Spike Lee On His Issue With 'Soul Man' (1986) | The Dick Cavett Show

[@connor100wilson]

Spike answered all the "Soulman" questions 14 years later with his movie BAMBOOZLED (2000)

[@henryphilips6563]

Nice correlation captain

[@shanenolan085]

Good Film 🎥 🎞

[@bigsassyster]

Yeah, he showed them...

[@AWolfMan75]

Actually, I don't think he did, since Bamboozled seemed to focused more on 19th century minstrel shows and television. Soul Man was a mediocre 80's comedy and satire film, albeit not a great one, somewhat modeled after Tootsie, that tried to focus on the ridiculousness of racial stereotypes.

[@erickthefantabulous1]

I didn't realize the Dick cavett show lasted until the eighties Spike Lee you've come a long way man

[@steveconn]

He navigated several networks, including CNBC.

[@RocStarr913]

It had several different iterations.

[@MS-ns2pj]

Spike has remained a racist and a bigot throughout it all.

[@lostlakepictures7378]

I was just thinking that. When did it go off the air?

[@strumdynastygaming7217]

As others have pointed out, every time a black person is on his show, Dick turns into Michael Scott.

[@strumdynastygaming7217]

Briteone6988 Yeah

[@HoldenNY22]

Who's MIchael Scott? Is that the guy from the Office? I never watched the show. Can you please explain your comment?

[@THEDONSTR8Fightah76]

D

[@qui-gonjinn6060]

@@HoldenNY22 yes he’s the boss in the office he’s says awkward and inappropriate things and when black people are around Micheal he acts weird

[@Mike-kv5pl]

@@HoldenNY22 Bingo

[@sethmeyer2443]

it's 2020 and I'm still celebrating the 86 Mets

[@yztrewq]

You're showing your youthful age. I'm still celebrating the 1969 miracle Mets. Now THEY were some heroes! Please don't mistake me for someone who relates to Spike Lee, the most racist person in this country. I definitely don't.

[@Beforeitsgone00]

34 years late

[@dickhartzell6261]

God knows we can't celebrate the 2000 Mets, the 2006 Mets or the 2015 Mets.

[@ng2603]

I'm from Boston and still mourning it

[@waynemontpetit8181]

Long live Mookie

[@josephmarchione3319]

In real life, we have a white woman who passes herself off as black, with a perm and makeup, and she went on to a leadership position in the NAACP. Not all that different. And I noted he didn't DARE say to revoke James Earl Jones "black-card" like he did with the actress who was in this. Though he DID say he was surprised he did the movie. No one was trying to say all those other black students were stupid for not realizing that "Mark" was not a real African-American person. As a film maker, he SHOULD be familiar with the concept of "suspension of disbelief". Tanning pills aren't a thing either! Mark passing himself off as black was central to the plot of the film, and it WAS done as a comedy, not a documentary. It finishes with a strong point and a very good moral. James Earl Jones is the professor, and is deciding whether or not he should let Mark stay after the stunt he pulled: Professor Banks: You've learned something I can't teach them. You've learned what it feels like to be black. Mark: No sir. Professor Banks: Beg your pardon? Mark: I don't really know what it feels like sir. If I didn't like it, I could always get out. It's not the same sir. Professor Banks: You've learned a great deal more than I thought. Perhaps Spike Lee ought to spend a little time and watch the movie, instead of basing his opinion of it on clips. It would be like, I dunno, me basing my opinion of black people solely on the clips I see in the news of the BLM riots. I don't think that's a valid sample, and neither should he be so quick to judge.

[@AWolfMan75]

I rewatched part of that movie out of curiosity after James Earl Jones passed. It was a mainstream comedy / satire of the '80's, not a great film by any means, but somewhat attempted to model itself after the film Tootsie. And as a comedy, I don't think the main character has to be wholly convincing. It is trying to point out the ridiculousness of racial stereotypes and attempts to have a meaningful ending. Again not a great film, and a bit cringey, but I think you have some valid points about what it is attempting to do.

[@barfyman-dm6zx]

🤘🤘I'm just over here patiently waiting for 'Soulman 2: Black by Popular Demand' to come out🤘🤘

[@ProfOsmo]

You gotta give Dick a lot of credit for uploading things like this. Was he perfect? No. But he tried earnestly to understand his fellow man and you can see him grow over the years. This is obvious to most fans here, but how great would it be for dick to come back to the game? hed bring such a great vibe to the late night scene.

[@Geekmasterproduction]

This channel is gonna blow up. All these political correct talk shows are boring, as a 25 year old its interesting to see how talk shows in the past were and I LOVE IT.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

All I'm going to say, is that Dick really lives up to his name...he's one of the most insidious, unassuming kind of evil

[@psychedelicfright85]

@@buzzkill808raven2 oh shut it dumbass

[@johnvolkman7208]

@@buzzkill808raven2 what the dickens are you talking about?

[@robertodelosangeles3247]

@@buzzkill808raven2 explain please…

[@christopherharper9932]

The Golden Age of the Spike Lee joint, miss those days

[@filmtoppings]

I still think Spike is at his A game

[@123brendan12]

He’s back to his best imo. He’s on quite a roll

[@kdkseven]

@@123brendan12 I haven't seen one of his in probably decades. Checked out around 25th Hour. Guess i'll have to check back in on him. Any recent recommendations?

