A Close Reading of the Casting Nightmare Sequence in Hollywood Shuffle

 

Unfortunately for Robert Townsend’s character (Hollywood Shuffle), Bobby Taylor, acting can be a degrading profession for a black male. As we have already read and seen in the few articles and films we’ve  encountered, Hollywood has a history of racially stereotyping black men (and women) by rarely providing roles that don’t in some way negatively portray black culture. In one way, this creates a serious problem for black actors and actresses who feel that acting is what they were made to do, because with such a narrow and degrading space for black actors, there exists this conundrum of making a living vs. degrading one’s race and, by extension, culture.

Bobby Taylor is desperate for work. He is motivated by his own ambitions to be wealthy and famous and also by the constant negativity he receives from his boss and coworkers at Winky Dinky Dog, and by those close to him, his grandmother for example. Bobby yearns for his dream to become reality to the point that we, the viewers, are often taken out of reality and placed into his fantasies where he stars in various types of TV shows and movies. It’s only natural, and in some sense necessary, for a person aspiring to be a professional in sports, television, movies, music (in other words famous) etc., to fantasize about what their life would be like once they’ve “made it.” However, there are times when Bobby’s conscience gets the better of him.

Bobby gets a call from his agent solemnly telling him that the casting directors are looking for an “Eddie Murphy” type. Assuming that he didn’t get a callback, he becomes disappointed that they didn’t like him for him. However his agent tells him after that he did get a call back. Bobby asks excitedly why he hadn’t simply said that in the first place. Now that he has a callback, a possible acting job, having to play a stereotypical role doesn’t seem to bother him as much. There is then a cut to the acting studio. The sequence of cuts in this scene (only later in the scene do we sense something surreal and only later is it confirmed that in fact this is a dream sequence) goes back and forth between the black actors trying out for the “Eddie Murphy Type” role, and the white casting directors. Townsend uses two very distinct styles in this scene. The most powerful shots are of the casting directors. The shots are close-ups and extremely unflattering, capturing their disgusting greed and racism. Each casting director goes through their shtick of what it means to act like Eddie Murphy. These shots are then segmented by shots of the black actors sitting (purposefully) below them on a bench. These shots show the black actors’ surprise and then their obedient response as the camera pans as each actor does their own Eddie Murphy impression. As the scene progresses, and the casting director (Townsend focuses on the redheaded woman) becomes increasingly grotesque and maniacal. She shouts, “There he is! That’s our Eddie Murphy!” Bobby protests only for a few seconds before he goes into his own rendition of Eddie Murphy to which each of the casting directors, in their respective close-ups, deviously confirm that yes, he is the Eddie Murphy they’ve been looking for. Bobby wakes up sweating and frightened. Obviously this was not one of his pleasurable fantasies but a nightmare.

Here is where, I think, Townsend does a great job in balancing funny, satirical scenes with aesthetically displeasing and grotesque scenes. If there was no balance, the film as a satirical whole would be less serious and therefore less effective in the sense that it important messages would less likely remain in the minds of the viewers. It would simply point out that stereotypes are stupid and can be funny when satire is clearly the lens the audience is supposed to look through. The comedic aspect of the film is only a supplement to the more serious issues Townsend wants us to ponder.