two main characters, Petey and Dewey, themes of race and power are shown in the film. Both the main characters are black males, Dewey works in the radio business and has almost taken on the character of a stereotypical 'white' person. He speaks with and upper class tone, and doesn't do anything to break the rules. Petey, on the other hand, speaks with a lower class tone and words that aren't even in the dictionary. He has broken many laws, you could say he's been around the block a few times. The characters who hold power in this film are portrayed much like Dewey's character in the beginning of the film. They look down upon black people, and think that they are better because of the color of their skin. They give orders to them almost like they were their slaves, and believe they can do whatever they want without punishment.

Dewey was around people with an attitude like this for so long that he began to buy into the ideology that it was okay. Then when Petey entered the picture with and attitude that he could say or do anything he wanted Dewey began to realize that he too had a voice that could be heard. I think Dewey was afraid to say the things that Petey said because it had been drilled into him for so long that he was of lower class and was not permitted to say things that spoke for what he believed in. Petey helped to show him that that was not the case at all. Through his radio show Petey inspired Dewey to let his voice be heard, and helped him realize that you don't always have to say what people want to hear. It's okay to just tell the truth sometimes, even if everyone doesn't agree with it.

Posted by elmxx014 at 7:55 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Dewey, after successfully getting stand-up comedy gigs and a television show for Petey, manages to book him on the Tonight Show, but while Dewey is excited, having had Johnny Carson as one of his idols, Petey is less than thrilled. Petey, who has always considered himself nothing more than “a con,� is the voice of the disenfranchised (black) people of Washington D.C., and cannot identify with the mostly white audience of the Tonight Show and knows they, conversely, cannot identify with him. His regular (mostly black) audience would laugh at and could relate to his racially charged jokes, but Petey knew this would not be the case for the Tonight Show audience. He states, during the diatribe that was supposed to be his stand-up routine, that they (the audience) have come to see a black guy tell some jokes so they can laugh at him, (not with him, as his regular audience would) and then states, “I have nothing to say to you people.�

While this is an issue of race, it is also an issue of power. As Gerstle states, “the American civil rights movement was part of this worldwide revolt against ‘Western’ domination and its associated ideologies of white supremacy.� Petey, who has been campaigning for “black power� is, by agreeing to perform on the Tonight Show, submitting to “whitey.� He is essentially, condescending to the white populace and asking for approval, a notion that he does not agree with, hence his reluctance.

While Petey did “keep it real� during his speech to the audience of the Tonight Show, in no uncertain terms letting them know that he was not going to be a part of this charade, he was also trying to regain the life he had before Dewey set out on taking him “straight to the top.� Petey even states, before his Tonight Show appearance, that he “missed that little radio station.� By sabotaging his performance, Petey was trying to get back to being “for the people,� instead of the puppet of “the man.�

It seems reasonable to surmise that Petey would have less trepidation in appearing on the Tonight Show were it hosted by an African American or catered to an audience of such. Had this been the circumstance, Petey would probably have given the routine that would be typical of his stand-up gigs in Washington D.C. and spoke as he would have on his radio show. This audience would appreciate and connect to what Petey was saying, where a white audience would not.

Though it might seem that Petey’s actions and reasons make him a racist, with his haranguing the audience of the Tonight Show and with comments he made during broadcasts on WOL, there are a handful of examples from the film that show that while he has some prejudices, he is not racist. During the rioting following Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination, Petey assists a white man who was being chased down by a crowd of African Americans. In addition, during one of his comedy routines, Petey jokes with some of the white members of his audience, not in a derisive manner, but similar in the way he jokes with members of his own race. Overall, Petey’s purpose was not to tear down one race in order to build up another, but to get them on equal standing. As Gerstle states, “the civil rights revolution depended on a mass movement,� and though Petey is not a widely recognized figure in the civil rights movement the way Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. was, he still played an important role for those in his jurisdiction. While his methods may have been deemed a bit harsh, perhaps racist by some, this type of brashness was necessary to combat injustice.

Posted by palaz012 at 7:38 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I very much enjoyed watching the movie Talk to Me in class. The sense of humor of Petey Green was very refreshing. The way in which Petey Green as he as he put it was “being real� was very abrupt and direct, making him very entertaining to listen too. He would say exactly what he thought of people regardless of how powerful the person was or what people might think of what he said of them, regardless of the consequences. It was this quality that made Dewey admire him regardless of his other character flaws. Petey Green would never back down. When made to apologize instead of apologizing to the person he insulted, he instead apologized to the people he compared the person to.

Petey Green was very bitter against white people for their prejudice against blacks, but I do not believe that he was racist against them. He saw over and over again how blacks were abused by whites and taken advantage of and spoke out against these injustices: as he put it “keeping it real�. I think he put his sentiments well at his address on the daily show. It was not that he did not like white people but instead that “white people are not ready for a black person like me�.

Petey Green actually did great thing for easing the tensions between whites and blacks, especially in the aftermath of Martin Luther King Junior’s death. He got back on the air after leaving work and spoke to relieve rage and prevent rioting, and was credited greatly for it as the man who restored order. I believe that the white people listening to him speak after the assassination gained respect for black people even against their prejudices.

I also got the impression from the movie that the person who Petey Green was on the air was nothing like the person he was on the inside. On the air he was a bold leader and could have gone straight to the top yet the person he was on the inside never changed from the ex-con he was when he got on the air. He could have been a great leader had he come to accept the fact that he truly could have been.

The article: Radio, the “Negro Market� and the Civil Rights Movement, seemed to be a good demonstration of why Petey Green was so successful. There are fifteen million African Americans in the United States and they were not well targeted by marketing. This need to reach the African-American consumer helped greatly to allow people of color such as Petey Green to get on the air by giving the producers and incentive to get over their racism.

Posted by andre368 at 7:20 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the film we watched this week, Talk to Me, portrays the theme of the prevalence of race and power in America in a turbulent time for racial relations through its main characters, Petey and Dewey. The positions of power portrayed in comparison to either character are made relevant by their pressures on the relationship between the two men. Dewey feels compelled to help Petey become commercially popular because as an African American he would be a vision of success, but Petey, on the opposite side of the spectrum resists popularity because he feels as though he'd be exploited by fame. Both men feel the unwanted and unfair pressures of the powers at be. Dewey admires Petey because he is honest in many respects of the word. Aside from his troubles, he is a strong, opinionated person who represents the voice of the people. Petey is not a racist, he’s extreme. Black people probably are successful DJs because they listen to good music and they speak about things from the voice of a people that have been oppressed: this does implicate their social, political and commercial consequences on a level that is empowering to listeners. Their voice is no longer what has been considered the standard. This movie is really cool, a very compelling true story.

Posted by tapol001 at 7:14 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The story of Petey Green and Dewey Hughes was very enjoyable. Petey was trying to do what he loved, being a disc jockey and talking to the people. Dewey was trying to forget his past in the projects of Washington DC and live vicariously through Petey's talents. Their relationship was strained because of this. Dewey was always trying to get for Petey everything that Dewey dreamed of: fame and fortune, and the chance to kill on the Tonight show. Unfortunately, those dreams were not Petey's, he just wanted to be a Washington DC disc jockey. This difference in wants ultimately led to a falling out between the two, with their relationship falling apart over Petey's failed Tonight Show appearence.

