PHOTOS: The Week's Best Style Moments
(Prince Naveen and Princess Tiana)
Oh, boy.
After years of flack from the African American community, in 2006, the Disney company saw fit to finally include an African American princess in its pantheon of animated royals – which in the past had representation from every other racial and ethnic group (Jasmine, Pocahontas, Snow White, Cinderella, Ariel, etc.)
In December of this year, the company is set to release 'The Princess and the Frog,' set in New Orleans and featuring Princess Tiana, voiced by actress Anika Noni Rose. Oprah Winfrey is voicing Eudora, Tiana's mother.
Oddly enough, though, Princess Tiana is black; her prince is not. That's right – even though there is a real-life black man in the highest office in the land with a black wife, Disney obviously doesn't think a black man is worthy of the title of prince. I guess Sasha and Malia and all the other little black girls out there should just shut up and be thankful to have something! Little black boys will have to wait another 20 years.
Famous Interracial Couples
Tara Wilson and Chris Noth
The two are the proud parents of a baby boy, Orion Christopher Noth, born in January 2008. They met in 2004 when she worked as a bartender at his now defunct music venue in NYC The Cutting Room.
Monica Morgan, WireImage
Kim Kardashian and Reggie Bush
Stars in their own right, these two have risen to tabloid stardom with their very public relationship. While he is a football phenom, she is a gorgeous socialite made famous by a reality show and a racy sex tape.
Johnny Nunez, Getty Images
Seal and Heidi Klum
One of today's most striking 'it' couples, these two first met when Heidi was pregnant with ex-husband Flavio Briatore's child. They were married a year later and now have two gorgeous sons together.
FilmMagic.com
Ice T and Coco
Rapper turned actor Ice T married voluptuous swimsuit model Nicole Austin, known professionally as Coco. The 'Law & Order: SVU' regular and his wife speak often of the secret of their seven year marriage -- great sex!
Astrid Stawiarz, Getty Images
DJ Ironik and Danielle Lloyd
Former Miss Great Britain and reality TV star is the on-again-off fiance of MOBO nominated rapper. In October, they were off again -- or it could be a publicity stunt?
Chris Jackson, Getty Images
Cuba Gooding and Sara Gooding
Cuba Gooding has been married to Sara Kapfer since 1994, but the two were high school sweethearts since 1986. The Goodings have three children: Spencer, Mason and Piper.
Giulio Marcocchi, Getty Images
Thandie Newton and Ol Parker
Bi-racial British actress Thandie Newton married her writer/director/producer husband in 1998. The pair have two daughters, Ripley and Nico.
Jon Furniss, WireImage
Iman and David Bowie
Somalian supermodel Iman and rock luminary David Bowie have been married 19 years and have one daughter, Alexandria Zahra -- they make an amazing power couple.
WireImage
Tiger Woods and Elin Nordegren
These two were introduced in 2001 and by 2004 were getting married at an exclusive golf resort in Barbados. The two have two children, Sam Alexis and Charlie Axel.
WireImage
Emma Bunton and Jade Jones
Emma Bunton (Baby Spice) has been with her partner, singer Jade Jones, for nearly a decade. The two have a son, Beau Lee Bunton, born in August 2007 and say they have no plans to marry.
WireImage
Prince Naveen of Maldonia is voiced by a Brazilian actor, and his skin is ... tan. His hair and features are decidedly non-black. This has left many in the community shaking their head in befuddlement and even rage.
It's not like Disney isn't used to the controversy. Over the years, it has offended blacks, Jews, women's groups and some shade of everyone else. Appropriately, controversy has dogged the 'The Princess' since its inception. Originally, the black princess was named Maddy, a maid working for a white family set in 1920s New Orleans.
Both the name (which sounds eerily close to Mammy) and position made many take pause, so Maddy became Tiana, a more African American name. Even choosing New Orleans with its history of slavery and voodoo had some in an uproar. That toothless firefly that sounds like a slave (see video) isn't likely to convert many fans either.
Some, including Rose, think it's all good: "It's great and wonderful, and bigger even is being the first American princess," the Tony Award-winner told Black Voices. "They have chosen to give the world an American princess who looks like me. I really can't think of anything else that would be more exciting," she added.
I'm sure folks could come up with a couple.
Comments: (3101)
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By: Andre on 3/19/2009 3:55PM
I know it's very easy to find controversy in something, but I think perhaps this is being taken a bit far. For one, Disney is the target of all types of controversy because they are a very successful company. Moreover, this is NOT the first time Disney has featured an interracial relationship! What about Pochahontas? Maybe Disney is more progressive and forward thinking than many want to give them credit? There is always more than one way to look at a situation.
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By: cheryl on 3/20/2009 2:10PM
Disney did not invent Pocahants and John Smith it really happened. There was a real Pocahantas and a real John Smith
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By: Me on 3/20/2009 2:23PM
If we are a society that is so forward thinking, why are we even worried about this? I mean, it shouldn't matter the color of skin...heck maybe we should ask Disney to make every cartoon character purple so is is "even and fair"...good grief complainers...grow up and get on with life! Is the story line good, does it respresent what we want our children to learn? if the answer is yes, then let's let the kids enjoy a fairy tale and let the adults GET OVER IT!!
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By: B on 3/20/2009 2:44PM
I totally agree. I actually work for Disney in Orlando and they are far from racist or prejudice in any way! I can't believe people get so worked up over these things. But again, you are right, if you go looking for it...controvercy is everywhere!!! If people find issue that this new prince is white, they are basically saying that a white man doesn't deserve a black woman...racist in itself!
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By: Ed on 3/20/2009 3:51PM
Who cares what color the Prince is??? What now?? Are we saying that a White man can't date a Black Woman?? Who gives a damn?? They are people and if we don't start seeing people instead of color we will never survive as a species. Get Over it!
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By: ckimbral on 3/20/2009 3:00PM
I agree..People are searching now for contravercy in everything..let it be it's just a cartoon. Disney will always have people trying to shame them.
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By: rmaas on 3/20/2009 3:15PM
Don't even listen to Monterio. First of all check what you write before you send it. Turning the other cheek is the Christian thing to do. Morals, values... do you have any? I suppose you teach your children to hit back in school too?
Listen, I won't deny that racism, prejudice, sexism.. all that exists and it's sad that it does. It's people like Monterio that keep it active and don't try to change anything.
Andre, you're not stupid you are telling it like it is. Yes, people need to stop making big issues over small stuff like this. We have bigger fish to fry. Keep up the good work.
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By: Amy on 3/20/2009 3:17PM
Why does it have to be considered forward thinking and progressive to be interracial? Why can't a decent representation of a Black couple be made? If it was not important, than they should have simply gone with the majority which would have been a totally Black couple. There may not be anything wrong in manys eyes with interracial relationships but that is not the norm so why represent it?
Also, let's talk about Pocohontas since you mention it. I didn't even allow my children to watch that movie because it is a complete fallacy and perpetuates the myth that the so-called Indians were loved and admired by the settlers rather than hunted, used and their young girls' virtue taken by older married men who were away from home. Take a look at the real Captain to Pocohontas and see if he looked and acted like the one represented in the movie.
You only change what you consider important to change. If so, why.
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By: Zane on 3/20/2009 3:39PM
I guess the conservative agenda is to continue to be bigots and divisive.
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By: Marcie on 3/20/2009 4:04PM
My question is why does he have to be white? He couldn't be mexican, indian, asian, or so on. If you are gonna make it interracial they couln't pick from the other races. Think about it.
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