Hobbit Casting Agent Fired For Dismissing Non-White Hobbits

[Spookimitsu]

...feudal Japan
unless it's one of those like "oh my gosh Tom Cruise comes and learns the way of the natives whoo hoo" things

Actually, that happened in antiquity [kind of], but it was a French man who adopted the lifestyle of an armed retainer, and went on to marry a Japanese woman etc etc.

 

[Jezthesiren]

I'd be repeating what's been said over and over again in this thread if expressing my thoughts on the issue as a whole.

However - I'm really interested as to why women are supposed to be light skinned but not necessarily men? If all Hobbits are supposed to be light skinned, then why this difference? What does your gender have to do with your skin color?

 

[JDKJ]

I know I'm coming late to this thread, but I have to chime in.

Bullshit.

Hobbits are white. Casting white people as hobbits isn't racist, it's sticking to source material. Is there something wrong with being white? Is it a problem somehow? Seriously, pulling the race card in this case is just moronic.

And your source for the contention that "Hobbits are white" is what, pray tell? If you've got Hobbit photographs proving your point, please post them to the thread. Thanks.

Wait, are you serious? Are you seriously trolling to this extent? Fine, I'll play along, just to confirm my initial impression, which is that you are just being an arse at this point...

1. Quote from the Prologue of The Lord of the Rings, when describing Hobbits: "Their faces were as a rule good-natured rather than beautiful, broad, bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to laughter, and to eating and drinking."

"Red cheeked" pretty much discounts any dark skin coloration since it simply wouldn't stand out. So they were white. Also, the description indicates that there wasn't much variation in their general outward appearance (the whole "as a rule" part of the quoted sentence). Sure, Tolkien might have written "Oh, and they were WHITE. Totally white. Pale white." but THAT would have been racist...

2. As for Hobbit photographs, look up any illustrated edition of Hobbit or LotR. Some of those were done while Tolkien was still alive and have his approval. Find me one single non-white hobbit. I assume you can use Google, so be my guest.

There, I've provided a direct quote from the books indicating they were white and have found no evidence to the contrary.

Also, why is it so important to you that there be non-white Hobbits? Also, a man lost his job over bullshit, which I also find to be a waste.

And, in response and as evidence in opposition to the assertion that all Hobbits are white, I'll quote from the Prologue to The Hobbit wherein Tolkien states that the Harfoot Hobbits (one of what he describes as three distinct "breeds" of Hobbits) are "browner of skin" than the other two breeds (the Fallohides and the Stoors) and that the Fallohides are "fairer of skin and hair" than the Harfoots and Stoors. Contrary to your assertion, it doesn't appear as if the entire race of Hobbits should be viewed as an undifferentiated mass lacking in variations of skin pigmentation and hair colorings across the three breeds.

Moreover, I've looked at the illustrations in the original editions of The Hobbit (which were done by Tolkien himself) and, as best as I can tell, they don't clearly indicate a particular race one way or the other.

As an aside, when asked to provide evidence of your own assertion, it's poor rhetorical form to fail to do so and, instead, invite the inquiring party to go find their own evidence proving your assertion wrong. You're the one insisting that the assertion should be taken as a fact, not I. You should, I believe, try to avoid relying on the fallacious rhetorical crutch of claiming that if the opposing party can't find evidence proving you wrong, therefore you must be right. To do so is intellectual sloth of the worst sort.

 

[Jandau]

As I said, bullshit. The man shouldn't have lost his job. If they wanted to add ethnic diversity at the expense of original work, go ahead, but don't fire the man for doing his job.

*snip*

Yep, you're just trolling at this point, arguing just to prove yourself right. I just wanted to make sure. Well, enjoy it, I'm smart enough to know not to argue with internet trolls.

 

[JDKJ]

As I said, bullshit. The man shouldn't have lost his job. If they wanted to add ethnic diversity at the expense of original work, go ahead, but don't fire the man for doing his job.

*snip*

Yep, you're just trolling at this point, arguing just to prove yourself right. I just wanted to make sure. Well, enjoy it, I'm smart enough to know not to argue with internet trolls.

You can claim "smart enough to know not to argue with internet trolls" all you want but that isn't doing a thing to dissuade me of my suspicions that, when now faced with clear evidence that Tolkien stated the Harfoot Hobbits are "browner of skin" and which therefore tends to refute your assertion that all Hobbits are white, you've been rendered at a loss for a response and so, instead, choose to resort to simply and simple-mindedly accusing me of being a troll (another rhetorical fallacy called the "ad hominem" argument).