Dewey was afraid to say the things Petey said, because he worried about appearences. In Dewey's mind he was trying to seperate himself from his past of growing up in the projects, he wanted to project himself as being able to fit in in white corporate America, and felt that if he spoke and acted like Petey, and said the things Petey said, he wouldn't be able to succeed in his new life. He admired Petey, and he admired the things Petey said, because he was trapped in the corporate lifestyle he created for himself, he was no longer free to say the things he sometimes believed. Petey, on the other hand, almost seemed scared of the success he was receiving. At one point, after his Tonight Show appearence, he says he just wanted to be a disc jockey and nothing else. Did he sabotage his Tonight Show appearence because he was "keeping it real"? He may have been using that as an excuse to validate his feelings, but I think he was somewhat scared of all the success he was receiving. He seemed like he new what he wanted to be, and was uncomfortable outside of being a disc jockey.

In our readings Newan argues about the importance of radio stations hiring black disc jockeys. I would think that this is both reasonable and smart business. People are attracted to things they are familiar with. A black listener, especially during the racially charged 60's, would much rather listen too someone like Petey Green than to some white, Harvard graduated, proper talking disc jockey that they had nothing in common with. Comfort is bread in common interests. Petey was one of his listeners, they realated to what he was talking about, and because of this they trusted him and made them feel comfortable. He gave them a voice they otherwise wouldn't of had.

Posted by bela0003 at 7:10 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

"Talk to Me" is a film that was made during a time when African American's were making strides toward equality. Petey is the main character who is not afraid to speak his mind about the discrimination that had been taking place for years. Petey is a disc jockey who used the power of "black radio to unite and unify the black community," that Newman addresses (pg. 127). Petey gets a shot to be on the Tonight Show, which is a sign of success and big opportunity for him and his career. However, Petey was not happy about this becuase he felt the show was for entertainment. He wants to be apart of a show that is real and based on the truth. I do not think it was self-distructive to decide to stay true to himself and what he stood for. If he had gotten up there and told jokes the audience would have been laughing at him not with him, which would completely discredited him as a voice for the black community. I don't think Petey would have acted in the same way he did on the show if it was geared to a black audience. I think he would have felt more comfortable being in front of a black audience. I do not think Petey's actions make him racist. He does not discriminate against either side, he just speaks the truth. Even though he and his show is geared more toward black audiences, he means well and just wants to be real with people.

Posted by pelt0071 at 7:05 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

After watching Talk to Me, I am amazed that Don Cheatle did not win an Oscar for his portrayal of Ralph Petey Green. This film was one of the pleasant suprises for me of all of the films we have watched thus far.

I found the relationship that developed between Dewey and Petey to be the most powerful storyline. Dewey spent his life trying to become successful in a working world dominated by white supremacy, while Petey on the other hand had no such ambitions. This ambition that Dewey had for success adversely affected the relationship he had with his convicted brother, as well as his initial perception of Petey - that Petey was nothing more than a convict and a thief. This is where the biggest difference between Dewey and Petey lies. Petey was a convict and a thief, and he knew who he was and remained proud of it. Even though initially it may have seemed as though Dewey did not respect Petey, in reality he admired Petey's ability to speak his mind and stand up to "the man."

Newman mentions that "black listeners had more confidence in disc jockeys they could tell were black" (124). Petey was no exception to this idea, yet there were other black disc jockeys already working at the station and ratings were on the decline. What made Petey so successful was his ability to tell it like he saw it, even if it meant that the audience, most notably whites, might hear something they didn't agree with. Case in point was Petey's reluctant appearance on the Tonight Show. Standing in front of a predominantly white audience, Petey laid it out there again by cutting his act short. He knew, even though Dewey did not, that the situation was not reality and that the nation would not have seen him as a comedian, but rather just another black man trying to make it in white society, just as Dewey so longingly strived for.

Speaking of "the man", I was inspired to see the station owner, played by Martin Sheen, react to the death of Martin Luther King Jr. in the way that he did. He treated the black radio disc jockeys just as any good employer would when he told them to get home safe amidst all of the rioting. It can be difficult to see that there were moments of compassion between whites and blacks during the civil rights movement, but that scene marked a hope between races that wasn't as easily seen on the streets of DC.

Posted by char0018 at 7:01 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

While watching Talk to Me I was surprised that during the late 60’s to 70’s, a time of racial discrimination in our country, that there were many popular black DJs on radio stations. It was also interesting to learn from Newman’s article that many black listeners actually thought of the black radio shows as segregating, as they included stereotypes like advertising hair straightening and skin lightening products. Some blacks even went so far as to boycott these products in order to discourage radio stations from supporting the stereotypes.

After reading Newman’s article, I could understand how Petey became so popular to black radio listeners. Instead of degrading his race by falling into stereotypes and allowing the exploitation of his people, he stood up against it. Petey brought up controversial issues from the news and from his own life instead of sticking to what the white management wanted him to say. He gave black people a voice, as people called in to talk about their frustrations and disgust with the way they were being treated.

I was also very impressed with the way that Petey handled himself on the Tonight Show. Before watching the movie I read the blog assignments for this week. I saw topic 5 and assumed that he probably just didn’t show up for the Tonight Show, which would’ve just made him look bad. But I really admired the way that Petey went out and “kept it real� like always did. He didn’t exploit himself or black people on his radio show, and he wasn’t going to sell out and do that for the Tonight Show. Everything he stood for on behalf of the black community would’ve been downgraded if he had told his jokes to the white audience. Instead of laughing with him about the hardships and lifestyle of black people, they would be laughing at him. He wasn’t being racist or trying to ruin Dewey’s dreams, he was just sticking to what he thought was right. Petey was a true advocate for black people during the civil rights movement.

Posted by osbo0100 at 6:55 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I think Talk to Me was the best movie that we watched this semester. The director, Kasi Lemmons, managed to mix comedy with serious material flawlessly, creating an unforgettable film which induces you with a wide range of emotions, and fills you with both uncontrollable laughter, and tears. The scenes in the movie when Petey and his girlfriend first enter the radio station and they are dealing with the receptionist and the rest of the crew at the station were HILARIOUS, while the scene where Petey is on the air talking about the death of Martin Luther King is exactly the opposite. There is alot of commentary about black stereotyping in the movie. For example, when Pete and Dewey first meet each other they both have negative stereotypes of the other. Petey sees Dewey as kind of a traitor, because he believes that Dewey is trying to act white to keep this job, while Dewey sees Petey as nothing more than a convict. Petey didn't think that Dewey could play pool because he thought that Dewey lived too much of a privileged life to "hustle" at pool halls, which is yet another stereotype that Petey had of Dewey. When Dewey beats Petey at pool I think Petey definitely gains some respect for Dewey, because he then knows that Dewey started similarly to himself. Dewey still doesn't respect Petey, however, and it takes a bit of work on Petey's part to change that. In the end, both Petey and Dewey have immense respect for eachother, even though they are vastly different people. The movie examines the depth of each character's personality very well, showing that they really aren't who they seem to be on the surface. Dewey isn't the strictly-business guy that we think he is at the beginning of the movie, we see this when he laughs during Petey's radio broadcasts. Petey isn't all jokes, as the movie shows through his alcoholism. I think each actor/actress in the movie nailed their parts perfectly, especially Don Cheadle, who had the performance of his life, in my opinion.

