but now that I think about it -- she's closer to the DropSquadWhiteyHating!BornAgainEducatedNegro stereotype.

Mmmm. Yeah. I thought she was going to offend me on that ground, but then I really decided she was a poke at the very liberal, in general. I think liberals tend to take ourselves too seriously sometimes, so I ended up enjoying that bit of it (of course I didn't see it, just read it, and that can make a world of difference).

Kat, ita, would you equate the Mystical Native American trope with the Magical Negro trope, in terms of level of offensiveness, that is?

Also Kat (when you have time) did you ever watch Northern Exposure? I always thought they managed to use the mystical trope effectively, such that it wasn't offensive. I don't (it's been a long time) actually remember it being subverted as such, but the show was so funky in general, that it didn't itch me. I can see it being really offensive to people, in general.

Satsuma, Kat.

I asked Tim. Satsuma was the street the production offices were on, so therefore a completely made-up tribe, and I can't remember any reference to a nation.

Cindy, I'm not quite sure where the Magical Negro comes from. Looks like the Mystical Native is based on a romanticisation of their religion. But is brushed broadly (often the Native is the only one who sees the truth -- their gods not only exist but manifest themselves, and most everyone has a touch of it, or if they don't, it's a plot point).

Magical Negro? What's that about? Guilt? Being more primal (and less evolved)? Dunno.

Badass lawyer chick bothered me (a bit, obviously not entirely, because krav), but now that I think about it -- she's closer to the DropSquadWhiteyHating!BornAgainEducatedNegro stereotype.

I don't know whether or not it's played out for Native Americans or not. I do know that a college roommate (Pueblo Indian, Santa Ana, I believe) used to argue that the best way to Fight the Man was through the court systems because it has been traditionally the legalese that has been the downfall (in her opinion) of Native Americans.

Dianne started out a badass lawyer; Jaye is an Anglo, and is mystical, too. I think I can see where that would piss off most people.

I think the thing that pinged me was that Dianne wasn't a good enough leader until she became mystical shaman woman. That seems sort of bullshitty to me.

DAMN. Can't write the CD I need to but I better go to work. fenh.

I think the thing that pinged me was that Dianne wasn't a good enough leader until she became mystical shaman woman. That seems sort of bullshitty to me.

Yes. I think it's probably a trope of which I just haven't been that aware.

Satsuma, Kat.

My first thoughts on this are: oranges! ita must be saying something along the lines of cereal. But that doesn't make sense. Then followed by is this like Namaste but different? Street name... HA!

Allyson, but around Niagra and Buffalo in general (and I'm supposing that it's close if Sharon goes to get cigs there that frequently), most groups are Iroquois Confederacy.

Oh, and there was also a peyote reference.

Tim reminded me that Jaye said something about the totem, and the totem said it was just there for the tourists.

Jaye did seem to think that the Northeast tribe would have a totem pole, but that's Jaye's ish.

It was the mystical indian trope, that bugged me.

Allyson did you ever watch Northern Exposure? If so, did it bug there, too? I'm starting to think I have given too much credit to WF (and NE) (also ashamedly and admittedly, it's not a trope I've spent time thinking about before now). I think cut some writers/shows too much trope-slack.

I thought it was several months back that the "Are you there Tim?" line debuted.

Yeah. There was, like, a sneak peek right around the start of the new year. We kinda fell in love at that point.

Cindy, I watched Northern Exposure periodically. I don't remember it bugging (or a ton about the show), but I think that's my faulty memory. In fact, I'm trying to remember if it was Marianne (was that her name) that was the closest to the mystic.

and really, she had other tropes going on (savvy nurse to a doctor who knows medicine but is othewise clueless).