I also suspect that you're feeling more than a little foolish for claiming that the illustrations in the original editions of The Hobbit were done with Tolkien's approval when, in fact, they were done by Tolkien himself. Don't feel bad. Even before making that obviously mistaken claim, you'd made clear to me that an expert on Tolkien you are not.

 

[standokan]

It's not like long people are complaining

 

[molesgallus]

Well I'm no fan of racism, but I though hobbits were light skinned? Well whatever, as long as the movie is as epic as the rest I could care less about who's what race.

So you care quite a lot, then?

 

[Spookimitsu]

Caucasians can get pretty brown with help of the sun. Tolkien said that shire was located around middle England. Also, the Men from the south are noted as being dark skinned i.e from Africa, as Middle Earth goes as far down as southern Europe.

Really, and you've never seen a light-skinned black person?

Isn't it hard to argue fact into fiction?

 

[Spookimitsu]

<- is now a conscientious objector to this thread

 

[pulse2]

Funniest article I have read in a very long time

Not because the guy was fired, but because of the whole topic. I can just imagine Will Smith turning up, lmao.

I must admit, I'm black and this amuses me, don't take things so seriously people, especially PayJ567 who comes across as a bit of a plank himself.

 

[pulse2]

I know I'm coming late to this thread, but I have to chime in.

Bullshit.

Hobbits are white. Casting white people as hobbits isn't racist, it's sticking to source material. Is there something wrong with being white? Is it a problem somehow? Seriously, pulling the race card in this case is just moronic.

And your source for the contention that "Hobbits are white" is what, pray tell? If you've got Hobbit photographs proving your point, please post them to the thread. Thanks.

Wait, are you serious? Are you seriously trolling to this extent? Fine, I'll play along, just to confirm my initial impression, which is that you are just being an arse at this point...

1. Quote from the Prologue of The Lord of the Rings, when describing Hobbits: "Their faces were as a rule good-natured rather than beautiful, broad, bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to laughter, and to eating and drinking."

"Red cheeked" pretty much discounts any dark skin coloration since it simply wouldn't stand out. So they were white. Also, the description indicates that there wasn't much variation in their general outward appearance (the whole "as a rule" part of the quoted sentence). Sure, Tolkien might have written "Oh, and they were WHITE. Totally white. Pale white." but THAT would have been racist...

2. As for Hobbit photographs, look up any illustrated edition of Hobbit or LotR. Some of those were done while Tolkien was still alive and have his approval. Find me one single non-white hobbit. I assume you can use Google, so be my guest.

There, I've provided a direct quote from the books indicating they were white and have found no evidence to the contrary.

Also, why is it so important to you that there be non-white Hobbits? Also, a man lost his job over bullshit, which I also find to be a waste.

And, in response and as evidence in opposition to the assertion that all Hobbits are white, I'll quote from the Prologue to The Hobbit wherein Tolkien states that the Harfoot Hobbits (one of what he describes as three distinct "breeds" of Hobbits) are "browner of skin" than the other two breeds (the Fallohides and the Stoors) and that the Fallohides are "fairer of skin and hair" than the Harfoots and Stoors. Contrary to your assertion, it doesn't appear as if the entire race of Hobbits should be viewed as an undifferentiated mass lacking in variations of skin pigmentation and hair colorings across the three breeds.

Moreover, I've looked at the illustrations in the original editions of The Hobbit (which were done by Tolkien himself) and, as best as I can tell, they don't clearly indicate a particular race one way or the other.

As an aside, when asked to provide evidence of your own assertion, it's poor rhetorical form to fail to do so and, instead, invite the inquiring party to go find their own evidence proving your assertion wrong. You're the one insisting that the assertion should be taken as a fact, not I. You should, I believe, try to avoid relying on the fallacious rhetorical crutch of claiming that if the opposing party can't find evidence proving you wrong, therefore you must be right. To do so is intellectual sloth of the worst sort.

OUCH, YOU GOT BURNED JANDAU!!!! lol

I didn't even know that, guess you learn something every day

 

[Arawn.Chernobog]

Hobbit 2 to include Shaq as Bil-B-ball Bagg-it!

"Yo time ta'shoot some hoops into lava, green egg an'hammit y'all!"

 

[JDKJ]

I know I'm coming late to this thread, but I have to chime in.