[@kdkseven]

@@osamanoor1570 thanks! I remember Black Klansman looking good.

[@happydayz7857]

How offensive now to be called the black Woody Allen. Back in the day when it seemed like any prominent black person had to be called ‘The Black So-n-so.’

[@1234pouvez]

It's offensive now, it was offensive then and it will always be offensive. Had they just said both he and Woody Allen are directors from Brooklyn, that would have been fine. Woody Allen probably wouldn't appreciate being called the Jewish Orson Wells.

[@buzzkill808raven2]

even more offensive is how dick asks him the question by pretending to not ask it...what a snake

[@jonnysupreme]

Cuz they're second rate

[@thejonesexperience]

@@jonnysupreme Like your whole lineage..

[@MrSuperbluesky]

@@buzzkill808raven2 I thought Dick gave Spike a chance to speak about that horrible comparison made by another. I was surprised how Spike wanted it to rest rather then Highlight it as example.

[@brycewilson1909]

love dick cavett. he asked real questions other people were curious about but too scared to ask. sure sometimes he came off awkwardly but i appreciate the conversations!

[@mr.regentsdude5621]

The dude from perfect strangers

[@roglo06]

Mr. Regents Dude Yes! Mark-Linn Baker.

[@WaterShowsProd]

Also an accomplished stage actor and he starred opposite Peter O'Toole in the film "My Favorite Year". And he was really good in a Tic-Tac commercial that aired in the early '80s.

[@AndrewMichel]

@ Cousin Larry

[@PDXVoiceTeacher]

STAAAAAAAAANDING TAAAAAAAAALLLLLLL!!! ON THE WINGS OFY DREAMMMMMMM!

[@christinacascadilla4473]

Mark-Lynn Baker. Probably there to plug “My Favorite Year.”

[@MediaSock]

6:03 "could nobody make a film in which a black man is played by a white man & getaway with it?" , Yes, yes they can, Tropic Thunder, Robert Downey Junior.

[@maestroofamore8948]

For that matter, Soul Man "got away with it" too, earning back nearly *8 TIMES* its budget. Not a bad ROI.

[@marianotorrespico2975]

@@maestroofamore8948 --- CORRECT. | "Soul Man" (1986) was made for white suburbanites, like the protagonist. If you try hard enough, you might find excuses and justifications for "The Birth of a Nation" (1915), analogously, "Tropic Thunder" (2008) deliberately ridiculed that practise of racist misrepresentation.

[@maestroofamore8948]

@@marianotorrespico2975 I'll leave it to you to "find excuses & justifications for The Birth of a Nation" if you're so inclined, but Soul Man was primarily targeted toward the 18 to 35 year-old demographic, a not-insignificant percentage of which is composed of persons of color, which were represented to some degree in the cast. Tropic Thunder deliberately ridiculed "method actors" as it flaunted the squeamish expectations of contemporary "virtue-signalers".

[@marianotorrespico2975]

@@maestroofamore8948 --- You have proved my point, by going off-topic.

[@maestroofamore8948]

@@marianotorrespico2975 Nope, but you're either failing to read or failing to comprehend the topic, or both. Either way, best of luck to you.

[@ryank.1214]

“I haven’t seen it…but I can tell you everything about it.” Ok Spike.

[@christopherharper9932]

I HATE that! "The Black so and so". They may as well say, "The poor man's..." Spike is SPIKE, one of a kind! My man!! Spike was 29 there!

[@marchdave1]

We are humans. And its in our nature to label things. Its how we communicate and make sense of things. I see " the black woody allen" as trying to communicate to other people (mainly white) what type of film make Spike Lee is. I dont rhink we are ever going to not see things in terms of race but hopefully we can understand why we do and not let if feed into our prejudices.

[@geraldjarvis2115]

European Americans.

[@gbmbg114]

I totally understand your point of view here.. However, if I may, I’d like to suggest an alternative way of looking at things. I think the height of creativity and happiness is to NOT label so much. When a person is a full person when we first meet or see them, then we can allow who they actually are to inform our opinions about them. Honestly, and I mean this respectfully, to say “I don’t think we can ever not see race” is kind of a limiting belief about people’s potential. To me, I think the object is to challenge ourselves to rise to the ideal that we seek. If we accept “race” as a label, what wr’re really saying in that moment is “you know how this group is in general, so fill in the gaps that I’m too lazy to fill in about this individual person/circumstance”. That’s not meant to put blame on anyone. It’s just that when you can approach a person or their work for the uniqueness of their offering, we ALL get a richer taste of life. IMHO at least.. an exercise that helped me with this was deciding to refrain from describing people racially in conversation. Reaching for all of the other adjectives at my disposal. With practice, you can learn to focus on other qualities.

[@mikekock927]

He can’t even watch a movie that he criticizes, he just watched clips from it lol. He did the same thing with Django Unchained.

[@christopherharper9932]

@@marchdave1 uh-huh

[@SuperWilliamholmes]

Cousin Larry is like "shit's about to get real!'

[@TheRayvolution]

“Don’t be ridiculous Cousin Larry.” - Dick Cavette

[@TSquared2001]

Wow. Didn't know Cavett was stilll doing his show during this period.

