Robert Townsend's Hollywood Shuffle

by Dylan

November 26, 2010

Review

Hollywood Shuffle is a movie I’d seen dozens of times on cable as a kid. Back then I loved this movie and found it extremely funny, I was also thirteen or fourteen years old. So, in order to discover just how bad my taste in comedy was back then, I thought I’d take a look at this old favorite again. Hollywood Shuffle was directed, co written and stars Robert Townsend. Keenen Ivory Wayans and an uncredited Dom Irrera shared writing duties on the movie. Townsend plays Bobby Taylor, a Winky Dinky Dog employee and struggling young actor in Hollywood. Hollywood Shuffle is quite clearly a satire, but I’m not sure how aware of that fact I was as a young viewer. It was just funny to me and probably reminded me a lot of another old favorite, the sketch comedy show In Living Color. You can easily see bits of In Living Color peek out while watching Hollywood Shuffle, which makes sense considering Keenen Ivory Wayans’ involvement in both projects. Many future In Living Color alums show up in the movie, Keenen Ivory Wayans, Damon Wayans, Kim Wayans, and Anne-Marie Johnson all make an appearance. Other familiar faces like Paul Mooney, John Witherspoon & Franklyn Ajaye pop up here and there.

At the start of the movie Bobby Taylor (Townsend) is thrilled to have an audition and eventually a callback for the role of Jimmy, a jive talkin’, harshly stereotypical gang member. Bobby lands the part, but in the process becomes increasingly torn between reaching his career goals and his losing dignity. He dreams of making it big, but becomes disillusioned with the stereotypical/racist roles that are offered to black males. Bobby drifts in and out of reality. His daydreams, in essence are In Living Color-esque sketches. For instance, the “Black Acting School” (clip below) offers students the opportunity to learn how to be a “black street hood”. Unfortunately, as Robert Taylor explains “the class is for dark skin blacks only, light skinned or yellow blacks don’t make good crooks.” Notice classes are taught by whites? Satire! (Please make your way through Hulu’s age verification and quick ad before the clip, it’s well worth the wait)

Bobby wrestles with his conscience, he’s driven to succeed but at what cost? The movie continues with more incredibly clever and satirical sketches. For as heavy as the context of the movie is, it’s still a very fun watch. I’m happy to have returned to the movie to find that it still holds up, sure it’s an ’80s movie and there is at least one music montage. But Hollywood Shuffle works on a level the fourteen year old me couldn’t appreciate. I’m surprised there isn’t more written about this movie, while it may not be as entertaining as I’m Gonna Git You Sucka, I think it’s just as important.

Check out “Sneakin’ in the Movies”, another one of my favorite bits from the movie.
Hollywood Shuffle is currently available to stream on Netflix.

Author | Dylan

When not attempting to better Paracinema Magazine and grow its readership, you can find me occasionally trying my hand (often with disastrous results) at contributing to the website.

Ashlee

Good pick, Dylan! I love this movie and just historically Townsend’s work doesn’t get the recognition it deserves.

The Wayans’ clan definately share the same insight for how roles are distributed to black folks in the entertainment biz. Like, Marlon’s actually a better speaker than he is choosing his own roles so the film definately reflects this double-edged sword.

http://www.paracinema.net Dylan

Thanks Ashlee. While re-watching this I wondered if the movie has the same relevance to the entertainment biz of today. I guess it does to a degree. I’ve seen a few of the Madea movies, and there are moments in those that would fit perfectly into one of Bobby Taylor’s daydreams. I think things in the film biz have changed since Hollywood Shuffle, but they still have a long way to go. Thanks for reading and commenting!

Ashlee

I think it’s a case of the more things change, the more things stay the same.

I’m a true believer that repitition is just the inevitability of the human condition and in our capitalist industries, whatever (literally, whatever) works, run it into the ground for maximum profit.

Madea works because Flip Wilson did it, Antonio Vargas (Car Wash), Martin Lawrence, and the history of black men in drag “acting” like black women. Amongst all of his over overhanded themes (ALL black people are churchy and have been sexually/physically/emotionally abused?!?!?!?!) and eye roll inducing overacting, Black drama taken in this context stems from such an abject and sad, sad victimized state to be a spectacle for pity. May-be I’m being too harsh but it just seems to be the only passable films within the genre with predominantly Black casts that get the greenlight.

Because the issue in the 90′s was no Black dramas. None were getting mainstreamed.

But now that (some) are, there’s still this discourse which I’m certain will continue until the end of mankind, about what constitutes as decent, accurate, non-offensive representations of Black people. It’s all based on opinion anyhow.

I think Hollywood Shuffle was a movie ‘in the moment’ of the atmosphere of the issues/negotiations of Black representations in the entertainment industry. For the very reasons you say it holds up, are the same themes and experiences discussed about the representations today.