Bullshit.

Hobbits are white. Casting white people as hobbits isn't racist, it's sticking to source material. Is there something wrong with being white? Is it a problem somehow? Seriously, pulling the race card in this case is just moronic.

And your source for the contention that "Hobbits are white" is what, pray tell? If you've got Hobbit photographs proving your point, please post them to the thread. Thanks.

Wait, are you serious? Are you seriously trolling to this extent? Fine, I'll play along, just to confirm my initial impression, which is that you are just being an arse at this point...

1. Quote from the Prologue of The Lord of the Rings, when describing Hobbits: "Their faces were as a rule good-natured rather than beautiful, broad, bright-eyed, red-cheeked, with mouths apt to laughter, and to eating and drinking."

"Red cheeked" pretty much discounts any dark skin coloration since it simply wouldn't stand out. So they were white. Also, the description indicates that there wasn't much variation in their general outward appearance (the whole "as a rule" part of the quoted sentence). Sure, Tolkien might have written "Oh, and they were WHITE. Totally white. Pale white." but THAT would have been racist...

2. As for Hobbit photographs, look up any illustrated edition of Hobbit or LotR. Some of those were done while Tolkien was still alive and have his approval. Find me one single non-white hobbit. I assume you can use Google, so be my guest.

There, I've provided a direct quote from the books indicating they were white and have found no evidence to the contrary.

Also, why is it so important to you that there be non-white Hobbits? Also, a man lost his job over bullshit, which I also find to be a waste.

And, in response and as evidence in opposition to the assertion that all Hobbits are white, I'll quote from the Prologue to The Hobbit wherein Tolkien states that the Harfoot Hobbits (one of what he describes as three distinct "breeds" of Hobbits) are "browner of skin" than the other two breeds (the Fallohides and the Stoors) and that the Fallohides are "fairer of skin and hair" than the Harfoots and Stoors. Contrary to your assertion, it doesn't appear as if the entire race of Hobbits should be viewed as an undifferentiated mass lacking in variations of skin pigmentation and hair colorings across the three breeds.

Moreover, I've looked at the illustrations in the original editions of The Hobbit (which were done by Tolkien himself) and, as best as I can tell, they don't clearly indicate a particular race one way or the other.

As an aside, when asked to provide evidence of your own assertion, it's poor rhetorical form to fail to do so and, instead, invite the inquiring party to go find their own evidence proving your assertion wrong. You're the one insisting that the assertion should be taken as a fact, not I. You should, I believe, try to avoid relying on the fallacious rhetorical crutch of claiming that if the opposing party can't find evidence proving you wrong, therefore you must be right. To do so is intellectual sloth of the worst sort.

OUCH, YOU GOT BURNED JANDAU!!!! lol

I didn't even know that, guess you learn something every day

The part I found funnier is the snipping of my post (as if that somehow makes it so I never posted it) and the accusation that I'm a troll (which I may be but that doesn't make me wrong -- at best, it just makes me a troll).

 

[maninahat]

I'm against discrimination in most circumstances, but I don't see it as a bad thing in this case: the Hobbits are spposed to be white. They are a rural, single cultural society in the Shire. It wouldn't make sense for there to be ethnic minorities.

What next? Letting Will Smith play as James Bond? Or a white man playing [http://www.blogcdn.com/www.thebvx.com/media/2010/06/orson-welles-as-othello.jpg] Othello [http://www.patrickstewart.org/psn/playtitle.asp?playid=19]...Oh, wait.

 

[dreddfan]

It is nearly as bad as Guinevere being dark skinned in BBC's Merlin.

 

[Hamster at Dawn]

They specified that they wanted people with light skin. Therefore, if you don't have light skin then don't try to audition! It's OK to ask for people of particular races when it's necessary to the part. Hobbits have always been light skinned so it's fair that they don't want anyone with darker skin tones. What I do find odd, however, is that it was only asked of for female hobbits.

 

[TheEndlessSleep]

Racism = wrong

However:

Hobbits = White


Also, if the casting call was for white people, It's kind of that Pakistani lady's fault that she was standing in line all that time because she didn't check the call.

 

[sageoftruth]

Considering hobbits were like Middle-Earth amish guys, who therefore all lived in one place and didn't go traveling, I think any sign of diversity would be a breach of character.

 

[Mr.Squishy]

Whatever.
As long as we don't end up with Chris Tucker as Frodo, I'm satisfied.