[@jaymillymills]

Me either

[@briankelleywastaken]

He had a line of different talk shows on different networks with his name on it up until about '96.

[@kdkseven]

In my mind, he was a thing from the 70s (even his logo is from the 70s). I had no idea he was still around when i graduated from high school.

[@John-ct9zs]

Young Spike Lee handled this with class, and Spike even seemed to realize that Dick Cavett is probably a well meaning white dude but just out of touch with racial politics. Cavett was more a man that simply thought "Segregation is bad! Bigots and KKK are bad!", but he was not a man that understood anything beyond that. It was classy of Spike to give Cavett a way out of the topic before it became too embarrassing and overly tense beyond redemption.

[@jedijones]

Or maybe he was a man who understands that radical racial politics are divisive BS.

[@friskydingooo7992]

@@jedijones usually a white guy talks like this ,

[@Cakebattered]

Spike was talking with Ego, not intellect. He would try to own anyone who critiqued his film without seeing it. His critique of 'Soul Man' would make a movie like 'White Girls' open game for being labelled "Racist".

[@Blackman19498]

@@Cakebattered I don’t know what 🤷‍♂️your point is, ?And I am guessing you don’t know your self

[@Drjackdempsey9644]

Shut it. A well-meaning white dude? I hate to burst your bubble but white people do not sit around talking about black people all day and white people are not racist. A very small percentage of white people are racist. Black people are way more racist than white people are and that’s a F fact. You can make a movie called the white men can’t jump and that’s OK but you make a movie called soulman and it’s racist get the fF out of here with that BS.

[@jadezee6316]

cavett has never appeared at ease discussing racial issues...here spike gives him a way out before he embarrasses himself beyond repair

[@bartstarr100]

Bad take.

[@maestroofamore8948]

Watch the interview, and note that Cavett wasn't looking for "a way out" of anything - he was looking for honest dialogue.

[@cockoffgewgle4993]

The only one embarrassing himself is the one being openly racist: Spike Lee.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

@@maestroofamore8948 then why didn’t he bring any of his own? he’s way out of his depth.

[@maestroofamore8948]

@@lizziebkennedy7505 We can agree that Cavett should've challenged Lee's ridiculous assertions about "Soul Man" and Rae Dawn Chong. I know I would have.

[@welchce]

Staff Sergeant Lincoln Osiris has entered the chat...

[@bluestate69]

Spike Lee is a genius. He is far more than just a "black" director.

[@peterparks9435]

bluestate69 I agree.

[@isaacmartinez6904]

Discussion on Soul Man 4:23

[@JC_wonderland]

The real MVP thank you

[@allenscott68]

Zulu swashbuckler. 1018miamidrive I remember this movie and I would have said the same thing but now that I'm older and know better this shite was offensive just like tropic thunder🗣‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️‼️

[@mrleroyskillet800]

@@allenscott68 Yes

[@RealDaveTalk]

Even black folks love the movie, and it was funny.

[@jordani0205]

America needs to learn how to understand anothers opinion without so much hate. we dont have to like the same thing or have the same values, we just have to respect each other as living beings, thats all, evolution will follow. I see no hate or anger from either person. The only thing i dont like is that Spike Lee was invited to talk about his film and it was derailed by questions about another film to open a debate that people secretly want to have especially back then.

[@mizzury54]

I loved that first movie " She's gotta have it " Great work !

[@comedianjwatch]

Then you must see the Series on Netflix. Everything he didn't do in the movie he did in the show

[@RayPaganJr]

I remember taking my girlfriend at the time, a short Jewish Jersey girl and I walked in and we were the whitest couple there. We totally enjoyed it and I’ve been a fan of his ever since. Damn, that was a lifetime ago. Do The Right Thing is one of my favorite movies, as well as Mo’ Better Blues.

[@christophertracy2807]

He never had a black guest on without bringing up race. I like him but I never liked that

[@mikekock927]

Saying that Spike Lee is the black Woody Allen is like saying the Earth is flat.

[@MrBen51309]

In hindsight yeah, in 1986 it probably made sense.

[@youknowknow2500]

The Earth is flat and level just like how water always finds level and has to be contain no matter what you can't do nothing without water unless it's contained and it always finds level and you always see the Sun and the Moon rotated around you along with the Stars you do not ever feel movement no one has ever felt the Earth spinning a thousand plus miles per hour through infinite nothing. Millions of different people around the world know the Earth is flat anybody that does not clearly only going by what they were taught and haven't done any real research on their own that's why you think the Earth is spinning a thousand miles per hour through infinite nothing. Even the fake NASA tells you on there very website that the Earth is flat and Motionless the Holy Bible has over 200 verses that tells you the Earth is flat and motionless and not spinning you can go to any ocean Shoreline and take a Nikon p900 or Nikon p1000 and you consume in any ship that is out of your vision back into your sight with that camera and see flat ocean in front of it because the Earth is flat and Motionless in water always finds level and has to be contained no matter what you do with it see if you can do an experiment with water without containing it or it finding itself unlevel.

[@NUMBNYFILMS]

True, spike didint marry his daughter

[@AlphaJayCharlie]

Spike Lee is more like a Black Shaun King

[@josephgriffin2388]

I know. Spike Lee films are at least entertaining.