Posted by ruppx051 at 6:41 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In response to Newman’s statement that “Black Radio, though it was a part of corporate America’s exploitation of the black consumer, had some positive effects within black culture and black consciousness,� I disagree with the belief that black radio was only part of corporate America’s exploitation of black consumers and feel that this statement falsely implies that corporate America’s intentions wrongfully took advantage of a needy or vulnerable African American society. This so called “exploitation� of corporate America not only through Radio, but various forms of media, is not limited to only minorities such as black culture in the 1960s, but instead corporate America can constantly be observed searching for new target marketing audiences of various age, race, culture, and class in order to sell. Therefore, Newman’s use of the word exploitation, when referring to the reason for this breakthrough of black radio, is somewhat harsh considering that this searching for new target audiences is simply part of the increasingly competitive business world, whether its effects are positive or negative.

However, I do agree with the second part of Newman’s statement which claims that this emergence of black radio had many positive effects for black culture. These positive effects are strongly depicted in the film Talk to me where the evolution of “Petey� Greene from convict turned radio star and media idol becomes an inspiration for all those around him. The movie shows how the major stride for African American society through Black Radio contributed to accomplishments for black culture on a national level along with many examples of progress regarding internal conflicts faced by many individuals of color during this period of time. The increasing involvement of African Americans within the media, in this case Radio, allowed for the African American culture to gradually make advances within society, becoming more connected with the general public and white culture in addition to one another.

Posted by munoz047 at 6:40 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In Talk to Me, the ostentatious ex-con turned radio personality, Ralph “Petey� Green, is portrayed in contrast to Dewey Hughes, his friend and manager. Green ridiculed Dewey for conforming to white, middle-class culture. Many aspects of “Black Power,� as described in Nalo Johnson’s dissertation, are embodied by Green. He took pride in his “blackness,� and didn’t feel he needed to “beg to be heard.� Green loudly and confidently said “what needed to be said.� Dewey represented the opposite of Black Power, “begging to be heard,� in a sense, by the entertainment industry and corporate America.

While Dewey anxiously anticipates the height of the career he is vicariously living through Petey, Petey is in distress over the dissonance between his devotion to “keeping it real� and his explosive career. Petey’s refusal to perform on the Tonight Show was a reflection of his entire career and personality, as he always refused to succumb to the will of “the man.� From the very beginning, he could have greatly improved his chances of being hired for the job he desperately wanted if he would have censored himself, but he wasn’t a “Sydney Poitier,� like Dewey.

With Dewey’s courage to “do the things [Petey was] afraid to do,� Petey’s career thrived, and he was able to “say the things [Dewey was] afraid to do.� His planned performance for the audience of the Tonight Show was the pinnacle of Petey’s career shifting away from “keeping it real.� Realizing this, Petey was torn between his loyalty to Dewey and his commitment to “keeping it real, but his waning self-confidence made sabotaging his “big chance� an easy choice.

Had the Tonight Show been geared toward a low-income, black audience, Petey would have thrived in his performance as always. He would have known that the audience was “laughing with him,� rather than “laughing at him,� as he suspected much of the middle-class whites would be doing. This does not translate to a racist view, but a realistic one. Petey did not see a white person and instantly assume that that individual would be “laughing at him,� but based on empirical evidence of the general white population at the time, it was fair (and probably accurate) for Petey to say what he did on the Tonight Show.

Posted by mayxx145 at 6:24 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

In the beginning of Talk to Me, we see Dewey in board meetings of all white males, talking very properly, and dressing very formal. To many, such as Petey, he was seen as a black male admiring the power the white culture more then his own culture. During the pool hall scene, Petey was doing what he has always done, speaking the truth and it was directed towards Dewey. The pool hall is where Dewey gains the respect that was needed in order for their new relationship to grow as he tells the story of his life to Petey, which includes his own struggles. Dewey starts to admire Petey's voice and persuasion can change how a person acts just as he changed Dewey's point of view on his own life. Experiencing the hardships of life as an alcoholic, ex-convict, and an ex-Army solider is what made Petey so popular with the black community in Washington D.C. This man can relate to many in the black community as his voice became more powerful. Kathy M. Newman states, "Black disk jockeys were crucial to the sound of 'rare consciousness' on the radio." Having pride in their culture is what Petey Greene stood for. I see Petey being the "Martin Luther King Jr." of disk jockeys. He does not hate a fellow white man and this movie clearly shows that he has had many good relations with a whites, such as his boss, E.G. Sonderling, or how he helped the white man in the street from being beaten. A speculation where he was seen as a racist is when he disagreed to be part of the Tonight Show with Johnny Carson and criticized the audience for being all white. The reason behind his decision was that this show was about entertainment, not speaking the truth of world and the current situation. Petey Greene was known as a man who said what other people were afraid of saying. He did not have fear of what may happen tomorrow as his main mission was to speak what the people of Washington D.C. wanted to hear.

Posted by Anthony Zerka at 6:15 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

"Black listeners had more confidence in disc josckeys they could tell were black" because they could identify with them. How could a white man who does not experience the same discrimination know what black people were thinking and feeling? In Talk to Me you see this sentiment the first time Petey is on the air. Dewey hears people talking about how much they liked Petey and how he was saying what they wanted to say. These men also mentioned "the white man who was with him." This was actually Dewey but because he did not sound like them and say what Petey was saying they dismissed him as being white. Blacks at this time were just finding pride in their race and started grouping together to find strength so they had more respect for the black DJs who knew their struggles. After MLK Jr was assassinated people responded to Petey's pleas for calm and people called in to talk about the tradgedy. The response would not be the same with a white DJ.

Posted by fran0723 at 5:59 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Race and power are shown in Talk to Me through intense dynamics on the street, in the radio studio and between Petey and Dewey. Dewey, though or by, growing up in the projects takes on what Petey considers to be a certain “whiteness.� Towards the end of the film Dewey explains to Vernell how he shaped his life around Johnny Carson and the Tonight Show. Both Carson and the Tonight Show’s audience are white. Dewey’s boss, Sonderling, and many coworkers are white. The people in power in the film, Carson , Sonderling, the police and high-level station employees are white. Dewey wants to be in the same class as these characters, while Petey already knows who he is and where he stands. This difference between Dewey and Petey explains why Dewey cannot say the things Petey does. As discussed in class, The Black Panthers’ idea of separation of black and white identities further showcases Dewey’s desire to “make it big� in the world of white hot-shot businessmen. Dewey seems not to realize he does not need to conform to white standards in order to be successful, according to Petey. Pettey represents “being real� and truthful. He is unafraid to talk about issues of racism, police brutality or black public sentiment towards white leaders. He has lived his life and sees life in the same way his listeners do. Dewey does not.

As Newman asserts, African American djs and Petey’s “realness� were important in reaching Black audiences. A radio listener will not tune in for a program they cannot relate to. Newman suggests that “black radio had the power to unite, to unify, to bring together� (p. 127) African Americans through community efforts, discussing African American issues and turning the Black community into a consumer market. This can be seen in Talk to Me as men sit around a bar discussing what Petey said on his show that day, when the crowd goes wild for him at the free James Brown concert and, of course, when the station’s phone lines seem to be permanently lit up with calls. Petey’s radio address of Martin Luther King Jr.’s assassination gives his listeners a sense of family, empathy and understanding. Petey held a lot of power, more than Dewey in a sense, because he could relate to the African American community. The community was concerned about the same things he was. They looked to him for support and an ally. Dewey may have been making the money and holding the power in the world of white executives and big-wigs, but Petey held the power of the people.

