Orange is the New Black

While watching the Netflix series “Orange is the New Black”, it reminded me of a lot of topics we have discussed. In particular, a scene where one of the African American inmates (Taystee) is about to go in front of a board to discuss whether she can be let out of prison early or not. She is getting her hair done, and some of her friends are talking about how she should do her hair to get the best outcome of her “trial”. One inmate says she should appeal to the white women because they love to “sit around and drink wine talking about how said it is that black folks ain’t got their fair shakes.” They then decide that the best look for Taystee would be to look like the “black best friend in the white girl movie”. They then talk about different examples like Regina King in Miss Congeniality, Viola Davis in Eat Pray Love, and Alicia Keys in The Nanny Diaries.

What these inmates are discussing is the “magical negro” role. By looking like these actresses, who in their movies support and guide the white characters, Taystee will have a better chance of being released. It also is a commentary on black women in Hollywood, similar to the Jennifer Lopez article by Beltran. These women all have had to become “more white” to become more popular, which is what the fellow inmates are trying to do to Taystee. This show and scene both relate to the article “Life on the Wire” by Andre Brock because Orange is the New Black is a specifically online television show, so they are able to discuss things differently than a cable TV show and clearly have a following of people that are familiar with the internet. It shows a somewhat realistic view of prison life that is racially and ethically diverse.