[@asifsaeedmemon]

1986, meet Rachel Dolezal

[@cle-chi]

lol

[@famousbowl9926]

Its CRAZY how many years and eras of talkshow he had

[@Orf]

5:00 “attack on affirmative action....I didn’t see the film...I don’t have to see it...I’ve seen clips”

[@DineshBhadwal]

This is a must for every budding filmmaker.

[@Jizzlewobbwtfcus]

I agree. He will teach them how not to be a hypocritical asshat

[@bizzyrizzy4025]

Ya gotta understand, Dick is from NE. I am from NE. This is how most from either Lincoln and/or Omaha speak to each other. It’s not condescending in anyway. Dick is coming from a place of endearment. All he is trying to do is to understand Spike. He is speaking the quintessential, dry, inquisitive tone that we Nebraskans all have in some degree.

[@FAMc81]

Interesting.. thanks for sharing.

[@kevhos1000]

There is no endearment here because this tone is too common from white people who are underline prejudice. People who are on the opposite side of prejudice is never understand

[@maestroofamore8948]

You nailed it, bizzy rizzy. Cavett as always, is utterly polite & respectful here - questioning Lee's bias without ever criticizing it.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

@@maestroofamore8948 You are a bigot.

[@Outlawgirl1297]

Marlon Brando was from Nebraska too and he never acted like he was afraid of black people or looked uncomfortable around us .

[@ndeamonk24]

Spike been THERE!!!! 💯💯💯

[@catherinevalli6830]

yada, yada, yada ...i'm offended. smoke a joint, spike.

[@scottculliton1008]

HOLD ON!! Is that Cousin Larry from Perfect Strangers sitting next to Spike

[@JEREMY99218]

Spike Lee totally missed the point of the movie. The message of the movie is clearly ANTI-RACISM and treating people equally. Actress Rae Dawn Chong said of the controversy: "It was only controversial because Spike Lee made a thing of it. He'd never seen the movie and he just jumped all over it… He was just starting and pulling everything down in his wake. If you watch the movie, it's really making white people look stupid… [The film] is adorable and it didn't deserve it.…I always tried to be an actor who was doing a part that was a character versus what I call 'blackting,' or playing my race, because I knew that I would fail because I was mixed. I was the black actor for sure, but I didn't lead with my epidermis, and that offended people like Spike Lee, I think. You're either militant or you're not and he decided to just attack. I've never forgiven him for that because it really hurt me. I didn't realize [at the time] that not pushing the afro-centric agenda was going to bite me. When you start to do well people start to say you're a Tom [as in Uncle Tom] because you're acceptable" en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Soul_Man_(film)

[@blueblur2273]

I love Spike but he got a history of talking out of his ass.

[@RocStarr913]

It wasn’t exactly very intellectual or clever most of the movie. It was mainly played for cheap laughs like many other young adult comedy movies tend to be.

[@Fast_Eddie_]

Robert Downey Jr- --- Hold my beer....

[@ATLbench]

Eddie Murphy did a skit about being white and it was hilarious! Comedy at its best is meant to provoke.

[@RocStarr913]

Soul Man wasn’t exactly the best example of that. The comedy was mainly low-hanging fruit seen in many other movies targeted towards its demographic.

[@ATLbench]

@@RocStarr913 whatever. It’s a double standard. Making fun of stereotypes is fair game it’s a crucial part of comedy in general. And the reason is that it’s often got some truth to it.

[@RocStarr913]

@@ATLbench No, it isn’t. White people, and especially white men, still have power and advantage a lot of people in society don’t. Black people in whiteface simply does not cause the same level of actual potential harm to white people as a whole the way white people in blackface would because black people are often treated as the other in society.

[@justbstalk9846]

@@RocStarr913 I agree that the finish lines for black people and white people are different and it simply isn’t the same but the irony of the “blackface” dialogue is that a lot of racists during the 1920s and 1930s hated minstrels for exposing white audiences to jazz. Al Jolson, who was probably the most successful minstrel, was also Jewish and his views on civil rights were very progressive because he recognized that he owed his success to black entertainers.

[@EyeLean5280]

Goodness, he's a BABY here!

[@danielgagnon2355]

Spike never had a problem when the Wayan Brothers came out with the movie White Chicks 2004 kzbin.info/www/bejne/l5a5nJWEoMZsfq8 the Hypocrisy from Spike lol

[@septimus64]

And yet we have Rachel Dolezal

[@LLOOYYYDD]

*She's gotta have it is in my top5 of all time, Spike Lee is a genius and I have total respect for the guy. And I'm Italian*

[@theoriginalthinker9199]

Aren't you a great guy! Your virtue signaling is obvious.

[@MS-ns2pj]

Spike is a racist, a bigot, and a sexist and he hates you. Where’s your self respect?

[@amafirenze-vi1uh]

Cary Grant posing as a french girl in "I was a male war bride" was more unbelievable than Soul Man. But, its an Hollywood movie in both cases, not a documentary.

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

Cousin Larry!? Where's Balki?

[@jeremiahwoods8200]

🤣Balki vs Fez from that 70's show by Smartymcfly Don Liberace my new song on KZbin

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@jeremiahwoods8200 What? There's nothing like that on KZbin.