Posted by Candice Dehnbostel at 5:26 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

“Talk to Me� is a film that takes place during a time when African Americans were making steps towards equality. This film showed the struggle of African Americans in a white society. The radio helped to introduce African American culture into the mainstream. Petey Green had an eighth grade education, a PhD in poverty and life on the streets and was an ex-con that “told it how it was.� Radio was seen as less threatening to the American society than visual forms of media which Newman introduced in her article about the limitations of African Americans as they entered new realms of media. Petey Green prided himself on being able to say what he wanted in a way that would both entertain and inspire the African culture. Black radio was a stepping stone to further establish the emergence of African Americans into popular media, and ultimately into the pursuit of equality. Petey Green wanted all Africans Americans to be who they truly are and not conform to the white society. Petey Green used radio to inspire the black culture and give them a voice in society just like Dr. King. Petey Green says everything that Africans Americans wanted to say but was too afraid to say it.

Posted by towar003 at 4:43 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

The way I perceived Petey, he was not a racist at heart. I don't even think he was racist. He treated everyone the same way they treated him, or how the others treated everyone else. Petey threw out some harsh words towards Perry Gordy for treating people poorly and trying to get charisma points from it. Petey also didn't take anything from anybody - white or black. If someone who was black shoved Petey, he would shove them black. If someone who was white punched Petey, he would punch them back. After the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr. the black community went wild, setting the city ablaze and attacking the white communiity. Petey pulled black people off of the white people, ending the fights, not getting involved in them. After that, Petey got on the radio basically saying that retalliation isn't the way to go about reacting to the death of Dr. King, Jr. That he didn't die for this, it's not something he would have wanted to see. Even on the stage of the Tonight Show when Petey said the audience was "too white" for him, I still don't believe that makes him a racist. I think he might have been afraid of a mainly white dominated setting and failing in that setting. Petey just wants to be himself and if he doesn't "perform" well on the show, he might just feel like he failed at being himself. That's all I think it was. In the movie, I never saw anything that were signs to Petey being racist.

Posted by woehl007 at 4:37 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

People in positions of power were all white, the radio station manager was white and the host of the Tonight Show was white. Dewey was afraid to say the things Petey said because he wanted to be in a position of power and people in power, white people, do say such harsh and “real� things. Dewey admires the fact that Petey can capture peoples attention and get them to listen to him without giving up his “real�ness and conforming to the “white� ways of doing things. Petey is just standing up to the system he does not really have any hatred towards white people. He shows this when he saves the white guy during the rioting and his ability to get along with he white boss. Petey technically couldn’t be a racist anyway because in order to be a racist you have to belong the racial group in power. For marketing anyone you need to put out people they can relate to or identify with, it is just the way it is. This notion is portrayed in that all of the DJs are black and the owner of the station is white. Martin Luther King’s assassination plays a huge role in the film. It shows just how important relating to someone is, because I can guarantee that if a white man had been on the radio saying the exact same words as Petey, nothing would have stopped. No one was really exploited, I mean they were used for gain, but so is anybody else when you think about it. So when done in this particular way I would say it is just capitalism and not exploitation. Petey is not thrilled to be on the Tonight Show because it is not his people. He knows that when black people laugh they are laughing with him, but he feels that those people watching the Tonight Show just want to hear some black jokes and would be laughing at him. This action was just Petey keeping it real, that is how he felt and so that is how he told it, like it is. Petey would have definitely done the show if it was gear towards black people because that was his whole problem with doing the show in the first place. He felt the black people had no televisions and just listen to him on their radios and that’s all he wanted to do. That does not make him a racist. Once again I would like to reiterate that racism is, “belief in racial superiority: the belief that people of different races have different qualities and abilities, and that some races are inherently superior or inferior�
(Encarta ® World English Dictionary © & (P) 1998-2005 Microsoft Corporation.). Therefore, Petey, who is not part of a superior or dominating culture, cannot call white people inferior because they are the current dominating culture, which means that he cannot be racist.

Posted by nels5175 at 3:19 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

By: Elizabeth Bassett

Race and power were common cinematic themes throughout America in the 1960’s and 1970’s as they played over and over in the hearts and minds of individuals across the country. These ideals were strongly represented through the relationship between Petey and Dewey in the film Talk to Me. Although both men were black, Petey portrayed the Black community while Dewey’s personal attributes represented the Caucasian society of the time.
When thinking of this movie, one of the first issues to come to mind is the issue of power. During the 1960’s and 70’s, the Civil Rights Movement led by predominant figures such as Martin Luther King Junior and Malcom X was in full swing. Black people spoke of equal rights as whites may have viewed themselves as the superior race. Stereotypical pictures of the black community showed a lower level of socioeconomic well-being and power than their white counterparts. This is reflected in the movie as Petey is a struggling DJ without a steady source of income who grew up on the streets of Washington D.C. His dress is of brightly colored bell-bottom suits with extra bling to accompany his already ghetto look. The Washington D.C. drawl and tough-guy attitude also reflect the stereotypical black person of the time. Dewey, on the other hand, is the stereotypical dominant white male of the 1960’s portrayed behind black skin. Like the caucasian business leaders of the day, Dewey’s character emulates proper speech with excellent grammar as he presents himself in a professional and competent manner. Clean cut, with the typical business suit of the time also reflect the influences of the white society. Holding a steady job at a radio station, he is well-paid and lives in a comfortable apartment with a nice car as power is often defined by the amount of money in one’s bank account at a time when white people generally had more money than the black population.
Looking of the attributes of both of these characters, it is easy to differentiate the positions of power as divided by racial lines of the time. One of the first representations of Dewey’s seemingly “white� superiority over Petey is the pool game where Dewey beats Petey then proceeds to return the money to Petey. Dewey is the man with the thick wallet and quick wit to back it up while Petey’s tough-guy, smack-talking attitude fail in the pool game. As the movie progresses, Dewey again assumes the dominant white male role as he is the responsible one who has to cover for a drunk Petey when he shows up at the concert following Dr. Martin Luther King Junior’s death. Finally, Dewey manages Petey’s career with his increasing fame on television shows and comedy acts across the nation. The ultimate signature of white power in the movie is when Petey stars on the Tonight Show against his wishes simply because Dewey requests. This reflected Dewey’s white influence as he could get Petey to do just about anything in relation to career advancement up to that point much like many so called caucasian authority figures of the time.

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Talk to Me, a movie by Kasi Lemmons, was an amazing movie for its richness of black context and for its real life assessment of Ralph “Petey� Green. With the introduction of a jail seen to the ending with his death, Petey was and will always be remembered by people, or at the very least, by me. The movie takes place during the time of Civil Rights Movements and the assassiation of Martin Luther King, and this sets the stage for Petey to become a figure in the movement. Most if not all of Petey’s fame can be attributed to his friend Dewey. If it wasn’t for Dewey, Petey would have never made it on the radio and well would not have even made it to the Carson Show. Blacks radio at the time was something that happened overnight. Something that was not really heard of, but something that society was ready for (Newman 118). Dewey worked for the largest radio station in the area and was given the task of changing the ratings. This was much done when he brought the contriversal Petey Green in as the new Disc Jokey. Even though it was hard to do, Dewey could see his brother in Petey and that meant the highest calibur. He went above and beyond to get him in the highest spot ever, while Petey just had to show up, alone and not drink!

