Edited by Azizi Powell
This is Part I of a two part pancocojams series that showcases the parody video "Cinderonce" by Todrick Hall.
Part I presents that video and highlights discussions in that video's viewer comment thread about why the entire cast is Black.
Click http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/10/todrick-halls-video-cinderonce-youtube_18.html for Part II of this post. Part II presents that video and highlights a discussion in that video's viewer comment thread about why Cinderonce doesn't have a natural hairstyle for the royal ball.
The content of this post is presented for cultural, sociological, entertainment, and aesthetic purposes.
All copyrights remain with their owners.
Thanks to Todrick Hall and his cast for this parody video of the well known European fairy tale "Cinderella". Thanks also to Beyonce for the songs that are featured in this video. Thanks to all those who are quoted in this post and thanks to the publisher of this video on YouTube.
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SHOWCASE VIDEO: Cinderonce by Todrick Hall
todrickhall, Published on Aug 20, 2013
....
STARRING
Tiffany Daniels as Cinderonce
Unterrio Edwards AKA Mia Fierce as Anastasia
Miles Jai as Drizella
Vonzell Solomon as The Evil Stepmother
Todrick Hall as Prince Charming
Shangela as The Fairy Dragmother
Joshua Allen as The Duke
-snip-
All the songs are Beyonce’s records – hence the video's title “Cinderonce”.
In 2015 commenter Boubakar D posted this list of Beyonce songs that are found in Todrick Hall's "Cinderonce".
1. Halo ( 0:10 )
2. Diva ( 0:40 )
3. Freakum Dress ( 1:34)
4. Single Ladies ( 2:22)
5. I Been On (Never Officially Released) ( 2:59 )
6. 1+1 ( 3:15 ) (Later on samples "Hello" and "End of Time")
7. Countdown ( 4:54 )
8. Why Don't You Love Me ( 5:06 )
9. Love On Top ( 5:54 ) (With Dangerously In Love)
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SELECTED COMMENTS FROM THIS VIDEO'S DISCUSSION THREAD: QUESTION: WHY IS THE ENTIRE CAST BLACK?
These comments are divided into three sections. The comments in each section are given in chronological order with the oldest comments given first, except for replies. I've numbered these comments for referencing purposes only.
Disclaimer: This is not meant to imply that the only discussions about race in that YouTube comment thread were these two sub-threads. There were a number of other comments with replies and without replies about race and about racism, including the comments highlighted in Part II of this series.
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Sub-thread #1
Note: This is the complete sub-thread as of the publishing date/time of this pancocojams post.
2014
1. tiliya smith
"Why are they all black??"
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Reply
2. Kiara Ligans
"Because it's todrick mutha effin hall and he can do what he pleases"
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Reply
3. Taja Dominique
"+Kiara Ligans lmao duhh"
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4. Shannon Strickland
"Why does no one question it when there's only white people in music videos??"
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5. holly_stoxx
"^^preach it"
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6. charlotte R. Van der Haer
"+tiliya smith Why not?"
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7. Sarah Taylor
"Why in Cinderella are they all white?"
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8. ChantalPerezify
"facepalms @ OP"
-snip-
OP = Original Poster
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9. Mary Mboyo
"Because all of them were born black duh"
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10. Valentinaa Chainberlain
"because todrick made a cinderonce and beyonce is black and so is all of them"
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11. Groovy Iyanna
"Why are u so tall or so short cause u were born that and they werent all black ur stupid."
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12. jalisas
"Bc he's black."
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13. Nyasia Gg
"That's just rude rude"
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14. Jazmin gonzàlez
"Oh my God Tiliya Smith, you can't just ask people why they're black! *mean girls lol"
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15. Nature Queen
"Why would you ask something so ridiculous?"
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16. Alana Rhiannon
"Cause black people are FABULOUS‼️"
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17. Nature Queen
"+Alana Coe YAAASSS!"
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18. Alicia Vintage
"Because they can be"
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19. Venessa Siaosi, 2015
"Cuz they can...Beyoncé is, and she's famous, That's Awesome that she is (it doesn't really matter) anyways...DEAL WITH IT!!!"
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Sub-thread #2
These are selected comments from another sub-thread in that video's viewer comment thread.
Profanity that is included in one of these comments has been deleted and noted as per this blog's policy.
2015
1. Leemaid2010
"This has to be my fav video of his. One where the black ppl aren't acting ratcheted or ghetto. I wish he would do more videos like this"
-snip-
Update: 10/18/2016 1:10 PM
Read a definition for "ratchet" in the comment section below. A pancocojams post on the word "ratchet" will be published ASAP and its link will be added to this post.
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2. Anthony Wikio-Maurangi
"He's already gone over this many times before. You must be new here...
Less than 10 out of the 300 videos Todrick has uploaded contain black people acting 'ratchet'. Watch the other 290 videos if you have a problem with it."
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2016
3. Leemaid2010
"+Zachary Khan I'm talking about a video like this where it's 100% black ppl and are not acting like black stereotypes. This is lovely and I wish he would do more."
-snip-
I didn't find the comment from Zachary Khan that Leemaid2010 is responding to. However, what he wrote can be surmised from her response.