[@jeremiahwoods8200]

@@TheKitchenerLeslie 🤣 sure it is I recorded the song Blaki vs Fez it'll turn up soon Leslie I guess my page is not so popular,,,take care have a great one

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

@@jeremiahwoods8200 I don't understand the point of your post. I searched for it... it doesn't exist. This is a really strange troll.

[@StannisHarlock]

It would be awesome to talk to Dick Cavett.

[@stevemalek2970]

I like the movie Soul Man and it does have a good universal message at the end. I think Spike Lee should give it a chance and not condemn it so quickly.

[@Orf]

10:15 as an artist you’re walking a tight rope

[@timtalton1709]

I liked the movie 34 years ago when i was 22. I never met(s) a black person in my life until i went into the service. Shenendehowa high school, clifton park, ny. Class of '81

[@knowitall3892]

Dam I was born 93

[@kdkseven]

Yup, i never met a black person until after high school. There wasn't a single black person that lived in my town, or any of the surrounding small towns, and we were only a half hour from St. Louis, on the Illinois side. People were pretty racist there, including some of my parent's friends, but my mom was good on the topic, so we grew up without any glaring prejudices. So even in the best of circumstances, it was all too easy to grow into attitudes like Dick Cavett's here- the well intentioned but ignorant white person

[@center8922]

@@kdkseven @Tim Talton What about the mailmen?

[@kdkseven]

@@center8922 i grew up in a small town, population 3200. There was not a single black person living in our town until i was a senior in high school.

[@kaguth]

Did he give RDJ a pass though? He did admit it was part execution and Topic Thunder was much better executed.

[@EZ-IZZY1995]

kaguth well that was 22 years later too

[@kaguth]

@@EZ-IZZY1995 Yeah, I'm not trying to criticize him. I'm honestly just curious why people are less mad or more mad at something that is kind of the same. I think the details make the difference, and like Spike said no one would really think C Thomas was black in Soul Man, but in Tropic thunder everyone knew he was white, which I think helps and adds to the self aware irony.

[@EZ-IZZY1995]

kaguth Exactly. White Chicks is the same deal; everyone pretty much knew that the makeup was bad and the voices sucked and the main characters were even baffled at how they pulled off their disguises. Soul Man though....”white man cant get in to prestigious law school so he pretends (horribly) to be black to do it” is just a weird concept for a movie

[@lynxminx4]

Thematically, Soul Man depicts a white person trying to take a black person's spot and becoming a fish out of water. While you could frame RDJ in Tropic Thunder as a white person trying to take a black person's spot, the comedic angle is completely different- his character isn't funny because he's a 'fish out of water', he's funny because he is so arrogant and narrowly focused on his craft he is blind to the impact he is having on his audience....and to the fact that the explosions and gunfire around him are now real....and to everything else except himself.

[@riverc.820]

I simply listen to what another person has to say and consider their perspective instead of asking for some sort of checklist or litmus. Think about the context of when that movie came out. it's not even 20 years after the civil rights act has passed and not a lot has changed for black America. Its a clueless movie, not directly racist, but the Reagan era in general really missed this country up from moving forward.

[@somethingyousaid5059]

Spike was always chill. He never seemed nervous on camera. I wish he was more prolific with his output of films though.

[@Zeldarw104]

.......I just died in your arms tonight it must've been something you said?!😬 Spike Lee was a young man, and he was just getting his work out, as a director, so that might account for some of his nervousness in the interview, but, I think he did great a job expressing, himself, Dick cavett seems to be all over the place.🤔

[@somethingyousaid5059]

@@Zeldarw104 I didn't mean to imply that he was being nervous in this interview. Obviously he's very calm, confident, and poised in it. I was just making the point that I never saw him be nervous in front of the camera ever.

[@Ronnie-Jones]

KZbin banned the most forbidden documentary ever published but it’s still available at archive-dot-org: "Europa The Last Battle". Watch it while you still can.

[@toiletsinjapan9933]

The fact that he wasn't more prolific may have something to do with why you can remember them all. Quality over quantity :)

[@kalin9ne651]

@@Ronnie-JonesAutism

[@eseterik78]

Larry Appleton just chillin.....

[@APisceanSlant]

Until the discussion about Hollywood Squares & Love Boat, lol. Would have loved for the camera to pan to him, as Spike was talking about the fate of one-hit wonders

[@epictetusofhierapolis4461]

No need to be offended by Soul Man. If it's not funny, then it's not funny, but offensive? please.

[@mobus1603]

If Spike Lee had actually watched the film "Soul Man", he would've known that it wasn't an attack on affirmative action. In fact, it wound up showing the exact opposite with how important affirmative action was, how damaging what C. Thomas Howell did was, and that he truly regretted it and did everything he could to rectify his actions. There certainly were other reasons to criticize the film, because it's pretty bad, but Spike's just wrong on that point.

[@davidjames579]

But the characters would have to be idiots to think C Thomas Howell is Black.

[@mobus1603]

@@davidjames579: I do agree with that.

[@chloe2501]

He probably shouldn't did it it's kind of like doing blackface

[@carltonbanks5470]

Did the C Thomas Howell character face any consequences for doing what he did?

[@RocStarr913]

@@carltonbanks5470 Not really, but it didn’t exactly heighten his career.

[@kdkseven]

I'm stunned to find out that Dick Cavett was still on the year i graduated from high school!