The relationship between Petey and Dewey was something that said a lot about black context . For one, even though Dewey grew up in the projects, his awareness of the Carson Show made him pursue power. He drove to look, dress and be just like the show. His dream was to make it to the show and he used Petey as his vehicle. Petey was so different than Dewey and when the finally made it to the Carson show, the difference emerged. Differences can make or break a relationship and in this case they broke it. Petey didn’t want to sell out himself to America as someone on color television, something rare among the black people (Newman 118). He flat out told America this and than walked off stage, to make Dewey ever so mad. This goes to show you that people are different and they cannot always walk into what they are told to do. Petey and Dewey knew they share something in common, this being the love for each other. Love seems to take this relationship back each other and its there that they can share a similarity. Even though Dewey never admitted to Petey face to face, at his funeral he tells him that he loved him like a brother.

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Petey knew his audience. He understood what they wanted to hear and what they needed to hear. But, his audience was mostly limited to Blacks. Dewey, on the other hand, dreams of being on the tonight show because it is representative of mainstream society. He understands that to make it big in the world, one must achieve success with a white audience as well. The encounter between Petey and this white audience is clearly a conflict. It isn't a matter of stagefright, as he claims, because he has performed in front of people before; instead, it is his having to approach and subjugate himself to white mainstream society in order to gain widespread acceptance. As they say in the movie, if you get Johnny Carson's approval, you're destined to be a hit. The movie then is a choice between being a hit with the Black community, or becoming acceptable to a white audience. Yet, it is Petey who is afraid of this because he says he knows who he is already, and any compromise to that, in order to be accepted by more people, would compromise himself.

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Dewey’s life was the Tonight Show and when he was finally able to get Petey on it was like his life was becoming complete. Petey did not have any interest in being on this wide of a range. He was shown drinking before the show and uncomfortable. Petey always addressed an audience that was black and was comfortable with his material. He was not afraid to say things which are why Dewey hired him and got him where he was. But he was not afraid to say things to his “people�. Petey began to become uncomfortable when Dewey was giving him TV spots and stand-up roles. It was like Petey wanted to be the voice and not the face. Newmans article deals with blacks and the radio, and this is where Petey should have/ wanted to stay. He was not ready to be out there for people to look at him.
I think that Petey had an issue with having people talk back to him and when he was on the radio he had protection. This is seen when Dewey first shows up at the bar. Petey had been doing protests and people thinking one way, no one going against him. Then Dewey comes to the bar and challenges Petey, catching him off guard and he has trouble coming back at Dewey. Petey needs a chance to come back at people, and in particular “his people� With this I do get the sense that Petey is a bit of a racist. He wants to run his mouth and say what he thinks, but only to a certain audience. He says at the Tonight Show that they are not ready for what he has to say, but I get the feeling that he is not ready for the publics rebuttal.

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Ralph “Petey� Greene’s success and fame all stems from the creed by which he led his life-keeping it real and telling it like it is, even if the truth sometimes stings. Petey always remained true to himself as he rose to fame, embracing his ex-con status while not assimilating to white culture. The straight-laced Dewey, however, kept his hair short, frequently wore business suits, and refrained from using slang, and was chastised often for this by Petey. The reason Dewey and the black radio audience admired Petey was that he didn’t hide the fact that he was an ex-con with a history of drug abuse, chain-smoking, and womanizing, but rather that he embraced these aspects of his life by just being himself. Petey was an influential and vital voice for the under-represented black audience, as he and other radio DJ’s garnered the attention of national advertisers by making them realize that they were ignoring a largely untapped market. As Kathy Newman writes in “The Forgotten Fifteen Million: Black Radio, the ‘Negro Market’, and the Civil Rights Movement�, “By 1957, ...there were more than six hundred radio stations targeting 30-100 percent of their programming to African Americans in cities all over the country and national advertisers were beginning to take black consumers more seriously- at least the ones they could reach via the airwaves.� (115-116) Radio was so vitally important to the black community for both news and entertainment because many families at the time could not afford a television set. Lizabeth Cohen is quoted in Newman’s article as saying “participation in mainstream commercial life made blacks feel more independent and influential as a race.� (116) The Civil Rights Movement was a time of tremendous progress for the black community, and pioneers like Petey Greene made sure that their voice was heard. One thing we can all learn from Petey is that if you want to make a difference, the first step is staying true to yourself.

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Talk to Me was by far the best movie I’ve seen in class so far. It was hilarious, sad, and informative which in my book makes for a fantastic movie!
Newman states, “Advertisers who targeted the Negro market sought to construct an explicitly “Negro� consumer, and through radio marketers sought a lower-income/working-class audience, for whom television was not yet a primary form of mass entertainment� (116). This was evident in the way Petey first addressed his listeners, saying something like, “Some of you may be driving, some of you may be biking, and some of you may be walking�. The black audience respected Petey because he was just an average black man who saw and felt the same things they did and who could relate to them as a black person in America at that time. In Newman’s article, it states, “Any discriminated-against minority group is also quick to take personal pride in the achievements of any of its members, so radio programs featuring Negroes offer excellent opportunities for listener identification� (119). This is true throughout the movie in all of WOL Radio’s dj’s, Sunny Jim, Hawkeye, and now Petey. All these dj’s offer means by which the black audience can take pride in its members achievements, especially with Petey because he represents the average black man and becoming so successful gives hope to the black audience that a change may be in store for the future.
As Newman says, “Sponsor argued that black radio could make black audiences into loyal listeners and loyal consumers� (115). As shown throughout Talk to Me, black audiences want to hear a black disc jockey that can relate to the common black man and talk about the things they want to hear. Petey “tells it like it is� and they respect him for doing just that. Petey tells his listeners what they already know but are too afraid to say themselves, becoming the voice of the black audience. Having a black disc jockey at the time Martin Luther King is assassinated is crucial for the black audience. Petey, in a less drastic way, took over Dr. King’s role. People called Petey to console, comfort, and guide them in this tragedy.

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This week we watched Talk to Me, which is a film that talks about the life of Petey Greene. Petey Greene was an ex-convict that became a well known disc jockey and stand-up comedian during the 60’s and 70’s. He began his career at a radio station, where he expressed his opinion about current issues (which were mainly about the discrimination of the black community) whether people agreed with them or not. The reason that radio became such an influential part of the black community, is because the “radio marketers sought a lower-income/ working class audience, for whom television was not yet a primary for of mass entertainment� (Newman, 116). Not many people in the black community at that time could afford a television, so the radio served as their major form of communication.
Throughout the film, Dewey (which is the guy that got Petey started in the radio business) and Petey became very close friends, and as a result of their friendship their personalities developed. Dewey was a person that was too afraid to express his opinion about things, which he learned from trying to make it in a white business world. Petey reminded Dewey where he came from and brought him out of his shell and back to who he really was, to the point where he eventually became a disc jockey and expressed his opinions to thousands.

