The vile racism of some Daily Mail readers.

[Hot As Sun]

I'm going to come out and say that the character of Bond is a white man and therefore shouldn't be played by a female and/or a non white male.

[Mister M]

Racism? Don't make me laugh... If a character who is portrayed in a book as a particular race then, to be true to the story, he/she should remain the same...

 

Paradoxically, if there was a campaign to change a black character to a white one... the OP would cry racism as well...

 

There isn't a campaign to change the ethnic origin James Bond character, just a few stories. And you've not heard me complaining when a black character was changed to a white one, so you're wrong

[charmer]

I'm going to come out and say that the character of Bond is a white man and therefore shouldn't be played by a female and/or a non white male.

 

I'm willing to see how it goes. I was sceptical of Daniel Craig, being different to previous bonds in looks, disposition and action to previous bonds. He has been ok though.

 

I am slightly more sceptical about Idris Elba as it is a bigger jump from the previous bonds. However, he was good as Luther and the bond films are getting more aggressive and violent. A Luther/Bauer like character could work as the new bond.

 

If Idris is a good bond I will be happy with the change. If, for whatever reason (appearance, character traits etc) then no harm lost.

[mafya]

Why would Bond suddenly convert to Islam?

Or did you mean what if he was played by a Muslim?

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2014 at 18:33 ----------

 

 

Why can James Bond not be black?

 

I meant if a Muslim or muslim looking actor was cast as Bond....

[cressida]

You do love Daniel Craig though Cressy, so are biased

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2014 at 19:48 ----------

 

 

I like Roger Moore best as Bond... Okay he wouldn't stand a chance in real life to do any of the stuff Bond did, but Moore's films were funnier than any of the others...

 

I think Daniel Craig, because of his athleticism makes the most believable Bond, but having just bought Roger Moore's autobiography 'Last Man Standing' and because of his humorous quips as Bond he is my second favourite

[Happ Hazzard]

It might be easier just to cast Bell as a new black British secret agent character instead of making him Bond.

[mjw47]

 

Is a white person who wants a cultural identity of his own, necessarily racist?

 

Am I racist for even posing such questions?

 

No, you're not necessarily racist, you may or may not be, but that question wouldn't on it's own make you so.

 

The thing is that 'white culture' is a very broad term. Most of Europe is white apart from that that is Latin. Then there are those that are Eastern European, some of which is technically in Asia.

 

Not sure that 'white culture' can be claimed to exist as an entity, Shakespeare and Dostoyevsky are both part of white culture but their cultures are far apart.

 

I went from reading Biggles to reading Bond when I was twelve, the books and especially the films, are complete and total nonsense, they are also both entertaining and not really meant to be taken seriously.

 

Bond is a spy working for the British secret service as long as an actor can carry off what is in fact complete twaddle in a convincing matter what does it matter?

 

In the books the author Ian Fleming described Bond as looking a bit like Hoagy Carmichael.

 

Notice the resemblance?

 

http://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=6&sqi=2&ved=0CD8QFjAF&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.biography.com%2Fpeople%2Fhoagy-carmichael-9238602&ei=UBqfVMmqLu-v7AbGtIDwDg&usg=AFQjCNHoOnPQ61zt6kjS_lly7S6g27T2kQ&bvm=bv.82001339,d.ZGU&cad=rja

 

https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=the+young+ian+fleming&biw=1024&bih=617&tbm=isch&tbo=u&source=univ&sa=X&ei=yhufVK_aJdDd7QbHzYH4Dg&ved=0CCsQsAQ

 

If we are going to be authentic how many of those who played Bond looked like that?

[Michael_W]

I was responding to another poster when I happened to catch the headline: "Daily Mail Commenters Are Really Angry About Idris Elba Playing James Bond".

 

So I clicked on the link, and some of the responses are shocking:

 

Would you have Daniel Craig playing Nelson Mandela? I think not.

 

- MrFleet

 

If true, I won't be seeing it and Daniel Craig will be the last Bond to me. Bond has always been white and always will be. No more of this P C absurdity.

 

- JS

 

Why doesn't the black world create their own characters and literature and stick to that for characterisation in films.

 

- CommentatorfromUK

 

 

First, it was a black Karate Kid. Next, it was a black Annie. Now, a black James Bond. What's next? A black Austin Powers, a black Mickey Mouse?

 

- lp94

 

To all the people saying Bond is fictional: So what? So is Harry Potter but there'd be an outcry if he was suddenly portrayed by Mr T. What would happen if Phil Mitchell reappeared in Albert Square played by Jackie Chan? They're established characters. This just cries PC-brigade. Elba is a fantastic actor, but Bond is white. It's that simple.

 

- AndrewB

 

If this ever came to pass I would refuse to ever watch a James Bond film again, even if they changed the actor multiple times. I would also go out of my way to convince everyone I know not to watch or support the James Bond franchise and pray for it's demise.

 

- idylls of the king

 

 

I'd like to say the above people are trolls, and not real people but I doubt it

 

You keep going on about DM readers and yet once again you must have been reading it yourself ...... so you are a DM reader, are you not

The comments could have been made on any newspaper website that allows comments, you do know all those 'racists' can read whatever news website they like !

[mjw47]

What do you think the opinion was over many years of black people when it was considered perfectly acceptable for a white man to' black up' to play Othello?

 

It's a character in a play/film/tv series, can the actor convince the audience of the authenticity of the part, and get them to believe for the duration of the film in the story is all that matters.

[skinz]

I have given my opinion on the thread topic, what's your point gas valve ... I don't give a frig about James Bond or who the hell plays the bleeding character OK love

 

There you go..easy.

 

---------- Post added 27-12-2014 at 21:20 ----------

 

What do you think the opinion was over many years of black people when it was considered perfectly acceptable for a white man to' black up' to play Othello?

 

It's a character in a play/film/tv series, can the actor convince the audience of the authenticity of the part, and get them to believe for the duration of the film in the story is all that matters.

 

The performance will overshadow the colour/ethnicity of an actor to the point it won't be recognized. Unless of course you're racist.