[@konstantinkoverchenko9587]

Christ, how many times did you have to repeat a grade? >_

[@kdkseven]

@@konstantinkoverchenko9587 ha well i was born in '68 and i knew he was on when i was a little kid in the 70s but i had no idea he was on well into the 80s.

[@theshark84724]

Dick was a special person. He was spontaneous and reserved. I sure wish my name was Dick tho

[@thehotyounggrandpas8207]

IS a special person, he's still alive!

[@mrsmokeydog7830]

Comedy has different colors and shades and is just that COMEDY. it is not to be taken serious. So it is not an insult to any group of individuals irregardless of race. Unless they choose and decide to make it a serious issue. The Wayan Brothers made a film where they were 2 Black men portraying 2 white girls it was ridiculous but it was COMEDY. So really making an issue and pointing fingers and complaining about all these things is frivolous "Live and let Live". And don't sweat the small stuff.

[@dreamquesttv]

@Kevin L There's so many white people who love White Chicks it's jaw-dropping.

[@KristbjorgNymann]

Interesting looking back.

[@maestroofamore8948]

I respect the opinions of James Earl Jones & Rae Dawn Chong FAR more than Spike's. "Soul Man" remains an entertaining flick.

[@icefireicefire105]

Spike is one of THE GOATS OF FILM!!! He handled this Interview Well.

[@nickboot8603]

In terms of intelligence and social impact Spike was always the logical successor to Malcolm X in the 90s

[@dannyhustle2599]

Nope not even close. Spike lee just like hypocrite Hollywood celeb

[@cadillaccalhoun3516]

Please! What are you smoking 😂😂😂

[@ricomajestic]

Yea right! Haha. Malcolm was an intellectual and way smarter than Spike!

[@Outlawgirl1297]

80s

[@larrytan73]

Spike Lee's favorite movie is white chicks

[@swpo1]

Spike Lee right here is cool and chill. Nowadays he got his finger in everybody's Kool aid and just overall having a attitude where he thinks his opinions really matter. But then again...... .........who am I?

[@mrHoppedupford]

Dudes never been cool.

[@toiletsinjapan9933]

@@mrHoppedupford Which celebrities are? Other than the ones you know personally, of course. Very few people act the same when their opinions suddenly start to matter to millions of people.

[@riverc.820]

LOL. That's what people said back then.

[@ObediahPolkinghornIII-cz5io]

I admire your humility.

[@blueblur2273]

@@riverc.820 Exactly. Spike's always been like that

[@rogerclark5221]

Spike you are everything. Young and unafraid

[@TheKitchenerLeslie]

And a black supremacist!

[@midlwestern3237]

I must have a completely distorted view of how standards of racial sensetivity were in the 1980s... wouldn't the question/answer be : "What's the problem with 'Soul Man?'..... IT'S BLACKFACE!!!!"

[@albertcovington9942]

My guess is you haven't seen the film?

[@midlwestern3237]

@@albertcovington9942 like Spike lee, I have not watched the film and will not watch it. The preview makes it crystal clear that it is a movie about a guy who dresses up in black face to attempt to get an African-American scholarship. why would anyone need to watch any more of that to understand why it's terrible?

[@MrBen51309]

Don't watch Tropic Thunder then, if you think blackface is completely unacceptable in every context.

[@VinnieBoombatz374]

Believe it or not, this movie wasn't actually that controversial in the '80s and grossed a lot of money. It was a hit. Me and all my friends saw it as kids (I'm black) and never considered that what we were watching was blackface. I was so young though that I probably didn't know what blackface was yet, but the adults around me didn't seem to have a problem with it either. It actually is a very funny movie, I think it's much more controversial now than it was back then.

[@RocStarr913]

The blackface is the tip of the iceberg. The ultimate issue is it’s just another dumb young adult comedy.

[@Hypnogely]

Only Dick Cavett could pull off a panel with Spike Lee and Cousin Larry.

[@jamespotter3660]

for a typically smooth interviewer, the first few minutes of this interview are pretty awkward.

[@sannimcable]

Spike Lee seems like a cool 😎

[@SuperWilliamholmes]

Cousin Larry!

[@learnbahasaindonesia3361]

Spike lee condemned the movie without seeing it. I don't respect him in this interview.

[@mr1derful]

I’m sure Spike is losing sleep over it

[@RocStarr913]

The movie isn’t exactly very good.

[@danjwalker]

Lee's second film, School Daze, made $14,545,844 against a $6,000,000 budget so he did ok : ) 12:07

[@wwbuirkle]

Outside of do the right thing i don't care for this race baiter's movies

[@123brendan12]

@@wwbuirkle keep crying loser... I swear you want to be persecuted so badly😭

[@wwbuirkle]

@@123brendan12 Who's crying genius.You're not even making any sense dummy

[@seang3019]

@@wwbuirkle He Got Game is the worst example of that I've seen. Malcolm X however is IMHO his masterpiece.

[@kdkseven]

@@wwbuirkle Calling someone a race baiter is race baiting.

[@sannimcable]

Good interview 👍

[@easyriderrider4580]

Yeah, I actually Am more interested in what Rae has to say... Spike's stuff was Laughably over the top and cartoonish... Even back in the day, lol...