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The 60’s and 70’s were a turbulent time for America plagued with race and power struggles across the country. America was still predominantly still controlled by whites perpetuating racism and discriminations for African-Americans. Newman states that, “The most important factor in marketing to African Americans was the hiring of Black disc jockeys� I think that this was the case. In such an unsure and distressing time for African-Americans they needed someone who could relate with them and who shared their ideas and beliefs. Black DJ’s offered a voice for the people. They were able to challenge the establishment and the norms in American society. I think it is critical to note that, “By 1957...there were more than six hundred radio stations targeting 30-100 percent of their programming to African Americans in cities all over the country and national advertisers were beginning to take black consumers more seriously- at least the ones they could reach via the airwaves.� When WOL hired Petey they hired a man of the people. He was an ex-con, an uneducated man and untraditional. He believed in telling the truth and he gave a voice to the people. His ideas allowed African-Americans to stand together, united. This voice was a power that alarmed the white establishment. This voice was an opposition that would not and could not be stopped. When MLK was assassinated, Petey felt with the people. He wept with them; he stayed on the air to comfort them. He was one of them. His connection with the people was the energy needed to keep the community together not only in Washington D.C but also the communities across the country.
Grant Flatgard

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The relationship between Petey and Dewey is very interesting. Although they are both African Americans, the way they carry themselves throughout their daily lives is much different. Petey lived a pretty rough life, and we are introduced to him in prison, where he is the prison's source of entertainment with his radio show. Dewey, on the other hand, is college educated, speaks eloquently (white, as Petey puts it), and holds a respected position at a radio station in Washington D.C. Dewey, as Petey puts it, acts in a "white" way to get ahead. He dresses in business suits, keeps his hair short, and doesn't speak with any type of slang in the way Petey does. Dewey does a great job in getting Petey a position as a DJ at the radio station, and soon Petey becomes a huge sensation in the DC area. Petey enjoys his radio show because it reaches out to his people, who don't have the money for TV's, or to go to movies, etc. He knows his radio show is listened to by a lot of black people, and he takes great pride in reaching out to them. Dewey gets Petey more and more coverage, and helps catapult his career to a TV show, stand up appearances, and, eventually, a gues appearance on the Tonight Show. To Dewey, it is a dream come true. For Petey, he feels like he isn't keeping it real. The Tonight Show is hosted by a white man (Johnny Carson), and is geared toward a white audience. His material wasn't meant for a conservative white audience, and Petey was not about to augment his message to appeal to white people. He knew that he would be devastating Dewey, but he just couldn't bring himself to go on the show. He didn't get into the entertainment business to get on Johnny Carson. All he ever wanted was to have his radio show, and entertain his people by "tellin' it like it is".

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In class, Nalo discussed the 1960’s Civil Rights Movement as a litigation strategy and one of nonviolent protest, in which protestors were black and white. She then explained that in 1966, the Black Panther Party allowed for blacks to think without the permission of whites. This allowed blacks to define their identity as separate from the whites; however, as Nalo explained most importantly, this did not equate black power with being “anti-white�.

It is important to keep these ideas in mind when watching Talk to Me, which as Kathy Newman describes, shows an attempt to “help advertisers overcome their racism towards the African-American consumer� by utilizing “black radio� (115). Newman states that “black radio could make black audiences into loyal listeners and loyal consumers� (115).

This idea of grabbing the attention of the “forgotten fifteen million� African Americans (Newman, 115) is clearly depicted in Talk to Me. Petey Green becomes the voice of those forgotten fifteen million by allowing them to hear the truth from a fellow black folk. Dewey’s boss at WOL Radio is a white man who does not understand how to raise his radio station’s ratings. When Dewey attempts to show his boss how this can be accomplished, he is threatened with losing his job. However, once Dewey sees how positively the black community responded to Petey’s preliminary radio show, Dewey realizes that Petey is exactly what Radio WOL has been in desperate need of.

What Dewey realized, that his white boss could not see, was that African Americans needed the voice of another fellow black to keep it real and tell ‘em like it is, without censoring or sugar-coating the reality of the cruelties that were taking place against blacks at that time. Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. was the voice of African Americans around the nation and when he was assassinated, I felt that in many ways, Petey Green took over that role. Although this was not at all what Petey was searching for, the black community felt a connection with Petey and came to him to overcome the tragedy of the loss of their great leader.

-Hasti Fashandi

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It was interesting in the movie to see the two main characters share the same skin color, but live in vastly different worlds. Dewey, being a career man, in a prominent position at a radio station, is seen as a black man living in a white world. Petey, being the opposite, has been stuck in the underclass. Even the ambitions of the two men are different. Dewey seems to be a man who's interested in advancing his career. He becomes Petey's manager and rides Petey's coattails to the top. He lives vicariously through Petey's career. When Petey blew his Tonight Show appearance, Dewey acts like it's his own career that's over. Petey, however, just wants to be a radio DJ. He has no interest in national fame or money. His goal is to unite the black community, and tell everyone about how all the social changes are affecting his life and the lives of those around him.

I don't feel that Petey was racist. Even though he is at times critical of whites, he is only pointing out injustices. He's not attacking them for being white, he doesn't hate them for their skin color. He only voices his disgust with the unfair treatment of blacks. He may make the occasional racial joke, but these jokes serve his purpose, and aren't meant to feed the flames of the times. His sabotage of his big chance was just his way of backing out of a situation he was no longer comfortable with. He kept telling Dewey that he was just a radio man, but Dewey's refusal to listen forced Petey into doing what he did. Petey was, for the most part, just a victim of Dewey's ambition and a pawn in Dewey's career.

Jeff Batts

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During the 60’s-70’s there was a strong theme of race and power in America. Although there were social and political movements among African Americans, whites still predominately held the majority of the power, leading to a continuation of racism and discrimination. As Newman states, during this time in dire need of a transformation, the most important factor in marketing to African Americans was the hiring of black disc jockeys� (124). Black disc jockeys were not only able to challenge the social and political norms within the United States but they were able to spread the message of cultural and economic change. It is important to understand that “By 1957,...there were more than six hundred radio stations targeting 30-100 percent of their programming to African Americans in cities all over the country and national advertisers were beginning to take black consumers more seriously- at least the ones they could reach via the airwaves� (Newman, 115-116). In the movie, Talk to Me, Petey was able to voice the opinions that many African Americans and even Whites were terrified to address. The importance of Petey “being real� as a disc-jockey was the impact he was able to have not only on the people of Washington D.C., but people all around the country.

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In the film “Talk to me�, the Dewey tries to take Ralph “Petey� Green straight to the top, and books him a place on the tonight show, which had always been a dream of Dewey’s. Though, Petey isn’t thrilled about this and sabotages the moment.

I think that Petey wasn’t thrilled about the tonight show because he didn’t want to step into a national leadership role or be a new role model for the black power movement. He had been there in a time of need to console and guide the black community after the assassination of Martin Luther King Jr., but he wasn’t ready to be a long time leader. He was just fulfilling that temporary need.

Even if the tonight show had been geared towards a black audience, I still think that Petey would have done something to get out of the situation. Perhaps he would have just told less political jokes or done something else to downplay his importance, which he already seems to do that by constantly reminding people that he’s just a con and a kid from the streets. Another thing to consider is that if the show was more geared towards a black audience, is that it probably wouldn’t have had the same popularity or influence that the Tonight show with Johnny Carson had and would have been a lower pressure situation.

I don’t think that Petey’s actions made him a racist. I think that he was just using the race card as a scapegoat to get out of becoming too important and popular. In the article “Civil Rights, White resistance and Black Nationalism 1960-1968� Gerstle talks about how the nation was coming apart after the death of Martin Luther King Jr. and that the black community was looking for new leaders to arise. Dewey had turned to Petey to be one of those leaders, but Petey just wasn’t ready for it.

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Petey prided himself on being able to say what he wanted in a way that would both entertain and inspire people. He wanted black people at the time to be unafraid of who they were by saying what they were all thinking but wouldn't say, particularly Dewey. Dewey represented the antithesis of what Petey said, he was a black person in name only. It's not that Dewey had forgotten who he was, as Dewey proves in the pool game, but rather that Dewey had to deny who he was in front of white people in order to be successful. Petey wanted Dewey, and all the black people in the area to be who they really were without fear.
I think Petey's problem with going on the Tonight show was that his words no longer meant inspiration, but were now nothing more than just entertainment. "I know you all came here to hear some nigger jokes.." he says when get goes on. He didn't want white people to think he wasn't serious. In a way it was also done as a message to Dewey that he was not another entertainer. For the longest time black entertainers were little more than just novelties to white people and Petey saw this as a chance to show them that that was not the case, that the "angry black" rhetoric from comedians like Richard Pryor and others at the time wasn't just a show, but a reflection of what people really thought and their frustrations with living in a racist nation.