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4. Jeffy Cherian
"That's actually kind of racist because what if a white person was like I wish he would make more videos with 100% white people."
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5. Miss Cyanide
"+Jeffy Cherian this has nothing to do with that. All he said is he liked it when it's not all about how ratchet black people are. That has nothing to do with how there is 100% black people. Every other fucking video has enough white people in it. Every [profanity deleted] place on earth has enough white people. It's nice to see a change."
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6. Sabrinachic45
"+Jeffy Cherian Stop. Racism implies more than just discrimination, but power. White culture has power over minorities. Therefore, you cannot be racist against the power structure. It doesn't work. Second of all, EVERYTHING ALREADY APPLIES TO YOUR DESCRIPTION! Have you noticed that every facet of media is saturated with white faces? Take your racism elsewhere."
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7. Jeffy Cherian
"Okay so it's not okay for a white person to say I wish he'd make more videos that has 100% white people, right? So why is it okay for a black person to say I wish he'd make more videos that has 100% black people? Whatever happened to equality..."
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8. Leemaid2010
"+Jeffy Cherian Dude this is a black man making music videos. He's allowed to have video that only has black ppl. That's not racist at all. If you want something with just all white ppl go watch tv or look at a magazine."
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9. Malini Basdeo
"+Jeffy Cherian if you want equality then there should actually be a LOT more videos with only black people in them, since white people dominate the media and all we are used to seeing are white people in videos. if you're preaching for equality, step down first."
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10. O Sparks
"No one called Justin Bieber racist when he made his 'Sorry' music video. It's 100% white... and they're twerking O.o"
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Comment Section #3: Selected stand alone comments*
*Stand Alone Comments- comments that don't appear to be published as though they were part of any sub-thread
2016
1. William North
"Shame this has to be ruined by a discussion, primarily by one chick about all black videos being made and how she wants more like them. Honey, if we haven't gotten to the point yet where it doesn't matter how many white or blacks on in a video, then we sad! The STAR is black...that should make you a little happy, or you want more?"
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2. gabriellas channel
"Well white people are in a lot of videos so yh"
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3. Demeter's Daughter
"The fact that all the dancers/actors are black. Yasssssss!!!!"
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This concludes Part I of this series.
Thanks for visiting pancocojams.
Visitor comments are welcome.
What does 'ratchet' mean in this context? I looked it up on an urban dictionary site but the explanation was fairly well-laced with misogyny, and I'm not sure how it fits the usage above.
ReplyDelete[response revised October 18, 2016 2:33 PM]
DeleteHi slam2011,
"ratchet" is a relatively new African American Vernacular English insult. That adjective basically means the same as "ghetto" - someone who acts "hood" or "ghetto" in the negative sense of the word. I've also seen the word (acting) "trashy" used as a synonym for "ratchet".
For example, this article http://latinrapper.com/blogs/?p=8810 that traces the word "ratchet" to a 1999 Hip Hop dance "Do The Ratchet" includes a video that features a pregnant woman dancing to this record at a club while holding a bottle of beer. Drinking drinking beer in a nightclub while pregnant is considered "ratchet" ("ghetto", "hood").
It seems that the word "ratchet" is mostly used to refer to females. A woman of any race can be "ratchet". A woman who is ratchet might be physically attractive but (for example) she wears clothing that is makes her look like she's "fast" (for instance a too tight short dress which shows too much of her breasts and/or she wears a wig that is cheap, and ill fitting). Or the woman can have on too much makeup, and/or look dirty (unclean).
An African American vernacular word that is the opposite of "ratchet" is "fly". Another word that is the opposite or ratchet is "classy".
Thanks for the explanation. It sounds similar to an old-fashioned British word, "common". (As in "You know the type - brassy blond hair and falling out of her clothes, voice like a foghorn - common as muck, she was.") I don't think young people would use it now though - no doubt they'll be adopting 'ratchet' soon :)
ReplyDeleteYes, I understand the similarities between "ratchet" and that British use of the word "common". But I don't like the classist implications of the word "common".
DeleteBut isn't the judgement implied in 'ratchet' classist too? Aren't people being criticised for behaviour that shows they come from a particular social environment with less exacting, less 'respectable' norms?
ReplyDelete"But isn't the judgement implied in 'ratchet' classist too? Aren't people being criticised for behaviour that shows they come from a particular social environment with less exacting, less 'respectable' norms?"
DeleteAs the slang term "ratchet" is most often used now, I think that you're right- it is classist as it insults certain behaviors that people think are mostly or only done by some people who are part of the "lower class".
I italized "some" because being poor or working class - what some would call "lower class"- doesn't mean that you are ratchet (act ratchet or look ratchet).
And some people who aren't considered poor or working class can act (or look) ratchet. For example, Miley Cyrus' "slutty" dancing is often considered ratchet.
Here's a link to the Part I of a three part pancocojams series on the slang word "ratchet": http://pancocojams.blogspot.com/2016/10/what-ratchet-means-how-its-slang.html What "Ratchet" Means & How Its Slang Meanings Continue To Change
DeletePart 2 and Part 3 will showcase videos of songs that include the word "ratchet". When those posts are published the links will be included in Part I of that series.