I wasn't trying to imply that Hesh is racist. I just thought it was interesting that David Chase seems to really want the viewers to know what Hesh prefers. I am wondering is this just information or is this to make Hesh a more complex character?
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Hesh and Black Women
12I see it as just another distinguishing trait of one of the characters on the show, like Silvio's hair and suit, Tony's cigars, Ralphie's hair piece. Some of the posters here have made it seem a bit like the point was being hammered home by Chase but I don't see how three mentions over the course of a 5 season TV show is Chase wanting to make it known. I think it is a great stretch to see a hint of racism or 'slave owner-slave girl' fantasy being played out by Hesh in his preference in female companionship, as some other posters have stated in this thread.
Black women and Jewish men intermarriage and love relationships in the 1940s and 1950s is well documented, especially in the entertainment industry, despite the racial segregation that was going on in the country. Lena Horne (married Sidney Lumet), Leslie Uggams, and Pearl Bailey all had Jewish husbands. If memory serves me correctly Dorothy Dandridge and Billie Holliday also had affairs (or marriages, I can't recall) to Jewish men.
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Black women and Jewish men intermarriage and love relationships in the 1940s and 1950s is well documented, especially in the entertainment industry, despite the racial segregation that was going on in the country. Lena Horne (married Sidney Lumet), Leslie Uggams, and Pearl Bailey all had Jewish husbands. If memory serves me correctly Dorothy Dandridge and Billie Holliday also had affairs (or marriages, I can't recall) to Jewish men.
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Re: Hesh and Black Women
13and who cares if Chase does? Like the above poster said its just to give another trait about a character...
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on the question of the show's portrayal of race relations...
14I think you have all brought up some valuable insights and observations about this whole subject of the representation of race relatioins and ethnicity in the show. As the subject has been brought up I wondered what some fans' opinions are/were about the representation of Meadow's prior relationship with her University boyfriend Noah who was African American and Jewish. Also, what do fans make of Tony's reaction to that scenario. Kind of a new topic - not exactly on Hesh and his 'women' but maybe there are some relevant connections there.
</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub132.ezboard.com/bsopranolandf ... Madonna</A> at: 4/21/04 8:39 am
</p>Edited by: <A HREF=http://pub132.ezboard.com/bsopranolandf ... Madonna</A> at: 4/21/04 8:39 am
hesh
15nyla,
it's an interesting point. We saw Hesh do a 180 and get very defensive in Pie O My's stable when his Cuban friend tried to compare Native American treatment in the US to the holocaust.
The thing is, these are gangsters--even the likable ones--so we can't rely on any of them to be moral compasses or to "stand" for anything other than their own best interests. It's "the life". Add on to "the life" their own preferences, fetishes, whatever, and it makes for some interesting tv and discussions (to say the least)
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it's an interesting point. We saw Hesh do a 180 and get very defensive in Pie O My's stable when his Cuban friend tried to compare Native American treatment in the US to the holocaust.
The thing is, these are gangsters--even the likable ones--so we can't rely on any of them to be moral compasses or to "stand" for anything other than their own best interests. It's "the life". Add on to "the life" their own preferences, fetishes, whatever, and it makes for some interesting tv and discussions (to say the least)
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Hesh and racism
16I agree that Hesh is most definately not racist.
If you watch A Hit is a Hit more closely, there's a scene where he looks fondly at a picture of him and the singer kid back in the 50's. He feels somewhat guilty about cheating the kid's mother out of the money (though not enough to actually pay them anything).
If he had any negative comments about blacks towards Massive, I think it had more to do with him feeling guilty and being defensive, rather than being racist.
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If you watch A Hit is a Hit more closely, there's a scene where he looks fondly at a picture of him and the singer kid back in the 50's. He feels somewhat guilty about cheating the kid's mother out of the money (though not enough to actually pay them anything).
If he had any negative comments about blacks towards Massive, I think it had more to do with him feeling guilty and being defensive, rather than being racist.
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