-Thomas Kuppe

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In our readings for this week, Kathy Newman’s “The Forgotten Fifteen Million…� was compelling because of the gains and inadequacies in equal rights that it exposed. I didn’t know that the radio market played such a role as a stepping step to future progressive action. First, it’s important to look at the logistics of the radio industry and why it was a stepping stone to further media exposure to African American culture in a Caucasian-dominated society. Radio was available to the majority of economic brackets by the 1950’s, and would consequently reach more ears in total. Also, radio was considered a mode of entertainment, and relaxation and would possibly be less threatening to suburban America as African American DJ’s entered the scene. Furthermore, products which were aimed towards African American consumers were increasingly marketed on “black radio� helped to establish a cultural, economic identity which differentiated between black and white consumers in a way that was arguably empowering. In contrast, race-targeted marketing also furthered the line between black and white consumers, which was damaging to true unity, but supported the ideal of “separate but equal� races in society. Most importantly, black radio acted as a stepping stone to further progress in the entry of African Americans into popular media, and subsequently into the pursuit of fair treatment.
“Talk to Me� showed the resulting struggle of African Americans in white society. Since the radio made helped to introduce African American culture into the mainstream, there was this disparity between the “prison-thug� culture, and the “sell-out� African American as portrayed in Petey and Dewey in the film. We also see Petey struggle as he has to now go in front of a live, white audience. This is related to the concept that Newman introduced in her article about the limitations of African Americans as they entered new realms of media; white people were less threatened by the auditory entry, than by the visual entry of African Americans into the mainstream. Petey also feels the pull to conform to a white ideal, as corporate America wasn’t ready for true diversity.

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With the plot of this weeks movie, Talk to Me, we see a radio station whose target audience is one hundred percent black. One can come to this conclusion many ways. Firstly, all their DJ’s are black, and not only are they black but they “speak black� with that characteristic low charismatic voice. We also see their target audience by the type of music they play, that smooth jazz and blues. The movie itself shows us that is has a very black audience by showing numerous shots of African Americans, during every day activities, listening to Petey Green. But it’s interesting to note that they show no instances of white people listening to this radio station except the owner played by Martin Sheen whose character doesn’t really seem to know how to reach his audience. It is shown very clearly that the owner relies heavily on his African American staff to reach the attention of the black population therefore making his radio station a success.

It seems that this idea of a black targeted radio station was a revolutionary idea of the time. Before this, African Americans were completely ignored by most mainstream forms of advertising. But the market for black advertising came about because of the many social movements that were taking place at the time. In the article by Newman he says “there is a dialect between consumer identity and political identity in the history of African American social movements.� Therefore, since African Americans were creating more social and political power, through great leaders like Martin Luther King Jr., they were now a forced to be reckoned with.

Allison Veire

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Talk to Me, is a great film projecting the turbulent times in minorities specifically African Americans during the 1960’s and part of the 80’s. The movie is centered around a Washington D.C. area disk jockey by the name of Ralph “Petey� Green, and Dewey Hughes; businessman and manager. The two men could not be anymore apart. Petey is an ex-convict, rebel alcoholic, womanizer, chain smoker, whereas Hughes is a reputable man, with morals, law abiding citizen, who conforms to white society. Ironically the two men need each other. Hughes states that Dewey says everything that he wants to say but is too afraid to do so and Hughes to Dewey is the man that will push him to accomplish what fears him. In the beginning of the film Hughes is disgusted by Petey due to his prison record and his brash “shit-talking� attitude. Hughes on the other hand is quite conformed to white culture and society. One point in the film Petey states that Hughes is a white boy with a dark tan. Over time Hughes grows to admire the brash Petey. Hughes admires the ability of Petey to speak his mind. He also admired how he could relate to; the black audience or the general public that the radio station was targeting.

It was important as Newman stated that the most important factor in marketing to African Americans was the hiring of black disc jockeys. He is absolutely right. At the time black society and other minorities were fighting for brutally for their civil rights. By having a black disk jockey not only could he relate to the core audience it also gave the people of feeling of independence from white society. Listeners wanted to hear from somebody who knew what they were going through, not some white person or privileged minority, but somebody that they could relate to. Overall it is quite evident that the reason that Petey was so well liked whether it was the people of D.C. or Hughes was because of his ability to relate to the black audience, “telling them how it is�.

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This week's film "Talk to Me" was very engaging and inspiring. The film was based on a period in our history in which the nonviolent, litigation strategy of the Civil Rights Movement was shifting to the Black Power Movement, in which the strategy was for African Americans to build strength and pride in ones self in order to achieve social change at the forefront (lecture 4/2). While many Caucasians felt "black power" meant being "anti-white", this was most certainly not the case, however in the film "Talk to Me" "anti-white" was evident.

Ex-convict turned radio superstar Petey Green is known for his "tell it like it is" demeanor and rough around the edges character, he is able to reach the people of D.C. at times of mass chaos and truly make a difference in their lives. This is best exemplified in a very moving scene, in which mass street riots are taking place after Dr. King's assassination, Petey's ability to speak the truth and from the heart has a profound effect on his D.C. listeners. Despite Petey's 8th grade education, his genuine words are comparable to the eloquent words of Doctor Martin Luther King Junior and have a similar effect on the people.

However, while Petey effectively fought racism against African American's through his inspiring and genuine words, he promoted racism against Caucasians by assuming all whites during the 60s and 70s were racist. This was not the case, as evident in Gary Gerstle's reading, "Civil Rights, White Resistance, and Black Nationalism, 1960-1968," where the stories of multiple Caucasian civil rights workers fighting for equal rights of African Americans are told. In Petey's defense, these stories were uncommon compared to the stories of African American discrimination, which is why Petey's perception of whites seems almost justified in the 60s and 70s, a time in which racial discrimination was so evident in society.

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Back talks about the contradictions of racism in music in Europe in the article, “Voices of Hate, Sounds of Hybridity: Black Music and Complexity of Racism�. He mentions that the skinheads of England, referred to as “northern soul�, were living by multiple racist contradictions. An example of these contradictions is how the skinheads would dance together to reggae known as “skinhead reggae�, which was a white version of Jamaican music (133). Roger Hewitt is quoted in the article as calling examples like this “‘Black through white’ syndrome� (129). When Back says that for whites “the infatuation with black music can exist alongside overt racism without a necessary contradiction�, I disagree because the way the skinheads are described in the article as adopting black culture while being extremely hateful towards black people is definitely a contradiction.
In the movie, Talk to Me, contradictions like the ones described in Back’s article take place, however it is portrayed by reversed roles as the ones in the article. Dewey is a black man, but he is always criticized for acting white because of the way he walks, talks, dresses, and for who he works with. In the movie, Petey refers to Dewey as a “white boy with a tan� to make fun of Dewey being a sell out working for “the man�. Racism is one of the main themes in the movie, so for that it is portrayed very bluntly. In the scene when it is announced that Dr. King had been shot many blacks were out in the streets rioting and looting. A black man then chases after a white man with a bat, and the movie later shows another black man getting beaten with night sticks by the police. This scene shows how both races are at fault by choosing violent protests, and Petey’s speech to the city depicts Dr. King’s idea when he explains that what Dr. King fought and died for was exactly the opposite of what was happening in the streets of D.C. This part in the movie, I thought, was played out very well. It showed how something so monumental in our nations history, such as Dr. King’s assassination could bring people together of both races like it is shown in the radio station after Petey’s announcement.