[@pulse4503]

Great film

[@happydayz7857]

What a treat for Spike to be on this show with that other guy from Perfect Strangers right?

[@roglo06]

Happy Day Mark-Linn Baker. “Perfect Strangers” was one of the most-popular sitcoms in the mid-‘80s.

[@TheStranger513]

@@roglo06 Never watched it. But at least it brought us Family Matters.

[@Kruppt808]

people say this was an uncomfortable interview, i think both Spike and the host were fine. They got their points across, not to bad.

[@dennisrobbins7857]

Cavett's discomfort is painful to see, he's not really asking questions that are edgy, he's just asking the questions in an uncomfortable, edgy manner.... weird actually

[@mr1derful]

“Maybe they cast idiot black people” I think Cavett had some serious racial issues back in the day

[@bartstarr100]

Gibberish

[@bartstarr100]

@@mr1derful more gibberish

[@jedijones]

@@mr1derful He was making a joke. Not a funny one but he tried. LOL

[@nathancoleman7235]

WOW! Spike Lee in his very very early days!!!

[@johnnylightning1967]

How did affirmative action workout?

[@gsutton78]

Johnny Lightning. Nowhere near as good as the Homestead Act and Jim Crow. Those were affirmative action policies for whts.

[@kdkseven]

@@gsutton78 Exactly. People like Johnny up there don't realize that white Americans have been giving themselves a place at the head of the line from the very beginning. And actually Johnny, affirmative action was quite effective.

[@MrBen51309]

Ironically, feminists wanted a piece of that pie and now white women are the biggest beneficiaries of the policy. That's right folks, Karens gain the most from affirmative action.

[@johnnylightning1967]

@@kdkseven Why does it have to be white that give you stuff . I find it very ungrateful for people that claim racism but want to live amongst white people . It seem to me everyone is flooding into Areas with European countries or countries of European descent . Stop pointing your fingers , but look at yourself .

[@johnnylightning1967]

@@gsutton78 go cry a River , I owe you nothing

[@josephgriffin2388]

So he had a problem with C. Thomas Howell's portrayal of a black man...... but having a man of color portray A. Hamilton is a blockbuster play. Whateves....

[@BlackCountry-q1h]

Spike is measured here...Dick brings in other race issue film`s..." yeah but what about this " etc..attempting to make it a competition instead of judging Spike`s work and how he is subtly trying to change the narrative, whilst at the same time attempting to challenge perceived race narratives hopefully moving us all forwards with real change...as of today not a lot has changed...but at least he tried...big up to him from the UK..

[@kdkseven]

Dick Cavett is a perfect example of the well-meaning but ignorant white liberal.

[@MrBen51309]

Spike Lee attempting subtlety was the most shocking part of the entire interview.

[@pulse4503]

Oh come on! I am European, so prolly I perceive the film differently, but apparently the message the flick wanted to convey failed to get to Mr Lee.... I think it was a positive message, prolly it promoted interracial relationship as the best way to overcome racism, but this is from 1986, so Spike must have gotten it right now ! 😊

[@pulse4503]

He is focusing on the makeup thing which ain't the most important thing at all ! But again,as a white man living on the other side of the pond, I see it differently

[@1234pouvez]

What he said about "Soul Man" I felt the same way about Barbra Streisand in the movie "Yentl " which she directed. She portrayed a female passing as a male in a male, religious school. I felt there was no way on good earth that her fellow male students would not know she was a female. That having been said, I agree with him. Thomas C Howell looks Indian in the movie, not African American. By the same token, you can be African American, and be any complexion. There are members of my family who have the same complexion as C Thomas Howell. I think Whoopi Goldberg or any other African American actor can portray a character in a movie, which has nothing to do with any particular ethnicity. That would be about 99 percent of our films. It has always annoyed me that if no particular ethnicity is mentioned, again that would be most films, it's supposed to be white. It annoys me because it limits the playing field for actors of a particular ethnicity Whoppi Goldberg is American, and she can play An American role. Actually, she did in the movie Players, where she played a Police Detective Fortunately, We do see actors such as Anthony Mackie, who isn't necessarily portraying an African American Man all the time, and John Cho, who isn't necessarily portraying a Korea man all the time.. In the television series" Flash Forward" John Cho and Gabrielle Union played an American couple living together and planning their wedding because they are both American Actors. Had Rae Dawn Chong not made the movie, she might not have met C. Thomas Howell. They met and married albeit a brief marriage. C. Thomas Howell did not depict a black person with the use of blackface. He depicted a person who was trying to match a darker skin tone. The skin tone was brown, not black. Blackface from the mistral show days was literally black paint on the face, with white paint on the lips to delineate buffoonery at the expense of African Americans. The problem is, however, as I stated, you can be African American an any complexion, and being Brown Skin doesn't mean a person is African American. There are many ethnicities of people with Brown skin. I'm being redundant, but in the movie, He looks like a man from India.

[@kdkseven]

Same for women. For most movie rolls, any race or gender could play them with very little need for changes in the script. Such is rich, white, male Hollywood. It's getting better though. Veerrryyyy slowly.

[@1234pouvez]

@@kdkseven So true.

