I’ve heard the stories and seen these scenarios play out firsthand. Is Hollywood obsessed with making black men appear weak by putting them in dresses for certain roles? It seems like every black actor ends up in a dress at some point in their career. I’m sure you get what Dave Chappelle means when he says this happens regularly. Just look at the examples: Martin Lawrence, Eddie Murphy, Jamie Foxx, Ving Rhames, Wesley Snipes, Tyler Perry, Kevin Hart, Chris Rock—the list goes on. Is there some sort of ritual behind this?
Many Black artists, like Lord Jamar, have said they’d never be caught dead in a dress. My manager knows not to even send me roles that go against my morals, especially ones involving playing a homosexual or transvestite character. Michael Jai White also made it clear he wouldn’t wear a dress, even for comedy, to prove a point.
“I was doing a sitcom, and someone suggested it. I immediately said, ‘I’m not doing that.’ Godfrey was the same. He said, ‘Hell no. I’d have to be dead to wear a dress.’ I asked him, ‘Would you ever wear a dress?’ He replied, ‘No way.'”
They also attempted to have Dave Chappelle wear a dress, but he adamantly declined. While working on a movie, he entered his trailer only to find a dress hanging there, momentarily thinking he had walked into the wrong one. However, upon clarification from the writer, it became evident that he was meant to don the dress for a scene. Uncomfortable with the idea, Dave firmly refused, despite the writer’s attempts to persuade him by citing the precedent of other renowned comedians. Even with the director and producers joining the discussion in the trailer, Dave stood his ground. It seemed they had anticipated his reluctance, as there was reportedly an alternative script prepared that didn’t involve Dave wearing a dress.
You know how they always seem to put black men in dresses at a certain point in their careers? Dave talks about it. It’s like they do it right when it feels like they’re on the brink of something big. Unfortunately, Dave wasn’t willing to go along with that whole dress-up routine or the other stuff they were trying to make him do. So, what did the higher-ups do? They tried to spin it like he’d lost his mind. Remember back in 2005 when he walked away from the Chappelle Show and went to South Africa? Suddenly, there were rumors flying everywhere about him being off the rails and hooked on drugs. Sound familiar? It’s a playbook that’s been used on other artists too. Take Mariah Carey for example – she signs a massive deal, and bam, suddenly she’s labeled as “unstable.” Or Martin Lawrence – he hits it big, then out of nowhere, he’s out in the streets shouting about being under threat.
You know, Dave was pretty adamant about shutting down those rumors suggesting he was losing his marbles. He was like, “I’m not crazy, not into drugs either. I’m just seriously stressed out. Sure, things got overwhelming, but it’s not like people are making it out to be.” And he even told Oprah straight up that despite the rumors, he was perfectly fine.
Someone asked him once, “Did you kinda lose it, though?” And he was like, “Nah, not really. I wasn’t losing my mind, but man, it was a crazy amount of pressure.” Plus, Dave didn’t stick around for all that cash just to be puppeteered.
“It wasn’t about the money for me. I was bouncing because I couldn’t deal with what came with all that fame.”
And hey, it’s not just Dave who’s been real about this stuff. Remember back in 2013 when Katt Williams spilled the beans about how Hollywood’s pushing this idea of black men being all feminine, bringing up Kevin Hart? And then when they asked Kevin Hart about it, he straight-up said he wasn’t going there. He needed to protect his own brand.
“You really need to set boundaries in life, lines you won’t cross no matter what. Personally, I know exactly where mine are.”
And guess what? Despite swearing he’d never wear a dress to protect his image, Kevin ended up doing a whole sketch on SNL dressed in one.
“So, get this: the new pope is actually a nine-year-old Oscar nominee, Quvenzhané Wallis! Crazy, right? Who saw that coming?”
Now, according to Kat, Kevin’s worries weren’t all that serious because he’s not the first black guy who got pushed into wearing a dress. I mean, we’ve already had Big Mama’s House one, two, and three, not to mention Madea rocking those dresses. So, Kevin shouldn’t sweat it too much.
Kat also thinks it’s not just about fitting into Hollywood’s cool club; it’s like you gotta join their super-secret society to really make it big.
“Some of us are like, ‘No way!’ to the Illuminati, even if it hurts us. Those who stand against them, man, they get slammed all the time. The media hates them, and they’re basically outcasts.”
And Kevin goes as far as saying that Hollywood big shots dislike him and Dave Chappelle because they won’t play along with this whole secret society thing.
“Dave Chappelle has never been associated with the Illuminati. They’re not interested in folks like him, me, or others who share our perspective.”
Apart from Dave and Kat, Terrence Howard has also addressed Hollywood’s tendency to soften the portrayal of black men. In an interview with Revolt, he highlighted how the industry often sticks to a narrow formula when depicting black stories on screen. Terrence shared his thoughts on why this portrayal persists:
“In this new formula, many men are depicted as effeminate, stripped of their power and strength. While white men are allowed to be portrayed as strong, the portrayal of black men is often viewed as threatening. I refuse to compromise my authenticity to fit into someone else’s narrative. It’s time for Hollywood to broaden its storytelling, allowing men to be themselves while also celebrating the beauty of women.”
Terrence suggests that effeminate depictions of black men are favored because they conform to societal norms. This sentiment is echoed by Lord Jamar:
“I’m not in favor of it. There are others who are, and perhaps I miss out on opportunities as a result. My phone might not ring as often because I’m not willing to conform and play along.”
In his interview with Vlad, Godfrey also expressed similar sentiments. He explained his refusal to wear a dress in either his stand-up routines or films, attributing it to his belief that gay roles in Hollywood are designed to suppress black masculinity intentionally. Additionally, he shared his view that black actors who have previously worn dresses might have done so solely to advance their careers.
However, there are differing opinions within the black actor community. Malik Yoba, for instance, offers a contrasting perspective. He believes that acting should showcase the entirety of humanity, including both masculine and feminine aspects. Yoba sees himself as embodying both, emphasizing the importance of embracing all parts of one’s identity.
So, what’s your take on this issue? Do you believe that black men who refuse to wear dresses are simply out of touch with their femininity, or is there more to it? Share your thoughts in the comments below.