Posted by kuni0018 at 10:28 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

Back talks about the contradictions of racism in music in Europe in the article, “Voices of Hate, Sounds of Hybridity: Black Music and Complexity of Racism�. He mentions that the skinheads of England, referred to as “northern soul�, were living by multiple racist contradictions. An example of these contradictions is how the skinheads would dance together to reggae known as “skinhead reggae�, which was a white version of Jamaican music (133). Roger Hewitt is quoted in the article as calling examples like this “‘Black through white’ syndrome� (129). When Back says that for whites “the infatuation with black music can exist alongside overt racism without a necessary contradiction�, I disagree because the way the skinheads are described in the article as adopting black culture while being extremely hateful towards black people is definitely a contradiction.
In the movie, Talk to Me, contradictions like the ones described in Back’s article take place, however it is portrayed by reversed roles as the ones in the article. Dewey is a black man, but he is always criticized for acting white because of the way he walks, talks, dresses, and for who he works with. In the movie, Petey refers to Dewey as a “white boy with a tan� to make fun of Dewey being a sell out working for “the man�. Racism is one of the main themes in the movie, so for that it is portrayed very bluntly. In the scene when it is announced that Dr. King had been shot many blacks were out in the streets rioting and looting. A black man then chases after a white man with a bat, and the movie later shows another black man getting beaten with night sticks by the police. This scene shows how both races are at fault by choosing violent protests, and Petey’s speech to the city depicts Dr. King’s idea when he explains that what Dr. King fought and died for was exactly the opposite of what was happening in the streets of D.C. This part in the movie, I thought, was played out very well. It showed how something so monumental in our nations history, such as Dr. King’s assassination could bring people together of both races like it is shown in the radio station after Petey’s announcement.

Posted by kuni0018 at 10:25 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

First of all, as we will be speaking about race for the next several weeks, I feel the need to make a disclaimer. After having discussions about race in many classes, each time as one of very few blacks in a predominantly white class, I have found that often classmates mistakenly look to me for the be-all end-all answer. Let me make it clear that whatever comments I make, are not those of ALL black people, I cannot speak for my race, and should not be expected to. That pressure is too much for me. Whatever I say is my individual perspective as a young black woman in this country, not having had the experiences of all other black people. Some may think that it is inappropriate for me to make such a disclaimer, but as aforementioned, I have been in many discussions concerning race in which ignorance reared its head and people assumed this or that about all blacks based on my input. I would like to avoid that in this case. Now let me begin with my response…..

The thing that Dewey admired most was Petey’s freedom. Freedom to say what ever he wanted to without fear. Freedom to dress how he wanted. Freedom to do what he wanted. Freedom to be, just as he was. Dewey, having assimilated and changed himself to fit the standards of white culture, did not possess such freedoms. Dewey had done what he needed to in order to survive in his business, which was to speak in standard English, dress in plain suits, etc.

The chasm between Dewey and Petey, created by perceived dual ignorance is one that is very familiar to black people. The perceptions are still very prevalent today, even in my own life. I say dual ignorance because both sides believe that the other is ignorant. On the one side there are black people whom are often times lacking in higher education, of lower economic status, living in the inner city (ghetto/hood), and are suffering/truly living the “black experience�. They perceive the opposite group as “sellouts�, “Oreos�, “uppity and bourgeois�, being “white-washed�, not “keeping it real�, etc. This side is illustrated in all of Petey’s accusations of Dewey. This side believes that because people have left the hood, gone to college, found high paying jobs/success, etc (which typically requires at least some assimilation) that they are no longer being true to themselves and ignorant of what it really means to be black.

On the contrary, there is the other side, making a genuine effort to change their situation and do better for themselves. They perceive the other side as ignorant of their lifestyle, and ignorant of what it takes to be successful in this country. Sometimes, this group looks down on the other, just like Dewey’s sideways comments to both his brother and Petey when they were in prison in the beginning of the film. He spoke and behaved in a very condescending manner, just because their life choices had brought them to a very different place than his. Both sides are doing what they think they need to in order to survive/achieve their dreams.

This type of thinking occurs a lot more than one might think. A few months ago, I was speaking with a recent black U of M graduate who moved her hometown and now works for a Fortune 100 company. She told me about how when she goes back home, people treat her differently and make assumptions that she has changed negatively because of her new found success. They accuse her of being a puppet for white people (also known as “shucking and jiving�), tease her for speaking proper English, and make comments they never would have had she not graduated from college and went into the business world. However, she does admit to having changed somewhat, explaining that when in Rome, one must do as the Romans do. She sees it as playing “their� game. Everyone does it, most people are one way at work or school and may be completely different outside of that. Facebook pictures are strong evidence of that. Thus, the conflict witnessed between Dewey and Petey deals with perceptional stereotypes that have yet to be overcome in today’s society. Though Dewey may be envious of Petey’s freedom, Petey is envious of Dewey’s power/success.
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If the Tonight Show were hosted by an African American or was geared to a black audience, Petey would not have done what he did. Obviously, he had done his routine many times before in front of black audiences, so it wasn’t just him being nervous. Though he was rude and somewhat disrespectful to the audience, the host, and the show itself, in his speech, he clearly explained that he was uncomfortable because they wouldn’t be laughing WITH him, but instead AT him. I do not necessarily agree, but I can definitely see where he is coming from. It reminds me of minstrel shows in the past, where whites dressed up as blacks and made fun of them for entertainment. Blacks are often used (even in today’s media) as comic relief and not taken seriously. To be honest, there are products of pop culture about black culture today such as Aaron McGruder’s “The Boondocks�, certain rap songs, movies, etc that if I were by myself or with other black people, I would find hilarious and feel comfortable joking about because they can identify. However, if I were watching in the presence of white people, I wouldn’t even crack a smile. Sometimes, as a black person, I feel that laughing or making light of things like that gives others permission to do the same and I do not want them to believe that whatever the portrayal is, is the way all black people are or that it’s ok to make the same jokes. Yes, it is certainly a double standard, but it is what it is. I compare it to siblings. There are things that families joke and tease each other about, but if someone outside the family were to hear or say something about, it would be upsetting to them.

Posted by Jasmine Omorogbe at 10:23 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)

I think that Petey was not excited about being on the Tonight Show because it wasn’t real. Like he said, his listeners didn’t even have T.V.’s and now he’s preaching on one. But he wasn’t there to preach he was there to entertain. Back home he was there to inspire. Dewey saw right in what he saw in Petey but he pushed it the wrong way. Petey was not meant to lead the people by making appearances, all he needed was his voice and the people would listen. The people who mattered would turn on the station. Do you think that when he first started out on the radio that white people tuned in? Maybe they would have if he did go on the Tonight Show, but that’s not the type of leader he was. If the Tonight Show would have been geared towards blacks I think he would have acted way differently.
I think why Dewey admires Petey so much is because he made a difference by being himself. He didn’t need to transform into corporate white America. He was real. Alcoholic, con, chain-smoking, what people really are; If you live in the corporate world all of that is still true, it’s just hidden behind a suit and tie, and proper English.

Posted by robak003 at 9:42 PM | Permalink | TrackBacks (0)