[@leviturner3265]

Technically Elon Musk is an African American. He was born in South Africa and lived there till he was 17. Now, he also holds American citizenship. He is technically an African American. Speaking of Soul Man, it is just not a very good movie. It is not entertaining. That is the plain and simple of it. I would much prefer to watch other movies that C. Thomas Howell was in like Red Dawn (1984), The Outsiders (1983), or Secret Admirer (1985). I find nothing wrong with a movie like Soul Man existing. I just have no desire to ever see that movie again.

[@1234pouvez]

@@leviturner3265 You are absolutely right. Technically or un-Technically Elon Musk is African American as well as Trevor Noah. Oscar-winning actor Rami Malek is African American. His parents are Egyptian immigrants. He would probably say he's Egyptian American. We usually say African American or European American when we cannot name a specific country in the continent that we or our relatives are from. In the case of South Africa, Africa is in the title. Actors Georg Stanford Brown, Andy García, and Steven Bauer are Cuban or Cuban American. They were all born in Havana Cuba. Georg Stanford Brown happens to be of a different complexion than Andy García and Steven Bauer. This is indicative of my family and the entire world. The entire world is comprised of many different Complexions

[@NoticerOfficial]

LMAO! not even watching this. idg a F*CK!!! what little spike thinks. and never have. Next. Every time his face pops up I send Thomas sowell videos to 10 more people

[@tamelamcghee1458]

I observed another comment that Cavett was uncomfortable with this interview. I didn't see it that way at all. I think Cavett went fearlessly into uncomfortable territory with a very serious-minded guest. Cavett ribbed him a bit, but also gave him much room to express his perspectives. I greatly appreciated it. In my humble opinion, this is masterful interviewing.

[@thirstinthrockmortoniii9202]

It was "OK" interviewing, but I can see room for improvement. I would've challenged many of Lee's assertions.

[@eltoro969]

Dick Cavett could do this tv show today in the same form. He is using the old school interview style but it always ends up as conversations, like on podcasts.

[@lizziebkennedy7505]

He is a racial nada. He does not know anything about anything and he insults his guest and doesn’t even get to the core of any of the issues he raises. The only place he could do this today is Charlottesville, and even there he’d rate badly.

[@alansands256]

If this was a "conversation" it was an awkward one.

[@sjw4life546]

The most awkward interview ever

[@sharnmonique7155]

I had my judgments on the film when I read about it and watched the trailer but after watching the whole film I understood the intention of the film which wasn’t racist at all it was a small depiction of how being a black man in America was at the time....even near the end where he said he has learnt a lot but could never fully understand because If it got too much he could revert back but a ‘black Person’ couldn’t. So it was in some way the writer telling the audience this film is in no way trying to make light of the matter/experiences in real life but perhaps wanted to create a film to see how it is on the other side (sometimes) when entering prestigious education etc

[@ricomajestic]

Yea the ending was good!

[@RocStarr913]

I think if the whole movie had been approached more intellectually like that scene, it would have been better. But as it was, it was just a missed opportunity. It was mostly just another typical young adult comedy in which the idea was mainly played for cheap laughs. I’m sure the producer and writer’s intentions were mostly good.

[@joshgoodman9882]

Spike Lee is about the hustle. A great.

[@adamw116]

Wait and Mark Linn Baker from Perfect Strangers was also a guest wow?? Dick Cavett going off on the Mets, another wow!

[@WhiteNinjaProductions]

I watched Eddie Murphy play white and thought it was great, although not real at all.

[@bryb2644]

??? I’m trying to pay for this newspaper. What are you doing??? Just take it.

[@niradnagrom2356]

"Buttah on my whole wheat bread." *LMAO!*

[@steveconn]

Soul Man was actually very good. Thomas looked absurd, but it really showed the racism encountered in the Ivy League, with a great role for James Earl Jones as a law professor. Was more resonant than many of Lee's thematically confused 'black people screaming in CU' efforts of the 80's and 90's.

[@valvemedia]

The guy didn’t see it. He can’t …..

[@L0r3n2]

It's in freakin' blackface whoever made that film should get slapped

[@fuckamericanidiot]

Why?

[@RocStarr913]

Spike Lee made a movie himself with blackface characters. Should HE be slapped? No, because he attempted to use it to make an intellectual point. Soul Man merely used blackface to shock and for cheap laughs.

[@zyxwut321]

In 1986, a young black man couldn't tell a genial but clueless older white man off on national TV and have his career survive so Spike knew he had to keep his cool.

[@MrKjames711]

Can Dick sound more condescending in his introduction? I don’t know, I’m pretty young-was that his thing?

[@jfjoubertquebec]

Love Spike Lee. Bonjour du Québec.

[@strokerace4765]

The real problem, “all good comedy is somewhat offensive” Eddie Murphy’s Delirious is extremely disrespectful to elders, but so funny.

[@RocStarr913]

Soul Man wasn’t exactly good comedy.

[@strokerace4765]

@@RocStarr913 actually I thought it was funny, “now go get my hypodermic needle with my herion in it Roc

[@strokerace4765]

RocStarr913, the part where everyone thinks he can play basketball is hilarious!

[@BananaPhoPhilly]

I gotta give props to spike for eating whole wheat bread

[@2011Savere]

To me Spike doesn't explain himself good.

[@JRFrancisco20088]

Nobody can discuss "Soul Man" without laughing. It's one of those it's-so-bad-it's-good movies. Lee treats it like "Birth of a Nation."